I gave up a very good paying job as Sr VP of a $650 million dollar financial institution.
I'm going back to school after 21 years and I'm changing professions. In 6 and a half years I will be a Doctor. (I hope)
I feel kinda like a loser for taking such a risk. I'm putting my family (just wife and me and 3 cats, no kids) at risk. We will be very poor for a very long time. What a change. I will be paying for the first year (3 semesters) out of pocket. I can't get financial aid for obvious reasons.
I am very nervous. I feel really good now that the corporate stress monster has been kicked off of my back. But, there is fear of the unknown.

all i can say is, follow your heart. good luck, the medical field is an AWESOME place to be and its extremely rewarding.(when your not dealing with the HMO end.)

I am in the same boat sort of. Just retired from the Air Force after 22 years but not the great pay part. Pretty wierd looking for work know. Moving to Colorado Springs next week so we will have to see where it goes.

Colorado Springs? Maybe you can get a GS position on base? Worth looking into.

It's kinda like leaving the shelter of an umbrella isn't it? I guess you never know what's out there until you go. Good Luck Man.

quote:

Originally posted by brokenUjoint:
all i can say is, follow your heart.......

Yeah, thanks man. I'm burnt out on Corporate America. It's left me feeling dirty. There is a lot of money in Banking, and I am greatful, but I'm done. I can't look at myself in the mirror if I stayed. Nobody seems to give a sh1t about the little guy any more.
It's time for me to be a part of the solution, not the problem.

do you have enough money, smarts, time to be a doctor? not sure on your age and stuff, but its not easy. being a doctor(dont know which area you wish to go into) isnt cupcakes either. you get sued ALOT. esp if your dealing with chronically ill patients or patients on the table. my gf just became an RN and its no picnic. good money..actually great money. every day they call and ask if she can come in. she makes 33hr and if she came in on a day off thats 48hr and if its a holiday on her day off, thats 66 hr plus "thank you($$)" gift certificates. i have 4 more junior college courses before i get into the program. im thinking about radiology though. nursing is dirty work.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by brokenUjoint:
all i can say is, follow your heart. QUOTE]

Man....I'd like to, but I'm sure I would end up divorced. I have to say though, I'm ready go get out of Telecommunications. It's just not fun any more. I wish I'd stayed on course when I got out of high school and became an Architect. Or at the very least, some type of design work. I've been toying going back to school. I'm just have to get over the age thing.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by brokenUjoint:
all i can say is, follow your heart. QUOTE]

Man...I'd like to, but I'm afraid I'd end up divorced. I'm getting tired of Telecommunications. It's just not as fun anymore. I really wish I'd stayed the course and became an Architect when I got out of high school but I didn't. But then again, I didn't do what I went to college for either. So here I am getting older by the minute wishing for greener grasses. I've been toying with going back to school but I just have to get over the age thing.

Good luck to ya BobK4T!

Thanks Dennis. The admissions office told me I wont be the oldest student and they said that non-traditional student enrolment is up to 23% of the total population. I don't mind being around young college kids, I just won't be hanging with them and drinkin. That'll have to wait til I graduate.

quote:

Originally posted by brokenUjoint:
do you have enough money, smarts, time to be a doctor? not sure on your age and stuff, but its not easy. being a doctor(dont know which area you wish to go into) isnt cupcakes either......

Well, yes, yes and yes. I'm 39.5 and I figure I got this far I can do anything. I want to go into sports medicine, human physiology, physical therapy. My wife is also a nurse. I know the DR. that used to be the head of the Physical Therapy Dept. at Wayne State. I also know two other DR.'s that graduated from Wayne State. They've all given me letters of recomendation.

im only 32 and let me tell you i am the youngest in all of my classes. usually there are a few, like 2 others in the class that are in there late 20's and occationally in some classes i'd get like a 45 yr old doing just what you are doing...

life is about growing. if your not growing, your dying. we are meant to learn and it physically is necessary for productive living. no matter what you wont be a cracked out, i used to jeep, person that is on welfare.... ya know.. lol.. your a smart person im sure and you will be fine. you may need to make some adjustments and stuff but less is good. the more you think you own, the more what you have owns YOU! you'll do great

quote:

Originally posted by brokenUjoint:
life is about growing. if your not growing, your dying.
we are meant to learn and it physically is necessary for productive living. the more you think you own, the more what you have owns YOU! you'll do great

You're a wise man! That's all true!

Yeah, you guys rock! Thanks for the words.
I start orientation Wed. and classes start the following Mon.
BrokenU, I can't believe how much we have in common! That's cool that you have people your age going to the same classes, that has got to help.

I truly can see now that all of those things that I thought I NEEDED to have, have turned out to OWN me. That's really true.
Again, thanks.

Good luck Bob. I truely hope everything works out for you!

I'm jealous!!!
With two kids in school, I can't just quit this job to go to school. In fact, we both really need to work! My wife's a Nurses aid, and was taking nursing classes (but that got to be difficult, so she stopped the classes). So now we're kinda stuck... I have to have a stable income (and insurance) in order for here to cut back on her work schedule and finish school. And since she hasn't gone to school in 6 months, I have to somehow modivate her to actually DO IT! She's already got a few classes under her belt, and it wouldn't take long for her to finish.

Right now shes's making $12/hr... $33/hr sounds much better, and THEN it's my turn.

Yuri,
A future nurse? Me, you and brokenU need to get together if we're ever on a jamboree at the same time. And Dennis too!
Too bad you can't go back to school right now, we'd show these kids how to down some beer!
I was feeling stuck too. I had to work to get my wife through nursing school. She graduated in 2000. I've been dragging my feet since then. I was always worried about making that transistion.
Your situation is different, you are not stuck - you are being a good dad and providing for your family. Mine was an easy decision, I've no children to look after. Your time will come brotha.

From BobK4T:

quote:

A future nurse? Me, you and brokenU need to get together if we're ever on a jamboree at the same time. And Dennis too!

The Medical field is a good place to be. Not for me...but my wife has been a RN for 12-13 years now and loves it. I wish we'd went ahead and put her through Med. school. She would make a heck of a Doc. She has been toying with the idea but we haven't figured out how to work our lives around it yet. Plus she's a little like me, she gets to thing about going back to school a 40.

I would like to meet up with you guys at a Jeep event some time though. I don't drink quite like I used to but I can pretty well keep up. Anyone going to All-4-Fun this year? We're trying to work in a Jeep Jam too, but haven't decided on one yet. If we do a Jeep Jam, it'll probably be after April before we can do one.

If we went it would have to be June, or at least after mid May when semester ends.