Need some real advice. please.

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koh1995

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Hello,

I am stuck between a decision I need to make. I really need advice.

First some background:

People from my culture like to marry others based not only personality, but on having a VERY high income as well. (does not matter what my culture is, but that is how my culture is sadly..)

I am a Junior in college. I am interested in going into the healthcare field.

What got me really interested in doing this was:
during high school I exercised a lot and learned that I was exercising wrong all along (not having a balanced routine, injuring myself multiple times, etc). this led to my interest in sports medicine and wanting to help people who suffered injuries through sports and other life habits.

I am at the point in my life were I need to choose which career path to take.
I am almost done with my prerequisites for almost any healthcare field and I will hopefully receive my Bachelor's Degree next year.
CC GPA is 4.00
UC GPA is 3.825
Prerequisite GPA is 4.00


Anyway here is my question:
Which job should I choose to focus on? I need real advice because I have been contemplating over this issue for the last 7 years of my life, starting freshman year in high school and I can not make a decision.

My options:
Physical Therapist
Pros:
I feel like I would enjoy helping people with injuries.
I would love to restore motion in their bodies and help them recover.
I have been through injuries myself and have researched it enough.
I feel that I would be good at the profession, but I can not be sure with that since I have never actually helped anyone.
I always give advice to friends who are going through injuries or need help correcting their posture since I have loads of knowledge on that.

Cons:
Even though I may be good at this job and like everything about it, two things are holding me back:
1) I have injuries on my body from doing exercises wrong so I can not perform a lot of exercises that I would need to show patients in the future.
I have a bad lower back so I can not do lower back exercises.
I also have knee problems which does not let me do any leg exercises and no matter how much help I get for these problems and how much research I do nothing seems to help it in any way.
2) The pay for physical therapy is not that good. I really need a high paying job because I want to marry someone of my own culture and many parents will not let their children marry someone who does not have an above average income.

Dentist:
Pros:
Very High Paying Salary
Flexible Hours
More potential to find a partner in the future.
Seems like the best bet for the amount of work put in.

Cons:
I do not like the job very much.
Not sure if I ever will, but can not say that for sure.
If I do not become a successful dentist, I will hate my life forever.
Unless I figure out a way to make it enjoyable for myself, because as of now I do not think I like it.
Maybe with time that will change.

Sports Medicine Doctor:
Pros:
Same reasons as physical therapy, I will like to diagnose patients with their problems.

Cons:
Schooling is very long.
Obama care is making the pay not as good as I like.
I feel like it is not worth going through all that school for the job.
MCAT is standing in the way and I am afraid that I may not do well on it and also medical school is very tough from what I hear and many do not make it through.
I do not want to risk it.

Chiropractor:
Pros:
Same reasons as physical therapy, job seems good.

Cons:
Pay is not good any more.
There are no jobs.

Please help me decide on a career path. My time is ticking and I need to choose a path. I am really scared for my future. Thank you.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Just gonna throw this out there: you shouldn't choose your profession based on what all of your friends are doing . . .

And if you don't like it, it doesn't matter how high the pay is, you'll hate your life. So, stop considering dentistry. I haven't taken the DAT, but I have many friends in dental school and my impression is that that exam IS. HARD. The MCAT is a beast in and of itself, but that doesn't mean you wouldn't also have to worry about doing well on the DAT. Thinking otherwise is an insult to predent and dental students everywhere . . .

Also, where did you hear that most people don't make it through med school? I don't believe that is accurate at all . . .
 
Globetrotter92 said:
Just gonna throw this out there: you shouldn't choose your profession based on what all of your friends are doing . . .

And if you don't like it, it doesn't matter how high the pay is, you'll hate your life. So, stop considering dentistry. I haven't taken the DAT, but I have many friends in dental school and my impression is that that exam IS. HARD. The MCAT is a beast in and of itself, but that doesn't mean you wouldn't also have to worry about doing well on the DAT. Thinking otherwise is an insult to predent and dental students everywhere . . .

Also, where did you hear that most people don't make it through med school? I don't believe that is accurate at all . . .
Click to expand...

--When I said my friends are doing it I meant that, that is why I even started taking science classes. That is one part of it. I guess that should not really be there. But really what motivated me most was my second reason.
-- I did not say it will be easy, but comparing it to the MCAT I know if I put in the effort needed I feel like I have the potential to do well.
-- I did not say most, I said many. Anyway, I have heard quite a number of stories of people not making it through med school.

WingedOx said:
wait, what the hell did you do to yourself to have "a bad back" and "bad knees" at age ~20?
Click to expand...
I went to do bicep curls with a weight that was not right for me and injured my back since I used momentum to bring up the weights. This happened multiple times.
My calves and quadriceps have become awfully tight from running throughout elementary, middle, and high school. I have tried physical therapy, massaging, and exercises to fix it, but nothing seems to work no matter how hard I try.
 
