What happens when you want to have kids?

[Mena3]

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If say for what ever reason, you didn't get excepted to dental school what is your back up? I'm thinking about pharmacy as my back up, or maybe even as my first choice over dentistry now. I don't know any more what I want to do, I've shadowed a dentist a little bit, and I've worked in a pharmacy. Neither of them seem really amazing to me, but a job is a job and I would rather be in a career that makes good money and I can still have time to raise my own kids (when the time comes).
I feel as though to put all that time and energy into a career like dentistry and then not to practice for 5-10 years to raise a family is a kind of a waste.

I don't know anymore.....I think I'm just babbling on now. What do you guys think about this? Also, if you know anything about pharmacy, how much do they make?

 

[frogger33]

Yes, a job is a job. However I would reccomend doing something that you are passionate about and will enjoy doing day in and day out for the majority of your life. If you do not find dentistry or pharmacy to be anything great, then maybe you should continue your searh!!! If all you want is money then look into business. I graduated with a business degree over 2 years ago and while I am PAYING to be in school, many of my friends are making six-digit numbers as financial analysts up in NYC and DC. Most people do that for a few years and then settle down into a less rigorous career and have children, etc...

Once you are passionate about doing something spending a few years in school to achieve it does not seem like a waste of time. I want to raise my family as well (when the time comes), but I would also like to work on a part-time basis during that time in order to continue with my professional passion. Just really look at your options and see what interests and drives you!!

Good luck

 

[1905]

Umm if you have shadowed a dentist and didnt like it, then maybe this isnt the route for you.. maybe you should give it some more time shadowing and see if more experience changes your mind..If all you care about is money then maybe doing something else would be better for you.. When/If you are asked to interview it will probably show through that you are uninterested in dentistry and the only factor that attracts you is the money. When are you applying? If you are young and have a while to go, then maybe exploring other majors etc will help. But if you are a jr/sr then i would just re-evaluate your thoughts and priorities.. it just sucks if you are late in your undergrad and have done TONS of dental/science coursework and then go and change u know?

 

[Yellow-Jellow]

according to www.hotjobs.com ...and to where i live ..Pharmacist can make $ 98,630 - $ 108,995 per year.
a Dentist can make $ 100,002 - $ 153,081 per year.
but the most important thing is u have to like what u do , I mean , u'll do the job for at least 8-10 hrs per day . ..good luck with your choice!

 

[Mena3]

I will be entering my junior year, so I don't want to go and just change my major. Besides that, I love the sciences! I love taking biology and chemistry classes, no other area of study has ever sparked my interest more, but unfortunately to a great extent, what I'm actually learning in school in my classes isn't what a dentist actually does. They are for the most part on the clinical aspect of things (while still applying some of their knowledge....if that made any sense). But for the most part it seems that a dentist is doing routine things everyday, that over time just come with practice. I don't want to do research because my brother has his PhD, and seeing what he does everyday, just seems plain boring. I'm not money hungry, but I do want to provide a good life for myself and my "potential" family in the future. I've narrowed it down to pharmacy and dentistry, because these are jobs which make the most sense to me, and have a good paycheque. I wouldn't say that I find dentistry or pharmacy awful, but I'm just not passionate about them. I don't really have my heart set in any job, but I don't see anything wrong with that. To me, at the end of the day a job is still a job, and I wouldn't hate these professions.

 

[Comet208]

I am going to agree with the above replies and again remind you that you will only be successful in a career that you feel passionate about. If for whatever reason you want just a high income and prefer to stay home, I humbly suggest that you pick a career that allows you work from home. You will have your job and be close to the kids.

 

[Dental Mom]

Well, well what a question here.....

I'm 30 have 2 children 2.5 and almost 6....I'm a pre dental.

Don't worry about having children now. Study and when the time comes to work, you will be amazed at how many options you will have.

I have a dentist friend who works Saturdays only just to pay her loans. Another older dentist mom used to and still brings her children to her office. They have their own room where they played, and now that they are teenagers they meet there with their friends there too.

