M3 here who wants to know if he should continue

[Eokpar02]

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I am an M3 on Family Medicine rotation. Every single second I am on rotation I am thinking about: 1. my decision to go to medical school, 2. how much more I would enjoy being involved in entrepreneurship. This is rather distressing since I was fairly gungho on becoming a surgeon in June but as of late I have been despising the tediousness of medicine and didn't enjoy my time in the OR at all. I don't envision myself entering the lottery next year at all. I have been working on a startup for a two months and have been making good income from it for the past few weeks. I figure I can pay back all that I have taken out till this point fairly soon.

Do you think I should continue?

 

[DrAnxiety]

Maybe you just don't like your current rotation.

Never make a permanent decision based on a temporary feeling.

 

[darknecrosforte]

Finish medical school first. No reason to think that becoming a doctor will necessarily prevent you from getting entrepreneurial. In fact, it may give you an edge in certain niches. Business is also much easier to quit and start again if your situation goes awry.

 

[HelpPleaseMD]

I am an M3 on Family Medicine rotation. Every single second I am on rotation I am thinking about: 1. my decision to go to medical school, 2. how much more I would enjoy being involved in entrepreneurship. This is rather distressing since I was fairly gungho on becoming a surgeon in June but as of late I have been despising the tediousness of medicine and didn't enjoy my time in the OR at all. I don't envision myself entering the lottery next year at all. I have been working on a startup for a two months and have been making good income from it for the past few weeks. I figure I can pay back all that I have taken out till this point fairly soon.

Do you think I should continue?

these type of threads pop up way too often. no one else can decide what is best going forward. If you quit ... you essentially took a spot away from someone who missed the chance to be a doc because of you. I have no sympathy whatsoever. did you honestly expect that you would enjoy every moment of 3rd year? Its a job and one where you have the opportunity to make a profound difference in someone's life with a good salary to boot.

 

[CherryRedDracul]

If you quit ... you essentially took a spot away from someone who missed the chance to be a doc because of you.

OP, don't base your decision over whether you took a spot away from someone else. The past is the past. Maybe that other would-be matriculant should have had a better application to get into medical school. Oh well, sucks to suck.

But I agree with the rest of HelpPleaseMD's statement.

 

[cbrons]

Just finish, ur halfway or more thru third year, and 4th year is vacation if u dont care bout step 2

 

[charmiedermie]

these type of threads pop up way too often. no one else can decide what is best going forward. If you quit ... you essentially took a spot away from someone who missed the chance to be a doc because of you. I have no sympathy whatsoever.

What an absolutely ridiculous thing to say. This shouldn't even factor into whether someone should leave med school or not.

 

[Donald Juan]

Finish it out, regardless of whether you decide to not enter residency. You have 6 more months of 3rd year, and 4th year is a joke without aways, important sub-Is, interviewing, etc. The MD next to your name might be beneficial in business ventures.

 

[futuremdforme]

Suck it up. You can do a cool med tech startup later. 🙂

 

[Dr. Death]

OP, don't base your decision over whether you took a spot away from someone else. The past is the past. Maybe that other would-be matriculant should have had a better application to get into medical school. Oh well, sucks to suck.

But I agree with the rest of HelpPleaseMD's statement.

Using this.

 

[Rekt]

I am an M3 on Family Medicine rotation. Every single second I am on rotation I am thinking about: 1. my decision to go to medical school, 2. how much more I would enjoy being involved in entrepreneurship. This is rather distressing since I was fairly gungho on becoming a surgeon in June but as of late I have been despising the tediousness of medicine and didn't enjoy my time in the OR at all. I don't envision myself entering the lottery next year at all. I have been working on a startup for a two months and have been making good income from it for the past few weeks. I figure I can pay back all that I have taken out till this point fairly soon.

Do you think I should continue?

Definitely don't quit because you obviously don't have a good grasp on business if you think physician's don't get involved in entrepreneurism. The highest paid physicians I knew, knew as much as they knew about business as they did medicine. Whether owning a practice vs. a side-gig.

 

[zoopers]

This situation does not necessarily always warrant sticking it out until the end.

The fact that you have a startup that has been making income (enough to pay off your med school debts) is something to consider when deciding if you want to drop out. If you really really are certain you don't want to do residency and become a doctor, spending the extra year in tuition money for an MD (probably) won't be helpful in your future entrepreneurship career, since you have an established track record with business success.

If you believe that your time is better spent building up this startup, and that it will lead to a future career that you will be okay with, it might be the better option just to drop out of med school. All of this is different if you don't have this startup, but in 1.5 years, this opportunity to build your startup may not be there anymore.

