If you were in my shoes, what path would you take?

[Bakingem]

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I hope this is the best place to put this question. I'm a 34-year old lawyer with three kids. I did well in law school but have been practicing for several years and I hate it. Before law school, I toyed with the idea of going to nursing school but was afraid I wouldn't like it based on working at a nursing home in college, which was awwwwful. A few months ago, I stated volunteering at a free clinic, and I love it. A friend who is an anesthesiologist let me shadow her in the OR for a couple of days. It's completely cheesy, but I felt like I found my place in the world. I loved everything about the OR: the way the team worked as a well-oiled machine, the actual surgery (seeing a heart beating in a chest cavity was the coolest think I've ever seen, other than the birth of me kiddos), seeing the patients pre- and post-op. It was amazing and cemented my belief that a career change is worth it. I'm struggling with figuring out the best path. My anesthesiologist friend suggested I consider going to nursing school and then becoming a CRNA if I don't want to go to med school. Another friend has suggested the NP route (which I know is probably not going to be a popular option on this forum) and another the PA route. And one of the surgeons I worked with told me if I like surgery that much, I need to go to med school and that there were several people my age in his class.

The issues I see are that I have three little kids (age 3 and 18 months) right now. Regardless of the route I take it will be a couple years before I can get all my science prerequisites done, which would put me around 36 and my kids at 5 and 3 when I was starting either nursing school, med school, or PA school. Obviously, med school would take significantly longer to finish, but would result in more autonomy, higher degree of responsibility, and higher income. Nursing school would be done sooner, but I would have to go back in a couple years to do CRNA or NP school. PA school would finish sooner than med school and would give me at least a chance of working in the OR, but I've heard PAs have a harder time finding jobs locally than NPs (all word of mouth but I heard the same from a PA and NP here). Every option other than nursing and NP school would require moving our family. My husband is great with the kids and will support me in which ever path I decide. He knows med school will be the hardest on our family due to the length and hours. He's an attorney also, so he can find a position in another city and we can live off his income and only need loans for the actual cost of schooling.

I have a good GPA in both under grad and law school (3.8 and 3.7 respectively) and my science GPA (two basic Biology classes, Nutrition, and Microbiology; taking Chemistry now and I have an A so far, but I'm only halfway done with the class) is a 3.7.

I know this was very long, but I'd really appreciate some candid feedback from people who are actually in med school or are practicing about the feasibility of med school in my situation and on what you view as the best non-med school option based on your own experiences in the healthcare profession.

 

[Chromium Surfer]

@gonnif would be a great person to talk to. I would also recommend checking out the nontrads forum as well.

 

[Doctor-S]

I will PM you because I have a lot of information related to law (JD degree), followed by Medicine (MD degree) pathway. It is challenging, but doable.

 

[NimbleNavigator]

I know SDN has a hard-on for nontrads, but here's my take on the situation:

You're 34 right now. I'm assuming you've made a good career out of law and that your debt is paid off. Your kids are young. Assuming you're the primary breadwinner for the family, it's time for you to step up and provide for them.

Going into medical school would totally derail that. First of all, you'd have to take the pre-reqs, so you'd probably be at least 36 by the time you actually applied. Also, you'd be taking on debt. You would then be 37 when (if?) you matriculate. That would put you at 42 when you graduate medical school, and that's not even getting into residency. Surgical residencies are typically 5 years long. You'd be 47 by the time you can really start paying off your debts.

You oldest will be 16 by then, and your youngest will be 14. In other words, they've grown up in a life of poverty. They're also going to be looking at college. How are you going to pay for that? You still haven't even paid off your own debt.

Do whatever you want. Follow your dreams. Whatever.

I personally think it's more important to provide for your family. The route you're thinking about is, in my opinion, a selfish one.

 

[ChymeofPassion]

^ agreed

 

[Bakingem]

I know SDN has a hard-on for nontrads, but here's my take on the situation

^ agreed

Thanks for your candor. My husband is also a lawyer, so I'm not actually the primary/main breadwinner. But I understand your point.

 

[Kpw101]

I'm still very young and I'm not a non-trad so my opinion should not mean anything at all.

But for the sake of conversation if I were in your shoes I would make sure my family was well taken care of first. If your family will not suffer because of your career change then by all means follow your dreams. If it were my mother I would encourage her to find a new career path if she hated her current one.

 

[NimbleNavigator]

Thanks for your candor. My husband is also a lawyer, so I'm not actually the primary/main breadwinner. But I understand your point.

That changes everything in my opinion. Since your family isn't completely reliant on you for finances, then to me it seems a lot more realistic. I'm assuming you've discussed this with your husband already? What does he think?

 

[doc05]

Being a lawyer may not be for you. But a couple days shadowing your anesthesiologist friend isn't enough to derail your whole life.

As far as medicine goes, I wouldn't recommend it for a career for anyone. The system is going down the toilet and it's not worth the sacrifice. also keep in mind you will not be there for your kids growing up, and that you will be 45-50 years old before you actually start practicing.