Who said that staying at home for yrs is for ya? I was home for 6 yrs before returning to College again and went nuts at home! 😱

Study something that you love and you will do great.

By the time I work, my children will be over 10 yrs old and I'm happy I was able to stay home with them while they were little and got to do the whole mommy thing with nursing and all. BUT staying home for 10 yrs is not for me!

I can give my children the world and still do something for me. I'm a woman and we are very intelligent people 😀 so we too can and have to give something to this life 😎

Good luck!

 

[Mena3]

Thanks everyone for your advice. I still am going to stick to one of the two professions (keep my fingers crossed that I get in), however, I guess I shouldn't worry so much about the future. I should worry more about what I have to do today, to get me to that future.

 

[Darby_O'Gill]

Let me answer the question "What happens when you want to have kids?".....Well, sit down and let's have a little talk about the birds and the bees. When you meet a nice young man that is handsome, honest, respectable, and responsible you might begin to have feelings...

 

[bor0000]

hey, i can relate to your problem. i am also going to be a junior in the fall and have lots of problems! i dont know why you shouldnt get into any dental school if you like chem and biology. If you do well in this junior year, it means a lot for your application. but if your gpa is not strong, perhaps you should spend a whole lot of time studying for the DAT, maybe apply 1 year late(if you take DAT in august before your senior year i heard it would put you at a disadvantage at that cycle), but thats only 1 year, and you have it all to also improve on your senior year.

but if you dont think that you would make a good dentist, it is of course something serious. I for one had many cavities on myself, and my parents have had root canals,etc and they will not go to a dentist again, if he messes up... i for one think that i would make a better dentist than a pharmacist. but if you really like biology or chemistry, you can go into academia after finishing the dental school. if after 4 years you decide thats what you like, you can start doing research and become a professor without even getting a ph.d. dental school professors make more than pharmacists and im sure that research+teaching is much more interesting and prestigious than pharmacy.

To whomever said business, i would seriously doubt that. If you consider ibanking, first of all you must come from an ivyleague school, other schools dont cut it. and you obviously need to have had internships with banks during your summers instead of doing premed stuff. and you do know what ibanking job entails, certainly not for someone that likes biology/chem. There is another area of "banking" called math finance, it is actually a very intellectual job. but it requires usually a ph.d. in math or physics. It is possible to get into that profession with a masters in mathematical finance(then you need to have taken a lot of math courses during undergrad which i have, and admission into the masters program is more competitive than dental scohols), but even if you somehow get a job that way, it's not something you would enjoy if you dont enjoy upper level math, which i dont. I think pharmacy or actuary are the kind of jobs that someone interested in dental school should look into if he likes his science classes. but for me, i think denistry is much better than those jobs.

Another advantage of dentistry/medicine over other jobs, is that you are in school for another 4 years. It is not an advantage if you already have a serious gf and live independently of your parents, then you must want to get into the real world. But for me, i feel another 4 years is the time for me to try to find something in life. I think i'd have much better luck meeting girls in a university setting than in the real world.

 

[bor0000]

Yes, a job is a job. However I would reccomend doing something that you are passionate about and will enjoy doing day in and day out for the majority of your life. If you do not find dentistry or pharmacy to be anything great, then maybe you should continue your searh!!! If all you want is money then look into business. I graduated with a business degree over 2 years ago and while I am PAYING to be in school, many of my friends are making six-digit numbers as financial analysts up in NYC and DC. Most people do that for a few years and then settle down into a less rigorous career and have children, etc...

Once you are passionate about doing something spending a few years in school to achieve it does not seem like a waste of time. I want to raise my family as well (when the time comes), but I would also like to work on a part-time basis during that time in order to continue with my professional passion. Just really look at your options and see what interests and drives you!!

