[Redacted] Medicine is not a bad field in and of itself, but because of how medicine is changing, and how medicine isn't changing, there are a lot of problems with the field.. If you feel the need to comment on this post to reassure yourself that the decision to pursue medicine is the "right" endeavor for you, feel free. I understand: I did the same thing for many years. In fact, I'm not even writing this to dissuade aspiring doctors. I'm writing this just to get my voice out there.
Ever since I was a young child, I wanted to become a doctor. The field itself was very intriguing to me, and the prestige and money that "seemed" to accompany medicine acted as a snare as well. All throughout high school, medicine seemed like the only option for me. I did well in school and on standardized tests, and many of my superiors saw me as a practical and mature thinker.
Fast forward to this past August. I was frequenting SDN, and I was preparing for my first year of college. It was an exciting time, filled with the anticipation for opportunity. Given the amount of work that lied ahead for my pre-med self, I wanted to make sure that I knew everything that I needed to know by listening to members of this site, as well as doctors, residents, and members of medical academia on other sites.
This "research" of mine had an unexpected effect.
Countless members spoke of their rejections. Countless threads mentioned doctors who regretted pursuing a degree in medicine. Countless residents complained of their horrid hours and even worse social lives. On other websites, broader topics such as divorce rates and the effects of legislation (specifically Obamacare) were discussed. And of course, everything made medicine appear less and less appealing.
I wasn't going to quit though. Medicine was surely still the best option for me. I never dreamed of a future where the title of "doctor" didn't precede my last name.
A buddy of mine who was going into actuarial science started talking to me about his college plans. Not once did he try to persuade me against medicine, but what he said was incredibly influential.
He was going to a good school that wasn't very expensive. As an actuary, he would walk into a field that required nothing more than a bachelor's degree. I accompanied him when he met with his advisor before he year started (which I was surprised the advisor let me do), and that is when everything changed. The advisor, an 30-something-year-old, had been in the field of actuarial science for over ten years. He joined academia to get his summers off and longer breaks to spend with his children. But what did he say?
By the time many of that college's graduates turned 28, they were making nearly six figures.
After several years with a company, many of the graduates had a work-from-home day each week. Maybe even two.
The hours? 8-4:30 initially. Eventually the time spend at work would decrease to maybe 9-4:30 as the worker proved their capabilities.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the expected job growth for actuaries was 26%.
I was shocked. "How could a four-year degree offer such a fantastic salary, lifestyle, and job growth?" That is a question I asked myself, and continued to ask myself long after the meeting ended.
No, this is not my plug for actuarial science. This is my plug against medicine. (Although actuarial science is indeed a fantastic field.)
Lifestyle
I don't feel like explaining this. You all know what I'm talking about, you're knowledgable on this subject. The best explanation I can offer is through this link. If you pay attention to anything in this thread, please pay attention to this link.
Debt, Salary, and Legislation
All of you know that debt sucks, and doctors have a lot of it. I'm not going to re-explain what all of you (should) already know. Salary and legislation on the other: How many of you realize that reimbursement for doctors is on the decline? How many of you know that in states like Minnesota, access to specialized doctors is being limited to a certain number of visits per year? Simple economics says that if you have less clients, you will receive less money. Hospitals won't be able to afford the large salaries of specialized physicians when the services of the physicians aren't being paid for as they were before.
Couple that with the increasing cost of schooling and you get a profession where the graduates end up in a very regrettable field.
The Result of Your Life
At age 22, my friend will end his schooling with a grand total of <$25k in debt. He will start anywhere between $50k and $65k, and in just a few years be making nearly $100k. If I stayed on the medical path? I would potentially be in medical school, indirectly making myself an indentured servant to the big banks of America. If I wasn't so lucky? I would become one of the 57% who didn't make it into medical school, effectively wasting my undergrad years, slaving away at shadowing, volunteering, incredibly difficult courses, and whatever else that could make me a good applicant.
At age 28, my friend was modest and fiscally responsible, he could be debt free. If not, he would have very little left to pay. Oh, and the company he's working at? Yeah, he's taken actuarial exams that have increased his pay by nearly double. His work has been stressful at times -- just like any profession -- but he's a lot less stressed than me, who is now worked 60-80 hours per week in a residency.
At age 34, I'm finally a licensed independent doctor. I'm freeeee- oh wait. No I'm not. I'm not even a little. I have roughly $200,000 in debt, and I'm still working arduous hours. My (dingus) friend? He's worked his way up in the company, or maybe he's found a better position and another company. He's making half as much as me. Ha! But wait -- he's been debt free for years, and he's able to focus on other things, like his 401k, retirement, and his house.
You see, at age 25, my buddy would be going out to the bars and getting nice dinners with dates and friends and coworkers. He would be living up his 20's in a STEM profession (mathematics, specifically) that is netting him an above-average salary that's increasing every year.
Reset. I'm 18 years old and just starting college.
Do I want to wait until I'm in my 30's to begin my life? Do I want to wait fifteen years to join a field that may or may not be what I expected? Do I want to put myself into such unforgivable debt that it won't be until my 40's that I will be free, yet in a field that may be declining in reimbursement and still hard hours?
No. I do not. I do no want that at all.
