Starting this arduous journey

[Fifty 3rds]

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So, I'm back on SDN after a brief stint in the business world and I'm wanting to hear encouragement, discouragement, anecdotes and any other miscellany you have to offer.

I'm approaching 30 years old, I have an expired MCAT (29) and I've been away from school for 3 years. In that time, I have worked on the business side of the hospital, with EMR implementations. I'm an analyst for a well-known software vendor and I've just recently started the jump from company employee to consultant. If I am able to secure the position I want, I'll be able to work from home 95% of the time, make 6 figures (to put back for tuition/living expenses) and take 2-3 biology/chemistry courses to show the ADCOMs I'm able to handle the rigors of school.

I've realized that making money is not fulfilling, in and of itself. I'm looking for more fulfillment and more stability. With that said, the two options I'm looking at are medical school and dental school. I'm seriously considering both at this point because both appear to provide the two things I want from a future profession.

With that said, does anyone have any advice? Any motivational tidbits? Any discouraging tales?

 

[startoverat40]

here are the responses you will get:

starry-eyed MS0: "follow your passions and go for it"
pissed off MS3: "make sure they don't give you scut work, cause you're not paying 50k to do scut work"
disgruntled resident: "the program directors and attendings can fire you if you make the wrong move, and then it's all over for you"
content attending: "it's not so bad of a job, and you get to send your kids to private school. it's an arduous process, but it's not so bad once you get through it."

I'm the starry-eyed one, nice to meet you 🙂

 

[ChemMed]

I'd be the dig in your heels for bumpy ride one (MS1)
What exactly is it that you are looking for in a profession that would allow your to pursue either physician or dentist? Just out of curiosity.

 

[pkwraith]

I assume you did Practice Management Apps instead of Clinical? If the latter, you should've had enough Go-Live and floor experience for you to know whether you want to do medicine vs dentistry.

I would recommend that you do the appropriate work to determine medicine vs dentistry sooner rather than later.

Enjoy the travel and expense account while you have it.

 

[LaEsponja]

Best of luck! Pre-med and no real advice for you 🙂

 

[Fifty 3rds]

startover,
Thanks for stopping in and saying hello. Best of luck in your future.

Chemmed,
I want stability, I want to do something that helps people and allows me to problem solve, I also want to have some control over my geographical location as my family develops. Those are my big 3.

Pkwraith,
I was actually on the clinical side, mostly dealing with perioperative and anesthesia areas, with a little ER and private practice sprinkled in. It wasn't enough to make the decision for me. I see many similarities between the two professions. The problem is, I don't have a specialty that I really want although there are certain professions that appeal to me. Medicine allows you to help people in their most trying times. It allows you to meet a true human need, unlike many generated industries that keep our economy floating.


Dentistry seems safe, the private-practice model is alive and well, it requires less time for a non-trad and you can work 40-80 hrs, depending on your motivation/other commitments. Plus, the work is appealing to someone like me, who has a history of working with their hands.

LaEspo,
Thanks for dropping in.