I have read on many posts from people that quitting their current job was easy and what followed that was hard.
I am contemplating leaving my job and would like to understand the problems people faced.
Here are few I can think of:
- Financial - will go into debt
- Won’t be able to support my parents or little sister, if they need something
- Won’t be making international trips to see my family for a while
- No more HH with my single girl-friends
- now this is easy, but I will loose few of them for sure. 
- Move to a cheaper place/neighbourhood
- Won’t be planning a family anytime soon
- Will be looking for a part-time job (in a while) that will give me some flexibility to attend school
- Will loose Health Insurance
- Social trauma of friends/family not approving a decision to leave a settled career for “uncertainity”
What else? Please help.
I have read on many posts from people that quitting their current job was easy and what followed that was hard.
I am contemplating leaving my job and would like to understand the problems people faced.
Here are few I can think of:
1. Financial - will go into debt
2. Won't be able to support my parents or little sister, if they need something
3. Won't be making international trips to see my family for a while
4. No more HH with my single girl-friends
- now this is easy, but I will loose few of them for sure.
5. Move to a cheaper place/neighbourhood
6. Won't be planning a family anytime soon
7. Will be looking for a part-time job (in a while) that will give me some flexibility to attend school
8. Will loose Health Insurance
9. Social trauma of friends/family not approving a decision to leave a settled career for "uncertainity"
What else? Please help.
Personally, I find the med school journey and life's journey too for that matter, to be largely based on one's "perspective". For example, if you come from a wealthy family and you yourself, have a very good income as a young adult (6 figures +), then perhaps you'll see the med school journey as "hard" if you have to make any or all of the sacrifices you named.
I don't necessarily agree that most of what's on your list has to be the case should you attend med school, but then I tend to be a "half-full" type of person.
Well, nothing to be happy about when one looks at your list.
Although, the real question is perhaps, now that you have all these things, are you happy? If not, then they do not matter to your happiness.
You can have anything, you can’t have everything. You have to make choices. Happiness comes at a price, sometimes steep. Yet, being happy is priceless I believe.
I don’t agree with some your points.
The family thing. Here many have families and are doing fine (Gabe has 4 daughters!).
I am at the point where my career change has started for a while. I have a family, I have a part-time job, my income has decreases substantially, I went to France twice this summer (using some savings). I am extremely happy about the choices I made. Is it easy? No, my wife and I are tired with the kids. I watch them during the day, teach at night and go to school night and week-end.
But it is more than worth it.
I believe you have to find your path and make your choice. Once made, things will seem better. Don’t think about what you lose, but more about what you have to gain.
pathdr2b and redo-it-all,
Thanks for your replies.
I grew up in a family where we got by every month just fine, nothing extraordinary. Never had a car or any vacation … and weekend, really what is that - just Sat/Sun? Well I grew up in a third world country and never had a concept of “having fun” until I started travelling for my job. Then I wanted a car. My dad drives my first car. 
And, since I am single and a foreigner (with no family here and they do not want to come) … banks kind of do not look at me being a good candidate to loan money. Well, that was 3 years ago (maybe it has changed) when I wanted to buy home - they declined my loan application as I had no debt. The loan officer was apologizing for the interesting logic. At this point, it seems like a blessing in disguise as I can use my savings to pay for school … but I absolutely want to be sure that I am not putting myself in a situation where I have to drop out for financial reasons.
So, just asking to validate and check every insecurity I have.
Redo - The choice is clear. No more doubts. Now working on a plan.
Single and foreigner = Irresponsible, for the bank. High Risk category! Wait - But I have no debt … that makes it worst!
There were few pennies of mine what went into TARP money this bank received.
After that day - I believe “It is what it is” is a very discouraging statement.
ChicBrownie -
One thing occurs to me. I would get a credit account of some kind and purchase stuff with it, and pay it off immediately (one that does not charge you interest during a “grace period”. This could be a store credit card - many of them let you use them to charge a clothing purchase and then pay it immediately in cash at the register. It’s jumping thru hoops, but this establishes a credit history for you (of someone who pays back what they borrowed).
This will come in handy after you finish your prerequisites and get accepted to medical school (see the positive thinking here!), and want to borrow money for medical school. That’s when you want a good credit history.
Re. helping out your parents or little sister - I did try to have some savings put aside (it’s not a lot) so that if one of my kids has an emergency I can help them out. I also told them the very limited nature of that, and encouraged them to start savings for their own emergency account, as this helps one avoid going into debt during temporary problems (such as a car needing repairs for one to get to work to keep making money). They had enough advance warning to adjust their expectations.
Kate
Kate- Both the ideas are great and practical.
I am working on establishing credit history. They need minimum of 5 years, which I am getting close to.
AND setting up Emergency fund - perfect … sets boudaries and takes away doubt.
Thanks once again. At this rate, I will have to take you out for a drink/coffee, if and when we meet - maybe next conference or something.
Your kids must love ya!
ChicBrownie – I lost my job due to the economy more than a year and a half ago, so technically I didn’t “leave” it to go to school. But I did decide to go to school and not have a job. So my husband and I are doing everything (including paying the mortgage on the house we bought when we both had quite good jobs) on one salary. I know this is not the same situation as yours, but I do have one general comment about the idea of going to school and not working:
Think about all the POSITIVE things that this situation will bring:
- More time to study. Obviously, this is SO important, since good grades are key to getting in to me school!
- Time to meet NEW friends who are in the same boat you are (including non-trad pre-meds!). You can study with these people, or go out for “cheap” thrills like a cup of coffee and they will understand not wanting to do expensive things because they won’t have money either.
- Time to research med schools, make contact with them, even perhaps visit them (make sure you’ve bought a copy of the MSAR from the AAMC – this is the pre-med’s bible in terms of med school’s requirements etc. if you’re going the MD route)
- Time to volunteer
- Time to research (if you want to, and if you can find a research opportunity)
- Time to shadow other physicians
The list goes on.
(Obviously, you won’t be able to do ALL of the things I put on that list at once, but you get the idea.)
Notice a common thread? TIME. Not working gives you more time to do what you need to do to get in to med school. And that’s what this period of your life is about: preparing yourself and getting in. To do that, time is essential.
That’s my two cents, at least.
Of course, people do this while working. I’m not saying you have to quit your job. I’m just saying that if you’re not working, it gives you more flexibility in terms of what you can accomplish.
Let us know what happens! Best wishes to you.
Funny Even before I read this, I resigned this morning. But reading this reinforces it.
I am so freakin busy that I do not even get time to goto the local school and submit my application (the admission lady wanted me to bring that in to her). I have been trying to write a personal essay and that had not been accomplished in the last one week. Well, I have a meeting at noon – but you know it is not noon for someone else even in US … leave aside the world.
A little nervous, but this will atleast give me time to come up with a really good plan and I will pick up a part-time job if I need to.
Thanks for your inputs - I will probably re-read this thread this evening and post more, if required … it is almost noon … gotta go!
Good luck! Let us know how it went.
I have never been without a job … a bit scary at the moment! Boss asked if counter would help - I told him I got no job. I am just going to take some time off.
The good thing, just resigned and I finished my 2 page long personal statement. I have to make a good impression: as this university’s med school is my first choice.
Now, re-read, re-read and re-read IT until I feel good about it.
Is it ok to send you PM about your past-bacc structure etc.?