<p>A physician can work full time or part time, salaried or private practice, in the US or elsewhere and still make a high income. </p>
<p>You could, for example, work in sports medicine which might give more face time with individual patients/ clients if that is what you want. </p>
<p>As for debt, if the OPs rich doctor dad is paying for the whole thing, why not?</p>
<p>“As for debt, if the OPs rich doctor dad is paying for the whole thing, why not?”</p>
<p>Why devote 10 or so years of your life pursuing a career goal that you’re not interested in pursuing?</p>
<p>I would say…if the kid doesn’t WANT to be a doctor…the kid should NOT be a doctor. I honestly want physicians who are in the profession because they WANT to be there, not just because they want to earn a ton of money. </p>
<p>If the kid wants to consider other possible majors…so be it. The reality is that the courses for PT and premed are SO similar that the kid should just take the courses and be done with it. So what if he has to take a couple of extra courses that are “on the premed track”. It would still put him in the position to apply to a grad PT program if that’s what he WANTS to do.</p>
<p>I agree with somemom, there is no need to debate this topic with the dad. Premed is NOT a major…you can major in ANYTHING and apply to medical school so long as you have a great GPA, the prerequisite courses AND terrific MCAT scores. AND with those same things…you can also apply to a grad program in PT.</p>
<p>I agree with post #37. I was a nurse for an OB-GYN for 12 years and while he enjoyed his profession, I can’t tell you many times he would talk about how he sometimes yearned for “those simpler times” when just he and his wife were dirt poor living in a small apartment near the beach. Five kids later, a large mortgage, a spouse who liked to spend $$$$ and the bureauracy of a lucrative and busy practice…well, let’s just say I was happier with my much lower salary and cost of living. Trouble is, once many people begin making money in the 6 figures, it becomes almost a burden. I’m talking mid to higher figures for the most part.</p>
<p>PT is a 5 year program you need to start as an undergrad. Competitive to get into.
You will come out with a Masters in PT. Great job prospects and salary way above $60K (at least in NY metro area). (I am in the health field and work with many OT’s, PT’s and the master’s level brings in $75 or so an hour- not private practice by the way.) </p>
<p>After you get your PT degree you can still take the MCAT’s and apply to med school should you have the desire at that time. One nice thing about majoring in PT is that you will come out with a career. Harder to have a career from Biology without obtaining a masters, I believe. You should have all the prerequisites you need for med school with a PT degree but can always add any other courses you may need. </p>
<p>(By the way, most of my MD friends are discouraging their children from medicine. The salary is not what is way unless you become certain specialists. Your parents likely started their practices before HMO’s when the salaries were high. Certainly still doing very well, but sadly working more and more, making less decisions, and have a lower income unless they see more patients each day. Still a great career to consider but there are other careers to consider also.</p>
<p>My D has 2 friends who are going PT- I believe the standard now is DPT, which can be done in 6 years.</p>
<p>I thought PT was a 3 year graduate programme?</p>
<p>“if you have the academic ability to easily get into medical school and become a physician, then maybe you are selling yourself short going into PT”</p>
<p>As long as I have found my “passion”, as others have said, should my academic ability even be that much of a factor in determining which profession to go into?</p>
<p>Following your thread so just a few thoughts. I have been a PT for much longer than you’ve been alive and have seen it change tremendously over the yrs. The standard education is a minimum masters and most programs going for a professional doctorate (DPT). Although it was competitive when I was a student, it is much more so now. And, by the way, 60K is not the average salary by a long shot. It is mid-70’s depending where you live and the potential is for alot more. I don’t think $$$ should be your issue. The issue is: what is your passion? What can you see yourself doing for the next number of years? If you think PT is for you, be sure to volunteer to see what it is all about plus you absolutely need to demonstrate that level of interest to get into school. You have to wake up in the morning and face your day; you dad has to face his. Do what is best for you. If, along the way, you decide on pre-med so be it. If you decide to do something totally different, so be it. That is what college is for — to figure it out! Best of luck.</p>