Quit or not

[JavaJam]

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Hello

I'm in a middle of a big dilemma about whether or not I should continue with med school in Europe. This is my first year and I am 27.

I have to explain the situation a bit. In my country the program is 6 years and one starts right after high school. It's nearly free. I did a year of medicine when I was 17 in 2009-2010 but was unsure about what I actually wanted to do. I was offered a full-scholarship to Juilliard in April 2010 and took it. I was initially thinking of doing a double-degree somewhere else (music and science) but couldn't pass up the opportunity. I still did some research in a Pathology lab at Columbia my sophomore year and even tried to transfer there but was rejected.

I went on to get a master's in music and immediately after got a cushy job in a good orchestra back in Europe in 2016. Great hours, city, colleagues, pay, sometimes a little boring, occasionally very exciting. I missed science and more intellectual stimulation and questioned my contribution to society. The competition for those is cutthroat and I got super lucky.

I wondered what if throughout the past 8 years and had dreams about being a doctor; I finally applied to med school again last year (8 hour test). I was accepted and started in September. They now have a special part-time program for artists, entrepreuners and athletes which I'm part of. I can choose which classes I take when basically and split every year in 2. This has allowed me to actually keep my job (my hours are weird and I use the vacation days) but has obviously been insanely stressful and unless I quit at some point and go full-time, it would take 12 years to just get the MD. I forsee scheduling conflicts later on too. But on the other hand I love my job when I'm not bored and don't wish to quit. I also want a healthy work-life balance and kids. My partner was supportive when I applied but later mentioned my busy schedule and many years of studying down the road are not compatible with the life they want. I have an opportunity to switch to a psychology degree now for next semester. Input? Thanks!!

 

[deleted480308]

Pick a lane. You can’t be all the things

 

[MerYangBey]

What makes you think medicine is better than music?

 

[Goro]

Hello

I'm in a middle of a big dilemma about whether or not I should continue with med school in Europe. This is my first year and I am 27.

I have to explain the situation a bit. In my country the program is 6 years and one starts right after high school. It's nearly free. I did a year of medicine when I was 17 in 2009-2010 but was unsure about what I actually wanted to do. I was offered a full-scholarship to Juilliard in April 2010 and took it. I was initially thinking of doing a double-degree somewhere else (music and science) but couldn't pass up the opportunity. I still did some research in a Pathology lab at Columbia my sophomore year and even tried to transfer there but was rejected.

I went on to get a master's in music and immediately after got a cushy job in a good orchestra back in Europe in 2016. Great hours, city, colleagues, pay, sometimes a little boring, occasionally very exciting. I missed science and more intellectual stimulation and questioned my contribution to society. The competition for those is cutthroat and I got super lucky.

I wondered what if throughout the past 8 years and had dreams about being a doctor; I finally applied to med school again last year (8 hour test). I was accepted and started in September. They now have a special part-time program for artists, entrepreuners and athletes which I'm part of. I can choose which classes I take when basically and split every year in 2. This has allowed me to actually keep my job (my hours are weird and I use the vacation days) but has obviously been insanely stressful and unless I quit at some point and go full-time, it would take 12 years to just get the MD. I forsee scheduling conflicts later on too. But on the other hand I love my job when I'm not bored and don't wish to quit. I also want a healthy work-life balance and kids. My partner was supportive when I applied but later mentioned my busy schedule and many years of studying down the road are not compatible with the life they want. I have an opportunity to switch to a psychology degree now for next semester. Input? Thanks!!

What does your heart tell you?

 

[JavaJam]

I think what I have here is very precious but at the same time I have been fascinated by the things I'm now learning for a long time. I find all my classes interesting. I would love to get to help people as a doctor. I don't see the impact of my current job as much. Although I often enjoy it, as a life commitment it seems a bit boring, maybe because I have been practicing music instruments for 22 years already. Bit of a routine. Whereas medicine is rapidly changing, the stakes are very high, etc... Maybe I'm mistaken? I'm precisely trying to pick well and not do all 🙂

 

[libertyyne]

Ask yourself this, would you have more regret not continuing your music career or would you have more regret not being a physician.

 

[deleted1001426]

the way I see it is if you can see yourself being happy in any other field do it, if not go to med school. none of us can answer your question, only you can

 

[Oedipa Maas]

What are the differences in pursuing the psychology degree and pursuing medicine? What kind of career would the psychology degree afford?

 

[DO2015CA]

People often tell people studying music “how will you make a living?” You are an extremely successful musician being accepted to an extremely respected school and now a great job. I would say you are successful. Stay in that lane. Many musicians would kill to be where you are. Not many are talented enough to get into Juilliard. Seeing as you did I wouldn’t waste that talent. Medicine isn’t all glamour. Also, are you from the US? Do you plan on practicing in the US? Stay in Europe?

 

[IlDestriero]

One of my old friends from college was in a similar situation. Got a dual degree with biology from an Ivy League school planning to go to medical school, then got a masters in music, still planning to go to medical school. Then decided to give music a go and never looked back. At some point he got a music related PhD.
He’s in an orchestra in a medium sized city, he is a conductor, he has another side band, and he teaches music at the university as an adjunct professor of violin or something.
One caveat though. He was really, really loaded, so money was never in the equation at all.
Do what makes you happy, the rest will work itself out.

