I think it depends on whether you want to spend your time looking at assholes or working with them....
Absolutely no f***ing question - medical school. Just remember 2 things: 1. Doctors can't successfully invest their own money and 2. You need to take lots of dual before you buy your new C210.
Choosing between Medical school and becoming a pilot? Rough.
Moderators: North Shore, sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, Right Seat Captain, lilfssister
Re: Choosing between Medical school and becoming a pilot? Rough.
"What's it doing now?"
"Fly low and slow and throttle back in the turns."
"Fly low and slow and throttle back in the turns."
Re: Choosing between Medical school and becoming a pilot? Rough.
xsbank wrote:I think it depends on whether you want to spend your time looking at assholes or working with them....
Absolutely no f***ing question - medical school. Just remember 2 things: 1. Doctors can't successfully invest their own money and 2. You need to take lots of dual before you buy your new C210.
After having a long talk with my father, I have decided to go into flight school. As for the assholes, I not only hope I wonèt look at them, but frankly, I'd advise them to stay away!
You're right about the investment thingie though hehe Because the sky is the limit...!
-
Radical.Edward
- Rank 1
- Posts: 22
- Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 9:00 pm
Re: Choosing between Medical school and becoming a pilot? Rough.
Good post "chief," and good posts all around. As people have mentioned this really is a grand opportunity, to go to medical school. It seems you have made your decision, but, if you do decide to become a doctor make sure your heart is fully in it. Not only because of the long hours of study, but obviously because this will be your career... You have the four years of medical school plus the two years of residency with the route to general doctor, and that's the minimum. If you specialize in whatever area the residency is extended.GilletteNorth wrote:In the movie Good Will Hunting, the principal character Will is a gifted mathematician working as a janitor at MIT. He doesn't acknowledge his gift and believes he should continue working a blue collar existence. His gift is discovered by one of the professors there and Will is encouraged to develop it further by attending college and pursuing a degree. At one point he is talking to his best friend and tell him he thinks he should stick around doing what he has been doing and being one of the guys. His friend immediately tells him that everyone around him would give their left nut for his gift and to get going and stop insulting him by saying he wanted to be 'one of the guys'.
Rimsky, you asked 'what would you do in my place'? I'd become a doctor. If I had the ability to do it, I wouldn't hesitate. Once you get your doctorate and start working you'll easily make enough money to buy your own plane and get your license and fly to your hearts content. Many people have the ability to become a pilot, few have the ability to become a doctor. I'm only disappointed by the fact you stated you wanted to become a doctor because of the prestige in doing so, rather than because you are interested in it.
It really is a matter of preference as to what kind of doctor you become, there are many streams; people will choose to be a general doctor because that's what they really want to do. As for those recommendations, I think those are from a prestige and financial standpoint as neurosurgeons have a less desirable lifestyle compared to other specialties (besides financing).RIMsky wrote:...Then again, the medical field is complicated as well. If you specialize in neurosurgery or cardiology, then it is highly recommended. If it is to be a general doctor, hmm, it can pass...
Good luck,
Ed
Re: Choosing between Medical school and becoming a pilot? Rough.
Doctors can still fly for fun on the weekends, pilots who do surgery in their basement on the weekends get arrested...
don't ask how I know
don't ask how I know
No trees were harmed in the transmission of this message. However, a rather large number of electrons were temporarily inconvenienced.
Re: Choosing between Medical school and becoming a pilot? Rough.
I thought of the question a lot. Although I really think it is not for me, maybe I should go, or maybe not. It still isn't too late, as I have sent my money to guarantee my place. But I really am aiming to be a pilot. I am still young (19, turning 20 soon) at this point, and to be frank, being a pilot is what I've always dreamed of. I got accepted, but that does not make it any easier for me to say yes to it. Mainly, it's the coaches in the back (parents), that pushed me forward towards medical school. It never was my choice. It's exactly like living the bad dream that is unavoidable.
Then again, I had this very same discussion with my parents, and what it is they said goes exactly like this: '' YOU ARE YOUNG AND FOOLISH! '' Do this now, and THEN BECOME a PILOT.
I know being in the pilot industry, is ''wooh!'', like a sinusoidal curb. It can be full of excitement, hardships, hard work, and nothing is truly given, you have to work hard for it, and then out of nowhere, it can all disappear like the ''poof'' after September the 11th, 2001. To reply to THEICEMAN, the school in question is not McGill.
I think it is more of a spiritual decision to make here, and not one that is easily done. The program that I applied in will take 6 years of my life, without any specialty. Then again, a normal degree will take 3 years.
It's a hard decision, and I am very mixed up at the current moment. I have seen many pilots encourage me to take this direction? Why? There aren't enough openings in the aviation industry? Am I really that crazy to become a pilot? Should I change careers?
The way I see a medical career is: You are a doctor. You see sick people. You diagnose them. You touch them, make them feel better, smile, eventhough they're sick. I have prooven these qualities through volunteering, actually more than 400 hours in the last 5 years of my life. I have prooven to people that I can and could eventually be a good doctor, but deep down, in my heart, I know that I might get bored, and actually become irritated at some point, by the sole fact of seeing, sick person after sick person in the same office or artificially litten headquarters.
