<p>I'm 16, and I love learning about the stock market and investing. I gotten some great tips from successful investors. This millionaire/investor even gave me some books to read that he says are very helpful. But I also love Science and I'm want to be an orthodontist. It's the hardest choice of my life, investor or orthodontist. I could become really wealthy by investing or go to college for 8 years and become an orthodontist. what should I do?</p>
<p>Twerking passion…</p>
<p>But really
Just keep your options open till college and base your decision on where you get in maybe?</p>
<p>“Why not both?”</p>
<p>-Taco Commercial</p>
<p>Come guys, this is serious</p>
<p>If a coin flip were to decide which career path you would take, would you be hoping for it to land on the investor side or the orthodontist side during the tense moment the coin is rotating in the air? </p>
<p>I agree with Atlantic. You’re only 16, keep your options wide open.</p>
<p>Both and make serious moolah</p>
<p>You don’t need to decide yet. Pursue job shadowing for both and see which feels right. </p>
<p>With the current healthcare paycut situation, I would pick investing if you really love both equally. My friend who’s a successful orthodontist has gone from making 300K yearly, to 150K as part of the obamacare act. Still a handsome salary, but it could go much lower in future years. You can always start with investing, and then go back to something scientific-related later in life, and vice versa. </p>
<p>I agree with the coin flip. If you flip a coin and you’re even slightly disappointed with the outcome, then you know which you like more.</p>
<p>“My friend who’s a successful orthodontist has gone from making 300K yearly, to 150K as part of the obamacare act.” Learn to think critically. Coverage under obamacare just started this month–how could it already have cut your friend’s income by 50%? And most insurance doesn’t cover the majority of the costs of even medically necessary orthodontics anyhow (ours pays only about 20%). I’ve gotten quotes from orthodontists this month, and I can assure you they are charging every bit as much as the one who treated my first child before obamacare was passed. More likely, your friend is making less money because the economy hasn’t been so good and fewer parents can afford to shell out $6,000+ per child for what is often a cosmetic procedure.</p>
<p>To the OP, you don’t have to decide for a long time. Study math, science, and economics. You can be an economics major in college and still do the premed requirements. Since most orthodontists are running their own small business, this could be very helpful to you anyhow.</p>
<p>Science. You can pick up courses here and there to get your business and investing knowledge. Not so with a structured science program to give you options for medical fields. Not so easy to jump in there if you did not take the base courses. It can be done, but it’s just easier to go the other way.</p>
<p>I would love to know how Obamacare can possibly have already created such a large difference in how much an Orthodontist is able to earn.</p>
<p>That Obamacare comment is a load of BS and goes along with bad comments on CC that you have to ignore. As a physician my income has gone down but definitely not from Obamacare. Private insurance has killed me over the past decade. But you know, this is not the forum to discuss politics when someone needs important information. I work with 3 orthodontics who make $400,000+. But remember, there is a lot of years of education and training before you see the money.</p>
<p>Take the opportunity to keep your options open. You don’t have to make a decision for at least 5 more years.</p>
<p>It also depends on the type of doc you are, and how many previously private pay and/or low income patients you used to attract.</p>
<p>Just wanted to add, that you <em>think</em> you could become really wealthy by investing. Quite a few of the smartest people in the world are working really hard with the same goal. I wouldn’t just assume you can become really wealthy doing this.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the help</p>
<p>Major in becoming an orthodontist and minor in something finance related! You can always use your investing savvy as a side job or hobby. </p>