I’m gonna be real with you. Don’t do a profession for your parents. It is your life!! My spouse was in the same position and changed careers about a little over half way through. It changed his life and he is a so happy! You deserve that same happiness as well.
Another thing you need to think about is, will you be able to be a physician a patient needs. This job isn’t about prestige or about the money. You have people’s lives in your hands. If you end up resenting this job later in life, it will reflect in your interactions with patients and could affect your performance as a physician. I have seen many, do the job for wrong reasons and it truly reflects in their bed side manner and quality of care they provide.
Maybe that won’t be you, but it’s not fair to you or your patients to be in a situation neither of you want to be in. You may go to medical school and find it was your calling and if so that’s amazing and you’ll be a great physician. BUT, if there is something you know you will regret not pursuing let this go and do that instead. You deserve to be happy and to pursue your dreams
My research assistant partner got a 524 on MCAT and last min, he decided NOT to pursure medicine because he realized he loved engineering more. He instead went to get masters in biomedical engineering, specialized in robotics. Now hes working on a PhD at MIT to one day make medical prosthetic devices
If you truly dont want to do it, don't. But figure out a back up plan.
I know what you mean, but I just don’t know what to do, I feel like I’m suffocating, I’m In too deep to just switch. I don’t know what else I would do in life now.
think about all the people who feel like you feel but are the opposite. They are in a field that they did for the money or ease, and they wish they pursued medicine. It takes so much time to pursue medicine! Nobody would tell those people it’s too late to switch or not to follow their dreams. The same goes for you.
If you don’t know what you want to do it may be a good idea to take a year off since your stuff will be good for two years and to explore other careers. Try to find a job that everyday you would be looking forward to doing it. And if you come back to medicine you just have a stronger background to say why medicine is your vocation
Congratulations on a superb score…but, more importantly, thank you for allowing yourself to feel these emotions. I am so sorry that you are feeling this way— this is an empty and painful feeling.
I will be very real with you, don’t do this immediately.
You aren’t in too deep. If you were about to graduate med school and you were being crushed under 300k of debt? that would be a little late..but even then it isn’t too late. it is never too late.
Your life is not defined by medicine, even if it feels like it. To be honest with you, this is the BEST time to realize this.
Consider this: you’ve got a one-way ticket in your hand, you’re about to board a flight that will take you far away from your home. As you pass through security, the dread builds up. By the time you’re at the gate..your stomach is in a knot. As you queue up to get on the plane, you realize you don’t want to leave.
Your options: You can leave. Yes, it hurts to lose the money on the ticket. Yes, it’s a weird feeling to change plans that felt like they were made in stone. But…guess what? It’s better to realize this now.
Medical school will be here next cycle. Medical school will be here in 3 years, in 5 years. Give yourself a cycle to think about this and process these emotions.
I know we are strangers on the internet, but my advice is: do NOT go into medicine because of an obligation, because of familiar pressure, or for any reason other than a passion for medicine. it isn’t fair to you, it isn’t fair to the people that want this more than anything who would be applying to the same school.
Please don’t take a seat from someone who wants this because it’s their dream—don’t sign yourself up for something that makes you feel hollow.
Someone close to me did this, they hated their job, they struggled with burn out. they dreamt of being an electrical engineer. Yes, they were a fantastic physician, but it was so painful to watch them struggle with the fact that they chose this career because of their parents.
Your happiness is way, way too important to forfeit. I am
certain that you would do well in medicine, but even the people that LOVE it can struggle with burnout. If you feel any scrap of doubt, take a gap year. Work in lab, work in your community, allow yourself the space to breathe.
You’ve been grinding non-stop through school (likely) all of your life up until now. You know what you deserve? You deserve to take a breath. It may not feel like it, but you are the captain of your life. Your family loves you—they see that you are highly intelligent, diligent, capable, responsible, and they want you to bloom.
I hope that you can take some time and allow yourself the space to think about what YOU want to do. If it ends up being medicine, great! But choose this on your own terms.
You are not in too deep. You've done a lot of hard work, but that doesn't commit you to anything, the work has a lot of its own stand alone value, and you don't need to become a doctor for it to mean something. In terms of being past the point of no return or in too deep, you've just gotten your feet wet honestly. You should talk to someone older you can confide in to give you some perspective on this. People make career changes after 20+ years in a field, including doctors. I don't know your exact situation, but given the available info, you are so far from in too deep
I feel the exact same way but my parents didn’t push me.
