Hi everybody.

I'm a freshman in college at the moment. I have wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember and I'm doing well in my first round of pre-reqs. I guess I'm just having an identity crisis at the moment. I'm not sure if I want to give up 12 years of my life to a job. To studying. To keep trying to move onto the next step instead of enjoying life in the moment. I want to do other things than be a doctor.

I've been looking into Graduate-Entry Nursing Programs where I can become a NP in three years after college. More flexibility, more options, still in the healthcare field, and an better chance at having a life and a family. It's hard for me as a woman, and that's why I'm here.

My question to those who are currently doctors and have been through the process like me (high school-college-med school-residency with no breaks), would you do it again? Do you have a life now?

I want to help people, and I'm not afraid of the work it takes to become a doctor, I'm just scared that I'm going to throw myself into this and realize when I'm thirty that I'm not happy. That's a long time not to be happy.

Thanks girls!

Honestly I am glad that I didn't go straight through. True, when you are 18 and just starting, that 12 year stretch truly looks like a nightmare. Step back and take a breath. Life generally doesn't go how you planned it and medical school will always be there. You take it one step at a time. Worry about getting through college first, re-evaluate, Maybe you will find a husband, a new desire for a different career, or want to start a family. I had a 7 year gap between graduating college and going to med school, had 2 kids in the gap. You get overwhelmed if you think about the effort to get to this point (I graduate residency in 4 months at age 40). That's really old when you are 18!!! but I feel great. I'm happy I did it this way. You take the journey in steps. Enjoy your life while you are young, travel, wait until you are a junior before worrying whether or not the med school road is right at that time.

If I did not take the steps I took in my life, my life would have been a disaster. So, no regrets here.

I am a nontrad. student as well, and I wouldn't give it up for anything. I have had a great first career in social work and the experiences of working with people from all different backgrounds will serve me well as I move forward.

I had my life planned out at 18... the plan was premed, med school, residency, meet person of dreams, get married (~30ish), have children.

Reality: premed became SW, met DH @ 20, married at 22, children at 24/26/28, starting med school at 31.

Ahhh... the best laid plans...

I'm a non traditional student - BA in Business in 96, married 96, kids 99, 01, 06, and I'm finishing up my premed prereqs now for enrolling jan 2010 (I'll turn 39 in Feb). I knew what I wanted at 18 and fortunately, most came to pass WITH TIME - but not on my time schedule. And I certainly had no idea medicine would be in my future!!

My advice: Enjoy being at the stage you are at. Have a GENERAL idea of what you want and work towards that, but be flexible enough to change direction 180 degrees in the middle of it all!! If you have you mind made up that A leads to B to C and that you will end up with D - you are setting yourself up for possible disappointment. If it happens - great. If it doesn't and the path is C, B, D, and onto F, you'll feel so many negative emotions and add stress to your life.

Just ride the wave of life, but have your surfboard pointed where you think you want to go, and be prepared to fall off and get back on!!

I am glad I found this thread. I have been trying to find the perfect time to apply to med school for years now. I wanted to apply 2 years ago then my husband was accepted to Veterinarian school. He finishes in 2 years and I was thinking about applying then but I just do not think I can put my kids (ages 5 & 6) through anymore of this. My husband is gone so much and they miss him dearly. I too am so ready for it to be over with because I miss him too. We see him everyday for about 1-2 hours in the evening, he eats dinner, plays with the kids, and then he is off to study. He never makes it home before midnight and I am asleep when he returns. He is the first one up and the last one to bed each night. My son told his teacher he never wants to take tests because they are scary. I think he thinks this since during test weeks the stress is very high in our household. My husband takes the kids to play at the park on Saturday adn we all go out to eat but I do not see him much on the weekend either. I attend church alone on Sundays with the kids and that makes me sad. My husband told me if I put him thorugh school he would return the favor but here lately he says I am crazy if I ever attempt med school because he is so stressed and he doesn't wish it upon anyone. (I should mention our closest relative is 120 miles away.)

