People tell me not to do Pre-Med for the money.. then what should I do?

Career Opportunities & Internships
1

<p>Being a doctor is a stable six figs after all the med school debt and years of residency.</p>

<p>Sure life will suck for a decade or so, but after that, everything should be fine.</p>

<p>People tell me I shouldn't do that unless I knew medicine was my calling. I don't know, but what if it turned out it was true? Or what if it turned out to be surprisingly tolerable?</p>

<p>Anyway, I just need some other alternatives for a stable well paying job other than a field in medicine, because that's what everyone seems to be telling me to stray away from unless medicine "was my calling".</p>

<p>So yeah, I'd be into medicine for the money. What else are fields which include people in it for the money?</p>

2

<p>If you don’t like the job you are doing, you probably won’t be good at it.</p>

<p>You can still major in science, however.</p>

<p>You don’t have to become a doctor.</p>

3

<p>eh, if you just want to make oodles of money and have no concern about whether you enjoy a minute of your life, go into investment banking.</p>

<p>The unhealthiness of your mindset is incredible, though; out of curiosity, have you had a job you didn’t enjoy? Actually… have you had a paying job quite yet?</p>

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<p>if you are going to work in a field for 30 or 40 years, you might find some value in doing something that you enjoy… just a thought.</p>

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<p>well i think most lawyers are in it for the money, but there are no jobs for them now. so that’s not a good choice. banking pays pretty well, but i think it would be boring.</p>

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<p>Not to disparage your advice…</p>

<p>but what kind of fairytale land are you from to suggest to do something I’d enjoy?</p>

<p>In this economy, sacrifices have to be made. If starting a secure financial future means working several years doing something that I didn’t love, then I’d still accept that. Would you rather be a poor Art History major unable to find a job as a curator just because he had to “follow his passion”?</p>

<p>It’s a lose-lose situation no matter what, you might as well pick the lesser evil.</p>

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<p>Medicine does offer a level of security. People say not to go into medicine for the money because if you are willing to work that hard - attendings often work 80+ per week after years of training - you will be able to make more money doing something else. If you are going to be spending half of your life doing something, you should get some joy out of it. Look at Death of a Salesman…</p>

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<p>@barefoot,
There are more law jobs and less competition for them than investment banking jobs.
Also, the assumption that people are in law only for the money is ridiculous.</p>

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<p>impoverishidphd - doing a job you hate and making $150k/year vs. doing a job you love that pays 80k/year is a serious question. The better choice is the one that makes you happiest.</p>

<p>There is a lot of room on the spectrum of enjoyment vs. money than investment banker vs. starving artist.</p>

<p>And, just because you enjoy something, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t pay well.</p>

<p>Some people love to crunch numbers. Some people love to argue in a court room. Some people love trying to help children learn.</p>

<p>The truth is that the most successful people enjoy what they do. I’m not saying that if you enjoy playing video games that you should just play video games and be poor, but I’m saying there is probably something you like to do that utilizes skills that you have.</p>

<p>Further, the median income in the US for persons over 25 is only $33,000/year. You don’t need to make 200k/year to live a great life. Especially if you don’t live in one of the pricey cities. Some places it costs $1 million to buy a house with 5 bedrooms and 4 baths. Other places, it costs $300k.</p>

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<p>So let me get this straight… you are saying that because the current state of the economy is not conducive to high paying jobs for all, it is advisable to make a long-term decision based nearly exclusively on finances? That is one of the more shortsighted things I’ve read on these forums.</p>

<p>When people talk about making sacrifices, they are talking about TEMPORARILY sacrificing what they would love to do as a career because they need to pay the bills. Some examples of this: the person who wants to teach but cannot find a job due to budget cuts and instead works as a researcher, temp somewhere or receptionist; the person who wants to go into non-profits right out of college but works at a for-profit institution for a few years since the competition precludes an inexperienced person from getting a job at a powerful non-profit; the entrepreneur who must put his new business on hold and get a job so that he can pay the bills for himself and his family.</p>

<p>People make sacrifices, but they still have goals they wish to accomplish, and though it never gets easier to achieve them, people get better at what they do, thus making themselves more likely to achieve goals. Sacrifices people make enable them to SURVIVE. </p>

<p>If you are talking about sacrificing passions for dollars before you’ve declared a major or even had a real job, you are essentially just setting a ceiling for yourself.</p>