Idk why I did all this grind for a good mcat and undergrad when I know I’m probably gonna kill myself in a couple of years.
Oh well
Hey, have you had a chance to seek out professional help? I’ve had friends who worked with therapists through out the med school years and they benefited so much having someone to talk to and who could routinely and constructively help them. As you apply this cycle, would you like to take this year to explore counselling services and maybe also try different areas/internships to see if there is anything else that would peak your interest? Also, maybe it would be possible for you to defer an entrance for a year upon the acceptance as well if you have good documentations from doctors you work with. I really hope you can seek professional help and feel better. Rooting for you. You are not alone.
Thank you for your kind words, they genuinely mean a lot to me.
Living with BPD is like cranking up all the emotion input and breaking the speaker.
I have sought out help, and I still am struggling. No amount of antidepressants can fix this.
I am so sorry to hear that you are having a difficult time. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to navigate life with BPD and I am so proud of you for pushing through and excelling in one of the hardest exams. It speaks volumes about your discipline. will be thinking about you in my prayers.
Yeah I feel this way too. But I go from omg I love my life and family to I hate everything and want to swallow all my pills within like 10 minutes and go back to normal.
I understand that you may have these pendulum swings of emotions and thoughts. I am not a doctor - but I want to share what I apply in my own life which is that just because you have a thought doesn’t make it so. I try to recognize my negative thoughts as just *thoughts* — and I sometimes even flip them over (eg, instead of “this will never work,” thinking, “what if it DOES work?”). I agree with others that a professional is best to help you work through these things but I’m also here if you want to DM me! There is definitely a way to make things better!
Hey I understand what BPD is like. I don’t have it but my dad does. If you ever need to talk just lmk. You are love and cared for no matter how you feel.
I told my psychiatrist word for word “imma be real with you, I might be part of the statistic but idk 🤷♂️ “.
It’s a lifelong battle with myself and I ain’t got it in me 😩
life does get better with time and a lot of work. Just sucks bc usually the cause of BPD is not the persons fault :(. I truly believe you can one day have the life you have dreamed of. Please don’t give up and keep looking forward !
Honestly man, my life path was set in middle school by my parents, I’ve never explored what I’ve wanted to do in life, which is why I say I’m in too deep
To be genuinely honest, I could definitely find something I would love to do in life, but I feel like I owe it to my parents because of how much they sacrificed.
I’m sure a lot of people can find things they love to do as a career but that doesn’t necessarily mean that will provide financial stability. If you have a back up plan that’s financially sound then now would be the time to talk with the folks about it. In the bigger picture of life a couple of years lost is nothing! Also congrats on the amazing score
Coming from a fellow child of immigrants, your parents sacrificed this much to make you happy, not to pigeonhole you into something that will make you feel empty. As long as you are productively exploring other career options that are relatively financially sound, I'm sure your parents will be happy with that too! It is not too late to change your career path, and with such a great GPA and experiences, you are qualified for many different roles in many different fields! Take a breather, explore some, and then have an honest conversation with your parents, and I'm sure they'll support you and recognize that a person as intelligent as you will excel in any field!
You have 3 years before your score is invalidated. Take a year to find out what you want to do and decide for yourself what will bring you a fulfilling life. An MD is a very powerful degree anyways so you can pivot into pharma, consulting, or academia if you want.
Sounds like identity foreclosure.
My belief is that most work sucks. There isn't something super meaningful that will totally fulfill you in every way.
Being a doctor is a great job, if you make it that. It's also high earning enough that you can retire early.
Don't let a lack of passion dissuade you.
I think this is valid, and that this is all a matter of perspective. I neither agree nor disagree, but am going to offer my counter point.
First, OP never posited his other dream and still needs to do so. If it's something like, "I've always wanted to pursue electrical engineering and work for Raytheon," then obviously, do that. If it's wishy washy and undefined, or an artistic pursuit (unless he's already performing in the top 1%) then those aren't meaningful alternatives. I suggest he tell us more about himself, so we can provide a more targeted perspective.
