Medicine or teacher

[Asiyah3]

I have four options

1. Medicine --> physician
2. Pharmacist
3. Teacher; class teacher, a language teacher, special education teacher, handicraft teacher, domestic teacher, kindergarten teacher (I love kids)... Pretty much any teacher.
4. Interpreter (/translator)

Pharmacist looks boring, mostly revolving around drugs. I put it as an option as I didn't have a problem with working in a pharmacy, but I think I'll leave this out. I don't have anything against chemistry, but I think I'll be dead-bored before I'll manage to finish my studies.

Medicine looks versatile and human medicine is very interesting. The only problem is that it's hard to get in and it seems very stressful.

Teaching is nice too. Additionally, employment looks good and you can work abroad insha'Allah.

Interpreter is okay, but I don't know if I'll like my work. Teaching looks more fun. As I speak a few languages, if needed maybe I could do this as a side-job in future insha'Allah.

I suppose this leaves us medicine and teaching. 65% of my heart is inclined towards medicine. I like to take care of people, learn about the human body and study science.

Should I do so that I apply to both? If I get chosen to medicine, study it and if not, study to become a teacher?

Any opinions/comments, please? Did I forget to consider something?

 

[جوري]

my personal opinion of the choices you've put in there and my own miserable existence in medicine I'd highly recommend pharmacy.
1-It isn't boring (you can be a clinical pharmacist)
2- excellent pay for fresh graduate.. with medicine after the 12-13 years of sacrifice, there is no guarantee that you'll get into a residency of your choice let alone one all together, you'll have a heap of debt and your pay is comparable to someone in McDonald I kid you not, the hours are awful, you'll most likely delay marriage (if that is important to you) because you have to be married to medicine.
3- you can work in a hospital or private, you have flexible hours again not so with medicine
4- you'll have to exercise your brain daily because if you specialize most everyone will be relaying on you for proper dosages and drug interactions, clearance etc. it is a delicate process if you think you are there counting pills then you are looking to be a tech and not a pharmacist.

I can't comment on teaching, it is noble but routine and not challenging you'll be stuck in whatever grade for the rest of your life the pay is poor but at least you get summer's off..

and Allah swt knows best

 

[Muhaba]

pharmacology is really interesting. You can also become a lab technologist. I heard there were lots of job opportunities in that field.

 

[CosmicPathos]

with medicine, get ready to be stressed for the next 4-8 years of your life. The sheer volume of stuff you are expected to know will drive you insane. You will wake up in the middle of night to cry and will constantly ask yourself "what have I done to myself." That is when you will get to sleep at night which I doubt would be possible in medicine! Run away from medicine as shaitan runs away from a mumin, unless you are a superman/superwoman.

If you want to do medicine, you will be in debt/loans for the many years of your life as a medical student and resident. These debts haunt me every single day right now .... you wont have time to get married ... ppl will say that marry a doctor because then both of you will understand the nature of job and will adapt accordingly ...i disagree ... but then thats if you get to marry ....

life will look dismal and miserable if you study medicine. You will continue to ask yourself "why am I doing this ..." no matter how intelligent/smart you have been in your undergrad .....

In medicine, everything that you will be taught till the day before the midterm/exam will be on the exam. In medicine, professors will usually say "I have to go through these 80 powerpoint slides in 1 hour, you can send a written complaint to the education office" .... in medicine, your eyes will be stressed to the point that youd fear you are going to become blind ... in medicine you will work with cadavers and will not care if you eat food afterwards wearing the same gloves ... in medicine you wont be able to differentiate between a good cologne and the smell of a cadaver ...

in medicine, if you studying in some other city, you will wake up in the middle of night and want to call your mom and just tell her "i miss you so much right now, I am dropping out of school."

with that being said, God created human body with a design and what a grand design.

 

[Maryan0]

Mad scientist and Vale's lily you make medicine sound miserable. My families family doctor who was of Egyptian descent although not Muslim had a private practice which she ran from the basement of her gigantic mansion that had swimming pools and elevators. That women was loaded and worked from her own home. I always knew that doctors went to school for a long time but I thought they pay off at the end was great. Working at mcdonalds...:hmm:
Salam

 

[Muhammad]

Wa Alaykum Assalaam,

I suppose this leaves us medicine and teaching. 65% of my heart is inclined towards medicine. I like to take care of people, learn about the human body and study science.