<p>The time to sacrifice is after you have exhausted other options but before you have become desperate.</p>

11

<p>OP, going into medicine for the money is just foolish. With the healthcare reforms et al, the big bucks are not going to be there. My daughter is in the process of interviewing for med school right now. Between MCAT prep course, app fees and now interview travel costs, it is up to about $6,000 now. Throw in med school of approx $150,000 if she is lucky She won’t be living the big life anytime soon, and I’m not holding my breath for the mommy condo on the beach. </p>

<p>Choose your job path for something you enjoy.</p>

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<p>But GA2012MOM, I’m not interested in medicine for the money. I’m interested in a stable 6 figs after 10+ years of training, and also because it’s a more nobler profession in that the doctor is a pillar of society.</p>

<p>What other jobs offer that?</p>

<p>Okay, let’s just say I’m one of those “artists” type.
Then hypothetically, wouldn’t it be smart to major in something that will net me enough money during my 20s. Then in my 30s, I can quit, go after my dream job, and STILL be financially well off?</p>

<p>In that case, I already know what I enjoy, I just need something that can provide a financially stable future. Suggestions?</p>

13

<p>So you think that you are going to just be able to start earning a 6 figure income because of your major? Have you ever worked in a real job,at a significant company? I’m asking because what you are wanting to do is simply ridiculous; I can’t see if happening.
You want lots of money, so I am assuming that you like to spend it. So how are you going to save up the million to two million $ or so that you would need to have to be able to quit working in your 30s?</p>

<p>I am hoping that you are a ■■■■■ because if you are real, you need to get some serious career counseling to learn what the real world is all about.</p>

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<p>Packers, (and others) I think you misunderstood my post. I never said I thought I could make 6 figs because of my major, nor did I say I wanted to stop working in my 30s. Nor did I ever say I wanted “lots of money.” </p>

<p>What I said I wanted was a financially stable future. Whether that means getting a stable job through medicine in the long run, or any other means, is what I’m inquiring about.</p>

<p>I find it extremely belittling that you think I’m “trolling”, because I’m not stating anything. I’m only asking questions, because I’m just a college student all. How would I have any knowledge of what the real world is about? In fact, I never claimed such knowledge!!</p>

<p>I’m simply proposing situations (i.e. go to medicine, or major in something quantitative so not like Art History) that would help me be happy.</p>

<p>I’ll admit, I know nothing. Hence why I’m posting on this forum. I do, however, respect your willingness to show me how childish my attitude may be, and I apologize for that. </p>

<p>It’s because all I see on the news are people (occupying wallstreet) who are in financial debacles, and news about how jobs are getting outsourced to india and china, and rumors about how china is going to take over because of the massive US debt, etc. And all of this has been imposing these negative images in my head saying that I have to not squander these years, and get some useful skills for the job market. </p>

<p>That’s why I’m asking these questions. I’m not a ■■■■■. I’m just a college kid who is extremely worried about getting a job after college in this terrible economy.</p>

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<p>Impoverished, having a ‘stable financial future’ to me does not involve borrowing hundreds of thousands of dollars to finance an education that will not make significant returns until you are well into your 30’s or 40’s. You said you wanted to major in something quantitative, then why not do that? Study engineering or mathematics; there are plenty of great, well-paying jobs out there for that.</p>

<p>If you do well in school and make reasonable planning for your future career, you probably will not be homeless or broke. I can tell that you don’t have any experience in the real world, so just relax, enjoy college, and hit the books.</p>

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<p>Ten years is a long time to be doing something you don’t genuinely enjoy.</p>

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<p>Here is a way to think about this.</p>

<p>You do not need to make six figures to live comfortably; you can live comfortably on $40,000 in Manhattan, and NYC is pretty much the most expensive city in America (San Francisco gives it a run for its money but isn’t quite as bad). Anywhere else in the country and you can afford to live on less than that as a recent college graduate without the responsibilities of a family.</p>

<p>Because you really have no concept of the real world yet, I am going to imagine that your family is well off. This is not a dig at you; you are very lucky that you have been able to make it to college without really knowing about the real world. This means that you have more ability to pursue your interests… if you are unemployed for four months after college, you probably won’t default on loans or be out of a home, like someone who had no family to support them would be.</p>