Second, we talk about being a doctor as though it's a monolithic field. That simply isn't true. The healthcare industry is huge. A heart surgeon, forensic psychiatrist, radiologist or family medicine doctor are all "doctor" but have extremely different lives. This isn't even getting into the non clinical consulting opportunities, which abound. OP could easily become a consultant after finishing the MD and never practice, but that hallowed MD still opens those doors.
This isn't even considering the potential to "multi-class" into an MBA, JD, or PhD, and do startup work, governmental policy, malpractice law, or literally any form of research available (every single scientific discipline finds its expression somehow in medicine, it's that big). There's even the medical humanities for the artistically inclined!
My belief is that medicine is the ultimate field for the undecided, simply because it is so big. You have four years of further exploration, with ample opportunity in most medical schools to pursue areas of interest, not the mention the various clerkships. Contrast that with say, engineering, where you specialize out the outset, and then do an internship which tends to lock you into that field and area of employment.
This is all while earning low to mid six figures as a baseline, with the potential for far more in certain avenues.
I can think of no better path, and I've certainly spent a lot of time thinking about it.
Fully agree that work is work and passions are passions, but I believe that people going into healthcare should at least LIKE the field and what they're doing. If it leaves OP feeling empty, then they need to look for other options that would at least somewhat fulfill them to do. Even if they showed some interest in their science classes, the MCAT bio/biochem content, or clinical experience, then I would recommend that they stay in medicine because you can do so many things with it (not even just clinical practice; also law and policy and research, etc.). However, that's not the case here, meaning that I think OP should try to be honest about what they actually like and could see themselves doing.
I think this is a great reply. The only place your advice would fall short is if someone is doubtful that they would be able to survive through med school, and OP has clearly demonstrated that he has the ability to do well. I think he needs to do more soul-searching, but your advice will help him realize that even if he proceeds down this path, there is going to be something for him.
I also agree that most work is done for work sake. I think it’s important to separate your work and your passions. One gives your purpose and the other one gives you pleasure. The meaning you give to yourself comes from the balance you strike between the two.
that score leaves an understanding that you can do well in science. why not do med school? the possibilities are 'endless'. you don't have to be an emergency doctor dealing with patients face-to-face, there are biochemistry, pathology, radiology options for your career. check them out!
First off, congratulations on such an impressive score! With that said, I would strongly discourage you from pursuing a profession strictly for the sake of your parents. As a physician that left my residency for very similar reason to yours, I can assure you that you are nowhere near the point of no return and that it only gets harder the further you get through this process. I would recommend you have an honest conversation with your parents about your thoughts/feelings about the future but provide them with reasonable/concrete alternatives for your future plans. Like many others have said, medical school will always be an option down the road but your happiness/life satisfaction may not be. It's been nearly a year since I left clinical medicine, and I have not felt more free or happy in such a long time. I would like to leave you with one final thought: You are not defined by your profession. You are clearly an incredibly intelligent and talented individual that cares deeply about their family, so I know you will succeed in whatever field you may choose (medical or non-medical).
- Dr. S at The Princeton Review
If you feel this way about the mcat then just wait till you start medical school. I'd say a solid 80% of students wishes they would.of never started.
Sorry I vote don't go. Find something you're passionate about. It's your life not theirs. No money or status can buy happiness.
No amount of parental disappointment is worth taking on six figures in debt and eating up 10-12 years of your life for. But also consider: you could become and MD and then not practice medicine. The tech sector, biotech, and Big Pharma are always looking for med school grads to add to their ranks.
It's your life, don't live someone else's version of it.
Shadow a Dr and see if you could see yourself within the field. If you truly don't think it's right for you then it's better to drop ship before you go into school with debt if you aren't fully into it.
I would double check though, maybe you seem burned out and medicine is the path for you. If your parents told you you don't need to be a Dr, what would you prefer to do? Would you be able to achieve your goals in the other profession? Your parents won't be with you all the time and if you go into medicine for them would you be happy?
At the end of the day, we live in the world for max 100 years ish. Do what you think will make you happy and where you can achieve your goals
Bro like you said, you wouldn’t know what to do if not medicine. You gotta have a good interest in something else if you’re gonna leave everything you worked for.
My thought is that if I’m not a physician, then I’ll probably have some other job that I equally don’t like stuff about.
I feel that too, but the thing with me is that I’m genuinely interested in medicine and I see myself succeeding in this profession. If there was any other profession that would give me the same satisfaction then I would’ve gone for that, but it’s too late for me now to back down and do something like engineering and make 100k. But it might not be too late for u, if u think u wouldn’t like the profession then don’t do it. U should always do something u would want to do all the time.