 

[dpmd]

I think what I have here is very precious but at the same time I have been fascinated by the things I'm now learning for a long time. I find all my classes interesting. I would love to get to help people as a doctor. I don't see the impact of my current job as much. Although I often enjoy it, as a life commitment it seems a bit boring, maybe because I have been practicing music instruments for 22 years already. Bit of a routine. Whereas medicine is rapidly changing, the stakes are very high, etc... Maybe I'm mistaken? I'm precisely trying to pick well and not do all 🙂

The daily life in medicine generally becomes a bit routine and even possibly boring. Once you master something that sense of newness wears off. Medicine is not exempt even if it is not static. I tend to enjoy the routine aspects because I know I am doing it well. But if you are becoming bored despite performing new pieces and possibly in new places then I fear you may become dissatisfied with medicine which would really suck after sacrificing so much for it. If the issue is that you feel you aren't helping people enough with music (which in fact does help people in a variety of ways) you could always take advantage of that great schedule and do some volunteer work that wouldn't require 12 yrs of schooling to do but would give you your helping others fix.

 

[dpmd]

One of my old friends from college was in a similar situation. Got a dual degree with biology from an Ivy League school planning to go to medical school, then got a masters in music, still planning to go to medical school. Then decided to give music a go and never looked back. At some point he got a music related PhD.
He’s in an orchestra in a medium sized city, he is a conductor, he has another side band, and he teaches music at the university as an adjunct professor of violin or something.
One caveat though. He was really, really loaded, so money was never in the equation at all.
Do what makes you happy, the rest will work itself out.

With 12 more years of school before earning attending money (and that being european sized salary not US), money isn't really in the equation here either.

 

[emergentmd]

A med school interview question I got was, "Would you choose to be the best doctor or best father"?

I thought it was odd but as I get older, I understand it better and better.

You can't be best at both. Personally, I would lean towards music. You are 27 and at this rate be done at 40. Then what? Are you going to do part time medicine too? Are you going to look back and regret the lost years of your life working or studying?

I know I would

 

[JavaJam]

Thank you! Lots of wiadom 🙂

 

[Sleepingdoc]

People often tell people studying music “how will you make a living?” You are an extremely successful musician being accepted to an extremely respected school and now a great job. I would say you are successful. Stay in that lane. Many musicians would kill to be where you are. Not many are talented enough to get into Juilliard. Seeing as you did I wouldn’t waste that talent. Medicine isn’t all glamour. Also, are you from the US? Do you plan on practicing in the US? Stay in Europe?

I had musicians who were in my med school.. Its great that he is different than others who are just biology majors.. Its different, makes him more desirable candidate in med school.

 

[DO2015CA]

I had musicians who were in my med school.. Its great that he is different than others who are just biology majors.. Its different, makes him more desirable candidate in med school.

I am not saying they wouldn’t succeed. I’m saying he’s already succeeding, in my opinion, in a better field so to change to medicine would be a downgrade for them. I can pretty confidently say none of your classmates (and my music major classmates) were Juilliard material

 

[operaman]

Professional musician turned physician here. I still do some paid singing work but obviously much less than when it was my full time pursuit.

I guess the key questions come down to how happy you are in the orchestra, your prospects for landing a better one, and just how happy you would be if medicine didn’t even exist. I don’t really know what European orchestras pay as I was on the vocal side of things. I would imagine it varies a lot depending on the level. Top tier players in the US earn 2-300k annually and are basically guaranteed jobs for life. if you’re in that league then it may be a tough sell to leave such a solid Profession for a new one. On the other hand, lower to mid tier players here earn more in the 40-70k range and most supplement their salary with private teaching and whatnot.

For me I didn’t really want to do the orchestra equivalent (professional choruses) that would have guaranteed me a nice six figure salary. I enjoy solo work but being a life long chorus singer just wasn’t my jam. Ironically you make much less as a soloist and I eventually got tired of the slog around the same time I discovered medicine. I think if I had been happy doing the chorus stuff and making good money I might not have left the nest and done the whole medicine thing.

If you decide to do medicine I would do it all the way. No point in dragging things out since it takes so darn long already. I would do the medicine full time and make the music part time or ad hoc so you can get through it in a timely fashion. I’m 9 years in at this point and if I still had 3 years before my degree and starting residency I think I’d go nuts!

 

[JavaJam]

Thank you! I'm gonna save this thread to read again when I have doubts. It's great to hear about your experience operaman.
I'm fairly happy about the job, just bored at times. I also have many opportunities for side projects and chamber music.
The salary is 70k which goes a long way here where higher education and healthcare are free. Enough to live, go out and have fun, travel; or have and support a small family without thinking much about money. Most young adults at my work manage to buy a decent home after saving up the deposit for 3-4 years. It's a good life but not always as intellectually rewarding as one may wish. But maybe medicine can sometimes be similar too.

 

[BigPikachu]

Medical School and Specialty Training requires time and commitment. It's possible, but very difficult, to multi-task between two careers with one of them being medicine (plus maintain a healthy personal life). Finish your medical training; get it over and done with. Then you can go on and do what you want after that.