Which career path?

[PogoStick]

I have a bachelors degree in exercise science and work in a gym, 1 on 1, and leading group classes. I'm now contemplating my options:

 

1. Physical Therapy--3 year doctorate program. Net after making loan payments, expect earning $60-80k per year (plus quality benefits package equals another $10k).

 

2. Medical School-- total of 7 years before being able to practice! net earnings $120k minimum after loan payments (and much more for specialties).

 

Being 36 y/o I'm getting anxious to get into a productive life. With option 2, is 45 y/o waiting too long to start enjoying the benefits of hard work? But the upside opens lifelong opportunities. I wish I would have started this 10 years ago!

 

3. Keep pushing the fitness career. Most likely get stuck in the $40-50k range with few benefits. $80k+ is possible but very difficult and I'm unsure at this point if I will get there. Options 1+2 are more predictable once schooling is complete.

 

Can you share some wisdom with me?

[TylerDurdenn]

Do what makes you happy..

[FitChick]

There was an article recently about physical therapists making good money as well as being personally fulfilled by their jobs. Good job prospects, too, supposedly since you could work anywhere.

[PogoStick]

Yes physical therapy most closely aligns with my current education so it's appealing.

[Els]

At 36 y/o, med school is really not a good choice unless you're 100% sure it's what you want to do in your life. The 7 years of school isn't the end of it (though I think you can do it in 5? You can here at least); you then have a gruelling residency (or housemanship, depending on where you live, but both are almost equally gruelling) and it takes another 5+ years at the minimum to specialize. We're talking spending 60-80 hrs/week in the hospital at 46 years of age.

 

Physical therapy is a way better choice.

Edited March 13, 2014 by Elswyth

[topaMAXX]

At 36 y/o, med school is really not a good choice unless you're 100% sure it's what you want to do in your life. The 7 years of school isn't the end of it; you then have a gruelling residency (or housemanship, depending on where you live, but both are almost equally gruelling) and it takes another 5+ years at the minimum to specialize. We're talking spending 60-80 hrs/week in the hospital at 46 years of age.

 

Physical therapy is a way better choice.

 

Medical school itself is 4 years. Residencies are at least 3. So OP is looking at 7 years total minimum.

 

Upsides include job security and good salary.

 

Physical therapy is a pretty easy profession. I wouldn't be surprised if it gets oversaturated.

[Els]

Medical school itself is 4 years. Residencies are at least 3. So OP is looking at 7 years total minimum.

 

Yes, I did wonder why the OP was saying 7, and edited my post shortly before yours. I suppose it makes sense that med school in the USA is a bit shorter since they require a previous degree (IIRC).

 

3 years is very quick for a residency though. Does that mean that docs can specialize in 3 years in the US? It takes at least 5 here.

 

That being said, I still don't think it is a good investment for a 36 yo, as monetary-wise alone, costs of medical school are high (and we're not counting other sacrifices). Many people take years to even pay back the costs, so the OP would only start even benefiting from the salary in his mid 40s. Most other career paths pay off much quicker.

 

Obviously, if it's what he really wants to do then he should go for it, as some things are more important than money.

[topaMAXX]

Yes, I did wonder why the OP was saying 7, and edited my post shortly before yours. I suppose it makes sense that med school in the USA is a bit shorter since they require a previous degree (IIRC).

 

3 years is very quick for a residency though. Does that mean that docs can specialize in 3 years in the US? It takes at least 5 here.

 

That being said, I still don't think it is a good investment for a 36 yo, as monetary-wise alone, costs of medical school are high (and we're not counting other sacrifices). Many people take years to even pay back the costs, so the OP would only start even benefiting from the salary in his mid 40s. Most other career paths pay off much quicker.

 

Obviously, if it's what he really wants to do then he should go for it, as some things are more important than money.

 

Certain specialties, yes. Primary care, internal medicine, and emergency medicine are 3 years, I believe.

 

I'm considering going back to medical school as well. Though I'm still in my 20s.

[Mr Scorpio]

Physical therapy all the way, assuming that you are either: (1) willing to relocate for a job if necessary and/or are a very good student and live in a city with plentiful work opportunities or (2) willing to open your own practice.