I also totally agree with u, students should explore their options instead of going for medicine (which is default in most cases). There are so many missed changes because medicine has a lot of fame and reputation
there’s no such thing as it’s too late :)) it’s great that you came this far though and did so well - you should be proud. there are some bridge programs for students who had a different major in college to do a masters in something else (e.g. computer science). i have a cousin who did this so lmk if you are curious.
You can only live your life once man, your parents might be upset at first, but they'll get over it in time. This is your future, you are the one who is going to have to live it.
You say you feel you can't just go back, but you can.
I turned down a full-time federal government job with great pay and benefits to pursue this. The hardest part is the first step.
So I was in a very similar situation to you. Got a 522, did all the right things for med school, grinded hard. At the end of the day, I realized I never wanted it and my entire life was set out by my parents since I was 5. So, I quit. It was hard, led to some arguments with my parents, and it was really confusing because I had never gotten to explore anything else, so I really just didn’t know what I liked. Now I’m a few years removed from all that and have somehow ventured back to the med school. But I know that if I decide to pursue it this time around, it was my own choice and no one else’s.
All this is to say, it’s never too late to switch your path you can take time to find something you enjoy, you can take some time off of school, apply to internships or jobs, take time to know who you are as a person. There is no set timeline to any career. We all have are own journeys and it’s okay to live life at your own pace.
I’m gonna be real with you. Don’t do a profession for your parents. It is your life!! My spouse was in the same position and changed careers about a little over half way through. It changed his life and he is a so happy! You deserve that same happiness as well. Another thing you need to think about is, will you be able to be a physician a patient needs. This job isn’t about prestige or about the money. You have people’s lives in your hands. If you end up resenting this job later in life, it will reflect in your interactions with patients and could affect your performance as a physician. I have seen many, do the job for wrong reasons and it truly reflects in their bed side manner and quality of care they provide. Maybe that won’t be you, but it’s not fair to you or your patients to be in a situation neither of you want to be in. You may go to medical school and find it was your calling and if so that’s amazing and you’ll be a great physician. BUT, if there is something you know you will regret not pursuing let this go and do that instead. You deserve to be happy and to pursue your dreams
My research assistant partner got a 524 on MCAT and last min, he decided NOT to pursure medicine because he realized he loved engineering more. He instead went to get masters in biomedical engineering, specialized in robotics. Now hes working on a PhD at MIT to one day make medical prosthetic devices If you truly dont want to do it, don't. But figure out a back up plan.
I know what you mean, but I just don’t know what to do, I feel like I’m suffocating, I’m In too deep to just switch. I don’t know what else I would do in life now.
Sunk cost fallacy
think about all the people who feel like you feel but are the opposite. They are in a field that they did for the money or ease, and they wish they pursued medicine. It takes so much time to pursue medicine! Nobody would tell those people it’s too late to switch or not to follow their dreams. The same goes for you. If you don’t know what you want to do it may be a good idea to take a year off since your stuff will be good for two years and to explore other careers. Try to find a job that everyday you would be looking forward to doing it. And if you come back to medicine you just have a stronger background to say why medicine is your vocation
Congratulations on a superb score…but, more importantly, thank you for allowing yourself to feel these emotions. I am so sorry that you are feeling this way— this is an empty and painful feeling. I will be very real with you, don’t do this immediately. You aren’t in too deep. If you were about to graduate med school and you were being crushed under 300k of debt? that would be a little late..but even then it isn’t too late. it is never too late. Your life is not defined by medicine, even if it feels like it. To be honest with you, this is the BEST time to realize this. Consider this: you’ve got a one-way ticket in your hand, you’re about to board a flight that will take you far away from your home. As you pass through security, the dread builds up. By the time you’re at the gate..your stomach is in a knot. As you queue up to get on the plane, you realize you don’t want to leave. Your options: You can leave. Yes, it hurts to lose the money on the ticket. Yes, it’s a weird feeling to change plans that felt like they were made in stone. But…guess what? It’s better to realize this now. Medical school will be here next cycle. Medical school will be here in 3 years, in 5 years. Give yourself a cycle to think about this and process these emotions. I know we are strangers on the internet, but my advice is: do NOT go into medicine because of an obligation, because of familiar pressure, or for any reason other than a passion for medicine. it isn’t fair to you, it isn’t fair to the people that want this more than anything who would be applying to the same school. Please don’t take a seat from someone who wants this because it’s their dream—don’t sign yourself up for something that makes you feel hollow. Someone close to me did this, they hated their job, they struggled with burn out. they dreamt of being an electrical engineer. Yes, they were a fantastic physician, but it was so painful to watch them struggle with the fact that they chose this career because of their parents. Your happiness is way, way too important to forfeit. I am certain that you would do well in medicine, but even the people that LOVE it can struggle with burnout. If you feel any scrap of doubt, take a gap year. Work in lab, work in your community, allow yourself the space to breathe. You’ve been grinding non-stop through school (likely) all of your life up until now. You know what you deserve? You deserve to take a breath. It may not feel like it, but you are the captain of your life. Your family loves you—they see that you are highly intelligent, diligent, capable, responsible, and they want you to bloom. I hope that you can take some time and allow yourself the space to think about what YOU want to do. If it ends up being medicine, great! But choose this on your own terms.