Am I saying that you should get a job as an actuary? Hell no. If that's not what you want, then don't do it. It's just an example. What I am saying? Take it from the guy in that link: Medicine probably isn't going to end up being the ideal profession you expect it to be. There are a lot of better alternatives.
Ever since I was a young child, I wanted to become a doctor. The field itself was very intriguing to me, and the prestige and money that "seemed" to accompany medicine acted as a snare as well. All throughout high school, medicine seemed like the only option for me. I did well in school and on standardized tests, and many of my superiors saw me as a practical and mature thinker.
Fast forward to this past August. I was frequenting SDN, and I was preparing for my first year of college. It was an exciting time, filled with the anticipation for opportunity. Given the amount of work that lied ahead for my pre-med self, I wanted to make sure that I knew everything that I needed to know by listening to members of this site, as well as doctors, residents, and members of medical academia on other sites.
This "research" of mine had an unexpected effect.
Countless members spoke of their rejections. Countless threads mentioned doctors who regretted pursuing a degree in medicine. Countless residents complained of their horrid hours and even worse social lives. On other websites, broader topics such as divorce rates and the effects of legislation (specifically Obamacare) were discussed. And of course, everything made medicine appear less and less appealing.
I wasn't going to quit though. Medicine was surely still the best option for me. I never dreamed of a future where the title of "doctor" didn't precede my last name.
A buddy of mine who was going into actuarial science started talking to me about his college plans. Not once did he try to persuade me against medicine, but what he said was incredibly influential.
He was going to a good school that wasn't very expensive. As an actuary, he would walk into a field that required nothing more than a bachelor's degree. I accompanied him when he met with his advisor before he year started (which I was surprised the advisor let me do), and that is when everything changed. The advisor, an 30-something-year-old, had been in the field of actuarial science for over ten years. He joined academia to get his summers off and longer breaks to spend with his children. But what did he say?
By the time many of that college's graduates turned 28, they were making nearly six figures.
After several years with a company, many of the graduates had a work-from-home day each week. Maybe even two.
The hours? 8-4:30 initially. Eventually the time spend at work would decrease to maybe 9-4:30 as the worker proved their capabilities.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the expected job growth for actuaries was 26%.
I was shocked. "How could a four-year degree offer such a fantastic salary, lifestyle, and job growth?" That is a question I asked myself, and continued to ask myself long after the meeting ended.
No, this is not my plug for actuarial science. This is my plug against medicine. (Although actuarial science is indeed a fantastic field.)
Lifestyle
I don't feel like explaining this. You all know what I'm talking about, you're knowledgable on this subject. The best explanation I can offer is through this link. If you pay attention to anything in this thread, please pay attention to this link.
Debt, Salary, and Legislation
All of you know that debt sucks, and doctors have a lot of it. I'm not going to re-explain what all of you (should) already know. Salary and legislation on the other: How many of you realize that reimbursement for doctors is on the decline? How many of you know that in states like Minnesota, access to specialized doctors is being limited to a certain number of visits per year? Simple economics says that if you have less clients, you will receive less money. Hospitals won't be able to afford the large salaries of specialized physicians when the services of the physicians aren't being paid for as they were before.
Couple that with the increasing cost of schooling and you get a profession where the graduates end up in a very regrettable field.
The Result of Your Life
At age 22, my friend will end his schooling with a grand total of <$25k in debt. He will start anywhere between $50k and $65k, and in just a few years be making nearly $100k. If I stayed on the medical path? I would potentially be in medical school, indirectly making myself an indentured servant to the big banks of America. If I wasn't so lucky? I would become one of the 57% who didn't make it into medical school, effectively wasting my undergrad years, slaving away at shadowing, volunteering, incredibly difficult courses, and whatever else that could make me a good applicant.
At age 28, my friend was modest and fiscally responsible, he could be debt free. If not, he would have very little left to pay. Oh, and the company he's working at? Yeah, he's taken actuarial exams that have increased his pay by nearly double. His work has been stressful at times -- just like any profession -- but he's a lot less stressed than me, who is now worked 60-80 hours per week in a residency.
At age 34, I'm finally a licensed independent doctor. I'm freeeee- oh wait. No I'm not. I'm not even a little. I have roughly $200,000 in debt, and I'm still working arduous hours. My (dingus) friend? He's worked his way up in the company, or maybe he's found a better position and another company. He's making half as much as me. Ha! But wait -- he's been debt free for years, and he's able to focus on other things, like his 401k, retirement, and his house.
You see, at age 25, my buddy would be going out to the bars and getting nice dinners with dates and friends and coworkers. He would be living up his 20's in a STEM profession (mathematics, specifically) that is netting him an above-average salary that's increasing every year.
Reset. I'm 18 years old and just starting college.
Do I want to wait until I'm in my 30's to begin my life? Do I want to wait fifteen years to join a field that may or may not be what I expected? Do I want to put myself into such unforgivable debt that it won't be until my 40's that I will be free, yet in a field that may be declining in reimbursement and still hard hours?
No. I do not. I do no want that at all.
Am I saying that you should get a job as an actuary? Hell no. If that's not what you want, then don't do it. It's just an example. What I am saying? Take it from the guy in that link: Medicine probably isn't going to end up being the ideal profession you expect it to be. There are a lot of better alternatives.
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