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How do I know the career I pick is the best fit for me ?I don't want to go school and pay tons of money just for me to change my mind.

I know for sure I want to be a Trauma Surgeon or a Civil rights lawyer but I'm having a hard time picking the best one out for me.

medicine healthcare lawyer
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Kim’s Answer

Journee,

Have you perhaps considered a career at the intersection of law and medicine? Such as medical malpractice law? Just an idea.

I used to work for Civil Rights Attorneys. It's rewarding work, but it might take five years for a case to work its way through. It's also very frustrating work when the courts hand you a set-back when you thought your argument was a slam-dunk. In law, you will spend a lot of time researching and writing.

I don't know much about trauma surgeons. It seems like you would deal with the patient in front of you, and move on to the next. The rewards, or set-backs, would be pretty quick.

The difference between the speed of the "reward" between law and surgeon might be something to ponder.

Hope this helps!
Kim
Thank you comment icon Oh my thank you i never thought i could do both!! Journee
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Cheri’s Answer

Hi Journee,

It's great that you have many interests and have received helpful advice. It's normal to feel unsure about your future career and to change your mind over time. The careers you're considering will require advanced degrees, so starting with a Bachelor's degree is a good first step. For both law and medical school, you can choose from various majors. Med students often pick a science major like Biology or Chemistry because a strong science background is essential for becoming a doctor. Law students might choose a humanities major like Political Science or English, as these help develop writing skills and an understanding of government and politics.

If one path seems more appealing, you can focus on that. If both interest you, consider taking classes in both humanities and sciences during your first year of college to explore your interests further. Some students even double major, such as in English and Biology, to keep their options open.

You might also want to volunteer at a local hospital to learn more about healthcare careers or get your EMT certification to gain experience in emergency medical care. You can start EMT training once you're 18. For law, consider volunteering or working at a law clinic to see what a lawyer's job is like.

Good luck with your studies! Remember, many professionals change careers or educational paths at least once. The key is to keep learning and work hard in whatever path you choose.
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much i never thought of double majoring!! Journee
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Sarah’s Answer

Hi Journee,

Both career paths can be rewarding, but they are quite different. Try talking to people who work in those fields to see if the jobs match your interests. Volunteering or doing internships in both areas can also help you learn more and guide your decision.

It's common for people to start studying one field and realize later it isn't right for them, and that's okay. I changed my major in my junior year of college, and I still use the skills I learned from my first major every day. All learning is valuable.

Good luck!
Sarah

Sarah recommends the following next steps:

Find Mentors/Indvidual's in the field to talk to
Keep an open mind
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Laurie’s Answer

In the field of medicine, the schooling is tough and takes a lot of time at first. But in the end, the work is very rewarding. No matter where your patients come from or what their issues are, you treat them with dignity and compassion. People in the medical field often stay in their jobs longer than those in other careers.

Laurie recommends the following next steps:

Contact a hospital to sign up to be a volunteer. This will help you to see what goes on, (the sounds, sites, and smells). Volunteering looks great on resumes and college applications, along with helping patients.
Thank you comment icon Thank you! Journee
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Mark’s Answer

Choosing a career as a physician takes a lot of real dedication; To spend over a full decade in training after college takes solid commitment and drive. Also you will need significant self confidence ; but the thing to remember is, being in the health care business means you have to be a real person and by that I mean , you have to talk to patients in plain English and really get to know your patients and don't spend all your time with your head down looking at your laptop and using "big words" which even those patients who have a lot of education because they will not understand. But rather , talk plainly and give the patient time to ask questions . Remember to do a good physical exam of the patient and then engage the patient in discussion ; encourage them to ask questions and always allow them to have a part in the decision-making process regarding their treatment. Some would say this is the "art" of being a good doctor but all physicians especially the surgeons (all fields of surgery) know that many treatments are not SURGERY but rather more simple treatment measures and many times that will be all they need. Educate the patient and once again let him be a part of the decision-making process. That is the way a true doctor /surgeon should approach every patient he or she sees in any setting.
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much for your advice i think to myself if theses are things im willing and wanting to do and the more i read the more passionate i become i fear my whole question is irrelevant i thank you so much again! Journee
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Scott’s Answer

The 1st thoughts I have in this matter are simple. Research as much as possible before any decision.