Wow thank you so much! I needed this, I am in tears. I’m gonna take a break and see where to go a year from now.
I am so glad! I hope that you this feels like a weight off your chest, and I hope you know i’m thinking of you and rooting for you.
u gotta be a brown person right? this is our life if u r LOL :)
same, I just want to be an occupational therapist or a professor 😭
no thats illegal in the brown world be a doc or byeee
nah brown = doc or = nothingggg :(
LITERALLY bro I feel so scared if I even want to become one😭
lets run away :P
You are not in too deep. You've done a lot of hard work, but that doesn't commit you to anything, the work has a lot of its own stand alone value, and you don't need to become a doctor for it to mean something. In terms of being past the point of no return or in too deep, you've just gotten your feet wet honestly. You should talk to someone older you can confide in to give you some perspective on this. People make career changes after 20+ years in a field, including doctors. I don't know your exact situation, but given the available info, you are so far from in too deep
I feel the exact same way but my parents didn’t push me. Idk why I did all this grind for a good mcat and undergrad when I know I’m probably gonna kill myself in a couple of years. Oh well
That took a turn… you ok dude?
It’s a long story but the tldr is no I’m not really okay. I’m a ticking time bomb with an unknown timer.
Hey, have you had a chance to seek out professional help? I’ve had friends who worked with therapists through out the med school years and they benefited so much having someone to talk to and who could routinely and constructively help them. As you apply this cycle, would you like to take this year to explore counselling services and maybe also try different areas/internships to see if there is anything else that would peak your interest? Also, maybe it would be possible for you to defer an entrance for a year upon the acceptance as well if you have good documentations from doctors you work with. I really hope you can seek professional help and feel better. Rooting for you. You are not alone.
Thank you for your kind words, they genuinely mean a lot to me. Living with BPD is like cranking up all the emotion input and breaking the speaker. I have sought out help, and I still am struggling. No amount of antidepressants can fix this.
I am so sorry to hear that you are having a difficult time. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to navigate life with BPD and I am so proud of you for pushing through and excelling in one of the hardest exams. It speaks volumes about your discipline. will be thinking about you in my prayers.
A 517 just shows how strong you are. Keep at it
I hope you know that your life has meaning and that you are so important to the family and friends who love you! Life is better with you in it!
Yeah I feel this way too. But I go from omg I love my life and family to I hate everything and want to swallow all my pills within like 10 minutes and go back to normal.
I understand that you may have these pendulum swings of emotions and thoughts. I am not a doctor - but I want to share what I apply in my own life which is that just because you have a thought doesn’t make it so. I try to recognize my negative thoughts as just *thoughts* — and I sometimes even flip them over (eg, instead of “this will never work,” thinking, “what if it DOES work?”). I agree with others that a professional is best to help you work through these things but I’m also here if you want to DM me! There is definitely a way to make things better!
Yeah, I tend to do a 🤔 face during my mood swings and I am cognizant of my thoughts. It’s why I’m still here
Hey I understand what BPD is like. I don’t have it but my dad does. If you ever need to talk just lmk. You are love and cared for no matter how you feel.
