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[Perplexed62325]

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[GypsyHummus]

Optometry is super saturated at this time. Head over to the OD forum and see the doom and gloom projected there.

 

[Neuroplasticity]

Just another option to mention is dentistry. If you have any interest in working with underserved, I shadowed at a free clinic in an underserved area recently and they said that the community is really in need of dental care.

 

[Banco]

Yes, I have considered dentistry. But personally, I am not that fond of working my hands in a really tight space. But I will shadow a dentist to make sure.

 

[Spector1]

wouldnt recommend optometry

 

[WedgeDawg]

I think the above is not typical of what you should expect - there are elements of truth in there (I can only speak for the pre-med school parts, so more experience posters will have to comment on the later portions), but they are far away from the average experience.

 

[gyngyn]

One thing I am sure of is that people can manage to make themselves miserable in any profession, however meaningful.

I am a board examiner in the same specialty as the one quoted. My life has been lived to the fullest and filled with satisfaction. I have been a welcome participant in the lives of thousands of patients, students, residents and colleagues. I have served at every level of government and visited all the inhabited continents.

It is difficult to know if this profession is right for an individual but expecting happiness as a direct result is a fool's errand.

 

[PikminOC]

Just found this great read on whether achieving a goal is worth the sacrifices by Lissa Rankin, MD. http://lissarankin.com/is-achieving-a-goal-worth-the-sacrifices
An expert from her. I think this would benefit many people who are undecided to get into medical school.

"For four years of college, I sacrificed the “typical” college experience – casual sex, sorority life, keg parties, and late nights doing crazy things – because I was pre-med, had 7am lab classes, and needed to get good grades so I would be accepted into medical school.

After that, for eight years of medical school and residency, I sacrificed sleep, sanity, my health, my marriage, many of my friendships, and the financial security I would have earned had I gotten a good job straight out of college.

For two more years after I was a full fledged doctor, I sacrificed vacations and time off and the luxuries I had delayed for so long so I could collect cases for my OB/GYN boards and earn a difficult board certification.

Finally, at the age of 32, I had done it. I was a well-respected board-certified OB/GYN who had graduated from prestigious universities, and I had earned a full partnership in a group medical practice with a busy patient load and a six-figure salary.

What I Gave Up
But when I looked back, at the ripe old age of 33, at what I had sacrificed in the wake of my achievement, I felt sick to my stomach.

I had married a fellow medical student, but as much as we loved each other, our marriage didn’t survive residency. I had then married a veterinary student – and that marriage hadn’t survived either.

I had lost four loved ones, but I couldn’t even attend all their funerals, much less fully grieve their loss.

I had been diagnosed with a whole slew of “chronic,” “incurable” illnesses and was popping seven medications per day to keep my symptoms under control.

I was unable to take care of myself, much less another living being, so I had to give my beloved dog to my parents.

My friends and family had essentially written me off as a lost cause. While they understood they couldn’t expect much of me because I was a busy doctor doing important things in the world, I had missed their birthdays, forgotten to return phone calls, said “No” too many times when they had invited me out, and failed to be available when they needed me. Over time, they had put me into the category of “We love her but we can’t count on her.” It’s not exactly a recipe for intimacy."

I guess she missed chlamydia too..

 

[PikminOC]

One thing I am sure of is that people can manage to make themselves miserable in any profession, however meaningful.

I am a board examiner in the same specialty as the one quoted. My life has been lived to the fullest and filled with satisfaction. I have been a welcome participant in the lives of thousands of patients, students, residents and colleagues. I have served at every level of government and visited all the inhabited continents.

It is difficult to know if this profession is right for an individual but expecting happiness as a direct result is a fool's errand.

Agreed.
My college roommate who was having lots of fun in college is now very jealous of me...

 

[GypsyHummus]

Agreed.
My college roommate who was having lots of fun in college is now very jealous of me...

Just goes to show you, the grass is always greener

 

[WingedOx]

Agreed.
My college roommate who was having lots of fun in college is now very jealous of me...

umm, plenty of us had lots of fun in college. We just studied a lot too.

 

[gyngyn]

umm, plenty of us had lots of fun in college. We just studied a lot too.

I had a boat load of fun!

 

[PikminOC]

umm, plenty of us had lots of fun in college. We just studied a lot too.

But were you out the entire week having fun like the rest of the kids who didn't have labs and classes at 8:00 am to contend with? If you did, good for you!
I needed the sleep!

 

[Affiche]

Whaaaat? I don't feel like I sacrificed anything in college. I studied like crazy but I would have done that regardless of being pre-med or not. That's part of college! But I also went out every weekend, joined the clubs I wanted to join, maintained a relationship, and got involved in a fair amount of mischief! I do have a lot of friends that were also pre-med, but I've found them to be incredibly reliable and supportive people.

Sometimes when everything seems to be going wrong, you have to isolate the variable. As gyngyn mentioned, it's not necessarily the profession, but may be the professional.

Edit: I was fortunate enough to never have an 8am lab.