 

[Eokpar02]

Maybe you just don't like your current rotation.

Never make a permanent decision based on a temporary feeling.

Its not just this rotation. Its every second of all the rotations thus far. I truly don't see myself as a doctor at all. I have no interest in entering next year's match.

 

[Eokpar02]

Finish medical school first. No reason to think that becoming a doctor will necessarily prevent you from getting entrepreneurial. In fact, it may give you an edge in certain niches. Business is also much easier to quit and start again if your situation goes awry.

My startup is not even remotely related to medicine.

 

[beachbum353353]

My 2 cents would be to stick it out and get the degree. If you have made it this far, you should be able to coast through the next year.
If you are ever looking for a loan or trying making an elavator pitch, being able to introduce yourself as "doctor" carries some weight. At the very least, it might keep someone engaged long enough to hear your plan with an open mind.
That being said, you track record as winner would likely play a much more significant role. Either way, make the right decision for yourself, and never look back.

 

[Eokpar02]

these type of threads pop up way too often. no one else can decide what is best going forward. If you quit ... you essentially took a spot away from someone who missed the chance to be a doc because of you. I have no sympathy whatsoever. did you honestly expect that you would enjoy every moment of 3rd year? Its a job and one where you have the opportunity to make a profound difference in someone's life with a good salary to boot.

How could I have known in 2012 when I was applying for medical school that I would dislike medicine/surgery so much in 2015? I had only shadowing for a day under my belt. How does someone take a medical school admission from someone else? Did I hold them at gun point as I pilfered their medical school admission from their pockets?

Yea, doctors make at least 150k with many making over 500k a year. I am not in a position because of a low board score to be in a high paying specialty. I will make more this year from my side business than make internal medicine doctors will make during the height of their careers.

 

[Eokpar02]

My 2 cents would be to stick it out and get the degree. If you have made it this far, you should be able to coast through the next year.
If you are ever looking for a loan or trying making an elavator pitch, being able to introduce yourself as "doctor" carries some weight. At the very least, it might keep someone engaged long enough to hear your plan with an open mind.
That being said, you track record as winner would likely play a much more significant role. Either way, make the right decision for yourself, and never look back.

Thanks for the response. I will never, ever, introduce myself as doctor when I am not a trained medical professional or in the process of training to be a medical professional.

 

[BigTumor]

I am an M3 on Family Medicine rotation. Every single second I am on rotation I am thinking about: 1. my decision to go to medical school, 2. how much more I would enjoy being involved in entrepreneurship. This is rather distressing since I was fairly gungho on becoming a surgeon in June but as of late I have been despising the tediousness of medicine and didn't enjoy my time in the OR at all. I don't envision myself entering the lottery next year at all. I have been working on a startup for a two months and have been making good income from it for the past few weeks. I figure I can pay back all that I have taken out till this point fairly soon.

Do you think I should continue?

What rotations do you have left? Any small aspects of any rotation that you have enjoyed?

 

[FlowRate]

I will make more this year from my side business than make internal medicine doctors will make during the height of their careers.

Did you start this startup or get hired into it? Do you have a technical role? Honestly I'm a little skeptical. I know people who have created startups and the money didn't come until after the acquisition or acqui-hire.

 

[LabrattoRx]

I am an M3 on Family Medicine rotation. Every single second I am on rotation I am thinking about: 1. my decision to go to medical school, 2. how much more I would enjoy being involved in entrepreneurship. This is rather distressing since I was fairly gungho on becoming a surgeon in June but as of late I have been despising the tediousness of medicine and didn't enjoy my time in the OR at all. I don't envision myself entering the lottery next year at all. I have been working on a startup for a two months and have been making good income from it for the past few weeks. I figure I can pay back all that I have taken out till this point fairly soon.

Do you think I should continue?[/QUOTE

Normally I would recommend pursuing your entrepreneurial spirit, but it's kind of hard to see how your business will be successful and even remotely close to being as rewarding financially and intellectually if you've been pursuing it for only 8 weeks. Just my 2 cents, I'd consider getting into medical research...once you start publishing it is addicting. Plus, you'll be highly regarded by your peers and you can start tackling puzzling questions. A co-authorship on a couple papers will do wonders for a CV, because NO ONE LIKES TO DO RESEARCH.

