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Dot_Hack

Short version of the story:
I want to be a doctor(psychiatrist) and everything was going according to plan, but it all suddenly derailed.

My dad got hurt at work and will probably have to get a surgery, which means no work. Plus he's retiring in a few years.

My sister is out of a job and I have no clue when she's going to get one.

My older brother just got married and is spending way too much money, so he's of no help.

So, what I'm trying to figure out (from the people who know something about this) is should I continue to go to school or should I change my major so that I don't have to wait 10 years before I can help my family?

Do you know anybody who has become a doctor and if so, were they solely dependent on loans?

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Reefer Madness

Are you still doing your electives or have you started into your major courses.

Also what year are you on?

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Dot_Hack

I'm at the end of my freshmen year of college, I chose to do all my pre-req electives in my first year, so those are all out of the way.

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Xenonight2

Keep going to school.

Yr education is an investment.

A medical degree is one of the best degrees you can get, and you will have no trouble finding work with it. However, it is also one of the most difficult and stressful and time consuming degrees to get.

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Dot_Hack

Well, I'm going to finish school, I just don't know if I can afford to be a doctor. The extra money and time spent could be spent helping out my parents. I current problem is if I don't help them, then nobody will.

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Xenonight2

Does yr dad have insurance?

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bonneau_14

Or a pension?

That's what your parents live on after he retires. If he is retiring soon, then he should have had enough time to build up a pension to sustain them for alot longer than 10 years. A work injury involving surgery shouldn't be too expensive, it's not like he's got cancer or needs a kidney. A torn ligament or something is what you'd see from a work injury, which would only be a few months off of work. If he's permanently ****ed out of work, there should be some sort of settlement.

If you want to be a doctor, you're going to be in debt no matter what (unless your parents are loaded).

I'm getting the feeling you're not too old, are you? No offense meant, but I'd guess you're still 2-3 years from graduating?

Keep in mind, i'm not from the US.

Dot_Hack

He will have enough to keep him going for a few years,but...I don't know. I always imaged that my parents would spend their adulthood vacationing and relaxing, not paying off bills. Plus, I always wanted to go and live on my own, but if I go to med-school, I'll be so broke for those years that I'll have to live at home.

Plus, I'm in no real hurry to make up my mind. I still have a few months. I guess I'm still young (18).

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Pok

You should look at other jobs in the medical field, it's what I did, and I'm more than happy I didn't decide to do the doctor thing (Even though, I was asked to help teach a lab for one of their first year courses... It was a lot easier than what I went through... Bastards got a break after an hour and a half to go eat cookies, do puzzles, and goof off. It was only a three hour lab.).

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bonneau_14

I don't know much about med school, but if it's anything like regular univerisity I'd suggest taking very broad courses for the first year and then decide if you really want to precede as planned.

18 years old is the right time to be thinking about this crap, just don't set your plans in stone.

I think you may be worrying too much, I'm sure everything will work out.