Please Help!!

[Rehman2009]

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I'm currently a junior in school and have NO IDEA what I want to do. I don't know if I want to go into the medical field, buisnezs field, etc. I was thinking abou taking a Health Science class my senior year at a career center but I didn't have space for it on my schedule.

Is becoming a doctor worth it? I can only imagine that they're in crazy debt once they get out of med school. And on top of that, they have to pay for malpractice insurance every year. So do doctors still make good money? And do doctors have to create their own practices, or can they join hospitals or something?

So basically, I'm ASKING, how do I know If I want to be a doctor and if it is for me. I don't want to waste time and money in college switching majors. I currently take AP Bio and am taking AP Chem next year if that is relevant at all.

 

[swaffles]

Doctors do make good money but they also pay a good amount for debts and insurance. One of the doctors I currently go to actually works in two different clinics to make enough money to cover her bills. The point is - being a doctor these days can't really be about the money anymore (unless you're ready to be a cardiologist or some sort of speciality in demand). You definitely need to be -interested- enough to be willing to pay the price of becoming a doctor.

That being said, don't stress too much! Lots of people who go into college wanting to become a doctor change their minds by the end of their college junior year (there's a stat for it somewhere). Also, consider other fields of health as well - something I didn't do until it was too late. There's always public health, nursing, physician's assistant, public health policy, health administration, etc. I think nursing has a more efficient payoff, money-wise, than does being a doctor. You get to help people in a similar manner AND you don't have such a huge debt.

How do you know if you want to be a doctor? By volunteering. Make sure to volunteer and intern whereever and whenever. Try to shadow a doctor right now. Don't only volunteer in health fields though. Try volunteering for other types of organizations too so that you can figure out what you DO like or at the least, what you DON't like. Just make sure to get out there and try everything instead of waiting for schoolwork to clear things up for you.

good luck =)

 

[DrYoda]

Is becoming a doctor worth it? I can only imagine that they're in crazy debt once they get out of med school. And on top of that, they have to pay for malpractice insurance every year. So do doctors still make good money? And do doctors have to create their own practices, or can they join hospitals or something?

Income is always quoted post-expenses, so the income you see quoted on salary surveys is after malpractice is paid for.

Most doctors don't start their own practices, it's much more common to join an existing practice. There are also doctors who are hospital employees, government employees or employees of a private practice (as opposed to a partner).

basically, I'm ASKING, how do I know If I want to be a doctor and if it is for me. I don't want to waste time and money in college switching majors. I currently take AP Bio and am taking AP Chem next year if that is relevant at all.

The best you can do is to get some exposure through volunteering or job shadowing.