Ask yourself a lot of internal questions . Look on line for videos of people in the specific career field, to see what it looks like. What are the good and bad things. What obstacles might be faced? See what the specific job titles are and know what position you may qualify for after graduation. Know the logistics of the education and work experience required. What is the long term future for the specific field? Anyways it is a complicated decision to make and sort of a trick question. A lot of variables will determine what is the best courses to take for whatever field of expertise you may choose.
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much, Scott for your wonderful advice!! Journee
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Rachel’s Answer

Hello. My answer will only address the medical side as that is what I was familiar with. I was a medical scribe manager two years before medical school. While I always knew I wanted to do medicine, I trained quite a few hires who quickly realized medicine was absolute not for them. They either didn't possess the qualities or soon learned they truly didn't enjoy it as much as they thought they would. I am going to be an outlier and recommend against volunteering as a way to figure out where your interests lie. Volunteering is absolutely important for the application process, however volunteering was less informative for me and was actually more of a turn off because it was more uninvolved when it came to understanding the medicine. (They can have you do anything from potential administrative activities, to getting patients blankets, obtaining vitals, etc.) While these are important, they do not accurately reflect the job of a physician. I would ABSOLUTELY look into a medical scribe position (especially in a level 1 trauma center). You will learn so much more listening to the dictations (thought processes of the doctors and will have a greater sense of what's going on). You not only learn a lot of medicine but you learn a lot about yourself and your interests. About 2/3 of the trainees went on to go to medical school or PA school and the other 1/3 of the trainees ended up abandoning the healthcare profession pathway all together. I fell in love with the profession even more after being a scribe and some people realized they hated it. It is a very quick way to find out if you want to continue to pursue medicine.

TLDR: Become a medical scribe and see if your interest grows or plummets. Best of luck!
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Jessica’s Answer

Start with the main classes and see which ones you enjoy the most. Follow what makes you happy or what feeds your soul, and you'll never feel like you're working. If your school has a Guidance Counselor, they can help you find grants or scholarships.

Also, check for community programs that might connect you with groups offering advice or financial help for your career goals.

Consider local job shadowing at hospitals or with Civil Rights lawyers or groups. You can learn a lot by observing or asking questions.

It's clear you want to help people, which is wonderful. Both career paths you're considering are truly admirable.
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Elyse’s Answer

Research the pros and cons of each profession. Shadow and/or volunteer in each career. Research the required education needed for each career.
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Kyla’s Answer

Heyyy! I totally get where you're coming from, picking your career path is such a big decision, especially with them being so different from one another. I think one of the best things you can do right now is try to shadow someone from both fields. Even just talking or interviewing someone in those roles or doing a day-in-the-life type of thing can give you a way better idea of what it's actually like. If you call or email a law firm or hospital, they should be able to help you with that. I know in hospitals, you'll likely need to ask for a Clinical Educator because they're typically the ones that can help you get in touch with the right people to shadow. Unfortunately, im not too sure who specifically to reach out to when it comes to a law firm.

Kyla recommends the following next steps:

Also, definetely look into how long each path takes and how much it might cost. Med school and residency can be a 10+ year journey, and law school isn't cheap either. It might be a good time to start researching scholarships and grants. They literally make scholarships for everything! It can be related to any of your interests, medical and law included, or it can be based of characteristics and personality. There is a lot of funding out there if you dig a little!
Something else to consider is combining your interests. Hear me out, maybe something in medical law or advocating for patients' rights? There are a few careers out there that overlap both worlds.
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Rebecca’s Answer

Thank you for your question. The most important is to find a career you have interest.
Below are my suggestions:
1. Think about what you have interest,eg your hobbies, favourite subjects, etc and identify the related careers
Eg if you like music, would you like to be a musician, singer, musical artist, music composer, music producer etc
If you have interest in maths, would you like to be an accountant, engineer, banker, financial analyst, maths teacher, etc
2. Find out more on these careers and determine what you have interest
3. Speak to someone who are working in these careers. Seek guidance from your mentor, school career counselor your parents, etc
4. Shortlist 1-2 careers you would like to pursue
5. Explore the entry criteria of relevant subjects in colleges
Hope this helps! Good luck!
May Almighty God bless you!
Thank you comment icon God Bless you too. Thank you so much!! Journee
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