So Im going to have to be the one to address the elephant in the room here....there is no "culture" that places such a large emphasis on mad $$$....that's just you and your values.

Unless your last name is Lannister and you hail from Casterly Rock?
 
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Glazedonutlove said:
So are you saying you need to be the spouse with the high salary? It honestly seems to me you're not interested in any of the fields you listed.. Definitely do not put yourself through med school and residency for the money.
Click to expand...

I really am interested in those fields. Dentistry may be the only one I am least interested in.
 
md-2020 said:
So Im going to have to be the one to address the elephant in the room here....there is no "culture" that places such emphasis large emphasis on mad $$$....that's just you and your values.

Unless your last name is Lannister and you hail from Casterly Rock?
Click to expand...

you would be surprised.
 
md-2020 said:
So Im going to have to be the one to address the elephant in the room here....there is no "culture" that places such emphasis large emphasis on mad $$$....that's just you and your values.

Unless your last name is Lannister and you hail from Casterly Rock?
Click to expand...
That's the only elephant in the room in the OP's post? (though I'd love to play an offensive game of "guess the culture")
 
koh1995 said:
you would be surprised.
Click to expand...
No, I really don't think I would be.

My guess:
You're going to say East Asian (Korean, perhaps?) and bring out some 16th century argument based on male responsibilities and traditional family values that would make Donald Trump look like a neoliberal hippie pothead, and then assert that this is how it is for you and your family and your people.

But it's not. It's really not.

WingedOx said:
That's the only elephant in the room in the OP's post? (though I'd love to play an offensive game of "guess the culture")
Click to expand...
I wouldn't know, because that's as far into his post as I got 😀
 
I know a few people who became physical therapists and absolutely hated it and ended up changing professions. You will more likely be working with old people who had recent surgeries or injuries than working with people with sports injuries. And...being a physical therapist often requires you to use the strength in your back and your knees to work on the patients.

I think you seriously need to spend some time shadowing people in each of these professions so you have a clear idea of what their day to day activities involve.
 
A few things I'd like to add..

1) Undoubtedly sounds like you need to go shadow some professions, as those you've listed have very different goals and activities.

2) PT is most definitely not "average pay"

3) Having your goal set on Sports Medicine is handicapping yourself. That's 4 years of school, 5 years of residency, and 1+ years of fellowship(s). Maybe you can be another kind of doctor someday, why are you limiting yourself to Sports Medicine when you haven't seen the other 95% of the medical profession? That's just setting yourself up to disappointment, because news flash: if you're worried about the MCAT, wait until you have to score above the 68th percentile of all medical students (which is no easy feat...) just to stand a fair chance at matching into an Ortho residency.

If your goal is to have a "very high" salary, you need to pay the price that 99% of other people aren't willing to do. There are no shortcuts other than the lottery.
 
HybridEarth said:
A few things I'd like to add..

1) Undoubtedly sounds like you need to go shadow some professions, as those you've listed have very different goals and activities.

2) PT is most definitely not "average pay"

3) Having your goal set on Sports Medicine is handicapping yourself. That's 4 years of school, 5 years of residency, and 1+ years of fellowship(s). Maybe you can be another kind of doctor someday, why are you limiting yourself to Sports Medicine when you haven't seen the other 95% of the medical profession? That's just setting yourself up to disappointment, because news flash: if you're worried about the MCAT, wait until you have to score above the 68th percentile of all medical students (which is no easy feat...) just to stand a fair chance at matching into an Ortho residency.

If your goal is to have a "very high" salary, you need to pay the price that 99% of other people aren't willing to do. There are no shortcuts other than the lottery.
Click to expand...

1) I think you are right, but I have shadowed these jobs before. Maybe not enough.

2) PT is not average pay, but its not very high either.

3) I shadowed a sports medicine physician and I loved it. I hate how the medical field is so competitive. This is another point I forgot to bring up that scares me. I can put in the work, I am scared that others will just be better than me at school and I will not score above the 68th percentile.
I am willing to do all the work necessary to get a high salary with any profession. I just do not know how, that is the problem. I am willing to wake up at 4 AM everyday if I need to and/or go with little or no sleep. There are no shortcuts in life.
 
Heard the lottery is paying out quite well these days.

Can say I'm happy I'm not from your culture though, cause I'd be dying alone apparently.
 
PT doesn't pay well enough? This reeks of entitlement.
 
To be honest, none of these seem like great matches for you since you don't seem to like any of them. I know that you like exercise, but I think you should explore other jobs that would match other interests. Maybe you'll come back to one in the end.
 
It's clear you love PT and sports medicine.

To all the people that insist you will be unhappy with a well-paying career you don't love, be careful not to downplay the effects of culture on our own happiness, our perceptions of success, our feeling of belonging and the importance of familial respect to each individual. CLEARLY those are important in this case, and it is not our job to tell someone that earning potential is unimportant.

