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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
  
| I am trying to pick a major in college, and am thinking about doing something medical. So I would love to hear of your experiences with jobs in the medical field. And what you like and don’t like about it. Along with any advice! I’m wanting a career that will allow for some free time to still work with horses yet still pay well. TIA | |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
  
Location: Texas | human medicine or veterinary medicine? | |
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| Be a physician's assistant! My cousin is one and he loves it. He makes great money, was able to pay off ALL of their (he and his wife's) debt in five years and has a pretty consistent schedule now (which took a few years of paying his dues being on call). I believe he only works under one surgeon, even though he does have clinical days, but he has more days off than almost anyone I know!
My husband says that if he wasn't a vet, he would be a PA.
Edited by madredepeanut 2018-01-23 8:22 PM
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
| Look into nuclear medicine. You don't deal with sick people, only the chronically ill. Pays very well. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 656
| There are so many careers in the medical field, I am a nurse and when I started working in a hospital I was amazed at all of the careers available. Wished that our school counselor had done a better job. There is physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, laboratory, x-ray, ultrasound. So many other things, check with some of the local colleges to see what programs they offer, good luck | |
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 BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
Location: Bastrop, Texas | If you are lucky, you’ll find a niche.....a job that you absolutely love.
The good news is that just about any job in medicine at least pays decent, if not excellent, no matter where you live, and it is possible to create a lifestyle that allows you the kind of free time you want for family, hobbies, etc.... I don’t know you, but I’ve advised a lot of kids and young adults who were interested in a career in medicine or nursing. Are you a good student? Do you enjoy working with people, or do you prefer working within quiet confines? Why do you say you want to work in the medical field? Those are the kinds of questions I’d need to know. Are you interested in something that is strictly 9-5, 40 hours a week, or are you willing to get into something where the opportunity and demands are limitless?
I was extremely lucky, and I mean it. I didn’t really have a clue what I wanted to do until I was in college. All I cared about was having a good time and playing ball and beyond that I had this notion that one day soon I’d have to settle on a career. Over the course of a year things just sorta fell into place. I was lucky enough to find something where I had an unquenchable thirst to learn more. Very quickly, all my passions and hobbies took a back seat to my career. In fact, the hardest part for me was learning how to draw the line and avoid letting my work consume me.....in other words, balance.
Most of the time, when I get up in the morning to work, I get a little giddy with butterflies, just like I used to feel before a ball game.
I knew that chances are something challenging was awaiting me and that I had the chance to be a huge impact on someone’s life that very day. I knew that even though I might be seeing someone in the office who had a routine, mundane problem, but to that old lady, behind the door in that examining room, I might very well be the most important person in the world to her, even if only for an hour.
She might have, for example, some suspicious looking mole on her back. What I do about that, and what I tell her is huge. I get to see people like this every day. I used to operate, but I don’t anymore, but I’m still a doctor, and while the practice might not be quite as dramatic, it’s still extremely rewarding. Just as I was giddy to work when I woke up in the morning, I was usually giddy on my way home, as I looked back on my day. Now, it hasn’t ALWAYS been that way, because like anyone else I had some bad days, but the vast majority of the time I would sorta chuckle and shake my head in amazement that they actually paid me to do something I love so much.
I’m 63, and I still feel this way.
