Quitting medicine

[Surgeon Heart]

I have completed my medical school few years ago and after medical school I started to do my Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (for 3 years now)! I am way too far to quit now after sacrificing my whole life and time in medicine. I feel that I do not want to do this anymore! I have not enjoyed my life since I was 18 years old (now I am 32 years old) and now I can not handle it anymore! I wanted to be a surgeon at the same time I am very obsessed with sports and politics and I know that if I will be a surgeon I would not have time for anything else except being a surgeon and studying all the time until I die! I do not feel that I want to do this. Should I quit now? Honestly, I have felt that I wanna quit few years ago, but I just kept going because I thought that I should not lose my war! but now I feel that maybe I should just quit and do something else? Go to school again and enjoy it since I have never enjoyed my school!

If anyone in the same situation and could give me an advice I would really welcome it?
If any surgeon who have more in depth sight to surgery and how is the life of a surgeon would be you have all my ears listening?!

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[deleted480308]

I have completed my medical school few years ago and after medical school I started to do my Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (for 3 years now)! I am way too far to quit now after sacrificing my whole life and time in medicine. I feel that I do not want to do this anymore! I have not enjoyed my life since I was 18 years old (now I am 32 years old) and now I can not handle it anymore! I wanted to be a surgeon at the same time I am very obsessed with sports and politics and I know that if I will be a surgeon I would not have time for anything else except being a surgeon and studying all the time until I die! I do not feel that I want to do this. Should I quit now? Honestly, I have felt that I wanna quit few years ago, but I just kept going because I thought that I should not lose my war! but now I feel that maybe I should just quit and do something else? Go to school again and enjoy it since I have never enjoyed my school!

If anyone in the same situation and could give me an advice I would really welcome it?
If any surgeon who have more in depth sight to surgery and how is the life of a surgeon would be you have all my ears listening?!

US or foreign school? Step scores? Retakes? Do you want to practice in the US?

 

[Surgeon Heart]

US or foreign school? Step scores? Retakes? Do you want to practice in the US?

Foreign school and both steps in 50's. I already got couple offers from a program that I worked with for a PGY-1 position. I want to practice in the US but I was also willing to participate in medical missions if I get the chance. I just do not feel I want to do this anymore.

 

[deleted480308]

Foreign school and both steps in 50's. I already got couple offers from a program that I worked with for a PGY-1 position. I want to practice in the US but I was also willing to participate in medical missions if I get the chance. I just do not feel I want to do this anymore.

Respectfully you haven’t “been doing this”. You’ve been in research for 3 years. If you have a residency lined up I would go to it....unless you are Independently wealthy with no loans it’s about tje only financial choice that works

 

[Surgeon Heart]

Respectfully you haven’t “been doing this”. You’ve been in research for 3 years. If you have a residency lined up I would go to it....unless you are Independently wealthy with no loans it’s about tje only financial choice that works

I have no loans but my income is currently low. My point is not really the money! I work in one of the best institutions in the US and I see surgeons in their 60's and 70's working in the hospital all the time non stop. I am just not sure that I want my life to be like their lifes! Though, I have a perfectionist personality and I know that I would not be satisfied to be just a "good" surgeon! Anyway, thank you for your answer.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

I have no loans but my income is currently low. My point is not really the money! I work in one of the best institutions in the US and I see surgeons in their 60's and 70's working in the hospital all the time non stop. I am just not sure that I want my life to be like their lifes! Though, I have a perfectionist personality and I know that I would not be satisfied to be just a "good" surgeon! Anyway, thank you for your answer.

Once you are done with training, you can make your career what you want it to be. You can find a job where you aren't working 80+ hours a week if you want. Your pay may be less, but your lifestyle is better.

 

[Smurfette]

If you don't want to do it, you will struggle to finish a surgery residency and be miserable. You can and should pick a different field.

Odds are that you would (if you stay in the US) NOT work in an academic hospital after finishing training, and your lifestyle will be quite different from that of the surgeons you see at your current hospital.

 

[Surgeon Heart]

Once you are done with training, you can make your career what you want it to be. You can find a job where you aren't working 80+ hours a week if you want. Your pay may be less, but your lifestyle is better.

Thank you! I am always concerned about patients safety if I am not 100% committed to surgery though! Any thoughts about this??

 

[deleted480308]

Thank you! I am always concerned about patients safety if I am not 100% committed to surgery though! Any thoughts about this??

Who isn’t concerned about patient safety? What are you asking?

 

[Surgeon Heart]

Who isn’t concerned about patient safety? What are you asking?

No one man! My question is that if I work as surgeon in a place where there are less cases and less challenges would that makes me a worse surgeon than those who are working in a more busy hospitals?

 

[Surgeon Heart]

If you don't want to do it, you will struggle to finish a surgery residency and be miserable. You can and should pick a different field.

Odds are that you would (if you stay in the US) NOT work in an academic hospital after finishing training, and your lifestyle will be quite different from that of the surgeons you see at your current hospital.

I agree! Thanks

 

[ThoracicGuy]

No one man! My question is that if I work as surgeon in a place where there are less cases and less challenges would that makes me a worse surgeon than those who are working in a more busy hospitals?

You probably wouldn't be doing whipples and liver resections. There's nothing wrong with being a bread and butter general surgeon in the community. You'll still work hard, but you have the ability to set your hours better.

 

[Surgeon Heart]

You probably wouldn't be doing whipples and liver resections. There's nothing wrong with being a bread and butter general surgeon in the community. You'll still work hard, but you have the ability to set your hours better.

Thank you! Your answer makes sense to me!

 

[droliver]

No offense, but if you’re like this now, you’re going to be a train wreck doing a surgery residency

 

[ragha1234]

I agree with oliver
People ask you to quit even if you dont want to in a surgery program. This is out of the 99th percentile of "surgery etiquette" 😀