Good luck

your story seems questionable. Do you mean finance analysts at i-banks(because the only other analysts that make 6 figures are the quantitative analysts)? Those are all in NYC, they'd never make 6figures in DC, there arent any prestigious i-banks there. 1st yr pay for them, including bonus is usually 80k/yr, and the bonus is taxed at 50%. It is very rare for them to make 6figures even after several years, but perhaps it's possible to get exactly 100k, including bonus. They also work 80hrs/wk. And after working for 2-3years, they better get accepted into harvard business school, or their career is over. And did you forget to mention, that your friends must come from mit,wharton or hyp in order to get that ibanking job? or you think anybody can be a banker?

 

[Mich212]

your story seems questionable. Do you mean finance analysts at i-banks(because the only other analysts that make 6 figures are the quantitative analysts)? Those are all in NYC, they'd never make 6figures in DC, there arent any prestigious i-banks there. 1st yr pay for them, including bonus is usually 80k/yr, and the bonus is taxed at 50%. It is very rare for them to make 6figures even after several years, but perhaps it's possible to get exactly 100k, including bonus. They also work 80hrs/wk. And after working for 2-3years, they better get accepted into harvard business school, or their career is over. And did you forget to mention, that your friends must come from mit,wharton or hyp in order to get that ibanking job? or you think anybody can be a banker?

bor....where did/do you go to school?

 

[drhobie7]

If say for what ever reason, you didn't get excepted to dental school what is your back up? I'm thinking about pharmacy as my back up, or maybe even as my first choice over dentistry now. I don't know any more what I want to do, I've shadowed a dentist a little bit, and I've worked in a pharmacy. Neither of them seem really amazing to me, but a job is a job and I would rather be in a career that makes good money and I can still have time to raise my own kids (when the time comes).
I feel as though to put all that time and energy into a career like dentistry and then not to practice for 5-10 years to raise a family is a kind of a waste.

I don't know anymore.....I think I'm just babbling on now. What do you guys think about this? Also, if you know anything about pharmacy, how much do they make?

I knew a guy who sold cell phones and made over $100K per year. There are plenty of ways to make money. It's really not fair to your future patients to do dentistry unless you're passionate about it, because they suffer as well as yourself.

 

[bor0000]

bor....where did/do you go to school?

i dont go to any of those prestigious schools. but my school is ok, nevertheless.

 

[Mich212]

i dont go to any of those prestigious schools. but my school is ok, nevertheless.

ok was just curious what institution endowed you with such bitterness

and while it may be true that the schools you mentioned have a vast networking source which secures thier students with jobs in the financial world, I know many students who did not attend those schools who are part of the industry.

 

[bor0000]

ok was just curious what institution endowed you with such bitterness

and while it may be true that the schools you mentioned have a vast networking source which secures thier students with jobs in the financial world, I know many students who did not attend those schools who are part of the industry.

i am not bitter. why are you changing the subject "financial world" -shoe(i mean cell phone) salesman?? the only people in the "financial world" making close to 6figures straight out of undergrad are the financial analysts working in the top investment banks.

 

[Mich212]

note I did not mention a shoe saleman......second I know what a financial analyst and how much they make..... I don't know but last time I checked Blackstone, citigroup, goldman, leeman, and bear were all top investment banks....and what do you know...it's bonus season right now

 

[bor0000]

yes, somebody else mentioned "you could be a cell phone salesman and make 6 figures". and the people from the non mit,hyp,wharton schools work at those firms as finance analysts?? i call bull****. much more likely scenario, they either work as "finance analyst" at some 3rd tier banks, or they work at these i-banks, but in some other specialty.

 

[Mich212]

yes, somebody else mentioned "you could be a cell phone salesman and make 6 figures". and the people from the non mit,hyp,wharton schools work at those firms as finance analysts?? i call bull****. much more likely scenario, they either work as "finance analyst" at some 3rd tier banks, or they work at these i-banks, but in some other specialty.