It hurts to put my dreams on hold but I feel like I have to do this. I am currently 27 years old and I will be 39 when my kids finish school. That may be the perect time for me to apply. I have started to accept this better but it took me over a year to accept it without crying. I feel like I put everyone else before me and then when I think about applying to med school and balancing it all, I feel very guilty. My husband is on propecia because he is going bald due to stress. At first his doctor told him it was male pattern balding but then his hair grew back over the Christmas holidays so his doctor said it must be the stress causing him to lose so much hair. (they did blood work and it was fine.) My husbands on anti-anxiety meds I need to be on them since I teach high school science all day and then come home to more stress. I want my kids to experience a more normal life because we have been students since they were born but it hurts to put my dreams on hold although I hope it will be worth it in the end. Thanks for listening!

NO, i would have never gone into medicine if i knew better at 18. i'm 32 now, happily married with 2 kids and work very part time as a primary care doc---totally underpaid, under appreciated and deep in med school debt that will take 20 years to get out of completely. i found the private practice world eats you alive and the academic world is so stressful. lots of my physician girlfrends are either unmarried, infertile, divorced or have decided to stay-at-home with their kids in the end because the medical world is not family friendly. i think there are tons of other careers out there that are VERY fulfilling but doesn't suck the life out of human beings. i just didn't give myself a chance to explore because i went straight through premed, med school, residency. the only good thing that came out of the process was meeting my husband in med school.
maybe specialists feel differently but my primary care friends are not happy.

I would encourage anyone right now, the way medicine is today, to avoid becoming a physician unless it is the ONLY role you see yourself in. The general atmosphere in medicine now with Obamanomics in place is NOT good. Unless you go into one of the uber competitive specialties (and this is NOT available to anyone) the medical field is becoming less and less appealing.

I have been considering medical school since I was an undergrad and through my masters (6 years+ now), and I've just applied to PA school. For me, PA training just seems like so much less of a sacrifice to my life and I think the intrinsic job satisfaction (working closely with patients, helping them get better) is not really that different from a doctor. I would probably feel differently if I knew that I wanted to work full-time, was not worried about missing those years in my late twenties/thirties with kids, and a great salary was a top priority to me (although PA salaries are not bad).
I'm feeling more and more confident that I'll be very happy being a PA, although sometimes it does bother me that I'm effectively losing the over-achiever label I've had my whole life. I'm trying to work on detaching my self-esteem from my academic qualifications, although it's difficult since it's something I've done my whole life. Not sure if any of that resonates with you, but I always find it's nice to know that other people have been in similar situations!
On another thought, have you considered PA school over being a nurse practitioner? While the jobs can be more or less similar, I like that as a PA I will be trained in the medical model, and be able to switch between medical specialties (and as you're not a nurse already, this might be something worth thinking about).

hey, this i a great topic! I am finishing up my undergrad and applying to medical school right now. I think this is something that every women feels very strongly about because i'm sure every member here has thought about it so much! Although I don't know the outcomes yet of the whole process - I am very glad that I am doing this! It is the only thing I can see myself doing and I know that in the end it will be worth it! Time FLYS by and you will be done before you know it. Yes, it is going to take a lot of work to get there but if it is what you really want to do then you will enjoy it! If there is anything I have gotten out of finding this group is that anything is possible if you want it to be! I haven't taken a break yet from school and my plan is not to....but if I feel like it - it is always an option. I got married during my undergrad....planning a wedding while taking ochem and everything was fine. You will know what is right for you and only you will know!

I was just talking to one of my best friends who is also applying to med school with me and we were talking about how it is a good thing to think about all of this. Personally I always go away feeling better than I did before because I KNOW this is what I want to do! I am very scared about the government getting involved with health care and messing things up more but hopefully I can play a role in making the changes that are going to need to be made in order for health care to survive.