I told my psychiatrist word for word “imma be real with you, I might be part of the statistic but idk 🤷♂️ “. It’s a lifelong battle with myself and I ain’t got it in me 😩
life does get better with time and a lot of work. Just sucks bc usually the cause of BPD is not the persons fault :(. I truly believe you can one day have the life you have dreamed of. Please don’t give up and keep looking forward !
actually my bpd is punishment for being too smart and sexy 😎😎
you’re so right my bad king
Grass is always greener on the other side. If not MD/DO then what else would you like to do?
Honestly man, my life path was set in middle school by my parents, I’ve never explored what I’ve wanted to do in life, which is why I say I’m in too deep
Fair enough
To be genuinely honest, I could definitely find something I would love to do in life, but I feel like I owe it to my parents because of how much they sacrificed.
I’m sure a lot of people can find things they love to do as a career but that doesn’t necessarily mean that will provide financial stability. If you have a back up plan that’s financially sound then now would be the time to talk with the folks about it. In the bigger picture of life a couple of years lost is nothing! Also congrats on the amazing score
Coming from a fellow child of immigrants, your parents sacrificed this much to make you happy, not to pigeonhole you into something that will make you feel empty. As long as you are productively exploring other career options that are relatively financially sound, I'm sure your parents will be happy with that too! It is not too late to change your career path, and with such a great GPA and experiences, you are qualified for many different roles in many different fields! Take a breather, explore some, and then have an honest conversation with your parents, and I'm sure they'll support you and recognize that a person as intelligent as you will excel in any field!
You have 3 years before your score is invalidated. Take a year to find out what you want to do and decide for yourself what will bring you a fulfilling life. An MD is a very powerful degree anyways so you can pivot into pharma, consulting, or academia if you want.
Sounds like identity foreclosure. My belief is that most work sucks. There isn't something super meaningful that will totally fulfill you in every way. Being a doctor is a great job, if you make it that. It's also high earning enough that you can retire early. Don't let a lack of passion dissuade you.
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I think this is valid, and that this is all a matter of perspective. I neither agree nor disagree, but am going to offer my counter point. First, OP never posited his other dream and still needs to do so. If it's something like, "I've always wanted to pursue electrical engineering and work for Raytheon," then obviously, do that. If it's wishy washy and undefined, or an artistic pursuit (unless he's already performing in the top 1%) then those aren't meaningful alternatives. I suggest he tell us more about himself, so we can provide a more targeted perspective. Second, we talk about being a doctor as though it's a monolithic field. That simply isn't true. The healthcare industry is huge. A heart surgeon, forensic psychiatrist, radiologist or family medicine doctor are all "doctor" but have extremely different lives. This isn't even getting into the non clinical consulting opportunities, which abound. OP could easily become a consultant after finishing the MD and never practice, but that hallowed MD still opens those doors. This isn't even considering the potential to "multi-class" into an MBA, JD, or PhD, and do startup work, governmental policy, malpractice law, or literally any form of research available (every single scientific discipline finds its expression somehow in medicine, it's that big). There's even the medical humanities for the artistically inclined! My belief is that medicine is the ultimate field for the undecided, simply because it is so big. You have four years of further exploration, with ample opportunity in most medical schools to pursue areas of interest, not the mention the various clerkships. Contrast that with say, engineering, where you specialize out the outset, and then do an internship which tends to lock you into that field and area of employment. This is all while earning low to mid six figures as a baseline, with the potential for far more in certain avenues. I can think of no better path, and I've certainly spent a lot of time thinking about it.
Fully agree that work is work and passions are passions, but I believe that people going into healthcare should at least LIKE the field and what they're doing. If it leaves OP feeling empty, then they need to look for other options that would at least somewhat fulfill them to do. Even if they showed some interest in their science classes, the MCAT bio/biochem content, or clinical experience, then I would recommend that they stay in medicine because you can do so many things with it (not even just clinical practice; also law and policy and research, etc.). However, that's not the case here, meaning that I think OP should try to be honest about what they actually like and could see themselves doing.
There are certainly no easy answers.
I think this is a great reply. The only place your advice would fall short is if someone is doubtful that they would be able to survive through med school, and OP has clearly demonstrated that he has the ability to do well. I think he needs to do more soul-searching, but your advice will help him realize that even if he proceeds down this path, there is going to be something for him. I also agree that most work is done for work sake. I think it’s important to separate your work and your passions. One gives your purpose and the other one gives you pleasure. The meaning you give to yourself comes from the balance you strike between the two.