Then I start to think of the piloting career. Which to me sounds a bit like this: A day, in the open skies, be they dark or light, rainy or foggy, sunny or snowy. The grand north, maybe exploring africa, eurasia, even south-america, and maybe one day reaching the south pole. Starting on a small plane, carying luggage, foods, and here I quote James Ball from his book, flying ''dead bodies and corpses''. Living the adventure that no doctor ever could, nor that no little desk or office could ever assure. I do not want to be the one that flies on sunny sundays, that makes a trip to have dinner at Mont-Tremblant and then head back to Montreal.
I want to get on a plane at 3 in the morning and head out to a destination. I want to judge if the weather is good or bad, I want to be the one speaking on the intercom announcing the weather to the passengers, winking at the air hostess (hopefully a cute one). I think you all get my point....
The only thing that discourages me now, actually it doesn't change my goal of being a pilot, but makes me feel a bit bad about making the actual choice, is the sole fact that all the pilots are saying to go for the MD instead of the piloting industry. What do you people think of me having the MD at the age of 26, and becoming a pilot at the age of 27...28 even? Won't it be too late? If not wouldn't it be more viable to take the way I am thinking of taking now, which is to get my pilot's license and a degree that lasts 3 years instead of 6?
I think about getting off the ground every day. I do practice flights on flight simulator daily to attenuate this desire to get off of the ground, I even fly while I do my homework, it's become more than a passion to me. You guys might chuckle at this, but I take it very seriously what I do. Everyone in the house KNOWS that when I am doing my Saaab 2000 or King Air flight from Montreal to Kujuaq, or any whatsoever destination, that I am NOT to be DISTURBED. To me it is a passion. And unless I lose my vision, GOD FORBID, or anything else happens to me healthwise, I really think and still strongly sustain that this is what I want to do.
I find it great that you all put an effort to provide me with really good input. Actually, it is awesom input. It made me question myself, and there is not better input than the one that makes you do that. I will still collect your opinions if you are all willing to share. I haven't said no to the admission yet, nor yes. I am still weighing things out. Obviously the choice here is more than difficult.
Thank you all and hoping to hear more from y'all
RIMsky.
Then again, I had this very same discussion with my parents, and what it is they said goes exactly like this: '' YOU ARE YOUNG AND FOOLISH! '' Do this now, and THEN BECOME a PILOT.
I know being in the pilot industry, is ''wooh!'', like a sinusoidal curb. It can be full of excitement, hardships, hard work, and nothing is truly given, you have to work hard for it, and then out of nowhere, it can all disappear like the ''poof'' after September the 11th, 2001. To reply to THEICEMAN, the school in question is not McGill.
I think it is more of a spiritual decision to make here, and not one that is easily done. The program that I applied in will take 6 years of my life, without any specialty. Then again, a normal degree will take 3 years.
It's a hard decision, and I am very mixed up at the current moment. I have seen many pilots encourage me to take this direction? Why? There aren't enough openings in the aviation industry? Am I really that crazy to become a pilot? Should I change careers?
The way I see a medical career is: You are a doctor. You see sick people. You diagnose them. You touch them, make them feel better, smile, eventhough they're sick. I have prooven these qualities through volunteering, actually more than 400 hours in the last 5 years of my life. I have prooven to people that I can and could eventually be a good doctor, but deep down, in my heart, I know that I might get bored, and actually become irritated at some point, by the sole fact of seeing, sick person after sick person in the same office or artificially litten headquarters.
Then I start to think of the piloting career. Which to me sounds a bit like this: A day, in the open skies, be they dark or light, rainy or foggy, sunny or snowy. The grand north, maybe exploring africa, eurasia, even south-america, and maybe one day reaching the south pole. Starting on a small plane, carying luggage, foods, and here I quote James Ball from his book, flying ''dead bodies and corpses''. Living the adventure that no doctor ever could, nor that no little desk or office could ever assure. I do not want to be the one that flies on sunny sundays, that makes a trip to have dinner at Mont-Tremblant and then head back to Montreal.
I want to get on a plane at 3 in the morning and head out to a destination. I want to judge if the weather is good or bad, I want to be the one speaking on the intercom announcing the weather to the passengers, winking at the air hostess (hopefully a cute one
). I think you all get my point....The only thing that discourages me now, actually it doesn't change my goal of being a pilot, but makes me feel a bit bad about making the actual choice, is the sole fact that all the pilots are saying to go for the MD instead of the piloting industry. What do you people think of me having the MD at the age of 26, and becoming a pilot at the age of 27...28 even? Won't it be too late? If not wouldn't it be more viable to take the way I am thinking of taking now, which is to get my pilot's license and a degree that lasts 3 years instead of 6?
