Business vs Medicine (1 Viewer)

13abie

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Have provided a bit of context, please help me make a decision

Pros of Business:
-Where the money is at
-father is very well known and successful in business world (could give me a large advantage)
-much less school (at the moment: 4 years in commerce liberal studies @ USYD or 3 years in commerce @ USYD)
-people skills is a big factor (I am someone who would likely be advantaged by this)

Cons of Business:
-boring (in my opinion) (I have hated economics profusely throughout my HSC years)
-limited meaningful social interaction (ladder climbing takes priority over friendships from what ive heard)
-less employment chances initially
-lower graduate starting salary.
-smaller starting salary

Pros of Medicine:
-Much more interesting
-Better social interaction with cohort
-higher starting salary
-more stable

Cons of Medicine:
-salary cap of about 300k (of course there are exceptions, but there are exceptions in any field)
-all consuming profession (specialist positions can destroy personal life, double suicide rate)
-long schooling + school expenses (7-9 years of school at a minimum)
-won't get into USYD until graduate positions are available, and there is an element of risk to this.


As a guideline, I am a person whose interests clash with their ability (at school I am doing very well in essay subjects *english, english ext, mod hist* which I do not enjoy to a great extent, and I am doing mediorce in *chemistry, maths* which I very much enjoy).

Science(advanced)/commerce @ USYD is a potential option for me, as it will allow me to further gain an understand in what I want to do with my life. However this is also flawed by the 5 year duration, and also by the fact that whichever side of the degree I pursue, I will likely have no use for the other. I am expecting an atar of 97.5-98.5 , which somewhat limits my medicine options.

Advice appreciated, please help me make a decision.
 

tambam

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I don't really know how grad Med at usyd works, but something like if you get distinction averages in any under grad course then you're considered?

In this case, why don't you do commerce, and try to get some work experience while you study. (Easier since you said your dad is prominent?) And then if you like business, then go with that, if you dontenjoy it, go for post grad Med.
I don't think any hsc courses are a great indication of what uni or working will be like, so you find hsc eco boring but once you apply theory to the real world you might actually find you have a passion for it.
 

13abie

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Thanks, I think that is a very good idea. The only problem is I need to take first year chemistry, physics and biology in order to achieve results in the GAMSAT, a facet of entry into graduate medicine.
 

tambam

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Thanks, I think that is a very good idea. The only problem is I need to take first year chemistry, physics and biology in order to achieve results in the GAMSAT, a facet of entry into graduate medicine.
Oh, does comm liberal studies allow you to do that?
And yeah, advanced science/comm isn't too bad of an idea though,cost even if you don't end up doing Med I've heard the maths you do is similar to advanced maths degree, which is helpful for finance, hedge funds etc.
And 5 years isn't that much if you're thinking of doing Med!
 

Lolsmith

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Have provided a bit of context, please help me make a decision

Pros of Business:
-Where the money is at
-father is very well known and successful in business world (could give me a large advantage)
-much less school (at the moment: 4 years in commerce liberal studies @ USYD or 3 years in commerce @ USYD)
-people skills is a big factor (I am someone who would likely be advantaged by this)

Cons of Business:
-boring (in my opinion) (I have hated economics profusely throughout my HSC years)
-limited meaningful social interaction (ladder climbing takes priority over friendships from what ive heard)
-less employment chances initially
-lower graduate starting salary.
-smaller starting salary

Pros of Medicine:
-Much more interesting
-Better social interaction with cohort
-higher starting salary
-more stable

Cons of Medicine:
-salary cap of about 300k (of course there are exceptions, but there are exceptions in any field)
-all consuming profession (specialist positions can destroy personal life, double suicide rate)
-long schooling + school expenses (7-9 years of school at a minimum)
-won't get into USYD until graduate positions are available, and there is an element of risk to this.


As a guideline, I am a person whose interests clash with their ability (at school I am doing very well in essay subjects *english, english ext, mod hist* which I do not enjoy to a great extent, and I am doing mediorce in *chemistry, maths* which I very much enjoy).

Science(advanced)/commerce @ USYD is a potential option for me, as it will allow me to further gain an understand in what I want to do with my life. However this is also flawed by the 5 year duration, and also by the fact that whichever side of the degree I pursue, I will likely have no use for the other. I am expecting an atar of 97.5-98.5 , which somewhat limits my medicine options.

Advice appreciated, please help me make a decision.
>expects 97.5-98.5 ATAR
>considers performance "mediocre"
lol


Do medicine first off and if you hate it, you can always change because if you have the ATAR for medicine you definitely have the ATAR for any science/commerce degrees.
 

13abie

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What's your bigshot dad's name
not really relevant, but if you know a lot about the banks you may have heard of him. He has the mentality (whether it's right or wrong) that successful people earn their success from scratch. That being said, I will be paying the uni fees, the textbooks, the travel etc through a shitty job like anyone else. The only thing I could gain from his reputation is easier access to larger firms, but by absolutley no circumstances a financial advantage. Therefore course duration needs to be a consideration
 

13abie

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Oh, does comm liberal studies allow you to do that?
And yeah, advanced science/comm isn't too bad of an idea though,cost even if you don't end up doing Med I've heard the maths you do is similar to advanced maths degree, which is helpful for finance, hedge funds etc.
And 5 years isn't that much if you're thinking of doing Med!
But it would be 5 years over and above the medicine degree
 

kaz1

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are you also going for undergrad med? and with comm sci you can do a sci major beneficial for business (like maths or psychology) and do Biology and Chemistry as electives.
 

hungwell1337

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Business vs Medicine
Have provided a bit of context, please help me make a decision

Pros of Business:
-Where the money is at not necessarily
-father is very well known and successful in business world (could give me a large advantage) perhaps
-much less school (at the moment: 4 years in commerce liberal studies @ USYD or 3 years in commerce @ USYD) yes
-people skills is a big factor (I am someone who would likely be advantaged by this) yes

Cons of Business:
-boring (in my opinion) (I have hated economics profusely throughout my HSC years) med wont be more interesting
-limited meaningful social interaction (ladder climbing takes priority over friendships from what ive heard) depends
-less employment chances initially yes
-lower graduate starting salary. no
-smaller starting salary no

Pros of Medicine:
-Much more interesting arguable
-Better social interaction with cohort yes
-higher starting salary no
-more stable not necessarily

Cons of Medicine:
-salary cap of about 300k (of course there are exceptions, but there are exceptions in any field)
-all consuming profession (specialist positions can destroy personal life, double suicide rate) hardly relevant
-long schooling + school expenses (7-9 years of school at a minimum) yes
-won't get into USYD until graduate positions are available, and there is an element of risk to this. your expected atar sucks. dunno about your umat, you'd be lucky to get into undergrad med anywhere

1. It really depends if you are willing to work hard during uni and be relatively smart
- if yes (business will be more rewarding)
- if no (med will be more rewarding)

2. do you actually want to be a doctor to help people etc?


3. is money important?
 

mirakon

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how is a salary cap of 300k a con? It sounds like quite a bit...

also i'm pretty sure specialists get a lot more anyway.
 

apollo1

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my mum's a doctor and one of the senior specialists in her hospital makes like 3,000,000 a year. he has freakin 10 kids who all go to private skool. thats 240,000 a year just on school fees.
 

chloe555

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It's obvious from this post that you certainly do not have what it takes to be a doctor. The most important part of being a doctor is that you need to have compassion and the desire to genuinely help people. If starting salary and course duration are your top priorities, then I suggest you stick with business. If you want to do medicine because it is more interesting, then I suggest doing medical research.
 

Lolsmith

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That is certainly not the most important part of being a doctor
 
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