[Anonymous]

Has anyone wished they had gone into the medical field instead of accounting? I am 23 and have a Bachelor of Science in accounting. I currently work as an auditor for a major corporation. I make good money and the hours are pretty nice, but quite frankly, I do not foresee myself doing this forever, and wish I had pursued my original dream of being a pediatrician. I did not at the time because I am well aware of the fierce competition to get into medical school, but now, curiosity has once again resurfaced.

I am just wondering, how realistic is this? There is heavy competition to get into medical school year in and year out. And at the very bare minimum, before I can even be considered for medical school, I would have to take two semesters of general biology, one semester of organic chemistry, and one semester of inorganic chemistry. Thoughts, comments, suggestions?

[RopinC]

My 2 cents worth; think you should try another area of accounting. Not saying to give up your dream of becoming a Dr, but you sound more frustrated with not making a difference. I do consulting for profit and not for profits. Seminars to help small business launch, raise financial awareness. So what in saying, I feel like I make a huge impact in our community and feel very blessed to help so many.

I had been other areas though that I felt exactly how you do. Waiting a couple years is going to put you closer, statically, to marriage and a family. Your goals will become a lot more challenging. Of course everything is possible, I am doing this with a family and run a business, but things would've been a lot easier prior.

Just my 2 cents. 😉

Here we go......?

REG - April 06, 2013 PASSED
AUD
FAR
BEC

[RopinC]

My 2 cents worth; think you should try another area of accounting. Not saying to give up your dream of becoming a Dr, but you sound more frustrated with not making a difference. I do consulting for profit and not for profits. Seminars to help small business launch, raise financial awareness. So what in saying, I feel like I make a huge impact in our community and feel very blessed to help so many.

I had been other areas though that I felt exactly how you do. Waiting a couple years is going to put you closer, statically, to marriage and a family. Your goals will become a lot more challenging. Of course everything is possible, I am doing this with a family and run a business, but things would've been a lot easier prior.

Just my 2 cents. 😉

Here we go......?

REG - April 06, 2013 PASSED
AUD
FAR
BEC

[jelly]

Look into the academic requirements again, as it looks like taking the MCAT exam requires knowledge from 2 semesters in physics, and 2 semesters each in organic and inorganic chemistry as well.

Couldn't pass again!

[Anonymous]

@RopinC You're precisely right. I'm thinking of transferring after 1 year (cause we have to work 1 year before we move around within the company). Right now, I'm thinking of transferring to our corporate audit division, but I have to get to the one year mark first lol (right now at 2 months). And as for marriage/family, honestly, I don't mind falling in love and getting married. Then that would completely eliminate any chances of me going back or even wanting to go back to school for a medical career. Also it would be cool to meet the move of my love and get married in the next couple of years.

@Casagarber That's encouraging. Thanks. And who knows, maybe I'll join you in liking the accounting profession one day. Just curious, why do you like this profession / choose it over optometry?

@jelly Yeah definitely man. The perquisite courses, MCAT, getting accepted, medical school itself and residency, it's a very difficult path to say the least. Which is why I'm going to try to just pass the CPA exam for the time being and then transfer to another area after one year and then go from there.

[Anonymous]

My recent experiences with the medical establishment have not been positive ones, and God knows I've been to too many doctors lately. I believe that if you want to be a doctor then you need to follow that dream. The difference between a dream and reality are a plan and hard work.

[nbad311]

@Determined_To_Succeed: I started college pre-vet (bio major) but got killed by chemistry classes again and again and ended up taking a semester “off” biology to get some business classes, in which I was recruited by the accounting department head at my school and sold out to the thought of a paid internship (In hindsight, I wonder if I just wasn't studying enough for those chem classes – seeing how much I study to pass the CPA, and how much more it is than ANYTHING I did in college…. hard to tell a 21-year old to study 20 hours a week though!)

Do I like “accounting” and my job? The work – ehhhhhh. I'm going to say NO, I don't like accounting. However, my co-workers, the schedule consistency and no overtime of a non-public job, and THE PAY are what make it tolerable.. make it good. Vet school is competitve and even if I made it through, I don't think I would've had the academic resume to compete for a spot in vet school. Did you have a good GPA in your undergrad studies? Can you dedicate hard work and study skills to getting more A's and B's in those upper-level science classes you'd need? (probably no problem after conquering the CPA!).

Science is my true love, but I couldn't cut it. Music is what I'm better than anything at, yet I know this doesn't pay the bills I'd have. Accounting was in the middle; I don't love or hate it, yet it pays well. Money doesn't make the world go 'round….. but really it sort of does. I've been lucky enough to be comfy and have some good times in my mid-late 20s due to having a decent accounting job since the day I graduated college.

You're 23, that's very young. If you have what it takes in terms of grades to compete for a spot in med school, and good study skills and habits to go back to school for some tough classes, go for it!

REG - 65, 70, 80!
BEC - 35, 62, 79!
AUD - 73, 75!
FAR - 65, 73, 70, 75! DONE.

[Author]

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