Is it worth it becoming a doctor or lawyer?

UTVOL23 said:
You are making a very broad generalization. What type of law were they practicing where you worked? If it was ambulance chasers I would say that may be a fairly accurate statement.
Doctors getting caught up in insurance fraud is a very small percentage but of course those make headlines.
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I have to echo this. There have been so many times throughout my medical education I questioned whether or not it was worth it- and if you don't have the passion for what it is you're trying to do, those moments will definitely break you- I've seen it happen to too many of my colleagues.  If you're passionate about medicine then you might be fortunate enough to make it through.  If you're $$ chasing you're in for a long empty road, and ultimately there is a ceiling.
 
I think going to a top 21 university for undergrad hurt my GPA and my chances at law school :smh:.
 
People should know when pursuing those professions that they will be sacrificing a lot of time. People do make time for other other things if they really want to. My friend quit med school because he'd basically be studying and learning new things for the rest of his life. He just got tired of it. We have a family friend who is a doctor and her schedule is not bad at all. She actually told me she feels bad for nurses since their schedules are worse than hers. One of my professors is a lawyer, teaches at 3 different colleges, tutors high school kids and still finds time to be with his family.
 
1. Unless you can get yourself into a top law school, don't bother. It's simple supply versus demand. I had a friend graduate around the middle of his class two years ago from UVa, and it took him more than a year to find a decent job.
2. If you're anything like me, don't take the route to become a PA or NP. You will never, ever be the one running the show. An MD will always be there to hold your hand if you need it. I couldn't deal with that.
3. Don't go to osteopathic school and get your DO. If you can't get into an MD school, just keep trying until you do. A DO significantly hampers what residencies you can do and where you can do them.
4. If you want to get your MD, don't do it for the money, don't do it because you want to help people, don't do it for the prestige of being a doctor. Do it because you love medicine.

The work hours here are highly exaggerated. It depends on what field you go into and what kind of practice you want. You can easily do 40 hour weeks in family practice if you want. Or you can work 100 hour weeks as a general surgeon because you're a total badass, and that's what you do.
 
Trav T said:
I think going to a top 21 university for undergrad hurt my GPA and my chances at law school :smh:.
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lol I went to a really difficult undergrad, I could've had a 4.0 at any other school but grad schools take that into account.
 
DaJoka004 said:
1. Unless you can get yourself into a top law school, don't bother. It's simple supply versus demand. I had a friend graduate around the middle of his class two years ago from UVa, and it took him more than a year to find a decent job.
2. If you're anything like me, don't take the route to become a PA or NP. You will never, ever be the one running the show. An MD will always be there to hold your hand if you need it. I couldn't deal with that.
3. Don't go to osteopathic school and get your DO. If you can't get into an MD school, just keep trying until you do. A DO significantly hampers what residencies you can do and where you can do them.
4. If you want to get your MD, don't do it for the money, don't do it because you want to help people, don't do it for the prestige of being a doctor. Do it because you love medicine.
The work hours here are highly exaggerated. It depends on what field you go into and what kind of practice you want. You can easily do 40 hour weeks in family practice if you want. Or you can work 100 hour weeks as a general surgeon because you're a total badass, and that's what you do.
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i gotta disagree with #3. the match rate for DOs is pretty high now and there are many that get into competitive residencies. maybe not neurosurgery but then again, the vast majority of MDs wouldn't match into that field either. but there are a fair number that get into ortho, radiology, EM, anesthesia, etc.
 
TypeRPinoY said:
i gotta disagree with #3. the match rate for DOs is pretty high now and there are many that get into competitive residencies. maybe not neurosurgery but then again, the vast majority of MDs wouldn't match into that field either. but there are a fair number that get into ortho, radiology, EM, anesthesia, etc.
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Out of active applicants, the 2012 match rate for osteopathic students into PGY-1 programs was 74.7 versus 95.1 for US allopathic students. On top of that, 31.6% of total osteopathtic applicants either withdrew before the match or didn't submit a rank list. Just 2.1% of allopathtic students fell into that category. So no, the match rate is not "pretty high".

EM and anesthesia are not competitive specialties. Every year there are a few osteopathic students who match into competitive specialties. But allopathic students dominate the match, as they should. We are at better schools, being taught medicine by better professors, attendings and residents. This isn't even debatable.

Going to an osteopathtic school significantly dampers what you can do with your career. Don't start closing doors before your career even starts.
 
not all lawyers are balling... a lot end up working civil court cases and other odd government representation positions... its a crap shoot like every other profession
 
The way you titled the thread leads me to believe that you're only after cash, and there are plenty of better and faster ways to make money than becoming a doctor or lawyer.
 
75% is high compared to fmgs. Anesthesia and em are becoming more competitive now. Average scores for our applicants this year are around 230+. I'm not going to argue with you though. You are entitled to your opinion
 
TypeRPinoY said:
75% is high compared to fmgs. Anesthesia and em are becoming more competitive now. Average scores for our applicants this year are around 230+. I'm not going to argue with you though. You are entitled to your opinion
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FMGs are the last group I would want to compare myself to.
 
i agree with u on that one. but i dont think you should discourage people from going to osteopathic school
 
If you have a passion for medicine and can't seem to get into an allopathic medical school I think that an osteopathic medical school is a good alternative. For someone who doesn't want to go into a competitive specialty, for example primary care, I think it is a great alternative.
 
A 5th of August said:
If you have a passion for medicine and can't seem to get into an allopathic medical school I think that an osteopathic medical school is a good alternative. For someone who doesn't want to go into a competitive specialty, for example primary care, I think it is a great alternative.
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I don't disagree. But I would apply to allopathic only for two cycles before I started applying to osteopathic schools.
 
^^^owww


To just throw my 2 cents in here:

if you go the lawyer route and are aiming for the notoriety, high profile cases and the money then you need to bust your *** in school. On the other hand if your in it to help people out in imigration, criminal cases and other worthwhile lawerly pursuits you still need to bust your ***. Point blank.

the world is always gonna need great lawyers and great doctors.

It's doesn't matter what you do in the end, just make sure you do it good.
 
ksteezy said:
Don't go the PA route, jobs are not as available as you may think and they are completely underpayed and overworked...don't know where you get your facts from....perhaps NP gives you more freedom depending where you end up, plus it gives you the flexibility to just be an RN should you realize the NP route is taking over your life....MD, NP or PA are all very demanding roles....however once you are establish you will have time for a family...is just something you'll most likely be starting much later on in your life...mid to late 30's if you start your journey early.
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What is your take on Respiratory therapist? I read somewhere that you're a therapist in the medical field. What is the demand and school like...looking in getting into the medical field myself.
 
AntonLaVey said:
lol I went to a really difficult undergrad, I could've had a 4.0 at any other school but grad schools take that into account.
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I feel you on that. Where did you go? I wouldn't have had a 4.0, but I could have easily had a 3.5-3.8 at a school like UCSB instead of Berkeley :lol:. I was a double major, too. It was too much work. I heard most law schools will add .3 to your GPA, though, if you went to a top school for undergrad. Especially the ones without grade inflation.
 
DaJoka004 said:
A 5th of August said:
If you have a passion for medicine and can't seem to get into an allopathic medical school I think that an osteopathic medical school is a good alternative. For someone who doesn't want to go into a competitive specialty, for example primary care, I think it is a great alternative.
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I don't disagree. But I would apply to allopathic only for two cycles before I started applying to osteopathic schools.
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I feel you on that, but for some, three years is time they don't have or time they don't want to waste.
 
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