Citigroup Leveraged Finance (in citigroup technically considered FI)....was number 1 this year, and yes they are considered financial analysts....does this satisfy you. I believe I can only think of one of their first years who attened the schools you meantioned.

 

[drhobie7]

Yep, that's right. I knew a guy who made over $100K per year selling cell phones. I didn't say he was fresh outta college. You know who he was? The best damn cell phone salesperson out there!

OK seriously though, you're caught up with the idea of making cash. You're scared. You just want to have a secure future. That's ok. That's normal. That's good. I happen to think the most fun and lucrative moneymaking opportunities require your own creativity. I knew some guys who chartered a Carnival cruise ship ($1 million!), hired G Love, Flaming Lips, and all these other great bands to perform on the cruise, and sold tickets. Pretty risky but also totally bitchin.

Here's another example. I used to work for a guy who had a fleet of trolleys that did tours around the city. This guy never went to college and was taking home over $400K a year. Outstanding.

A lot of people get locked into the guaranteed routes for a good income: law, medicine, dentistry, MBA, CPA. You can make a fine livin in these, but unless you're a creative businessperson you're probably not going to be rich. My point is creativity is the key. You don't have to follow the herd into the safe professions if you just want to make cash. Sure it's riskier not to, but the payoff is potentially greater and it can be more exciting. Besides now's the time to take risks -- when you're young.

 

[bor0000]

whatever, maybe i am mistaken about i-banking. i still heard very clearly, that 99% of those sought after positions are filled by mit,wharton,hyps. it's of no use to me, so i'll just take your word for it, that by some chance your friends mightve gotten those positions(or theyre full of it), but i can just say that if you are predental and you cant get into a dental school, then ibanking will be even less likely.

as for cellphones, i just think it's ludicrous to suggest to someone that has a great chance of becoming a dentist(as long as he has good hands-and he should decide that for himself or ask someone to evaluate him in real life, because he said he isnt lacking in biology and chemistry), such a career. you dont even need a college degree to be a salesman. I think of Al Bundy when i think of salesmen.

 

[drhobie7]

whatever, maybe i am mistaken about i-banking. i still heard very clearly, that 99% of those sought after positions are filled by mit,wharton,hyps. it's of no use to me, so i'll just take your word for it, that by some chance your friends mightve gotten those positions(or theyre full of it), but i can just say that if you are predental and you cant get into a dental school, then ibanking will be even less likely.

as for cellphones, i just think it's ludicrous to suggest to someone that has a great chance of becoming a dentist(as long as he has good hands-and he should decide that for himself or ask someone to evaluate him in real life, because he said he isnt lacking in biology and chemistry), such a career. you dont even need a college degree to be a salesman. I think of Al Bundy when i think of salesmen.

The original post was from a person who didn't particularly enjoy dentistry or pharmacy, or any other career for that matter and just wanted to make a good living and have time to raise a family. My point stated there are plenty of ways to achieve this other than dentistry. Pursuing dentistry with this as the primary goal jeopardizes your patients' health by your lack of interest/motivation.

Also, just because someone has a great chance of becoming a dentist doesn't mean he/she should become a dentist. Intelligence and hand skills (which can be learned by most people) do not mean you'll be a good dentist.

 

[frogger33]

Well..... I posted about the business jobs and No I did not go to an ivy league. I graduated from Emory. My boyfriend who is now in medical school was offered a job in DC working for Merrill Lynch making over $100,000. He was a pre-med that majored in Econ at the time. He never did any internships in his field over the summers b/c he was busy doing medical related things and was still offered the position b/c of his GPA and teacher connections. Many of my friends also work up in NYC as i-bankers and lots of $$$$

Would I want their job..... No Way!! Hence why i parted ways with my business degree and will be starting d-school. The harsh world of business was not for me. i want to make a difference doing something I love.

The only point I was trying to make to the poster was that IF money was what they were looking for, that there were much easier ways going about getting it than spending the next 4 years of your life working your butt off to do something you really dont even enjoy. That's it. 🙂