If I'm 30, and still want to start a family of my own- is it too late for me to go to Medical School? And is it best to have my own children while in Medical School before residency? PLEASE HELP with advice!
2007-05-07 17:38:02 · 5 answers · asked by orangeslices26 1 in Health ➔ Women's Health
I have my degree in chemistry/ biology.
2007-05-07 18:11:48 · update #1
It is never too late to do what you want to do. However, remember that medical school is very tough, and it is going to take 4 years plus residency and specialization. If you do have children, you are going to need someone there to take care of them most of the time and you are going to miss out on alot of their lives because you will have to take the time to study and put in all your hours at the labs, hospitals, etc. But it has been done before and if you are willing to give it everything you've got, go for it. Good luck whatever you decide!
2007-05-07 17:42:41 · answer #1 · answered by Amanda 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
PURE HELL IN ILLINOIS.
We have a serious situation going on with regards to physicians in this country. There are 8 in my family 3 women doctors. Each of the women doctors is struggling with their decision to become a doctor and try to have a family. One has decided not to have kids, one has a stay at home dad that still expects her to do the "woman's work", and the third has a live in nanny that costs almost as much as her take home salarie.
To become a OBGYNE DOC you need 4 years college, 4 years medical school, 5 years residency. 13 years depending on where you are in school. You will have a tremendous debt when you graduate and start your career. When you start your private practice you will put in longer hours than you did when you were in training. Unfortunately there is no longer any surplus money in medicine. You may have to pay up to 300,000 in insurance cost. That is insurance cost, not including the cost of books, assistance, electricity, rent on your office, or bandaids for the office. Up to 25% of OBGYNE docs have left the state of illinois in the past years. (http://www.cg-ins.com/news/?p=29)
This says nothing of the personal emotional destruction that a lawsuit will have on you when you get sued. That is not if, but when you get sued. The average doc will get sued 6 times in their career. Nothing prepares you for the blow to your psyche and nothing compares to the impact of a lawyer tearing you limb from limb in a court because the patient had a known complication and all you did was try your hardest to help.
This is some serious crap that is hitting docs in the face. I have a friend that is a banker makes twice as much as me and gets 6 weeks off a year. I took two weeks off and I have been a doc for 10 years.
I am convinced that the best doctors will one day be priest like. No families, and no desire for material wealth, so that they can focus on patient care and paying down their educational debt.
2007-05-08 00:55:49 · answer #2 · answered by psnorb 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's never too late to do ANYTHING, if you really want it. You can make it happen no matter the circumstances if you believe it. OB-GYN? It's a "jungle" out there...sorry, I couldn't resist.
2007-05-08 00:41:58 · answer #3 · answered by Madonna 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's kind of like being a dentist but you don't fill the cavities, you rarely get bitten and it takes a lot more mouthwash to get that fresh breath in the morning feeling.
2007-05-08 00:43:07 · answer #4 · answered by Texas Cowboy 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I'm sure it can't be any worse than any other doctor besides a surgeon.
2007-05-08 00:41:59 · answer #5 · answered by DumBlonD 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