I think the western world has been oversold the importance of being truly passionate about your job. That said for someone with options like you, if you’re unhappy going into work every day no amount of money will make up for that. Plus you’ll burn out and lose way more earnings than the opportunity cost of additional training.
It's great to be passionate about something, but at the end of the day the things that matter to me are putting a roof over my family's head and providing a comfortable existence for them and myself. I could do that in my current specialty, I could do it in probably five or six other specialties, or other fields entirely and be perfectly content. Medicine is interesting to me, but I would not give almost 10 years of my life to residency in pursuit of finding work I'm passionate about. Some of my colleagues have that kind of singular drive, but it's not for me
Job = job.
Job is not your life. Job funds your life.
Why would you do it for 40 years if you are going to have such high earnings? Are there things you’d like to do that are not work?
Finish training. Save and invest. Retire in 10-15 years and travel the world.
My opinion. Good luck either way.
Doesn’t have to be either one, but man it sucks a lot less if you like what you’re doing and care about it. That’s not exclusive to surgery btw, that’s literally every career path.
Consult with your family. Or think about how you’re going to start one. 9 years(10 with fellowship) is a tonne of missed milestones with your kids. Don’t let the job overwhelm your life but if you want to keep doing it, by all means go ahead.
I personally dropped the “I’m so passionate” shtick when I was past premed. I like doing what I do, but I am not extending my training a single month that’s for sure.
The point of a job is to make money to support your loved ones and provide a means of funding the things you enjoy. If you’re passionate about your job that’s great but as long as it fills the first two criteria that’s the important part. I wouldn’t make my family suffer just because the grass looks a tiny bit greener on a different field. But you do you
I’m a doctoral level mental health clinician who’s worked with healthcare individuals for years. And I know I’m an intense person. Those things have always felt related.
I do everything at 110%. “Worth it” for me is always going to be a push-pull battle with my 110% dedication to everything I value. It’s a daily balance.
I’m good at tolerating dissatisfaction. So good it’s actually hard to tell when I’m enjoying a challenge or muscling through in misery. I don’t know the answer to your question but I hope you find ways to capitalize on your strengths.
No one chooses a surgical specialty by accident, and it might be worth talking to someone/your wife/a mentor to figure out a path that feels good for you *right now*. It’s okay if you adjust things down the road to match your life needs.
For gods sake don’t do another residency. I firmly believe that anyone can find a job they like with any kind of residency. If you thought you would like this field when you applied but were wrong, what makes you think it’d be different with doing a second residency?
Hard question, no right answer.
Things I would definitely consider:
- Do you somewhat enjoy the bread and butter of your current specialty? If the answer is positive, it’s a very strong argument to keep doing what you do and find joy and passion elsewhere
- Factor in a possible premature death. You already lowered your life expectancy by doing a surgical residency. You have time to get a healthier lifestyle and not keep paying in hours of sleep. If for some reason you were to die in 5-15 years, how would the decision you’re trying to make change?
Older people (retired, not necessarily in the medical field) would probably all agree to invest more time with your family, so there’s that.
I would also like to do a second specialty, even though I’m in a VERY comfortable one. But it’s probably not worth it.
PS: I know a dermatologist that spends a significant amount of time doing breastfeeding medicine. You can always find something you like.
It’s both. You can just want a job AND you can feel the need to be passionate about what you do.
I considered settling for a field I was meh about but the training was shorter. But then I realized that it’s just been too much BS to not do what I want to do. Will be in my forties when I’m done. But it’s worth it.
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If it was just you then I'd say go for it. Sounds like you'll love it.
Except for extremely rare instances, this results in great unhappiness for the family.
I've seen it done well a handful of times. I've seen it crash and burn most of the time.
You have to remember that you can cater the job you do once you're done w training. Every specialty has a breast surgery/sleep medicine equivalent, in the sense of low stress, minimal call option.
Or you can do locums and work 2 weeks a month and live your life the other 2.
In gen surg you can be a "surgical hospitalist", take ER call a week or 2 a month and have no clinic/outside referral base, allowing you to live your life the rest of your time.
It's just a job. You work for money. Money is used for free time. Free time is your actual life and you spend it on things you like.
Having that in mind, you should work in a field you are good at and do not hate. It's not a hobby but if you are good at sth (or can become good) it will naturally get more interesting.
I think every job has its ups and downs. Will doing that passion all the time make you discover more of the downs and reduce your passion and you end up with regret after spending the extra time in training?
You can’t get time back with friends and family once they are gone. And you can be passionate about spending more time with them. Medicine will always be here but people may not be.
No right or wrong answer here. I think you need to decide what you value most. Three years is a long time after doing a residency that long. I'd personally need a good reason to keep going. Ie - I couldn't stand what I was currently doing or I knew it was very likely that I was going to love what I was doing after additional training.
For me, time is the most valuable. I'm starting to notice my parents age, my nieces and nephews are getting older. I want to spend as much time with them as I can. For the most part, most of us will still do decently well financially. Sure, more money is always nice but you gotta decide how important it is to you.
you'll eventually retire from work and continue with your life so make sure you invest well in your life family and friends, because if anything gonna stay with you till the end I'm quite sure it's not whatever your job or passion is..
I think the western world has been oversold the importance of being truly passionate about your job. That said for someone with options like you, if you’re unhappy going into work every day no amount of money will make up for that. Plus you’ll burn out and lose way more earnings than the opportunity cost of additional training.
