What are all of you working as now?

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
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It's really interesting to me to talk to people who are seriously thinking about going into medicine after a career elsewhere. As someone who's wanted to be a doctor most of my life, I've been combing other career options recently just to see what else is out there that might be equally rewarding. What are all of you working as now and are you not happy with it or it's just that medicine is very appealing?
 
nursing management.. medicine has always drawn me- i love clinical aspects of patient care. love my job and am extremely fortunate for what a great career i was given in nursing with rapid promotions. but im ready to switch careers to pursue my passion (like most people here) before i grow out of my mid twenties and become bogged down with extra baggage 😛
 
Non profit-too draining and not enough money I loved physical sciences in high school but did not follow up on that once I got to college. I wish I had.
 
Academia. Good career, but always wanted medicine. 😀
 
Contract software. Great flexibility and money, but kind of soulless.
 
Hospital. In charge of medical supplies. Also work on the weekends as a patient tech. Love it. Constant interaction with staff, patients, and doctors.

Have always wanted a career in medicine, although I pursued other avenues for a few years. Glad I'm back on track to med school.
 
Own and operate a large visual media company. Looked forward to all of the charity work we did each year. Always wanted to take the plunge but just recently decided it was time. Selling it all and begin my science pre-req classes this summer. My hands are sweaty just typing this! 🙂
 
History professor at an online university. Definitely not the most prestigious job, but it pays the bills...barely. Before that, I was a tennis instructor and a grad student.
 
I'm an electronics technician in the Coast Guard. This is my 4th year and separating.

I mentioned my interest to the dentist on base here, and she said i should definitely pursue it. Electronic techs troubleshoot complex problems, and fix them with their hands. Combining the fact I would have little to zero debt after dental/medical school is all the more reason (gi bill and state benefits)

I have at least 3 years of undergrad left though. I guess a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step right 🙂
 
I freelance full-time as a makeup artist and hair stylist for events, TV and fashion. It's a great job, I make my own schedule, make good money, make people feel good about themselves, but I have always had a passion for medicine. Upon completing High School, I had volunteered in a physical therapy rehab, was an assistant to a quadraplegic and voluneteered in nursing homes and thought I wanted to be a physical therapist but I was in a bad realtionship that led me to get pregnant at 19 and I ended up going to school for fashion design. It was there I found I can make money with my talents. But I do not regret my decisions at all. I am a young 34 of 2 boys (6 and 13), happily married, lived life pretty well and too well sometimes. 😉 My career allows me to interact with people with many backgrounds which will help in my path to medicine. I have clients that are physicians and will be able to shadow them for my EC's. I will soon be volunteering in my town as an EMT and will be continuing my undergrad in the Fall, PT at first. I have been studying Pre-Cal and soon Physics and Bio on my own to refresh my memories so I won't be completely out of it in the Fall. I thought PA was the way to go, but I am confident that I will make a better physician. I'm so excited to see so many people in the same shoes! I wish everyone the best of luck and look forward to seeing you on the forum for quite awhile!🙂
 
I was a professional magician for 2 years, then I went in the military for 6, then I worked at a Doctor's office for 1. Now, well now I just wait around for med school to start 🙂
 
I'm a Fed. and a law student in the evenings. Been with the Feds for going on 5 years.
 
I'm a clinical research analyst. I own the data, lol. Before that - waitress, coffee jock (I hate the term "barista" - it sounds like a baby bartender), bartender, farm hand, house painter, nanny... and this is the short list. 😀
 
High school science teacher. Been teaching for 4 years, always interested in medicine but never pulled the trigger - better late than never.
 
browndog said:
High school science teacher. Been teaching for 4 years, always interested in medicine but never pulled the trigger - better late than never.
Click to expand...

I'm in my 10th and final year teaching high school science. I start med school this fall. Good luck! Let me know if you have any questions.
 
I'm an Executive Assistant at a fortune 500 company. Good money, and benefits, etc..but not enough meaning for me, not enough humanity. Being that I've done this line of work for the past 12 years and I'm looking forward to a "second career" as they say! 🙂
 
Medical technologist in hematology lab for 4 years and before that was in IT for 5 years. Always had the passion for medicine and being involved on the diagnostic side have revived that passion. Will be starting a post bacc program this fall.👍
 
I am a Chief/ ff/ paramedic with a Fire Department, that is my bread winning job. I have been a paramedic for 14 years now and 3 years ago started working as a flight paramedic for a aeromedical service of a Level 1 trauma center (a University hospital). I have always wanted to be a doctor but life just seemed to happen🙄...I know many of you know what I mean. Well, here I am 3 wonderful kids later, and approaching 39 years old and think it is a good idea that I try this thing called medicine. I have been a public servant most of my adult life and can think of no other way of finishing it! Good luck to everyone on this crazy pursuit of our dreams! 👍
 
"quant jock"/project management. Happy here in general, including w/compensation and career potential, after lots of soul searching I realized that medicine is where I can make a much bigger impact on others. Guess I'm one of those "its my calling" folk.
 
Lawyer for 15 years. Seriously considering med school, but may not be able to do it due to work obligations, finances, mortgage, spouse, etc. May do carib route.
 
I am a ventilator-running, snot-sucking, breathing-treatment-giving, asthma-educating, CPR-giving registered respiratory therapist.