I think a very good idea would be to try and get some work experience so you know exactly what the career will be like. There are many other issues with a career like medicine that you need to think about - mainly the work that comes after the degree (as well as the difficulty in completing the degree!). Look at the working hours, the work environment, the nature of the work, the number of years needed to get to where you want, the difficulty etc. Be aware that although things can be interesting to learn in theory, the practical application isn't always as fun as you might have thought it was. That's why work experience will help you see for yourself Insha'Allaah. A career like medicine needs a very big commitment, and being only 65% interested might not be enough...

Just to offer another suggestion in case you didn't think of it, have you considered dentistry? The career path is much shorter than medicine - although the length of degree is the same, you don't need to spend a lot of time training after that. But if desired, a person can specialise in particular areas of dentistry. I think the working hours and pay are pretty good - I know a couple of people who only work a few days or less in a week. The degree will still require hard work, but in the long run I don't think it's as stressful as medicine. Moreover, there is less contact required between practitioner and patient, whereas in medicine you need to be prepared to undertake various physical examinations and so on...

If you're still open to other ideas... there are quite a few other careers in the health profession, but they will need researching. There's nursing (various types, including nurses that work in the community), speech and language therapist... a long list really, but each needs to be looked into in greater detail to see if it's suitabe work for a Muslim woman and a good job in general.

3. Teacher; class teacher, a language teacher, special education teacher, handicraft teacher, domestic teacher, kindergarten teacher (I love kids)... Pretty much any teacher.

I personally think teaching is a good profession and if you decide not to go into healthcare, it's a good alternative. I don't know much about the pay, but it can be a rewarding career. But there are things to look into like the amount of time needed preparing for lessons and being able to control pupils... perhaps that is less of a problem when teaching younger children.

At the end of the day, you can pick any profession and find people who like it and people who don't, positive and negative points. You need to understand what it's like to work in that field as best you can and decide whether it is something suited to you. Remember to seek the guidance of Allaah (swt) before making any decision (pray Istikharah), and place your trust in Almighty Allaah.

 

[Muhammad]

... in medicine you will work with cadavers and will not care if you eat food afterwards wearing the same gloves ... in medicine you wont be able to differentiate between a good cologne and the smell of a cadaver ...

Just to clarify for the sister - not all medical schools have cadavers to work on, so you might be saved from that trauma! (Although some people don't mind it).

Regarding marriage - it is possible to get married whilst still a student... I guess it's a matter of how determined you are to make things work. I know 2 people who got married when they were about to begin their 4th years if I remember correctly, and one person who is in their final year and will be getting married soon Insha'Allaah!

 

[Woodrow]

I have four options

1. Medicine --> physician
2. Pharmacist
3. Teacher; class teacher, a language teacher, special education teacher, handicraft teacher, domestic teacher, kindergarten teacher (I love kids)... Pretty much any teacher.
4. Interpreter (/translator)

Pharmacist looks boring, mostly revolving around drugs. I put it as an option as I didn't have a problem with working in a pharmacy, but I think I'll leave this out. I don't have anything against chemistry, but I think I'll be dead-bored before I'll manage to finish my studies.

Medicine looks versatile and human medicine is very interesting. The only problem is that it's hard to get in and it seems very stressful.

Teaching is nice too. Additionally, employment looks good and you can work abroad insha'Allah.

Interpreter is okay, but I don't know if I'll like my work. Teaching looks more fun. As I speak a few languages, if needed maybe I could do this as a side-job in future insha'Allah.

I suppose this leaves us medicine and teaching. 65% of my heart is inclined towards medicine. I like to take care of people, learn about the human body and study science.

Should I do so that I apply to both? If I get chosen to medicine, study it and if not, study to become a teacher?

Any opinions/comments, please? Did I forget to consider something?

:wa:

What is limiting you to just 4 options. I am assuming you are just now entering your undergraduate studies. Use your first year to learn your options, take advantage of the 101 level courses and use the first year to explore your choices.

When you enter your Sophomore year, select some 200 level and a few 300 level courses in the areas that interested you the most. By the end of your sophomore year decide specifically on 2 fields that interest you on the professional level and at least 2 that enable you to work at the baccalaureate level. By the Start of your Junior year you should have your mind made up if you want to pursue a professional degree. If so dive head first into preparation for grad school. If you find a career choice at the bachelors dive into that and prepare yourself for employment.

 

[CosmicPathos]

Just to clarify for the sister - not all medical schools have cadavers to work on, so you might be saved from that trauma! (Although some people don't mind it).

Regarding marriage - it is possible to get married whilst still a student... I guess it's a matter of how determined you are to make things work. I know 2 people who got married when they were about to begin their 4th years if I remember correctly, and one person who is in their final year and will be getting married soon Insha'Allaah!