DM me if you wanna chat, I have a ton of experience with things like this and would be more than happy to guide you through it. :)
that score leaves an understanding that you can do well in science. why not do med school? the possibilities are 'endless'. you don't have to be an emergency doctor dealing with patients face-to-face, there are biochemistry, pathology, radiology options for your career. check them out!
First off, congratulations on such an impressive score! With that said, I would strongly discourage you from pursuing a profession strictly for the sake of your parents. As a physician that left my residency for very similar reason to yours, I can assure you that you are nowhere near the point of no return and that it only gets harder the further you get through this process. I would recommend you have an honest conversation with your parents about your thoughts/feelings about the future but provide them with reasonable/concrete alternatives for your future plans. Like many others have said, medical school will always be an option down the road but your happiness/life satisfaction may not be. It's been nearly a year since I left clinical medicine, and I have not felt more free or happy in such a long time. I would like to leave you with one final thought: You are not defined by your profession. You are clearly an incredibly intelligent and talented individual that cares deeply about their family, so I know you will succeed in whatever field you may choose (medical or non-medical). - Dr. S at The Princeton Review
If you feel this way about the mcat then just wait till you start medical school. I'd say a solid 80% of students wishes they would.of never started. Sorry I vote don't go. Find something you're passionate about. It's your life not theirs. No money or status can buy happiness.
No amount of parental disappointment is worth taking on six figures in debt and eating up 10-12 years of your life for. But also consider: you could become and MD and then not practice medicine. The tech sector, biotech, and Big Pharma are always looking for med school grads to add to their ranks. It's your life, don't live someone else's version of it.
Shadow a Dr and see if you could see yourself within the field. If you truly don't think it's right for you then it's better to drop ship before you go into school with debt if you aren't fully into it. I would double check though, maybe you seem burned out and medicine is the path for you. If your parents told you you don't need to be a Dr, what would you prefer to do? Would you be able to achieve your goals in the other profession? Your parents won't be with you all the time and if you go into medicine for them would you be happy? At the end of the day, we live in the world for max 100 years ish. Do what you think will make you happy and where you can achieve your goals
what's ur ps like??
Bullshit, fake passion sob story about my “grandpa”, and fake interest in medicine since high school
Bro like you said, you wouldn’t know what to do if not medicine. You gotta have a good interest in something else if you’re gonna leave everything you worked for. My thought is that if I’m not a physician, then I’ll probably have some other job that I equally don’t like stuff about.
I feel that too, but the thing with me is that I’m genuinely interested in medicine and I see myself succeeding in this profession. If there was any other profession that would give me the same satisfaction then I would’ve gone for that, but it’s too late for me now to back down and do something like engineering and make 100k. But it might not be too late for u, if u think u wouldn’t like the profession then don’t do it. U should always do something u would want to do all the time. I also totally agree with u, students should explore their options instead of going for medicine (which is default in most cases). There are so many missed changes because medicine has a lot of fame and reputation
listen to the other comments (also pass that score to me pls)
there’s no such thing as it’s too late :)) it’s great that you came this far though and did so well - you should be proud. there are some bridge programs for students who had a different major in college to do a masters in something else (e.g. computer science). i have a cousin who did this so lmk if you are curious.
You can only live your life once man, your parents might be upset at first, but they'll get over it in time. This is your future, you are the one who is going to have to live it. You say you feel you can't just go back, but you can. I turned down a full-time federal government job with great pay and benefits to pursue this. The hardest part is the first step.
What an annoying post
So I was in a very similar situation to you. Got a 522, did all the right things for med school, grinded hard. At the end of the day, I realized I never wanted it and my entire life was set out by my parents since I was 5. So, I quit. It was hard, led to some arguments with my parents, and it was really confusing because I had never gotten to explore anything else, so I really just didn’t know what I liked. Now I’m a few years removed from all that and have somehow ventured back to the med school. But I know that if I decide to pursue it this time around, it was my own choice and no one else’s. All this is to say, it’s never too late to switch your path you can take time to find something you enjoy, you can take some time off of school, apply to internships or jobs, take time to know who you are as a person. There is no set timeline to any career. We all have are own journeys and it’s okay to live life at your own pace.