Heeding the call: Becoming a doctor at this Late Hour

Hello ATS!

I am a 36 year old Art teacher who has recently heard the call to Medicine.

In the fall, I will be attending a Post Bacchalaureate Pre Med Program at a local University to prepare me to become a doctor.

Even though I realize that it will take years, I am looking forward to the experience, and I am starting this thread to get your thoughts, advice or general theories about my situation.

Any doctors in the house?

Teaching is wonderful, but it just isn't a way to help humanity directly, in a concrete way.

AM I just crazy, or is anyone else out there making the switch to something more directly helpful to his or her fellow human beings?

I guess I'm asking if my story is a singularity or if other ATS'ers are feeling motivated to do more...

Any replies are truly appreciated, thanks in advance!

May I make a suggestion that is not at all pointed at moving you away from your goal?
Take an EMT course. It's absolutely wonderful work. From there, move on to Paramedics.
Both are shorter to learn and greater to care in my opinion.
Also - you'd be getting your 'hands dirty' right off - saves the time really to still answer your 'call' without waiting 6 years on 'hold'.
Just a suggestion. I truly hope you luck and patience and fortitude in whatever you choose!
peace

reply to post by silo13


Thought about that, but decided that keeping someone alive long enough to get them to the hospital is not the same as fixing whatever may be ailing them. It's worth the time for me to be able to know how to fix what's wrong, not merely bandage it. Thanks for your reply!

reply to post by jimnuggits





Fixing what's wrong is more of a modern day RN's job. MD's have a very large group of patients during their shifts, thus spending little time with each of them. RN's depending on the unit (ICU-- 1-2 patients, med surg 6-8, step down 4-8), cover ALL the bases: nutrition, skin maintenance/care, medication administration, interpreting lab values, assessing, critical thinking/care planning/prioritization, teaching, are all part of the job. We are the primary care givers in hospitals, not MD's.

Anyway, since you already have a BA, you can take some nursing prereq's and apply to a 1 year accelerated program. If you want to advance from just a basic RN, you can look into NP, which enables you to give medical diagnoses upon assessments and prescribe medication just like a MD. That would require a masters and DNP.

OP I'm glad to have come across your thread this morning! aha

I am actually very much in the same situation as yourself. I just started going back to school for my Pre-Med program, as I had previously gone to school for Finance (what a farce, I know!).

I am no doctor, but like you, I hope to be one day soon.
I hope to encourage you to keep motivated and to see your goal through to the end!
I, for one, know how long and arduous Medical studies can become, but I am sure you will be better off in the end!

From one fella to another, good luck brother!

Originally posted by jimnuggits
Hello ATS!

I am a 36 year old Art teacher who has recently heard the call to Medicine.

In the fall, I will be attending a Post Bacchalaureate Pre Med Program at a local University to prepare me to become a doctor.

Even though I realize that it will take years, I am looking forward to the experience, and I am starting this thread to get your thoughts, advice or general theories about my situation.

Any doctors in the house?

Teaching is wonderful, but it just isn't a way to help humanity directly, in a concrete way.

AM I just crazy, or is anyone else out there making the switch to something more directly helpful to his or her fellow human beings?

I guess I'm asking if my story is a singularity or if other ATS'ers are feeling motivated to do more...

Any replies are truly appreciated, thanks in advance!

I just wanted to say, don't dis-credit what art teachers do. You can help people in so many small ways... It may not seem like you're doing much, but to the students it may be big. Not to sound cliche, but Art has saved my life. It is my therapy, my meditation, it keeps me sane in a crazy world. I might not have that outlet if it weren't for the teachers who helped inspire me to pursue it when I was young. I'm not trying to talk you out of it, just showing some love and sharing my thoughts.

As a physician trained in both western medicine and tcm (traditional chinese medicine) would like to say hang in there and study hard - the reward is worth it. just remember patients come first dont become just another pill-pusher for big pharma. good luck to you hope you do well.

I'm in a similar boat at the moment... I am 33, have a foreign language degree (which I do not use) and work in the petroleum industry. About a year ago I decided that I could no longer live with myself if I didn't do something, anything, to get myself out of a job where my sole purpose is to make rich people richer, and into a job where I'm actually do something good for someone and making a difference on a human level. So, I'm in the process of taking math and science prerequisites (which I did not need for my first degree) and have found a 14-month RN program to apply to once I finish with them.

It's certainly hard work, as I'm a single mom and still work my fulltime job, but it will most definitely be worth it in the end! Good luck to you in your studies, OP!!!

ETA: I'm glad I stumbled across this post. I had no idea so many people are going back to school in order to help people! Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside Also makes me doubt myself a little less

reply to post by bekisu


I am certainly not discrediting what art teachers do, I 'are' one.

I just feel that doctors get to aid their fellow humans in a way that can mean the difference between life and death.

Art teachers, abstractly perhaps, but not so much.

I am really torn about giving up teaching, I love what I do. But I still feel that being a Doctor is the ultimate in service to others, and I feel like I have an intellect that will be naturally suited to it.

Teaching Art is great, but it leaves my intellect twiddling its thumbs sometimes....

reply to post by DustbowlDebutante


That is part of the reason why I started this thread, I wanted to see how many others are feeling the impulse to go back to school and get better educated to help their fellow humans.... Thanks for posting! (maybe we'll see each other on campus)

reply to post by Expat888


That is really interesting, because I would love to be trained in both disciplines of medicine... I believe that that is the future of medicine, a blending of west and east... Tell me more!

Congrats. OP - I think this is commendable, but more importantly I'm glad to read you have found your way. You aren't alone.

reply to post by jimnuggits


My only advice would be to follow your heart and do what you love, whether it be a career in medicine, teaching, or any other field.

I was absolutely convinced that a career in medicine was what I was destined to do, but after less than two years in practice, I walked away from it, choosing instead to pursue a career as a military officer. (non-medical corps) After a decade of service to my country I resigned my commission, earned my securities license, and worked as a financial advisor. That lasted almost three years before I was once again drawn to my original calling in medicine. The road to return to the medical field was rough, but I ultimately prevailed and returned to my original calling.

Sometimes life will lead us down less trodden paths that we feel may hinder our progress, however my experience has been that changing careers strengthened my commitment to my medical career. I was blessed with experiencing a multitude of career fields, a diversity of professional knowledge, and a much more broad understanding of how to deal with people from various other walks of life.

While medicine certainly requires strict professional knowledge, many fail to understand that in order to stand out in said field you must also be able to relate to people. To communicate and empathize. Some of my most rewarding moments are rooted in the medical field, but I've also experienced some of the most painful and heartbreaking moments of my life there too. It can be a rollercoaster ride with high peaks and swooping lows, but the real question is asked when the ride comes to a halt and you ask yourself, "Was it all worth it?" I'd have to answer "ABSOLUTELY."