Brother, I also know 2 ppl from med school who got married after first and second years respectively. But it depends on your background. Most of these students come from a rich family and their families can afford their son's and his wife's expenses.

I simply cannot imagine how this brother from my school paid the mehr????? He has no job, no formal income, still a 3rd year student but how can he take care of his wife financially? I did not bother asking him as its too much of a personal info but I think I cannot do that. I am living off loans. Paying my tuition off loans. Food, ok my parents pay for it, my mom makes it for me and I bring it here (I should be making my own food but the place I am living has two kaafirs who use the kitchen so I dont want to contaminate my utensils). I dont know if I can get married till I become a medical resident where at least I'd be earning something, most of which would be going back to paying the debts anyways ....

so yes, all in all, a pretty depressing situation.

 

[CosmicPathos]

Mad scientist and Vale's lily you make medicine sound miserable. My families family doctor who was of Egyptian descent although not Muslim had a private practice which she ran from the basement of her gigantic mansion that had swimming pools and elevators. That women was loaded and worked from her own home. I always knew that doctors went to school for a long time but I thought they pay off at the end was great. Working at mcdonalds...:hmm:
Salam

most likely this doctor came from a rich background. There are kids in my class who drive audis, so yes its possible to live that kind of life style. For example a general internist will make around $350,000/yr in Canada but 60% of it will go into taxes (income tax, GST/PST) so you take home peanuts. How long it takes to become a general internist? 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, and if everything goes well in residency match, 3-5 years of internal medicine training. not all happy and dandy. and ooh, did I say that as an internal medicine resident you'd be working more than 85 hours/week? the concept of friendship and enjoying life outside of studies and job will become a thing of a distant past ....

 

[the_middle_road]

Wa alaikum salaam

Go for teaching. The reward is greater (IMO).

 

[Muhammad]

Brother, I also know 2 ppl from med school who got married after first and second years respectively. But it depends on your background. Most of these students come from a rich family and their families can afford their son's and his wife's expenses.

I simply cannot imagine how this brother from my school paid the mehr????? He has no job, no formal income, still a 3rd year student but how can he take care of his wife financially? I did not bother asking him as its too much of a personal info but I think I cannot do that. I am living off loans. Paying my tuition off loans. Food, ok my parents pay for it, my mom makes it for me and I bring it here (I should be making my own food but the place I am living has two kaafirs who use the kitchen so I dont want to contaminate my utensils). I dont know if I can get married till I become a medical resident where at least I'd be earning something, most of which would be going back to paying the debts anyways ....

so yes, all in all, a pretty depressing situation.

May Allaah (swt) make it easy for you. Tuition fees is a topic on its own... in the UK the current system allows students some support based upon their family income - not so long ago they were even entitled to receive money just for going to university, but now there is talk of higher tuition fees and greater debts for students in future. Allaahul musta'aan!

Anyway, persevere in the situation you are in and know that with a good intention, your efforts and patience may be earning you great reward with Allaah (swt). Even worldly actions that are performed with noble intentions can become acts of worship. And always seek Allaah (swt)'s help, place your reliance and trust in Him, and doing so will be a great source of good for you in this life and the Hereafter.

 

[Asiyah3]

If you want to do medicine, you will be in debt/loans for the many years of your life as a medical student and resident. These debts haunt me every single day right now ....

My parents will pay for my studies insha'Allah. So I don't think I'll need to loan money or be in dept insha'Allah.

 

[serena77]

Salaam
Maybe i can make another suggestion for you.. you may or may not like the idea. what about as a physicians assistant. you work under a doc... so if I remember correctly you can't write out narcotics scripts.. You are often in doctors offices though you might have some variation of choices. One of my friends is a PA and works for an emergency room.. and loves it... and ECU ( east carolina university) which has a teaching hospital attached to it.... does their PA program almost entirely online. The debt isnt as bad because you don't have to go to med school... yet you still get to help people... work w/ interesting cases ...etc.

Just a thought. The friend of mine started as an EMT, then got his respiratory therapist degree, THEN went into the PA program. He's really happy w/ his choice. Also a lot of PA's have a little more time to spend w/ patients then the harried doctor..
Serena

 

[CosmicPathos]

May Allaah (swt) make it easy for you. Tuition fees is a topic on its own... in the UK the current system allows students some support based upon their family income - not so long ago they were even entitled to receive money just for going to university, but now there is talk of higher tuition fees and greater debts for students in future. Allaahul musta'aan!

