Thursday, February 4, 2010

Why I Pick The Career Path I Picked

Ever since I can remember, I’ve always wanted to do something related to the medical field. Why? Because you look on the TV and you always see doctors living exciting lives within the hospital. On TV they’re always saving lives, uncovering weird diseases and curing these diseases. It seemed as if not one moment in their lives were ever boring. Also the level of appreciation and respect they get was amazing as well. I mean I knew it was glorified on TV but doctors do get a pretty good amount of appreciation and respect. So I wanted to be a doctor at first but as time went on I realized that I probably couldn’t be able to handle being a doctor. I couldn’t imagine the psychological tolls that must hit you when one of your patients die and then you have the family of the patient, who would hate with all their guts because to them you’re the reason he or she didn’t live. Also as a doctor, you have to be ready on call every minute of the day. You would have no free time and your entire life would just revolve around the hospital. I still wanted to do something related to the medical field but I wanted something more low key and slow paced. This was around the same time I was coming to the orthodontist every month to get my teeth done, which was a ten year process. I remember walking into that office every month and the second I crossed the threshold of the door I’d feel the most calming relaxing vibe ever. I would feel the coolness of the air conditioner in the summer, the warmness of the heater in the winter and if I were to close my eyes I’d hear nothing but the bubbles in the fish tank, the flipping of magazines by people in the waiting room and of course the heater/ air conditioner. I was absolutely in loved with this atmosphere. And then came the work on my teeth. These people that straighten them were incredible they used their little tools strap some metal in your mouth and then your teeth would eventually become straight. Dealing with teeth was something I could definitely see myself doing. I loved the atmosphere. I loved the little tools they used, especially the little water hose thingy, I loved their large selection of toothpaste flavors, I loved it all pretty much so thats why I want to become a dentist.

Other reasons why I want to become a dentist are for its financial securities, its flat schedules and its slow paced life style. Yes, I know I’m selfish for saying this but I want a lot of money. My dream is to travel the world and live a carefree life without any worries and I need a lot of money to do so. The best time to do that is when I retire and it’s this financial security that being a dentist would provide that makes it possible by age 50 as oppose to 65. Being a dentist has a predictable schedule. I come in from this time to this time and very rarely would I get called in for an emergency as oppose to being a doctor and I like that. I also like the slow paced life style that dentist have it’s very calming and relaxing. Getting to put in a crown or brushing someone’s teeth while listening to Delilah on the Lite FM, that’s the dream.

But becoming a dentist has its trade offs to every perk as well. For starters after getting my undergraduate’s degree, assuming I get into dental school, I’d have to go to school for another 4-6 years depending on what I want to specialize in. So that another 4-6 years I’ll be in school, so that’s another 4-6 years I’d have to pay for school and from what I hear dental school is pretty expensive. So by the time I’d get out of school I’ll have some major student loans to pay back and who knows how long that will take. Also while I’m in school I wouldn’t be bringing in major income until I’m almost 30. So I’d leave dental school broke, with a huge debt and all the money I make for the next couple years are going to go towards paying my debts. Also the dental job market has been becoming increasingly competitive so getting a job might take some time. Some dentists even give up because they’re unable to find work which might explain why dentists have the highest suicide rate among any other profession. But despite all these trade offs I still want to become a dentists because it’s what I think I’d be good at, it’s what I’d think I’d enjoy and it brings me that much closer to my dream of traveling around the world and living care free.

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