It is a long road.... only you will know if it is right for you! You still have a few years to figure out what you really want to do as well, maybe another area of health care would be a better fit....the only bad part is that nursing is very different from premed...but there is always PA programs which from what I understand are just as tough to get into as medical school the only plus is that it would be some time shorter.

Enjoy life along the way....I always set up study times where I study for a day or a few days almost every waking moment to have the weekend off to spend with family and friends. You will find a way to do it.... don't stress too much!

ugghhh efex!!! Do think there will really be that many changes during his 4 year tenure? What have you seen and heard already? Is it a reality that socialized medicine is just around the corner, just for the sake that we are losing numbers of doctors due to retirement and can't sustain applicant pools year to year????

I read somewhere that he is urging or will be urging medical schools to increase matriculation by 30%...over how long a period I don't know

I do think there will be many changes in his tenure...for example, providing universal healthcare to ALL will place a HUGE demand on the already overworked and poorly compensated PCP, me thinks, many of these "new" patients will be seeing NP/PA and these will be the "easier" (aka a la algorithm medicine) patients. This will in turn mean that PCP will be mostly seeing those patients with a plethora of co-morbidities and over 30 medications which will then translate into super long visits....it is not looking good. Medicare is set in decreasing re-imbursement, hospitals are now seeing increased demands regarding medicare patients and "in-hospital" events that will NOT be getting re-imbursed.
Unless, Obamanomics, curtails who gets what with his panacea of providing healthcare to all, we will be screwed. Most residents are NOT going into PC because of all that is taking place and unfortunately not everyone can go into the ROADE specialties hence a lot are now doing locum tenens and hospitalists or just getting out.

Other things to consider...unless he provides tuition FREE medical school who in their right mind will be going into FM/IM primary care? unless more states adopt tort reform who in their right mind will be doing ob/gyn/neurosurgery/x or y specialty with high malpractice rates in those states?
Unless patients start getting zinged via a larger co-pay, or whatever for NOT taking preventive measures seriously, who will be ecstatic getting their taxes used for those folks that choose to not take their Plavix, yet keep eating daily junk food and smoking like a chimmney? ???? Personal responsibility has left the building in the US. We keep providing heroic measures at the end of life "because we want grandma/grandpa" to have 1 more nanosecond of a semi-vegatative state....I could go on and on.

Check out http://thehappyhospitalist.blogspot.com/2009/03/is-it-reasonable-to-get-it-right -100-of.html and google Panda Bear MD for some horror stories.

Yep. I totally agree. :banghead:
So very few people actual take responsibility of their own health, scary!

Oh my gosh...that is too funny about the 85 year old grandpa who is all but dead, the family holding on for dear life, running expensive machines and room rental, adding yet more work to already overworked nurses. etc. etc. This is not a fun outlook for the future.

Thanks for the link!

Both are fabulous points.

As much as I'm a fan of civil liberties, our health care system can't handle the above any more. Bring on the smoking bans and fast food regulations and stricter drunk driving laws. Unfortunately people won't do it for themselves, so this is the consequence. We can't afford to financially support this kind of self- (and others-) destruction anymore.

Also, re: ICU end-of-life....I think the best thing anyone can do to educate families is start a reality show based in the ICU so America can watch (and learn) that this happens all the time and watch people role model how (*and how NOT*) to handle their loved one's imminent death despite the machines. Families are under the impression that withdrawal decisions only happen in epic, Terry Schaivo-like proportions. Nope, it happens every day, in *much* more straightforward ways. Okay, I don't know how to keep this post short, so I'm going to stop here...

OMG! what a FABOLOUS IDEA!

We must pitch this to someone? this would be the best thing ever to educate patients...TLC please do this!

Don't want to be negative to people with their hearts set on becoming MDs (and not suggesting that being a PA is for everyone), but to be balanced there are more pluses to becoming a PA than the shorter training time (which in itself is no minor point for me--I want to start my family in the next 5/6 years, and I like that I'll be done with training by then). One thing I really like is that you can enter any specialty, including ones that I think I would be very interested in but wouldn't enter as a doc because of long training/working hours and very high liability (OBGYN and surgery, for instance). I recently saw an ad for an OBGYN PA, 100k/year, 40 hour week (and no nights and weekends), including assisting in surgery. If you want to work nights and deliver babies the doctor was willing to train the PA for this, but it wasn't mandatory. I've found this generally about PA posts--it seems that in most cases the doctors are willing to train motivated and intelligent PAs pretty far.