 

Granted, every projection I've come across places the medical-field as the fastest growing. Nevertheless, with three-years and substantial debt, I believe a person should always have a "plan B".

[topaMAXX]

Another option is physician assistant. Only 2 years. You make good money and do similar work to doctors.

 

Might be a good choice at your age, OP.

[VeronicaRoss]

My husband completely changed careers and started toward his third degree when he was 41 and finally was done at 45. His income has quadrupled and he loves what he does. I should have freaked when he told me he wanted to go back to school but I knew to my toes it was the right choice. Totally worth it.

 

Moral of the story: that time is going to go by no matter what you do. If you really want to be a doctor and time is the only issue, do it.

 

But if I were you I'd do info interviews with three doctors and three PTs. Ask about their lifestyle, options, if they are glad they're doing it. A lot of doctors are dropping out now, so don't do it til you really know you want it.

[Els]

Certain specialties, yes. Primary care, internal medicine, and emergency medicine are 3 years, I believe.

 

Interesting. Is that 3 years straight out of med school? I suppose resident docs in the USA work such long hours that 3 years there is the equivalent of 5 years' experience elsewhere?

[topaMAXX]

Interesting. Is that 3 years straight out of med school? I suppose resident docs in the USA work such long hours that 3 years there is the equivalent of 5 years' experience elsewhere?

 

Whatever.

 

If it was 5 years, I wouldn't even consider it. Too long. Also, for the time being, many docs are still financially in the 1%.

[Els]

Whatever.

 

If it was 5 years, I wouldn't even consider it. Too long. Also, for the time being, many docs are still financially in the 1%.

 

Okay, I'm going to be straight with you. To me (and I'm not talking out my ass here, I'm close to several docs), money doesn't sound like a great reason to choose medicine, if that were your only reason. To be fair, you may have other, better reasons, but I haven't seen you talking about anything else.

 

Most docs are agreed that the ones who do so solely for money (and don't give up halfway when they realize that they could get much more money in much less time in other career paths), end up being greedy bastards who leave their colleagues and patients in the lurch.

 

Hence why I'd never advise anyone to do medicine unless they were positive that that were what they wanted to do with their lives. A dream or passion, so to speak. Money is good, but docs who are solely after money make pretty crappy docs. And human lives suffer for that.

[lollipopspot]

Money is good, but docs who are solely after money make pretty crappy docs. And human lives suffer for that.

 

Yep, I've personally experienced it, to disastrous consequences, and I think it's extremely unfortunate that there is so much status and money associated with certain specialties. Because the exact wrong people get into it. If your primary goal is making money, don't get into a "helping profession," because the chance is high that greed will take over and you'll do more harm than good for many patients.

 

Go be a corporate lawyer instead. Money and status, and everyone is clear it's ultimately about the money.

[Els]

Yep, I've personally experienced it, to disastrous consequences, and I think it's extremely unfortunate that there is so much status and money associated with certain specialties.

 

To be fair, they get so much status and money because it takes heaps of time, sacrifice, and money to get into it to begin with. Especially due to artificial barriers (the cost of taking specialist exams and med school is ridiculous) that serve to filter people out the wrong way. So it just goes around in a vicious cycle.

 

Frankly I think med school (and specialist requirements) should have a low cost but maintain the requisite grades and training, AND there should be charity requirements. Then specialists could be paid stable but reasonable salaries without getting screwed over by not covering their costs, and the correct people get into medicine.

 

I am terribly sorry about what happened to you. I hope the doctor got his dues.

[PogoStick]

Well as an 18 y/o fresh out of high school I started college as a pre-med major. I was a mess and didn't transition well and ended up quitting with plenty of bad grades. 10+ years later, I finished my bachelors in exercise science with a biology minor.

 

Fitness parallels with being a physician. I help people lead healthier lives. I lead fitness classes 6 days a week for people 80-100 years old. I help people recover from surgeries, reduce their risk of falling, and improve their daily life through better physical health like being able to walk and carry their groceries.

 

The difference is being a physician pays 5x more, and there's nothing wrong with wanting to improve my life and be rewarded while helping others. And this is the USA, I have to worry about my retirement or I'll be eating cat food for dinner. Our social supports are not nearly as robust as in Europe.

