Medical school, dental school, or law school?
It just seems that a lot of people who want to do more schooling (beyond a Bachelors) seem to consider a wide variety of options in terms of what they want to study. Even though there is no relation in the professions, I found a lot of law students who considered medicine and the other way around on med student forums.
I wouldn't say there's no relation among those professions. All fit nicely within the scope of classic middle class values. What's hoped for is high renumeration for specialized knowledge in an area of public service (vs something like finance or accounting. Though would guess dentistry probably draws more people who like the bucks).
And while I agree with those in the nontrad forum who feel that people from privileged backgrounds are much better placed to secure places in those programs, because entry to these professions is regulated, more-or-less transparent, and can (theoretically) be achieved through merit, it's a mechanism of social mobility for people who don't have the cultural capital required to gain a foothold in other sectors (e.g., 1st & 2nd-generation immigrants).
I like psych because I always have. Everything about it, the science and the art. I did my first project on the brain in second grade, read William James for fun in high school, & later, academic journals for interest, no matter what else I was doing in life. I was in no shape to pursue it formally my first go-round at university, but life circumstances have led to, I guess, an opportunity to try again.
The other profession I have been strongly considering is PT, which appeals to me for many reasons. (Among them is that PT offers the possibility of helping people achieve visible outcomes, & more flexibility & autonomy in terms of lifestyle than psychology can, given the latter's hierarchical training & licensing restrictions, & its location in the wider health economy). Recent developments in my own health are causing me to think again about the kind of longevity I could enjoy in this field, though. Successful clinical/counselling psychologists are able to practice in relative comfort into their older years.