Anyway, persevere in the situation you are in and know that with a good intention, your efforts and patience may be earning you great reward with Allaah (swt). Even worldly actions that are performed with noble intentions can become acts of worship. And always seek Allaah (swt)'s help, place your reliance and trust in Him, and doing so will be a great source of good for you in this life and the Hereafter.

jazakAllah. I really need Allah's help as I sit here in this dungeon trying to study/cram for the next midterm ... and the question constantly pops up "why am I torturing myself?" ... ooh God ... may God accept this from me.

 

[Asiyah3]

May Allah reward you for your help. Your replies are very helpful.

I’m sorry it took me so long to reply. I’ve been thinking a lot, and searching for unis.

you'll most likely delay marriage (if that is important to you) because you have to be married to medicine.

My studies are more important and beneficial to me than marriage.

Honestly I haven't thought about medicine with marriage before. Though I prefer to get married while in uni and before I'm 25, I have my plans in life and I don't think I should let marriage get in my way.

with medicine, get ready to be stressed for the next 4-8 years of your life. The sheer volume of stuff you are expected to know will drive you insane. You will wake up in the middle of night to cry and will constantly ask yourself "what have I done to myself." That is when you will get to sleep at night which I doubt would be possible in medicine! Run away from medicine as shaitan runs away from a mumin, unless you are a superman/superwoman.

life will look dismal and miserable if you study medicine. You will continue to ask yourself "why am I doing this ..." no matter how intelligent/smart you have been in your undergrad .....

In medicine, everything that you will be taught till the day before the midterm/exam will be on the exam. In medicine, professors will usually say "I have to go through these 80 powerpoint slides in 1 hour, you can send a written complaint to the education office" .... in medicine, your eyes will be stressed to the point that youd fear you are going to become blind ... in medicine you will work with cadavers and will not care if you eat food afterwards wearing the same gloves ... in medicine you wont be able to differentiate between a good cologne and the smell of a cadaver ...

Jazakallah. It’s good to know what's there in my way.

However, that’s life, it’s struggling. It’s a trial and I have do the best I can and leave the rest to Allah swt. I see it's very hard and stressful... But I have my motivation with me and I think that will help me carry on.

you wont have time to get married ... ppl will say that marry a doctor because then both of you will understand the nature of job and will adapt accordingly ...i disagree ... but then thats if you get to marry ....

It depends on the person I marry, would he be understandable and independent, as I won't be there 24/7, or not.

in medicine, if you studying in some other city, you will wake up in the middle of night and want to call your mom asnd just tell her "i miss you so much right now, I am dropping out of school."

In my case it’d be another country insha’Allah..

 

[Asiyah3]

Wa Alaykum Assalaam,

I think a very good idea would be to try and get some work experience so you know exactly what the career will be like. There are many other issues with a career like medicine that you need to think about - mainly the work that comes after the degree (as well as the difficulty in completing the degree!). Look at the working hours, the work environment, the nature of the work, the number of years needed to get to where you want, the difficulty etc. Be aware that although things can be interesting to learn in theory, the practical application isn't always as fun as you might have thought it was. That's why work experience will help you see for yourself Insha'Allaah. A career like medicine needs a very big commitment, and being only 65% interested might not be enough...

Jazakallah. No, I'm 100% interested in medicine. As I've always been interested in medicine, it took all my attention, which is why I never checked any other profession. At this stage I wanted to take a step back and take a look at my other options too to increase my knowledge.

I said I’m 65% more inclined towards medicine because I didn't want to make it seem like I’ve 100% made my decision and won’t consider anything else you suggest.

Just to offer another suggestion in case you didn't think of it, have you considered dentistry? The career path is much shorter than medicine - although the length of degree is the same, you don't need to spend a lot of time training after that. But if desired, a person can specialise in particular areas of dentistry. I think the working hours and pay are pretty good - I know a couple of people who only work a few days or less in a week. The degree will still require hard work, but in the long run I don't think it's as stressful as medicine. Moreover, there is less contact required between practitioner and patient, whereas in medicine you need to be prepared to undertake various physical examinations and so on...

Thank you for reminding me. I ran into dentistry many times and thought to research it more, but forgot as medicine took my thoughts.

At the moment my list goes:

1. Medicine
2. Dentistry
3. Pharmacy or teaching

I’d like to emphasize that it’s VERY VERY hard for me to be admitted to medicine. The competition is very tough and I'm not a top student at school.

But I have a chance and I need to work hard to make the numbers I need.

If you're still open to other ideas... there are quite a few other careers in the health profession, but they will need researching. There's nursing (various types, including nurses that work in the community), speech and language therapist... a long list really, but each needs to be looked into in greater detail to see if it's suitabe work for a Muslim woman and a good job in general.