Edited March 13, 2014 by PogoStick

[topaMAXX]

Okay, I'm going to be straight with you. To me (and I'm not talking out my ass here, I'm close to several docs), money doesn't sound like a great reason to choose medicine, if that were your only reason. To be fair, you may have other, better reasons, but I haven't seen you talking about anything else.

 

Most docs are agreed that the ones who do so solely for money (and don't give up halfway when they realize that they could get much more money in much less time in other career paths), end up being greedy bastards who leave their colleagues and patients in the lurch.

 

Hence why I'd never advise anyone to do medicine unless they were positive that that were what they wanted to do with their lives. A dream or passion, so to speak. Money is good, but docs who are solely after money make pretty crappy docs. And human lives suffer for that.

 

You are very idealistic. With the cost of medical school, entitlement of the patients, and lawsuits, most of the docs that I've met that were once the one of the naive idealistic idiots are the ones that stop caring.

 

I actually work with docs in a similar capacity as them. So I know what I'm talking about. Personally, I don't care much for the patients. What I do like is the problem solving that comes with it. I'm also very good at cya and coming up with ways in which I could potentially get sued.

 

The only difference is that I understand the world and how people think. So being a doc, to me, is not all sunshine and roses.

[topaMAXX]

To be fair, they get so much status and money because it takes heaps of time, sacrifice, and money to get into it to begin with. Especially due to artificial barriers (the cost of taking specialist exams and med school is ridiculous) that serve to filter people out the wrong way. So it just goes around in a vicious cycle.

 

Frankly I think med school (and specialist requirements) should have a low cost but maintain the requisite grades and training, AND there should be charity requirements. Then specialists could be paid stable but reasonable salaries without getting screwed over by not covering their costs, and the correct people get into medicine.

 

I am terribly sorry about what happened to you. I hope the doctor got his dues.

 

Sounds like you're one of the people that support socialist medicine and low pay medical providers. So you are our enemy, basically.

[PogoStick]

Ironically, Medicare has higher reimbursement rates for treatment than many private insurance plans.

[mukkrakker]

Purely from a licentious motive I would stick with 3...

 

and develop your own business specializing in one on one training...

[Chocolat]

3 years is very quick for a residency though. Does that mean that docs can specialize in 3 years in the US? It takes at least 5 here.

 

It depends on the specialty. Some residencies take 7 years!

 

Another option for the OP (assuming he is in the US) is to be a Physician's Assistant.

[newmoon]

I say physical therapy, because based on your age you *might* not make it all the way through with medicine and then drop out with nothing. with PT you could also just pursue the assistant route if you don't need the extra degree, far less time and investment with that one

[suladas]

Having to deal a lot with both the last few years, physical therapy is WAY better in terms of job quality. You only deal with injuries, not sick whiny, etc people. More flexible hours, MUCH less liability, etc. The status is totally different, a physical therapist's opinion isn't any value in most cases, while a doctors is. Every physical therapist except one took pride in their job and seemed to enjoy it, and generally wanted to help, and by no means seemed to there for the money. The doctors? More like the opposite. They don't care, they are in it for the money, and it is absolutely infuriating, and well because they suck at their job. As far as specialists, my opinion of them is even less, I seen one who was pushing 80 and clearly there because he still has his license and could rake in money, despite no longer knowing his head from his a$$. But still gets paid huge money.

[Els]

You are very idealistic. With the cost of medical school, entitlement of the patients, and lawsuits, most of the docs that I've met that were once the one of the naive idealistic idiots are the ones that stop caring.

 

I actually work with docs in a similar capacity as them. So I know what I'm talking about. Personally, I don't care much for the patients. What I do like is the problem solving that comes with it. I'm also very good at cya and coming up with ways in which I could potentially get sued.

 

The only difference is that I understand the world and how people think. So being a doc, to me, is not all sunshine and roses.

 

Let's just put it this way: My SO has been a doc for as long as you have been thinking about being a doc, and I have been with him through the entire journey. So I'm quite aware of what doctors go through 'in the real world', thank you very much.

 

There are doctors who do care about the well being of their patients above and beyond the money that they earn, and to those doctors, the genuinely good ones - people like you are their 'enemy'. People like you are going to be the ones screwing patients up for them to cover later on, because you're too busy covering your own sweet ass and figuring out how to game the system to get the most $$ out of it.