What to do next... (also in soapbox...not strictly horsey)

Zeb93

Zeb93

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Hey guys, I haven't posted on here much but was wondering if I could have some impartial advice!

I have just finished the first year of medical school and my second semester exams didn't go so well so I now have to decide what to do next and I am really struggling. I have two options really. I could resit and go back, but I don't know how much I have enjoyed the course and I don't want to go through 6 years of university just scraping by. On the other hand if I get through med school its a career that is pretty much guaranteed to keep me in horses...if I have the time. I also have a great flat at uni, I love the people and I love all the things outside the course that I do.

My other option would be to take a year out and do advanced higher maths so I can go into second year of a physics degree the year after. Physics was my best subject at school and I think I would enjoy the course a lot more - but I have no idea what I could do after university with a physics degree. In the year out I would try and find a working pupil position at a dressage yard and maybe work towards BHS exam or coaching certificates (I do a similar job at the moment on a more informal basis). I could then decide to pursue horses (and dressage!) as a career based on how that year went.

I keep chopping and changing between different options and everytime I think I've decided I change my mind again. Time is running out and I really don't want to make a decision that I will regret later! I still haven't told my Dad...but that's another matter entirely.

Thanks for reading...and any help or advice appreciated greatly!!
 
Personally I'd stick with education rather than a career with horses, although its tough going now it really is worth it inthe end. I'm pretty sure there is lots of jobs you could do with a Physics degree, I'm sure your Uni could give a idea. If you stick with your education you should hopefully end up with a well paying job and be able to afford horses, a career with horses could be a hit or miss and you could struggle financially in the future as opportunities would be limited.

But that's just my take on things, goodluck with what ever you decide.
 
If you're at all unsure, I'd resit and do another year of med and see how you feel. Binning that would be binning that chance but the other options will still stay available.

FWIW, I think most have doubts about their course at some point. They may turn out to be valid but they may well not. As long as you don't have an absolute gut instinct, keep going til you do.
 
I've asked about a year out - not an option unless exceptional circumstances. I was thinking about keeping at it but the problem is in Scotland SAAS will only pay your tuition fees for 2 courses if you drop out after 1st year. I cannot afford to go through uni without that so if I did another year I wouldn't really have the option of switching courses.

Theres so many different factors - my head's going crazy!
 
If the ONLY reason you are doing medicine is because you feel it will give the money to keep a horse, then it's the wrong career for you. You need to have some enjoyment/personal satisfaction in what you do for a living. It's easy enough to say that the money/horses will keep you going, but remember that you will be doing that potentially for forty years. That's a very long time.

I suggest you go speak to a careers advisor at university about what careers you could go into physics - my dad has a physics degree and is now a MD for a major computer company. You never know...

Also it's worth remembering that those who work with horses, don't often have their own.

Take the time to investigate and think about all your options carefully before you drop out of medicine. Also what MissChaos is true, everyone does have doubts about their course. I did, and I'm now going to do a PhD! This isn't unsual, and you will not be alone!!
 
Ok , don't panic, do you have a student loan ?

If yes, them you don't have to pay back until you earn ( I think) £24,000, so you may not have to pay it back for a while, I know doctors will have to sooner but they earn more stealthy away, and only have to pay back about £30 a mth.

So please do not pannick, go for it , don't waste all you have done :) xxxxxx

And above all , sit back ANC access what you want to do calmly xx

Ps have been there and done that, and regretted the no descision x
 
I've just finished my degree in Physics with Medical Physics and the career options were huge, and would have been even bigger if I had been predicted a 2.1. I'm now going to start a job with a company who make MRI scanners for horses, so it's still equine related but will hopefully soon pay enough for me to be able to keep my own.

I found my course really tough and I thought about quitting many times but I didn't want to give up and waste what I'd already done. Also I thought that whatever I changed to, I would probably find it just as hard. It's a decision that only you can make really. But I would say that 6 years of blood sweat and tears are worse than 2!

Alternatively you could use your physics degree to get a part time "bread and butter" job and use the rest of the time to do instructing/compete. That's a bit of a dream of my own!
 
I think you'd be silly to quit, especially after someone didn't get a place in that course so you could.

Whatever you do, do not go and work with horses unless you want to be forever poor.
 
For what it's worth, I know quite a few medics and they seem to have very little spare time (they don't have horses). I think, perhaps, if you have a career with horses, you probably don't have the time to enjoy them either though unless you're someone really famous like Heather Moffet or something like that.
 
Are you studying to be a GP ? If so maybe you could try something else like Physio which you might find easier. Or you could do a Physics degree and become something like a physics teacher.
 
If you wanted to do a physics degree and become a teacher, you'd have to do a PGCE year on top of your degree. Bonus of teaching is the long summer holiday in which you can ride lots and lots! (you wouldn't get that if you were a medic!)
 
I'm not at that stage yet but what everyone around me has been saying, you spend most of your life at work, to spend most of your life doing something you don't like is horrible. If i were you, i would change to do the Physics degree, medicine is really tough and if you don't enjoy it then it will be so much tougher. then you won't enjoy the actual job which will be most of your life and you will be cranky and won't enjoy horses because you'll be too fed up and too tired. yes you'd have wasted 1 year, but at least you can go on to make the right choice. speak to a career advisor about what jobs you can go on to do with a physics degree, i'm sure theres loads though.
don't go into horses, you won't earn much and do you really want to make your hobby your career?
let us know what you decide. :)
 
Thanks for all the advice - really useful :)
I think at the moment I'm definitely thinking physics. I am going to email the uni I am at and a few others and see if I could go straight in this Autumn and if not will have a year out and do lots of horsey things in that year.

I think I have decided medicine is not for me though - too many years just to be doing a job for the money. I know people may think that is selfish if other people missed a place for me but I have stuck it out for the last semester when I thought I wanted to leave at christmas!

Once again thanks for all the replys - it has been really really useful to see what other people think :)
 
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