Here's my POV. You love PT/sports med. You want the highest salary possible for cultural reasons. Easy - that leads us to option 3, sports medicine doc. So, why not? Well, to me, it seems like you're scared.

"Schooling is very long." Yes, it is. That's why the salary is higher. It's a trade-off. If you want $$$, you're going to have to work your butt off. And you said yourself, "I am willing to do all the work necessary to get a high salary with any profession."

"I feel like it is not worth going through all that school for the job." If you feel like it's not worth going through all that school, then you are looking at PT. The JOB may not be worth the school. The question is, is the MONEY worth the school?

"Obama care is making the pay not as good as I like." 1. It's still way above average income. 2. In comparing it with the other options, it's clearly only inferior in this respect to dentistry, which you hate. Playing this game of give and take, I'd take the really good salary with a job I love over an awful job for me with a slightly higher salary..

"MCAT is standing in the way and I am afraid that I may not do well on it and also medical school is very tough from what I hear and many do not make it through." There you go. You are AFRAID of failure in a more challenging career. With your GPA, this truly should not be a concern, but emotions are not always rational. This might be cultural as well.. If you try and fail, it may be more embarrassing than not trying at all. If you were to go for PT, you could spin the decision as noble and passionate, rather than settling or failing.

"I did not say [DAT] will be easy, but comparing it to the MCAT I know if I put in the effort needed I feel like I have the potential to do well." Again, this is just a perception. If you put in the effort for the MCAT, you also have the potential to do well. I know the MCAT is big and scary, but don't let SDN give you this idea that it's this impossible monster. Your stats show you have what it takes. You literally are about to finish you Bach with a 4.0.

"I do not want to risk it." That's life. But I don't think it's a high risk..

"Anyway, I have heard quite a number of stories of people not making it through med school." Anecdotal evidence =/= truth. This is absolutely false. This is actually uncommon, AND med schools WANT you to succeed. They will do whatever it takes to get you through. Some schools are better at this than others. This should be a factor in choosing a school. (By the way, I doubt it's the kids with the 4.0's that don't make it through. Average GPA for allopathic medical schools in 2014 is 3.64.)

"I hate how the medical field is so competitive. This is another point I forgot to bring up that scares me. I can put in the work, I am scared that others will just be better than me at school and I will not score above the 68th percentile." Again, fear. You are afraid to fail. That's understandable, especially given your culture, but you really need to put things into perspective. You ARE a competitive candidate, and with hard work, will do just fine. Not only that, but you will do so much better and work so much harder because it is something you are truly interested in.

My opinion? You'd love sports med. I believe in you. Go for it! If not, do PT, but you'll need support from a family member, friend, or therapist. Otherwise, the cultural clash with your choice in career will make you dissatisfied and insecure.
 
first: lol

second: don't do medicine. From your post it doesn't sound like you want to do anything between here and becoming a sports medicine doc so....don't do any of it. You'll be miserable and given that money is on your mind you will just accumulate a mountain of debt and then feel "forced" (eye roll) to go into Derm or plastics or something along those lines. Don't do medicine. Scratch it off the list.

You don't sound that excited about dentistry either. Or PT. PT is what seems like the best choice for you based on the OP.

That being said, we are literally strangers on the Internet. Is this how you - or anybody for that matter - wants to decide their career path? By giving strangers on the Internet a multiple choice exam? How about you actually explore your interests and other career paths. Personally, it seems to me you might be a better fit for the tech industry or business, perhaps you could work on products geared towards athletes, idk, but it definitely doesn't sound like you belong in healthcare from these posts.
 
WingedOx said:
wait, what the hell did you do to yourself to have "a bad back" and "bad knees" at age ~20?
Click to expand...
Probably did starting strength or a similar routine with poor form.

OP, just go to medical school. Those years aren't wasted- many of my younger classmates are having the time of their lives, and actually meeting their future husbands and wives. You'll have a job you're happy with, and you're at the top, so as they cut pay, yours will still remain higher than those below you. As to your insecurities, who cares if you're not at the top of your class? That's all in your head, unless you're sitting for some of the highly competitive specialties, and even then, class rank won't be the biggest factor by a long shot.

What is it with all of the competitive people around here? Why isn't just being among the top percent of students in the country enough for them to not feel like failures? It's like no one is happy unless they break every curve they're a part of, and that just isn't realistic when you're among an entire group of people that have also been two standard deviations above the norm.
 