I think about getting off the ground every day. I do practice flights on flight simulator daily to attenuate this desire to get off of the ground, I even fly while I do my homework, it's become more than a passion to me. You guys might chuckle at this, but I take it very seriously what I do. Everyone in the house KNOWS that when I am doing my Saaab 2000 or King Air flight from Montreal to Kujuaq, or any whatsoever destination, that I am NOT to be DISTURBED. To me it is a passion. And unless I lose my vision, GOD FORBID, or anything else happens to me healthwise, I really think and still strongly sustain that this is what I want to do.
I find it great that you all put an effort to provide me with really good input. Actually, it is awesom input. It made me question myself, and there is not better input than the one that makes you do that. I will still collect your opinions if you are all willing to share. I haven't said no to the admission yet, nor yes. I am still weighing things out. Obviously the choice here is more than difficult.
Thank you all and hoping to hear more from y'all
RIMsky.
Because the sky is the limit...!
Re: Choosing between Medical school and becoming a pilot? Rough.
Most people I know who have degrees do not work in the field of their degrees.
They get a degree in whatever and do something completely different.
Because you do a degree in medicine it does not mean that you have to be a doctor...
No-one I know regrets having done a degree.
But many including myself regret not having done a degree.
There is this mystique about the bush pilot thing, and the dream perhaps of flying the SAAB from Montreal to parts northwards... But it's not an assured thing.
Flying jobs in Canada are like film roles in Hollywood... They exist for the few lucky ones who are in the right place, at the right time, and who's face fits.
Like many extras in the film business, as glamourous as it might be, most of us starve sometimes.
One of the most respected men of my acquaintance was Doctor Harper who died last year at a ripe old age.
He'd learned to fly early in his life and was flying into his late 80's.
This man was a family man who raised happy children, and they inturn brought happy grandchildren into the World.
The Harpers had enough to own aeroplanes, a cottage on a lake, enough to travel, and they had many adventures in little aeroplanes.
To all who knew him, Dr Harper was a very generous man and he was altruistic.
What I am suggesting is that you must find your best talents, and you must use them for good.
You can have both the doctoring and the flying... If your volunteer work has shown you have a talent to be a doctor, then you would be ill advised to ignore that talent.
Follow your heart is always the best option. Only you can look into that heart and know what it is telling you.
Doctor Harper was a wonderful man, and his life was greatly appreciated by all who knew him.
For all of us, to live a life that is good and honourable while achieving our dreams, and using our talents, is a life that will always earn the respect of your peers.
Who knows, one day we might meet in the jungle somewhere, when you land that Cessna 185 on the strip to bring medicine to the natives
There's always work for flying doctors.
They get a degree in whatever and do something completely different.
Because you do a degree in medicine it does not mean that you have to be a doctor...
No-one I know regrets having done a degree.
But many including myself regret not having done a degree.
There is this mystique about the bush pilot thing, and the dream perhaps of flying the SAAB from Montreal to parts northwards... But it's not an assured thing.
Flying jobs in Canada are like film roles in Hollywood... They exist for the few lucky ones who are in the right place, at the right time, and who's face fits.
Like many extras in the film business, as glamourous as it might be, most of us starve sometimes.
One of the most respected men of my acquaintance was Doctor Harper who died last year at a ripe old age.
He'd learned to fly early in his life and was flying into his late 80's.
This man was a family man who raised happy children, and they inturn brought happy grandchildren into the World.
The Harpers had enough to own aeroplanes, a cottage on a lake, enough to travel, and they had many adventures in little aeroplanes.
To all who knew him, Dr Harper was a very generous man and he was altruistic.
What I am suggesting is that you must find your best talents, and you must use them for good.
You can have both the doctoring and the flying... If your volunteer work has shown you have a talent to be a doctor, then you would be ill advised to ignore that talent.
Follow your heart is always the best option. Only you can look into that heart and know what it is telling you.
Doctor Harper was a wonderful man, and his life was greatly appreciated by all who knew him.
For all of us, to live a life that is good and honourable while achieving our dreams, and using our talents, is a life that will always earn the respect of your peers.
Who knows, one day we might meet in the jungle somewhere, when you land that Cessna 185 on the strip to bring medicine to the natives
There's always work for flying doctors.
Re: Choosing between Medical school and becoming a pilot? Rough.
Go to Med School - AND STAY IN CANADA
Re: Choosing between Medical school and becoming a pilot? Rough.
Yup. med school then fly. We especially need a Proctologist on this board 
But seriously, if the forecasts and trend continues, you'll be done in 7 years with a specialty, and the industry wont have all the pilots currently forecasted. Lots of time to get in while still having the option to provide your family with a more stable option if the industry is down the tubes again.
People don't always fly, but they sure will get sick.
But seriously, if the forecasts and trend continues, you'll be done in 7 years with a specialty, and the industry wont have all the pilots currently forecasted. Lots of time to get in while still having the option to provide your family with a more stable option if the industry is down the tubes again.
People don't always fly, but they sure will get sick.
RATE ONE, C'MON MAN! RATE ONE! Oh jeez we're gonna get violated!