I love my job. I really, truly do. About a month ago, a neighbor of mine had her nephew over. He was 3 years old, and I met her sister (the baby's mom) for the first time. Her eyes got really big, and she ran up and gave me a hug. My neighbor didn't know what was going on. Turns out her sister remembered me from the night the baby was born because I was the one who resuscitated him. She started crying, explaining to my neighbor that I saved her son's life. You cannot get any more rewarding than that.

So why am I going back to school? I want more. I want the challenge. The most challenging aspect of my job is critical care, and that is what I am already doing.
 
chemical process engineer at a Photomask company
 
Accounting for the last 6 years....I have found no reward or excitement in doing taxes, financial statement audits, etc...
Having a career in medicine has been in the back of my head for the past 10+ yrs and I'm finally deciding to pursue it. Starting back at school in the summer so I can begin the journey to start doing something I know I will truly enjoy.
 
This is my very first post on this forum 🙂

I am currently working as a Chemical Engineer at a plastics plant. The pay is cool, but the job itself is not rewarding at all. I do not feel like I am helping anyone. The only thing I am helping is to pollute the environment. The money is just not enough anymore🙁 I went back to school to get my MBA (currently in taking 4th class) and I have to admit that I don't like that either because again there is no reward in it except supporting big business🙁

For these reasons, I am now seriously considering Medical School (my first love from undergrad). Long story short, I was a Pre-Med Chemistry major my first 2 years of college, then I changed my major to Chemical Engineering and it has taken me 11 years to realize that was a mistake for me😡 I will do another post about my story 😉
 
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I'm a pilot in the USAF. Getting close to retirement after 20 very busy years. Looking forward to going back to school and seeing my family every night (at least until residency)!
 
I work for a public library system in the administration department, it was my first job after I finished college in '02. I've always wanted to go into medicine, but didn't have the encouragement from family nor the confidence in myself. Now, after 7 years of being with the library and seeing that this isn't where my heart belongs, medicine is, I'm doing what I need to do to become a doctor. :xf:
 
nontradfogie said:
I gotta tell ya too. When it comes to butt-wipin'...the thrill is gone.
Click to expand...

I love my kid 😍 but staying home last 2 yrs was the hardest thing I have ever done. If I stay home any longer, my mind will turn to mush and my kid will definitely be lacking social skills. We are both ready to move on to the next level.👍
 
Deepa100 said:
I love my kid 😍 but staying home last 2 yrs was the hardest thing I have ever done. If I stay home any longer, my mind will turn to mush and my kid will definitely be lacking social skills. We are both ready to move on to the next level.👍
Click to expand...
Have you decided on a school?
 
I'm an EMT, just a Basic, for a private ambulance service. I transport patients around all day, occasionally run 911 calls in the few areas where the parish fire department doesn't have an ambulance stationed.

I've wanted to be a doctor for a good while, but as the paramedic earlier mentioned, life happened. Getting ready to stop procrastinating and go for my true goal.
 
1) Father X2 (the most important "job"!!!) 🙂

2) Television Writer

3) Research Assistant at top choice MD school (volunteer for now).

4) Post Bac Student

CANT WAIT to add "med student!!!!" on that list. and remove a couple others!
 
Research Associate

Medical freelance writer

CNA

(start school again this fall)

I'm trying to get a full-time writing job that I can do from home to go along with the full-time CNA job. I'm in the process of doing a test batch for this new writing gig. If I get this position, I will make $2,000 a month and add in the $2,000 a month from the CNA job. I will be in a great position to pay for classes.

The new degree that I'm getting is a distance education clinical research administration degree. I'm sure some schools won't like it that the degree is distance education based (from a well known school), but I can use it as a career backup as my current biology degree is complete garbage.
 
Just spent 5 years in the Marine Corps as a V-22 Osprey airframes mechanic.

Going back to school full-time in the fall, which means I'll be drawing GI Bill money too. In the meantime, I have two jobs...team leader at Target, and server at Buffalo Wild Wings. Also finishing up my history pre-reqs this spring and summer too. Lovin' it though...back in Orlando, single, and ready to enter the next phase...
 
A stay at home wife currently. I was a linguistics major turned a public affairs manager in my home country. I want to pursue a graduate degree in speech language pathology.
 
Medical Lab Tech. I'm sitting in the Clinical Chemistry department right now letting the analyzers do my work while I read SDN.
 
I gave up my decadent, capitalist job at a bourgeois law firm for the life of a revolutionary (read: underpaid and overworked) research fellow. Oh if Mr. Trotsky could see how happy I am now, we wouldn't have had the Bolshevik Revolution...
 
I work prn as a substitute teacher but basically I'm unemployed 🙁 Being home 5-6 days a week is really hard. I feel really sad on Mondays, when everyone leaves for work. Then it's just me and the empty house. I hope all of us get the jobs we want and enjoy soon 🙂
 
Advertising sales executive. My clients were great, but after working in the field for a number of years it becomes less about the people an more about $$$. That turned me off, but as a student again I definitely miss the $$$. 🙂
 
Bilingual Social worker/Case Manager for Individuals with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness. It is a job where no two days are the same, the coworkers are great, and pay/benefits are great for a social work position.

But, I do find myself much more drawn to the management of the physical and mental health versus the crisis plan, service plan, goals, protective placement, guardianships, etc.

Only 75 work days left! :soexcited:
 
Combat medic in the Army. worked as a medic in clinics, aid stations, Iraq, Emergency room, and currently supervisor of a surgical dept. in a Training Army hospital.
 
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