Speech-Language Pathologist

[juicy123]

After spending 80,000, 3 years of graduate school and a nine month fellowship I hate my job. I want more than anything to become a neurologist. My question is, will it be financially worth it for me at this point? Say if I stop working, take all the pre-reqs (15k), go to medical school (300k?)l and take out loans for living expenses (100k), will it be worth it if I'm currently making 100k a year as a speech-pathologist?

I know it's a simple math problem..just want to get some feedback

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[wholeheartedly]

After spending 80,000, 3 years of graduate school and a nine month fellowship I hate my job. I want more than anything to become a neurologist. My question is, will it be financially worth it for me at this point? Say if I stop working, take all the pre-reqs (15k), go to medical school (300k?)l and take out loans for living expenses (100k), will it be worth it if I'm currently making 100k a year as a speech-pathologist?

I know it's a simple math problem..just want to get some feedback

Hard to say, why do you think medicine will be better? Can you see yourself doing anything besides neurology? Are there different ways of practicing speech and language path where you might be happier? I mean, most people change jobs a few times before they find a good fit that they like. Could you work part time while taking the pre-reqs? How old are you? Could you work for a year or two to sock away some of that 100k to save on expenses on the med school path?

 

[juicy123]

Honestly it's just not stimulating to me. I love neuro because I love the brain-behavior relationship. I find myself obsessing over the medical aspects of my patients and sometimes feeling like I go out of my scope. The study of medicine is intriguing to me. It's something I always wanted to do but never did.

I'm 25, no pre-med classes

 

[HipChick]

Do you feel that you can work and be successful in school? Because to live poorly and bank most of that 100k wage would be fantastic.
Have you considered PA? Or are you dead set on physician? Have you looked into working with a group of neuro physicians as a slp? I think either way its pro and con time

 

[TheWeeIceMan]

Just wanted to point out that 400k for medical school COA is way way on the high side. I don't know if it's worth it or not to you, but wanted to point out that what you laid out is basically the worst case scenario for a med student. A situation that you could avoid. 200k is probably a better number to use.

 

[Goro]

Medicine is a calling. If you're thinking at the level of the nuts and bolts of salary and cost-effectiveness of it as a career, then do something else. I didn't get my PhD thinking about how much a Professor of Anatomy makes, I did it because I wanted a career, and not a job.

After spending 80,000, 3 years of graduate school and a nine month fellowship I hate my job. I want more than anything to become a neurologist. My question is, will it be financially worth it for me at this point? Say if I stop working, take all the pre-reqs (15k), go to medical school (300k?)l and take out loans for living expenses (100k), will it be worth it if I'm currently making 100k a year as a speech-pathologist?

I know it's a simple math problem..just want to get some feedback

 

[TriagePreMed]

Medicine is a calling. If you're thinking at the level of the nuts and bolts of salary and cost-effectiveness of it as a career, then do something else. I didn't get my PhD thinking about how much a Professor of Anatomy makes, I did it because I wanted a career, and not a job.

You don't think that the ability to pay off your loans and begin other important things in life (buying a home, having a family, etc.) Shouldn't play a role? Then again I understand what you say because I feel similarly.