THAT is what will happen to you, if you are lucky. You have to look at it this way, if you really want to find something you love where you know you made a difference. | |
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12708
| Bear - 2018-01-24 8:13 AM If you are lucky, you’ll find a niche.....a job that you absolutely love. The good news is that just about any job in medicine at least pays decent, if not excellent, no matter where you live, and it is possible to create a lifestyle that allows you the kind of free time you want for family, hobbies, etc.... I don’t know you, but I’ve advised a lot of kids and young adults who were interested in a career in medicine or nursing. Are you a good student? Do you enjoy working with people, or do you prefer working within quiet confines? Why do you say you want to work in the medical field? Those are the kinds of questions I’d need to know. Are you interested in something that is strictly 9-5, 40 hours a week, or are you willing to get into something where the opportunity and demands are limitless? I was extremely lucky, and I mean it. I didn’t really have a clue what I wanted to do until I was in college. All I cared about was having a good time and playing ball and beyond that I had this notion that one day soon I’d have to settle on a career. Over the course of a year things just sorta fell into place. I was lucky enough to find something where I had an unquenchable thirst to learn more. Very quickly, all my passions and hobbies took a back seat to my career. In fact, the hardest part for me was learning how to draw the line and avoid letting my work consume me.....in other words, balance. Most of the time, when I get up in the morning to work, I get a little giddy with butterflies, just like I used to feel before a ball game. I knew that chances are something challenging was awaiting me and that I had the chance to be a huge impact on someone’s life that very day. I knew that even though I might be seeing someone in the office who had a routine, mundane problem, but to that old lady, behind the door in that examining room, I might very well be the most important person in the world to her, even if only for an hour. She might have, for example, some suspicious looking mole on her back. What I do about that, and what I tell her is huge. I get to see people like this every day. I used to operate, but I don’t anymore, but I’m still a doctor, and while the practice might not be quite as dramatic, it’s still extremely rewarding. Just as I was giddy to work when I woke up in the morning, I was usually giddy on my way home, as I looked back on my day. Now, it hasn’t ALWAYS been that way, because like anyone else I had some bad days, but the vast majority of the time I would sorta chuckle and shake my head in amazement that they actually paid me to do something I love so much. I’m 63, and I still feel this way. THAT is what will happen to you, if you are lucky. You have to look at it this way, if you really want to find something you love where you know you made a difference.
I sure wish all docs were like you, Scott! | |
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 Thick and Wavy
Posts: 6102
Location: Nebraska | I'm a nurse and I love it....most days, ha! I currently work nights on the floor so I work from about 7p-7a 3 nights a week. My job self schedules in groups so for the most part I can get the days off I want (besides every 3rd weekend). I'm currently on a weekend contract that pays 30% more to work every Fri, Sat, and Sun for 3 months. I'm also working on my Masters (work is paying for it) in Nursing Informatics so someday I can have a M-F 9-5 that isn't breaking my back. The great thing about nursing is that there are so many things you can do. You can work in an office and never have any patient contact or you can work out on the floor saving lives. I wouldn't lie if I said my job wasn't stressful. We're constantly short and I work on a step down unit so a lot of our patients are circling the drain. We also take all the head and neck cancer surgery patients who are very sick and very busy. There are days after 3 in a row when I'm so emotionally and physically exhausted that I just sleep a whole day away. Nursing school was the hardest thing I've ever done, and I'm a good student. There aren't really any shortcuts and it really shows if you don't put the work into it, unlike other majors. | |
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 Texas Taco
Posts: 7499
Location: Bandera, TX | You could become a pharmacist. | |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | I'm an optometrist and I absolutely love it. I own my own clinic and I am my own boss. Sure, some days that has it's downfalls, but most of the time it's pretty cool. I have the income to live comfortably and enjoy horses, I set my own schedule ,and I call the shots.
I get to work with people all day, of all ages. Some of it is "normal" glasses and contacts (which I enjoy), some is medical (glaucoma, cataracts, etc) and some of it can involve a scary life-threatening situation that has presented itself though visual symptoms. I never know what the day will bring and I love the variety. Plus I get to help people to see better.
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You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | My dad is a CRNA. He works in a more rural area and his Ax group services 3 hospitals in the town he's in. He is paid very very well. He also works at least 80 hour weeks, of those 80 48 are usually on call or standby hours. He is a workaholic and you can find CRNA positions that provide a better work-life balance, but the pay will be less.
My sister is a BSN who has had several jobs as a nurse.. she is currently working at a surgical center so she now doesn't have to work weekends and doesn't have to take call. I think she makes in the 70,000s. Prior to this job she always had a job that had weekend and call obligations.
If you are thinking veterinary, there are a lot of options to have a good work life balance.. most of those jobs are small animal. You don't usually see the hours they offer in small over in equine, it just doesn't exist because the markets are so different.
Another option is to get into pharmaceutical sales. There's travel involved but I believe the pay is good and you have some freedom in your schedule. | |
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Veteran
Posts: 242
| Physical Therapist - love it! | |
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