If anything, think about putting your law skills to good use in another field and avoid the long road of re-schooling. it's not worth it.




and best of luck!

 

[NimbleNavigator]

Being a lawyer may not be for you. But a couple days shadowing your anesthesiologist friend isn't enough to derail your whole life.

As far as medicine goes, I wouldn't recommend it for a career for anyone. The system is going down the toilet and it's not worth the sacrifice. also keep in mind you will not be there for your kids growing up, and that you will be 45-50 years old before you actually start practicing.

If anything, think about putting your law skills to good use in another field and avoid the long road of re-schooling. it's not worth it.




and best of luck!

Interesting... what would would recommend instead of medicine? For all its faults I still think it's one of the best fields in terms of feeling fulfilled, getting respect, and being compensated well.

 

[summergirl]

Interesting... what would would recommend instead of medicine? For all its faults I still think it's one of the best fields in terms of feeling fulfilled, getting respect, and being compensated well.

My friend in finance made 120k fresh out of undergrad. She only had 2 summer jobs and was a part of a finance lab in school. She feels very fulfilled and respected.
Another friend got hired by facebook as a software engineer straight out of undergrad, so his salary is probably in the 6 figures. I would say he's also very fulfilled and respected.

 

[NimbleNavigator]

My friend in finance made 120k fresh out of undergrad. She only had 2 summer jobs and was a part of a finance lab in school. She feels very fulfilled and respected.

I guess "feeling fulfilled" really is based on the individual. I would never feel fulfilled working in finance. I have very little respect for most bankers or even accountants for large companies. She's definitely being compensated well, though.

 

[summergirl]

I guess "feeling fulfilled" really is based on the individual. I would never feel fulfilled working in finance. I have very little respect for most bankers or even accountants for large companies. She's definitely being compensated well, though.

Yes it definitely varies based on the individual. I also personally would not want to only go after the money my entire life, but there are plenty of people out there who do. To each his own I guess. Maybe I'm the crazy one trying to put myself half a million dollars in debt in exchange for probably the most tortuous 7-8 years of my life, when I can be sitting on a beach in LA drinking cocktails with a little umbrella.

 

[LizzyM]

What do you love about working in the free clinic?

As I see it, you have a trade off between time and money. The more time you spend on education, the more earning potential you'll have and the more autonomy you'll have. The question is, what is the sweet spot for you? You may need to relocate for school. With PA school, you'd be ready to practice 24 months after you start the program. With medical school, you'd be required to move again for residency (most likely, unless you are in a very densely populated area and prioritize location over all else) and job opening might require another move 3-5 years after that. Can your family survive 2 moves in 4 years, 3 moves in 7 years particularly given your children's situation in school at those time points? Third year of medical school includes overnights in the hospital as does residency. Will your family be able to handle not having you at home overnight (in other words, will your husband or someone else be at home with the children when you are out all night and into the next day)?

Will you get what you love about clinical care with less investment of time and will you be as happy with less potential income and less autonomy? That's where you need to determine what is best for you.

 

[Mansamusa]

I definitely think CRNA would be a good path for you.

You can start a 3 yr RN program right now without taking any pre reqs

2 yrs working in ICU

2 yrs CRNA school (PA would have a similar timeframe, but if you want anesthesiology specifically, CRNA is the better path)

Done.

CRNAs also make the salary of some physicians while not going into a similar amount of debt.

NP isn't a great idea if you want to be in the OR

 

[NimbleNavigator]

I definitely think CRNA would be a good path for you.

You can start a 3 yr RN program right now without taking any pre reqs

2 yrs working in ICU

2 yrs CRNA school

Done.

CRNAs also make the salary of some physicians while going into a similar amount of debt.

NP isn't a great idea if you want to be in the OR

Yeah Crna would be a good route imo

 

[idontwatchgreysanatomy]

I am a non-trad career changer and a couple years younger than you. I was in a similar boat: spent 5 years in school to end up in a career I hated, but I tolerated it for 8 years because it paid extremely well. It was a difficult decision to make because I went from making six figures to being broke. It was doable for me because I don't have kids and I'm not married. If the income loss isn't an issue for you, I would say do it. A lot of people here don't understand the feeling of being miserable in a career you hate. It is a sacrifice, but if you know you want it, you better do it before you get any older. All I can say is that quitting my job and returning to school was the best decision I've made. And while I'm dirt poor now, I am a million times happier than before.

 

[Bakingem]

What do you love about working in the free clinic?

As I see it, you have a trade off between time and money. The more time you spend on education, the more earning potential you'll have and the more autonomy you'll have. The question is, what is the sweet spot for you? You may need to relocate for school. With PA school, you'd be ready to practice 24 months after you start the program. With medical school, you'd be required to move again for residency (most likely, unless you are in a very densely populated area and prioritize location over all else) and job opening might require another move 3-5 years after that. Can your family survive 2 moves in 4 years, 3 moves in 7 years particularly given your children's situation in school at those time points? Third year of medical school includes overnights in the hospital as does residency. Will your family be able to handle not having you at home overnight (in other words, will your husband or someone else be at home with the children when you are out all night and into the next day)?

