Doctor.. A life choice in which I have to make?

<p>I really want to be a doctor, but at the same time, I also want to start a family at a somewhat early age. Is this possible? I want to get marry and start a family at an early age. At least before my 30s. But it seems like time is not on my side if I choose to become a doctor.</p>

<p>I know someone who started her family while an undergrad and continued on to medical school. She went to a med school located near her immediate family (and her in-laws) who gave her a lot of help with childcare.</p>

<p>Obviously, having children that young when you have a medical career in mind is not the norm but she pulled it off quite well.</p>

<p>It happens, although I might suggest delaying having kids ‘til you’re out of residency if possible or at least minimizing the time you’ll be in residency during your kids’ childhood years. Remember that a child’s first few years of life are critical to your relationship with them throughout their lives as well as to their psychosocial development. As a result, the 80 hr/wk (often more, ‘though not legally) commitment is likely to make you a basically absent parent from your kids’ lives during that period. You don’t want your spouse to feel like a single parent nor do you want to your kids growing up feeling like they grew up w/o a mom or dad until age 5 or 6!
I’m not saying it can’t happen but you should consider the consequences now.</p>

<p>if you’re a guy, you’re going to be missing out on your 20’s. probably the best time of your life. once you’re about 28-29 and you have a wife and kids, your life is over. your hair is going to start thinning, you’ll gain weight, and you’ll probably go to sleep at 9 every night. no more partying, boozing, and waking up with random women the next morning. </p>

<p>so if you go to med school, you’re going to be missing out on the best time of your life. you probably already realize this. i guess it’s possible to start a family after you’re out of med school, but seriously…studying for 4+ years after you graduate college, then busting it for 4+ years during residency, and then getting married and having a kid? you’re ****ed.</p>

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<p>Sounds mature. This + you’re unintelligent, ignorant comments bashing medical professions say a lot more about your character than any words can describe.</p>

<p>sounds like you can’t take a joke.</p>

<p>is there anything patently false about what i just said? these are the things you have to come to terms with if you want to become a doctor. isn’t the point of this forum to help people make the right decisions for themselves with regards to their professional endeavors?</p>

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<p>Yes, and they can start making right decisions by ignoring anything that you post.</p>

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<ol>
<li>You can have a life during medical school.</li>
<li>Are you a medical student? If nor, then why do you seem to think you are some authority on the issue? Ignorance is no foundation upon which to give people advice about their future…</li>
<li>Numerous doctors have gotten married and had children while in medical school and/or residency. It is certainly not easy and may require sacrifices, but it is not impossible. Some people even enter medical school later in life while they have kids in st home, etc…</li>
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<p>In short, basically everything you said is patently false… And I feel sorry for you if you think your life is over at 28-29. I guess the 50 or so years of life are meaningless…</p>

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<p>What about being older than 29 means life won’t be fun? I fail to follow this “logic.” I’m glad you are an expert on my past, present, and future sex life. Do you also happen to know the meaning of life, whether god exists, the true lines of morality, etc…? </p>

<p>By the way, only 10% of men will ever experience recurring erectile dysfunction, and alcohol, drugs, and smoking (hallmarks of the stereotypical young “fun” lifestyle you appear to allude to as something that those choosing medicine lose (not sure this is desirable or fun…) actually increase ones likelihood of impotence greatly.)</p>

<p>Your previous statement that one should go into medicine for money and your very presence on this forum would seem to indicate you are (unfortunately) considering medicine. You also seem to think that those entering medicine have no life until their life is basically over and that they get erectile dysfunction and don’t have sex by the time they’re 50. So, why exactly are you considering medicine, and if you are not why are you here?</p>

<p>Back to the original question, there are lots of people in my class (and certainly in all the med school classes at my school) who are married, and some of them even got married during medical school. There certainly aren’t very many with children, and I would argue that it is unwise to have children in medical school. Perhaps during residency at some point. But if you want it, you can make it happen.</p>

<p>I am sure I am not the only one that would be happy to help raise grandchildren during this time, of course if in the same geographical location.</p>

<p>Make that Plan A. Be prepared for your life to follow Plan B. or Plan C…</p>