In terms of IM and surgery, I'd recommend since the medical degree is an outstanding accomplishment, to do whatever it takes to get the degree. If i'm not mistaken if you can't get a surgery residency maybe you can get a transitional resdidency or like I said, do research somehow to beef up your CV. Just on paper, it's hard to give up a career in medicine for an 8 week old business, even if it is profitable. Are you anywhere close to the plate topper guy on shark tank? Google "plate topper" and on youtube and ask yourself, am I this prepared to start swimming with the sharks!!!

 

[LabrattoRx]

I am an M3 on Family Medicine rotation. Every single second I am on rotation I am thinking about: 1. my decision to go to medical school, 2. how much more I would enjoy being involved in entrepreneurship. This is rather distressing since I was fairly gungho on becoming a surgeon in June but as of late I have been despising the tediousness of medicine and didn't enjoy my time in the OR at all. I don't envision myself entering the lottery next year at all. I have been working on a startup for a two months and have been making good income from it for the past few weeks. I figure I can pay back all that I have taken out till this point fairly soon.

Do you think I should continue?

Normally I would recommend pursuing your entrepreneurial spirit, but it's kind of hard to see how your business will be successful and even remotely close to being as rewarding financially and intellectually if you've been pursuing it for only 8 weeks. Just my 2 cents, I'd consider getting into medical research...once you start publishing it is addicting. Plus, you'll be highly regarded by your peers and you can start tackling puzzling questions. A co-authorship on a couple papers will do wonders for a CV, because NO ONE LIKES TO DO RESEARCH.

In terms of IM and surgery, I'd recommend since the medical degree is an outstanding accomplishment, to do whatever it takes to get the degree. If i'm not mistaken if you can't get a surgery residency maybe you can get a transitional resdidency or like I said, do research somehow to beef up your CV. Just on paper, it's hard to give up a career in medicine for an 8 week old business, even if it is profitable. Are you anywhere close to the plate topper guy on shark tank? Google "plate topper" and on youtube and ask yourself, am I this prepared to start swimming with the sharks!!!

 

[Brorthopedic]

You're halfway through year 3... If you don't plan on applying to competitive residencies then year 4 can be a chill year for you. You don't have to apply for residency. The hardest part is over, just glide through and get your degree. An entrepreneur that just so happens to also be a physician can only help you down the road.

 

[atomi]

I have been working on a startup for a two months and have been making good income from it for the past few weeks. I figure I can pay back all that I have taken out till this point fairly soon.

You are feeling like this because your business is successful right now. If things start to change and it dries up (which statistically it most likely will) and your golden goose croaks, will you still be glad you dropped out of med school? My advice is to drop the side gig and focus on med school. Think long term. Medicine is a career. Startups come and go with the wind.

 

[LabrattoRx]

You are feeling like this because your business is successful right now. If things start to change and it dries up (which statistically it most likely will) and your golden goose croaks, will you still be glad you dropped out of med school? My advice is to drop the side gig and focus on med school. Think long term. Medicine is a career. Startups come and go with the wind.

Then again Margaret Mitchell gave up her career in journalism and had to write only one book. End of story.

 

[Mad Jack]

I am an M3 on Family Medicine rotation. Every single second I am on rotation I am thinking about: 1. my decision to go to medical school, 2. how much more I would enjoy being involved in entrepreneurship. This is rather distressing since I was fairly gungho on becoming a surgeon in June but as of late I have been despising the tediousness of medicine and didn't enjoy my time in the OR at all. I don't envision myself entering the lottery next year at all. I have been working on a startup for a two months and have been making good income from it for the past few weeks. I figure I can pay back all that I have taken out till this point fairly soon.

Do you think I should continue?

Given what you have presented, don't continue in medical school if you have a way out. Seriously, you like nothing thusfar- surgery, FM, medicine...

 

[Mad Jack]

You're halfway through year 3... If you don't plan on applying to competitive residencies then year 4 can be a chill year for you. You don't have to apply for residency. The hardest part is over, just glide through and get your degree. An entrepreneur that just so happens to also be a physician can only help you down the road.

Without a year of internship, medical school is pretty much worthless, so he's looking at leaving now or putting in 2.5 more years minimum.

 

[LabrattoRx]

Rest in reason....move in passion

 

[zeppelinpage4]

these type of threads pop up way too often. no one else can decide what is best going forward. If you quit ... you essentially took a spot away from someone who missed the chance to be a doc because of you. I have no sympathy whatsoever. did you honestly expect that you would enjoy every moment of 3rd year? Its a job and one where you have the opportunity to make a profound difference in someone's life with a good salary to boot.

I wholly disagree with that first part. Anyone that earns a seat at med school has worked their butt off to do so and they can do with it as they please, because it is their seat which they earned. They didn't take it from anyone else.