I also love the fact that you can move around--I met one PA who currently works in OBGYN, but has previously worked in FP, ER, and orthopedic surgery. You just don't get that career flexibility as a doc. Finally, I like that if I want to take 5 years off from my career I can go back into a PA job without much problem.

I think good reasons for becoming a doctor over a PA are if you really want to be the expert on an area of medicine, if the status of the MD title is very important, or if you want the earning potential (although this doesn't always hold that you should become a doctor if you want a higher income--for instance I know of a nurse anesthetist who makes 250k/year).

Again, not trying to say that being a PA is "better"--just something to consider since it has some pretty great benefits, I think.

Glad you like it. Seriously, there would never be a dull moment. And, not to be crass, but if it saved the taxpayers even 2 weeks of unnecessary (and cruel) life-support, the TV show could pay for itself! AND families would be so much more at peace with making such hard and real decisions.

This is one of the strongest cases for PA or NP in my opinion. Were I still interested in obstetrics, you bet I'd be in CNM school right now instead of MD.

I have been nothing but highly impressed by ALL the PA's that I have come into contact with. It truly is an excellent career with 100% flexibility to work PT or FT, to have a life, to be able to transition from one specialty to the other, etc. I would suggest that folks look into this career IF they can see themselves doing something else than becoming an MD/DO.

I'll just say: it's pretty ridiculous to blame all of health care's current problems on Obama.

I'm about to apply to med school for 2010, so I can't directly answer the OP's question (is it worth it? Don't know yet!). But I can tell you that I took time off after college, and it was great for me. Being a little older and having worked has made me a better, more mature applicant. I also have a friend who decided to go the NP route, and she LOVES it. She had similar concerns about finishing everything and realizing she hated it.

What I would suggest is trying to shadow some doctors in different fields. This will give you an idea of how much you like the work. Also: don't worry too much. You are young and have plenty of time to figure things out.

They are not blaming Obama for all the current health problems. Rather, they are pointing out the issues with his over-ambitious plan for healthcare.

Exactly! and until you have walked the walk you will have NO clue what those issues are. We are just presenting them to you so that you are aware and make an informed decision.

I will say that I went straight through college-med school-residency- practice, am married to someone who did the same, and I would do it again. I don't think I put my life on hold for this job- I have all the kids I wanted, have traveled and eaten out and just generally enjoyed myself. I figure I have to wowk anyway, may as well be at something I enjoy. Does the current climate of health care reform scare me? You bet. It hasn't run me off yet, though. I always tell people this: Doctors are smart people. Make it hard enough to be successful, or happy, or whatever, and we'll all do just fine in some other field.

4 years into practicing primary care medicine and still think it was the worse decision for me. i wish i knew better and had a physician mentor who advised me of the realities of actually practicing medicine vs studying/training to become one. i had a blast in medical school and residency. the real world of practicing medicine sucks. my husband is a specialist and he is happy so i can't figure out if male doctors are happier than female doctors or specialists are happier than primary care doctors.

Wow-tough one. I went straight through and wish I had taken at least one year off. I also wish i had done a dual degree to have more options now. Primary care is 'ok' but I can't see myself doing it forever. It does burn you out. I don't know if I could have detached myself from the 'status' thing of the MD to be a PA but I agree it is an attractive option for many reasons.

JLA-sorry you are so miserable. Have you thought about changing what you do? I hear you about the debt-it's the ;gilded cage'-you come out highly trained, but only for one specific job. I am actually going to be paying my loans off this year with the help of loan repayment, and will probably look at getting another degree-maybe a Masters in Health policy-that really interests me....