<p>When I was going into college, I was really into math and I wanted to be a lawyer when I graduated. It was pretty much a sure thing that I was going to go to law school up until senior year, when I saw my LSAT scores and realized that law school was probably a bad idea. Now I’m a consultant and thrilled with my job and the life I can live; I realize that if I were taking time to work at a law firm, as most people do between undergrad and law school, I would be absolutely miserable, and being miserable usually leads to being a poor performer.</p>

<p>The reason I asked if you had had a paying job of any kind in my first response to you is that if you had a paying job, you would know the value of ENJOYING your work: You will be spending at least 8 hours working, in addition to probably an hour commuting, every day, Monday thru Friday, with 2-5 weeks off per year, for twice as long as you have lived to date. If you had a high school job you hated, you could extrapolate what that meant for a career you hated.</p>

<p>Your mindset is unhealthy because you are trying to find a situation that will lead to maximum income without considering any other factors.</p>

<p>Take courses in subjects that interest you, and once you figure out your major, see where the path takes you. I wound up in consulting because I took a Political Science course. This course required a paper, for which I used Excel to manipulate data in such a way that it showed meaningful trends. This exercise got me excited about data analysis since I saw how powerful it could be. When I was applying for jobs senior year, I looked for ones that involved quantitative analysis and, although I applied to many various industries, it turned out that I was most qualified for the jobs that involved quant. The end result? Without even realizing, I fell into the industry that suits me best as a recent graduate.</p>

<p>What happened for me is kind of typical, though. You explore during college and eventually figure out what you want to do when you grow up, but some people figure it out when they’re 6 while others figure it out when they’re 26. Don’t pressure yourself to figure it out now if you haven’t already. Just do your best, work SOMEWHERE and see where your path takes you.</p>

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<p>You can do engineering, work for Schlumberger as a field engineer internationally, make 6 figures out of college, and hate your life? Not saying that it’s stable or the best opportunity though, I’m not in the field I just have a couple friends who did that.</p>

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<p>OP - I understand your concern. If you are willing to work hard in your college then you deserve to live a better life than making $40K. To answer your question, I will try to answer the career path you may choose.</p>

<p>You may become a Computer or Software Enginner - After 4 years in college, you may start with $60-70K and may reach $100k in say 5 years.</p>

<p>You may choose to be a doctor- After 4 + 4 + 4 (in residency) years, you start with around $150K + </p>

<p>You may choose to be an investment banker- After 4 + 2 years in MBA you start with $150K. This is more competive than above two but highly rewarding</p>

<p>Or you could be a lawyer, in 4 + 3 years you start with $150K. Very highly comptetive and may not get even $100k.</p>

<p>All years are after HS. There are tons of other careers, but above are the common sought after professions.</p>

<p>When people say follow your passion, they mean try what you like to do. E.g. if you liked Math in your HS, Finance may be good option. If you sucked in understanding cells and DNA structure in your HS BIO class, don’t try to join medical school. If you joined debate clubs earlier and did very well, and can write pages after pages, you will be a good lawyer. Or thinking anlytically is natural to you and liked Science and Math, you can be a good engineer.</p>

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<p>Computer/Software Engineer
You can do better than that in the Army. As a 1LT you can volunteer for 1 year ADOS tour at NGB-HQ as a Signal Officer (25A). The position requires that you have a Functional Area specialty or you have a CS/EE/IT BS degree. If you are another branch like me (Infantry), all it requires is a 4 week resident course (Signal Captain’s Career Course - RC ). 1LT pay is approximately $5500-6000 per month after tax in the NoVA area. 1LT is also an automatic promotion after 18 months as a 2LT. The work-life balance is incredibly awesome. The position comes with a Top Secret clearance that is good for 5 years. The TS clearance is the real jackpot of the position. Finding employment at a defense contractor afterwards is cake if you have a valid and current TS clearance. If you don’t find a job that pays over $100,000/year with a TS clearance and a CS/EE BS or MS, you messed up or are ■■■■■■■■.</p>

<p>Investment Banker
The timeline is more like 4+3+2. You are living in a high-cost area, have terrible work life balance, probably have ridiculous student loans to repay. And not to mention the VAST majority of investment bankers find out they are not cut out for it after 3 years. Of course if you’re one of the very few that doesn’t burn out and enjoys the career field you’ll do well. But this is just like everyone who says, “I’m a better than average driver.”</p>