But the rest of his or her post is true. Parts of third year just sucks, and you gotta do a lot of self reflection on this and ask if it's those rough parts of third year or if it's medicine itself. I say this as someone who thought about quitting several times, but speaking with a good mentor and clearing my head helped tremendously. And remember medicine is a flexible field...it's easy to forget that doing all the hospital drudgery, but I'd look into all your options available to you with an MD before deciding to leave. And yes, every job has its cruddy parts, just gotta weigh if the good parts make up for it for you. Best of luck!

 

[Mirp]

Its not just this rotation. Its every second of all the rotations thus far. I truly don't see myself as a doctor at all. I have no interest in entering next year's match.

If you truly feel this way then you should leave medical school. It sounds like you have a pretty clear opinion on this and you're looking for somebody to validate your thoughts, but at the end of the day it's your life and your choice.

Without a year of internship, medical school is pretty much worthless, so he's looking at leaving now or putting in 2.5 more years minimum.

This is a great point. It's way too easy to get sucked into the thought pattern that you're halfway through school so you might as well keep going. But wait, now that you've graduated it's pointless to not get a residency spot if you can match. Then you might as well finish your intern year. Not to mention that you're going to be letting down all your classmates if you leave and they'll have more work to do because of you. So you might as well just finish up residency. Now that you're all boarded you might as well practice for a while since the money's good. Oh hey, I wonder why burnout is approaching 60% among physicians.

If you think you can make it in business, go for it. Good luck!

 

[PL198]

If you actually make as much from the startup as you say then why would you not leave?

That would clearly be very successful and seemingly something you enjoy much more than medicine.. So why not...

It seems rather strange you'd only be working on a start up for 2 months but already making 250+ k/yr from it, but if you actually made it happen then more power to you.

 

[ACSurgeon]

@Eokpar02 I'd start with a year leave of absence to make sure that your startup is indeed as successful as you think it is. If it's only been up and running for two months, it's premature to say that it makes more than an internist's salary.

Based on the OP, the decision seems obvious. You hate medicine and aren't financially forced to complete the process.

 

[Chiefer]

I'm also an MS3. I have a business I started that currently nets me about $5k a month. I think about how nice it would be sometimes just to do that full time, but there are so many factors that make me stay in medicine. I guess it helps that I for the most part have enjoyed rotations so far, I found a specialty I want to go in to, I worked really hard to get into school, and most importantly, it will be a secure job. My current business will not be sustainable for the rest of my life - it's as great way to make money right now, but there is absolute 0 security in it. Of course, the feelings to quit were always stronger during rotations I didn't like as much, but like someone said above, those are temporary feelings. I didn't like my general surgery rotation, but those weeks weren't going to make me quit. You're only/not even half way through third year.

If I were you, I'd try to work on your business on the side and see where it goes. We really only have 18 more months until we graduate - that's a lot of free time you can use to work on your business on the side, if you take "easier" electives.

 

[DokterMom]

For now, hedge your bets --

Finish third year in good standing and keep running your business on the side and see where it goes. If you still feel this way at the end of third year, either take a year-long leave of absence and devote yourself full-time to your business, or decide to finish off fourth year doing the minimum needed to get your MD degree and split your focus as needed. Then re-evaluate in September when it's time to apply for residencies.

A profitable business is a great thing, but it's subject to ups and downs. A license to practice medicine is a financial safety net like very few others. Don't throw that away without a little more experience running a business.

 

[jordans100]

If you want to do you side gig and you can only see yourself doing it, then purse your passion. But just remember, with 90% of jobs out there, especially business jobs, you are easily easily replaceable and not as valuable as you think. Doesn't matter how high the ladder you go up. Here's a video to illustrate this point.



Just remember. What ever you seek, it will end up finding you eventually. So if you go for business who's primary goal is to take the most money, don't be surprised with all the things that come with that goal. Good luck.

 

[kmp0410]

Sounds like you already made up your mind and are looking for people to validate you.

Won't find it from me. Not a smart decision. You don't have that much left and if you change your mind on medicine you are SOL. You really having nothing to lose by sticking it out except money, but if your going to be as successful as you seem to think...probably won't make a big difference. On the other hand, you have a lot to lose if you change your mind back.

 

[Wordead]

He should pay 100-200K more for a degree he has no intention of ever using?

This is a slam dunk quit and gtfo situation.

 

[GasForeva1]

He should pay 100-200K more for a degree he has no intention of ever using?

This is a slam dunk quit and gtfo situation.

Who is paying $200K a year to go to school?