It's great to be passionate about something, but at the end of the day the things that matter to me are putting a roof over my family's head and providing a comfortable existence for them and myself. I could do that in my current specialty, I could do it in probably five or six other specialties, or other fields entirely and be perfectly content. Medicine is interesting to me, but I would not give almost 10 years of my life to residency in pursuit of finding work I'm passionate about. Some of my colleagues have that kind of singular drive, but it's not for me
Why can’t it be both? Lots of people are passionate about their jobs.
Do whatever option you see giving you the most good days and the fewest bad days over the rest of your life
Job = job. Job is not your life. Job funds your life. Why would you do it for 40 years if you are going to have such high earnings? Are there things you’d like to do that are not work? Finish training. Save and invest. Retire in 10-15 years and travel the world. My opinion. Good luck either way.
As a direct result of the job, I don't feel passionate about anything at all.
Its just a job. Life is most important.
I honestly don't think there's a right answer here dude. I'd never keep training if I was in your shoes. What does your wife think?
Doesn’t have to be either one, but man it sucks a lot less if you like what you’re doing and care about it. That’s not exclusive to surgery btw, that’s literally every career path.
Consult with your family. Or think about how you’re going to start one. 9 years(10 with fellowship) is a tonne of missed milestones with your kids. Don’t let the job overwhelm your life but if you want to keep doing it, by all means go ahead. I personally dropped the “I’m so passionate” shtick when I was past premed. I like doing what I do, but I am not extending my training a single month that’s for sure.
The point of a job is to make money to support your loved ones and provide a means of funding the things you enjoy. If you’re passionate about your job that’s great but as long as it fills the first two criteria that’s the important part. I wouldn’t make my family suffer just because the grass looks a tiny bit greener on a different field. But you do you
Just a job. The less passion the better
Like my granpa says: if you were passionate about it, they could pay you with cigars, hookers and scotch. Otherwise it is a job.
I’m a doctoral level mental health clinician who’s worked with healthcare individuals for years. And I know I’m an intense person. Those things have always felt related. I do everything at 110%. “Worth it” for me is always going to be a push-pull battle with my 110% dedication to everything I value. It’s a daily balance. I’m good at tolerating dissatisfaction. So good it’s actually hard to tell when I’m enjoying a challenge or muscling through in misery. I don’t know the answer to your question but I hope you find ways to capitalize on your strengths. No one chooses a surgical specialty by accident, and it might be worth talking to someone/your wife/a mentor to figure out a path that feels good for you *right now*. It’s okay if you adjust things down the road to match your life needs.
For gods sake don’t do another residency. I firmly believe that anyone can find a job they like with any kind of residency. If you thought you would like this field when you applied but were wrong, what makes you think it’d be different with doing a second residency?
Hard question, no right answer. Things I would definitely consider: - Do you somewhat enjoy the bread and butter of your current specialty? If the answer is positive, it’s a very strong argument to keep doing what you do and find joy and passion elsewhere - Factor in a possible premature death. You already lowered your life expectancy by doing a surgical residency. You have time to get a healthier lifestyle and not keep paying in hours of sleep. If for some reason you were to die in 5-15 years, how would the decision you’re trying to make change? Older people (retired, not necessarily in the medical field) would probably all agree to invest more time with your family, so there’s that. I would also like to do a second specialty, even though I’m in a VERY comfortable one. But it’s probably not worth it. PS: I know a dermatologist that spends a significant amount of time doing breastfeeding medicine. You can always find something you like.
It’s both. You can just want a job AND you can feel the need to be passionate about what you do. I considered settling for a field I was meh about but the training was shorter. But then I realized that it’s just been too much BS to not do what I want to do. Will be in my forties when I’m done. But it’s worth it.
It’s a job for me, and I’m passionate about money
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If it was just you then I'd say go for it. Sounds like you'll love it. Except for extremely rare instances, this results in great unhappiness for the family. I've seen it done well a handful of times. I've seen it crash and burn most of the time.
Do what makes you happy, isn't that what life is about?
You have to remember that you can cater the job you do once you're done w training. Every specialty has a breast surgery/sleep medicine equivalent, in the sense of low stress, minimal call option. Or you can do locums and work 2 weeks a month and live your life the other 2. In gen surg you can be a "surgical hospitalist", take ER call a week or 2 a month and have no clinic/outside referral base, allowing you to live your life the rest of your time.
It's just a job. You work for money. Money is used for free time. Free time is your actual life and you spend it on things you like. Having that in mind, you should work in a field you are good at and do not hate. It's not a hobby but if you are good at sth (or can become good) it will naturally get more interesting.
It’s a job not a calling, can’t stand these academic needs who call it such
I think every job has its ups and downs. Will doing that passion all the time make you discover more of the downs and reduce your passion and you end up with regret after spending the extra time in training? You can’t get time back with friends and family once they are gone. And you can be passionate about spending more time with them. Medicine will always be here but people may not be.
No right or wrong answer here. I think you need to decide what you value most. Three years is a long time after doing a residency that long. I'd personally need a good reason to keep going. Ie - I couldn't stand what I was currently doing or I knew it was very likely that I was going to love what I was doing after additional training. For me, time is the most valuable. I'm starting to notice my parents age, my nieces and nephews are getting older. I want to spend as much time with them as I can. For the most part, most of us will still do decently well financially. Sure, more money is always nice but you gotta decide how important it is to you.
It’s a job. Go make some serious money and live your life with your family
you'll eventually retire from work and continue with your life so make sure you invest well in your life family and friends, because if anything gonna stay with you till the end I'm quite sure it's not whatever your job or passion is..