Medical school - Work - or Family?
370939
Your family comes first and I totally understand wanting to follow your dreams and you thought this medical career would help your family, but if both of you are not happy with this there will be big problems. Sit with your wife and talk this out and get some input from her and it will make her feel as part of this plan.............
631685
I think my sister was about that age when she went to medical school. The extra bit of maturity and life experience probably did her good. She survived the four years of medical school, five year residency, and one year fellowship. Now she's in private practice and has a swanky party pad.\n\nOn the other hand, I switched careers to go into teaching, which is about twice as stressful as my previous job. I took a ten thousand dollar pay cut and now make less than 1/12 of my sister's income.\n\nHey! Why didn't I go to medical school? Oh yeah, the 36-hour shifts and life-and-death responsibility.  That's a good reason why sooner is better than later for med school. Time for you to take the MCAT!
1099541
I started medical school with a 1 month old child.  I was a single Mom for 5 years.  I did it.  So can you.\n\nYou will need support from family and friends, because medical school will suck every available minute from your life.\n\nMy son is now 20, and I have a great practice, plus 2 more kids (residency babies) and a great husband.\n\nI used to wonder if I would have been a better doctor without being a Mom, or a better Mom without being a doctor.  Now, I know I'm a better person for being both.\n\nGo for it!
1017200
You can have a career and a family...Family does not always mean kids....Be with your man and take a couple years and work on your career. Then work on having children. You want to make sure that you do have the financial stability to have kids. So I say Good Luck in your career and family!!!!
1139720
Yeah if you go to school, there is no other way, you have to go to school in order to get the degree. Because you have to learn alot about the anatomy of every single species of animals, it will be hard, but it will be worth it. I say go for it. My sister is a vet asst. and she has a fun time, but she does not make a lot.Being a doctor is not for everyone, but if you dont mind the constant testing then you should be ok.
1154731
that all depends on you and your spouse! if you are secure with staying at home taking care of the family then stay, but if you want to work then work! this is something you and your spouse should discuss
853839
There is nothing wrong with being a house wife. I am a part time house wife. My husband and I run businesses together, but I mainly stay home. It is wonderful being a housewife. My mom was one too. It's much better if you have children, they benefit from it. My sister and I were so much more ahead of the other kids in our school because we had our mom to give us extra attention and teach us more, compared to a babysitter who really only saw us as paychecks and had no intrest in our education. Don't listen to your friends, they don't know what they are talking about.It creates less stress if one person doesn't work. When you come home it is to a peaceful house and a nice dinner. You can relax and not worry about cooking dinner and cleaning the house a night and neither does she.
689744
Undergrad they both require a lot of difficult material but with pre-med you have the added pressure of having to make excellent marks in order to get into a med school. Then med school 4-8 years depending on what type of Doctor you want to be along with almost inhuman sleep deprivation and a lot of competition among your peers.\nIf you are asking to help you make a decision you are just putting off the inevitable. You already know in your heart what you want to be but for some reason you are trying to rationalize the other.\nYou will never be happy if you don't choose the one you are born to do.
249378
Choose the one that you think you'll be happy to do for the rest of your life. \n\nI had the same problem before. Between Med & Graphic Design.\n\nMed school is a long study and expensive. In my country (Indonesia) it doesn't give a great salary, just adequate pay. But I feel happy doing it, and never regreting my choice. And for me, that's the most important thing.\n\nI still love graphic design and now can find time to do activities to express my love of art.
1099198
Bravo, for furthering your education!  I just finished my master's degree and am starting my doctorate this fall.  Both of my parents went to college when I was in high school, and it was hard for them.  On one hand, it did stress to me that education is important, but on the other, they struggled to meet the demands of family, work, school, finances, etc. and I knew I didn't want to do it that way.  It's good that you're thinking of doing it early in your family life and before you have other children (my parents had 4 of us from ages 16 to 6 when they went back).  And setting an example for your daughter will be an added benefit.\n\nCommunity college is a good way to ease into going back to school.  I went to a kind of community college (a small branch of a large university) for my first two years of school and then transferred my credits to another university to finish my BA.  You'll take the same general education courses (math, writing, history, etc.) at most colleges/universities anyway, so it might be a good idea to take some (less expensive) community college classes, get to know what you'd like to study, and transfer if you decide it's your cup of tea.  I highly recommend that route; obviously, I loved it!  \n\nGood luck!
720876
Honestly, i think if a 4 year engagement is ok with her, then it would be acceptable.  It really only matters what you two think, and if she is ok with that, then it shouldn't be a big deal.  Personally I wouldn't want to be engaged that long, but its all personal preference for the couple involved.  However, I am just wondering, what is the big deal if you would get married before you are done with medical school?  Are you two living together now?  If you are then it shouldn't be that different than if you were to get married before you're done with school.  If you are living in separate residences or are living in separate towns, then I understand not wanting to marry her and deal with the stress of adapting to married life and having to deal with medical school. \n\nCongratulations on your decision to marry the woman you love and with medical school!  Those are two very exciting events!!!!!!
1117198
Dedicated. Don't be in it for the money because medicine is a career - not just a job. Yes the money is good, but you are your work, its not 8-5 Mon - Fri. So your heart must be in it - if not, you will fail.
970733
Have you considered doing a physician assistant program or a pharmacy program?  Not only would the requirements be less stringent for those programs, but PAs and pharmacists spend  time w/patients and help them w/their medical problems so you'd still have the satisfaction of helping people.\n\nIf you really, strongly feel that you should be a doctor though, go for it!  Try to shadow some doctors and see what they do and don't do, which is a big plus for anyone looking to enter any profession.  I'm a law student who doesn't have good grades but I got a great unpaid internship last summer where I actually got to help draft legal documents and listen to clients and other such things to see if I still want to be a lawyer.  Consider spending a day or two w/your family doctor.  And put this kind of experience on your med school application so schools can see how serious and determined you are to be a doctor.  Even if they don't like your grades, they'll at least admire your determination.
857107
The work is rewarding - the children and their parents/carers are fantastic at my school, and it is a great pleasure and privelege to work there - but the workload is really intense and never lets up, and you find yourself spending half the holidays unwinding and catching up on your paperwork and laundry, etc and then preparing for the next term, with just a few days or weeks having a normal life of your own.  It is incredibly hard work, you often find you are working 60 hours a week, and you need supportive and understanding friends and family, as it's sometimes difficult to have time and energy to have a life - but you do need a life outside teaching as you would otherwise burn out or become isolated.  However, the kids are fantastic!
554464
yes its ok, in most family's both parents work. I bet there is some time when you don't need to be in the house and you could get a job. do it if you need the money or if its something you want to do. your happiness should be one of his highest priorities.
747445
FULL TIME. I'm assuming you are doing pre-med because you want to be a doctor. Med school is really really competitive, going part-time looks like your aren't making a full commitment to your education. Also, a true university education (which all grad schools, including Med School look for) means having all kinds of classes on your transcript.
911642
i am med student too.. which yr are u in? Its a norm to feel this way in 1st yr. evetually you will get used to it. If u r still in first yr and realise things are getting really harsh. QUIT asap! Seen few of my friends going psycho due to stress. Medicine as a subject isnt that tough actually compared to maths. i think working life would be worse than student'. sleep all u want. listen well in lecture and come back home and do some reading on topic u learn everyay. study 3 hrs a day. and dont forget to do some sports and spend time with group of friends from same faculty or different faculty. cheers. need any help , may email me