The problem is unless he lies to "why medicine?" he would never even get accepted to a medical school. When the interviewer asks him and he says because he likes sports medicine, and they ask why not PT school then. Whats he going to say that he wants more money? No med school would go for that.
 
ok, so let's deconstruct this thread a little.
koh1995 said:
Cons:
I do not like the job very much.
Not sure if I ever will, but can not say that for sure.
If I do not become a successful dentist, I will hate my life forever.
Unless I figure out a way to make it enjoyable for myself, because as of now I do not think I like it.
Click to expand...

sigh...

look, given that the OP is also responsible for this little gem, we have 3 possibilities:
1, the OP is trolling
2, the OP has some serious maturity issues
3, the OP has some serious mental health issues.
...or a combination of all three.
 
Why do you need to marry someone that shares your cultural background?
 
koh1995 said:
Hello,

People from my culture like to marry others based not only personality, but on having a VERY high income as well. (does not matter what my culture is, but that is how my culture is sadly..)
Click to expand...

If people from my culture felt this way, I would be inclined to marry someone who was not from my culture. Just sayin', the option exists.
 
md-2020 said:
So Im going to have to be the one to address the elephant in the room here....there is no "culture" that places such a large emphasis on mad $$$....that's just you and your values.

Unless your last name is Lannister and you hail from Casterly Rock?
Click to expand...


HEY. 🙁

But seriously OP, try getting a part time job that you really hate, and then you'll see how important it is to actually like what you're doing and not just do it for money. Otherwise, you'll spend every minute of every day counting down the time until you can go home which, let me tell you, totally sucks.
 
Agree with @Lannister 's advice with a coda:

Try getting a part time job that you really hate, and then you'll see how important it is to actually like what you're doing and not just do it for money. Otherwise, you'll spend every minute of every day counting down the time until you can go home -- to the spouse who married you for your money and who has no respect for you but only for your earning power.
 
If you're interested in personal fitness, there are careers in the personal fitness/gym industry that, if you build up enough of a client base, pay pretty well. Similarly, there are ways to make good money in PT or as a chiropractor. If you're willing to think outside the box and an entrepreneurial attitude, there are many ways you can go about making good money while doing something you really enjoy.

That said, going into medicine may also work out - I believe there is a way to make it work for pretty much anyone. Although the majority of people just want to get a residency and be a clinician, I know many doctors that have gone alternative paths and are much happier for it (ex: administration, consulting, education, research, etc). It may be frowned upon to go into med school with no intention of practicing medicine, but ultimately it's your life.
 
OP, it seems like you should be looking for a career outside of the ones you listed. Have you thought about accounting, banking, something else? There are other careers that pay well if that's really the only thing the matters to you. I echo the statements of many people here saying that you will have a rougher life if you hate your job and you have a wife that loves your money more than you.

LizzyM said:
Agree with @Lannister 's advice with a coda:

Try getting a part time job that you really hate, and then you'll see how important it is to actually like what you're doing and not just do it for money. Otherwise, you'll spend every minute of every day counting down the time until you can go home -- to the spouse who married you for your money and who has no respect for you but only for your earning power.
Click to expand...
jLZTk9I.jpg
 
LizzyM said:
Agree with @Lannister 's advice with a coda:

Try getting a part time job that you really hate, and then you'll see how important it is to actually like what you're doing and not just do it for money. Otherwise, you'll spend every minute of every day counting down the time until you can go home -- to the spouse who married you for your money and who has no respect for you but only for your earning power.
Click to expand...

The only thing worse than a spouse who only respects and loves you for your money is when you can't even respect yourself but for your earning potential.
 
koh 1995. This guy was born in 1995 (substantiated by the fact that he's a junior), and his initials are k.o.h. or his initials are k. oh.
Given the Korean habit of referencing age via birth year (we have a **** system of counting age; it gets really complicated otherwise), the possibility of
a three syllable foreign name, or koh or oh as a last name, and whining about not having enough money to marry, with an implied reluctance to marry outside
his social circle, this guy is probably a 1.5 gen Korean.

If this is the case, I'm not going to deny that income and educational pedigree does play a huge factor in marriage in our culture, but it's partially exacerbated by the fact that
a lot of men from this culture do indeed lust after the trophy wives.

Even if I'm completely wrong about where he's from (which I doubt), as others have suggested, he can also marry outside his circle. But this would also be frowned upon;
hence, the implicit insistance on being accepted from a female within his race.

How about just focusing on doing what makes you happy and not on whether it'lll attract the right babes.
 
rodain said:
koh 1995. This guy was born in 1995 (substantiated by the fact that he's a junior), and his initials are k.o.h. or his initials are k. oh.
Given the Korean habit of referencing age via birth year (we have a **** system of counting age; it gets really complicated otherwise), the possibility of
a three syllable foreign name, or koh or oh as a last name, and whining about not having enough money to marry, with an implied reluctance to marry outside
his social circle, this guy is probably a 1.5 gen Korean.
Click to expand...

It seems to me that this decreases the likelihood that he is trolling?

If it is in fact a troll, it's a really elaborate and consistent one and I give it an 8.5/10.
 
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