Need Help Deciding

[RedLeopard]

I will be a junior next year studying Computer Science but have had second thoughts about my major and am thinking of adding pre-med to my courses. I've always been interested in emergency medicine due to the fast-paced environment and being able to interact with a lot of unique patients. However, a big motivation for me is also the salary. I am torn between going into software engineering (I would get my masters in that), or pursuing medical school to become a E.M. physician. I enjoy Computer Science, but as of now I am unsure if it is something I would want to do for the rest of my life; I enjoy it as a hobby.

Any advice would help - thanks!

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[cactusman]

Have you shadowed physicians?

 

[yersinia_pestis]

Honestly, if salary is your driving force, medicine is NOT the answer. I have a number of friends who started out in the workforce after a degree in computer science and are making easily the same amount of money an ED physician makes.

One of the wise principles stated to me is to only go into medicine if you can literally see yourself doing nothing else. In your case, you could pull a legit salary and do EMS on the side. Not emergency medicine, but still fun as hell.

Hard choice, but medicine is a commitment to being overworked and underpaid. For most people, it's not the most lucrative profession. (Even the highest paid physician is making less than CEOs and other jobs.)

I'd say only do it if it's the only dream you've ever had. Or if you enjoy torture. (Kidding. It's fun, just a decent amount of effort.)


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[Kingsmen2018]

Do.Not.Chase.The.Money.

 

[Turkishking]

Do.Not.Chase.The.Money.

Agreed.

 

[jcorpsmanMD]

Honestly, if salary is your driving force, medicine is NOT the answer. I have a number of friends who started out in the workforce after a degree in computer science and are making easily the same amount of money an ED physician makes.

One of the wise principles stated to me is to only go into medicine if you can literally see yourself doing nothing else. In your case, you could pull a legit salary and do EMS on the side. Not emergency medicine, but still fun as hell.

Hard choice, but medicine is a commitment to being overworked and underpaid. For most people, it's not the most lucrative profession. (Even the highest paid physician is making less than CEOs and other jobs.)

I'd say only do it if it's the only dream you've ever had. Or if you enjoy torture. (Kidding. It's fun, just a decent amount of effort.)


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

You have friends making 300k + in computer science? Dang. That's pretty awesome.

 

[jcorpsmanMD]

I disagree with the above posters. I have a genuine interest in medicine, always have. I get the "do medicine if you can't see yourself doing anything else sentiment" but life isn't that black and white for everybody. If I hadn't got into medical school after repeated attempts I'm sure I could have had a happy life doing something else as long as it had been related to science (I considered chem E at one point).

If you have a real interest in medicine, everything it entails, and are aware of all the pro's & con's to it as there are many con's, then go for it. I'd be a liar if I said the salary isn't something that makes it that much more worthwhile for myself as well but there is one caveat to it all. You have to be okay with delayed gratification as you won't be making that attending money for a long time and you will most likely owe 200k+ in loans.