Nursing doesn't have enough challenges for me and speech therapist I don't have the interest. I know those were just examples, but till now I haven’t ran into anything else (than the possible ones I've mentioned) I'd like.

I personally think teaching is a good profession and if you decide not to go into healthcare, it's a good alternative. I don't know much about the pay, but it can be a rewarding career. But there are things to look into like the amount of time needed preparing for lessons and being able to control pupils... perhaps that is less of a problem when teaching younger children.

In Finland teaching is a very good profession and the salary is also good. Even though I like children and I enjoy teaching, I've spent most of my life in school and I wouldn't want to stay in school forever. Also too much routine.

At the end of the day, you can pick any profession and find people who like it and people who don't, positive and negative points. You need to understand what it's like to work in that field as best you can and decide whether it is something suited to you. Remember to seek the guidance of Allaah (swt) before making any decision (pray Istikharah), and place your trust in Almighty Allaah.

True. Jazakallah for the advice.

Regarding marriage - it is possible to get married whilst still a student... I guess it's a matter of how determined you are to make things work. I know 2 people who got married when they were about to begin their 4th years if I remember correctly, and one person who is in their final year and will be getting married soon Insha'Allaah!

I don't know what the future will bring me, I haven't been married, don’t know what kind of a person I’ll marry or how I’ll be myself. But I can't imagine myself turn someone down only because I'm studying..

 

[جوري]

I always knew that doctors went to school for a long time but I thought they pay off at the end was great. Working at mcdonalds...

Yeah believe me it is possible.. go visit forums made for doctors and medical students and see how many people after the hell they've been through don't get into residencies of their choice or residencies all together, those who are let go from their program, those whose license is revoked or suspended and then look at the work hours for the alleged pay and then look at the taxes taken and the debt that has to be paid. By no means am I discouraging anyone from going into medicine.. in fact Most doctors I am surrounded by are Muslims and I think it is because Islam emphasizes hard work and discipline.. it isn't just a difficult road and a mansion awaits at the end.. One day you can actually wake up feeling you've lost out on everything, marriage, a solid career at a respectable point in your life, children, and enjoyed the company of your loved ones before they drop around you one by one.

and then everyone thinks you have no cause to complain, what could you possibly have to complain about? you can't even get sick? you get sick, you are a doctor and you get sick? you can't have emotional problems? you, you are a doctor and have emotional problems? Everyone waits for you to fall, fail, falter so they can have a field day with you. I have come so close to losing my religion several times astghfor Allah il3atheem, not knowing whether God had hand picked me for misery.. The only sobering thing is when I meet with patients far worse off and see them hanging on against the odds.. that makes it worth it in my opinion.

two weeks ago, I had a Moroccan family, whose beautiful daughter was getting surgery a posterior spinal fusion for a huge cobb angle, she was also blind, completely incontinent of feces and urine, and dependent on her mother for everything .. May Allah swt grant that woman and her husband sabr, I don't know what will become of that sweet girl after her parents are no longer of this world. Her mother was sitting with the Quran for 9 hours praying, I came out of the OR to talk to them often because in spite of all of this, she was so saboora and so grateful that Allah swt was making her surgery go smoothly.. Sob7an Allah that is the only thing at all that makes this miserable road worth it.. but it isn't what other people think or see..

It is a decision that needs contemplation!


'

 

[جوري]

Honestly I haven't thought about medicine with marriage before. Though I prefer to get married while in uni and before I'm 25, I have my plans in life and I don't think I should let marriage get in my way.

Try well in your thirties before you are able to settle down, if everything else on the side works out and you have a smooth road with no stumbling blocks anywhere.. Believe me I know what it is like not to be marriage oriented. But then everyone around you one by one your friends, already have school aged children while you are sitting there with your books basically married to them!

 

[Woodrow]

If your hear and aptitude is set on a medical career. Do not let anything discourage you from following that goal. But keep in mind that it is essential to keep a back up plan in place.


Some things to keep in mind:

1. Very few students are accepted fro the pre-med program at most Universities.

2. If accepted for pre-med keep in mind that after 4 years of hard work only a few who complete pre-med will be accepted for Med School

3. If accepted for Med school and you do complete it, only about half who complete med school will be accepted for an internship.

4. The reality is that out of all who enter into the life of pursuing a medical career, only a very small number will ever become licensed practicing doctors and of those many will give up the field after just a few years, finding that the medical field was not what they anticipated.

So from the moment you begin thinking of a medical career, keep a back-up plan in place.