Will you get what you love about clinical care with less investment of time and will you be as happy with less potential income and less autonomy? That's where you need to determine what is best for you.

It's hard to know where that sweet spot is when you're not actually doing something, but that is exactly what I'm trying to figure out. I fully acknowledge that my personality is pretty all or nothing when I get excited about something, and if I were in a different position, I would definitely go to med school. The reality, though, is that I want to make whatever career change I end up with as smooth as possible and 8-10 years of med school & residency probably isn't the best choice. I can certainly see myself being a CRNA or PA in the OR, and one of those routes is what I will probably end up doing, but part of me worries that I'll always wish I would have just gone for the MD. That goes back to my "I must do this or die trying" personality, but I know that long term one of the other options would probably be better for my family and still give me satisfaction in what I'm doing. I'm just not sure which one and I really need to decide soon as I'm about to the point where I need to take different prereqs for different paths.

We (or at least I) would have to move for at least 1-2 years with any of the options other than becoming a NP, but it definitely would be harder to move everyone numerous times. Overnights are doable; my husband is an awesome dad and is supportive of me going back to school. I think that the idea of med school is the most intimidating to him (rightfully so) as the parent who would be shouldering the primary responsibility for day-to-day pick ups, drop offs, bedtime, etc. Thanks for your comment. You've helped me focus on what I really need to consider.

 

[Bakingem]

Being a lawyer may not be for you. But a couple days shadowing your anesthesiologist friend isn't enough to derail your whole life.

As far as medicine goes, I wouldn't recommend it for a career for anyone. The system is going down the toilet and it's not worth the sacrifice. also keep in mind you will not be there for your kids growing up, and that you will be 45-50 years old before you actually start practicing.

If anything, think about putting your law skills to good use in another field and avoid the long road of re-schooling. it's not worth it.




and best of luck!

I've been volunteering at a free clinic for months, so a career change is not based on just two days in the OR. I'm not quite that careless with my life choices. 🙂 The OR time really just helped me cement the deal that some type of career in healthcare is a good move for me.

I get what you're saying and there are definitely some lawyers that transition to other field, but they typically have some kind of background in that area already or did something similar in their law practice. While I understand your point and would love it if I could find a career change that didn't require more education and would result in the same satisfaction I get at the clinic or in the OR, I don't know of any other area that would meet those requirements. Based on your assessment of the medical profession right now, I would guess that you're not super satisfied in it right now, so maybe you can understand how I feel about doing something I hate for another 30+ years. That's a long time to hate going to work every morning!

 

[Bakingem]

I definitely think CRNA would be a good path for you.

You can start a 3 yr RN program right now without taking any pre reqs

2 yrs working in ICU

2 yrs CRNA school (PA would have a similar timeframe, but if you want anesthesiology specifically, CRNA is the better path)

Done.

CRNAs also make the salary of some physicians while not going into a similar amount of debt.

NP isn't a great idea if you want to be in the OR

Yeah Crna would be a good route imo

The CRNA route has been my plan I'd say 85% of the time since I started seriously thinking about what to do. You've got quite a bit of autonomy, you're in the OR, and you make good money for your time; the biggest downside for us is moving for 2-3 years, but that will probably happen with any plan. Every now and then, my crazy comes out and makes me want to go for the MD, instead, but practically, I suspect the CRNA or maybe PA option, depending on what I find out about placement locally, will probably be what I end up doing.

 

[NimbleNavigator]

The CRNA route has been my plan I'd say 85% of the time since I started seriously thinking about what to do. You've got quite a bit of autonomy, you're in the OR, and you make good money for your time; the biggest downside for us is moving for 2-3 years, but that will probably happen with any plan. Every now and then, my crazy comes out and makes me want to go for the MD, instead, but practically, I suspect the CRNA or maybe PA option, depending on what I find out about placement locally, will probably be what I end up doing.

Lol I mean I wouldn't call it a crazy idea. I'm sure you'd be able to be an excellent physician if you followed through that plan as well. I just feel like the CRNA route is the smarter one.

 

[doc05]

I've been volunteering at a free clinic for months, so a career change is not based on just two days in the OR. I'm not quite that careless with my life choices. 🙂 The OR time really just helped me cement the deal that some type of career in healthcare is a good move for me.
!

a free clinic is nice experience. but the harsh realities of real-world practice area another thing entirely. please spend some time with physicians who practice in the real world. they (we) are largely overworked, underpaid, and treat lots of mostly ungrateful patients. is that something you want?

 

[doc05]

The CRNA route has been my plan I'd say 85% of the time since I started seriously thinking about what to do. You've got quite a bit of autonomy, you're in the OR, and you make good money for your time; the biggest downside for us is moving for 2-3 years, but that will probably happen with any plan. Every now and then, my crazy comes out and makes me want to go for the MD, instead, but practically, I suspect the CRNA or maybe PA option, depending on what I find out about placement locally, will probably be what I end up doing.

CRNAs cover many of our ORs. They do make good money. But they don't really have autonomy.