I think paying one last year of tuition to finish school and at least have his degree is a lot smarter than quitting now. He can always defer residency and work on his business, and if it tanks, then he at least has something to fall back on. Quitting 18 months before that leaves you with very few options. I know that one of the founder from picmonic did that - he finished his degree and is currently working on his business rather than starting residency. Plus if you aren't applying for a residency spot, fourth year should be cake.

I suppose there is always the option of taking a leave of absence from your school - something you may want to look into rather than straight up quitting.

 

[jl lin]

Do what you want. You are going to anyway. Just think it through, b/c you will have to live w/ your decision.
I personally think @DokterMom 's advice is on target.

 

[Screwtape]

One guy in here is making $60k from a side business, another is making >$250k from a side business. What the heck is going on? I should start working on a side business...

 

[Wordead]

Who is paying $200K a year to go to school?

I think paying one last year of tuition to finish school and at least have his degree is a lot smarter than quitting now. He can always defer residency and work on his business, and if it tanks, then he at least has something to fall back on. Quitting 18 months before that leaves you with very few options. I know that one of the founder from picmonic did that - he finished his degree and is currently working on his business rather than starting residency. Plus if you aren't applying for a residency spot, fourth year should be cake.

I suppose there is always the option of taking a leave of absence from your school - something you may want to look into rather than straight up quitting.

He has 1.5 years to go.

And it doesnt work like that. Gaps need to be explained. If your explanation is "I wanted to start a business and it tanked", you're not likely to get anything but saliva in your eye. You think the picmonic guy could get a residency spot at this point? No.

 

[GasForeva1]

He has 1.5 years to go.

And it doesnt work like that. Gaps need to be explained. If your explanation is "I wanted to start a business and it tanked", you're not likely to get anything but saliva in your eye. You think the picmonic guy could get a residency spot at this point? No.

Good thing that the picmonic guy doesn't really need to go to residency any more since his business is actually doing really well since completing school (via his linked in: Since inception, raised over $5 million, grew the company from 2 to 30 full time team members). I was just trying to give an example of someone who was in a similar situation - started a business on the side, but finished his degree. OP seems pretty set on quitting, and basically wanted us to validate his decision. I was giving him examples from both sides of the situation, but he's obviously going to do whatever he wants, not what a bunch of strangers on the internet tell him to do. If he feels this business can become a lifetime career for him, rather than a flash of money, go for it. I prefer the more stable route in life, with a bit of spending money on the side 😉

 

[Wordead]

Good thing that the picmonic guy doesn't really need to go to residency any more since his business is actually doing really well since completing school (via his linked in: Since inception, raised over $5 million, grew the company from 2 to 30 full time team members). I was just trying to give an example of someone who was in a similar situation - started a business on the side, but finished his degree. OP seems pretty set on quitting, and basically wanted us to validate his decision. I was giving him examples from both sides of the situation, but he's obviously going to do whatever he wants, not what a bunch of strangers on the internet tell him to do. If he feels this business can become a lifetime career for him, rather than a flash of money, go for it. I prefer the more stable route in life, with a bit of spending money on the side 😉

You said residency would be a backup plan. Its really not a viable one. Thats all i was clarifying.

 

[GasForeva1]

You said residency would be a backup plan. Its really not a viable one. Thats all i was clarifying.

Well I wouldn't really say it's impossible - you can't tell me there are 0 people on the planet who took a year off between school and residency for one reason or another. Is it the best/easiest/safest route? Will he get his #1 choice in a competitive specialty? No and definitely not - but it's not completely ruled out. I'd rather have the option of doing even a FM residency in bumf*#& nowhere than being $300K in debt with no option of finishing my degree and a failed business.

 

[Wordead]

Well I wouldn't really say it's impossible - you can't tell me there are 0 people on the planet who took a year off between school and residency for one reason or another. Is it the best/easiest/safest route? Will he get his #1 choice in a competitive specialty? No and definitely not - but it's not completely ruled out. I'd rather have the option of doing even a FM residency in bumf*#& nowhere than being $300K in debt with no option of finishing my degree and a failed business.

Where did I say it was impossible

 

[Ms. Medic]

I also agree with DokterMom. Although you may feel that you're limiting your entrepreneurial potential by devoting energy to medical school, I believe that finishing your MD gives you the most options later.

Michael Crichton (author of Jurassic Park) published several books while in medical school and then later decided not to complete a residency. Although I don't know how relevant a MD would be to your business, I know that it helped Crichton with his writing and gaining credibility. Just an example!

Well, good luck with whichever path you decide to pursue!