Same. Specifically I would want to be a pharmacologist. There are two major barriers that prevented me from considering this route:

I'm a fairly terrible student and 8 years of school wasn't gonna happen. I can't stand blood/body parts. Even if I got through school I don't think I could stomach a clinical position.

It is feasible, but it's not something i would recommend doing because it won't solve the underlying issues that causes your unhappiness. Also most people severely underestimate the stress in this job. I've met quite a few doctors who would be equally happy having a cushy job in tech instead of night shifts.

A doctor’s job is definitely much more stressful than a tech job. You are dealing with people’s lives every day and a misdiagnosis could possibly lead to someone’s death. Seldom do you have that level of responsibility in a tech job.

All we can really say is some doctors jobs are more stressful than some tech jobs. A podiatrist, for instance. It's critical work if you have a foot problem and a lot of pain, but it's not the same life and death situation as a ER doctor. On the other hand, if you're responsible for, say, Google or 911 being up, I dare say there's a very high level of responsibility.

It is feasible actually. Graduated med school with two people in their late 30s, early 40s. You didn't ask for it but be forewarned: it'll take 10 years before you have a realistic taste of what the job actually is like. I don't usually speak in absolutes, but I will confidently claim that no amount of shadowing, training, volunteering in clinics/hospitals, or family will provide you with a shortcut to that experience. Could talk for days about this, but I have a cloud to go yell at.

> it'll take 10 years before you have a realistic taste of what the job actually is like.

And if you're taking out loans to go to school, you may have no choice but to continue even if you find out it's not for you. I know someone who's halfway through med school and clearly hates everything about it, but is past the point of no return financially. If she doesn't finish and become a working doctor, she'll never have the income to pay back her debt of several hundred thousand dollars at 7% interest.

That’s what scares me. Putting in all that time and taking out all those loans to find out you actually hate it.

MD in your 30s, early 30s especially, is possible. Some schools happily accept nontrad applicants, and most will take you if you have a strong background and clear interest.

Now, starting down the MD in your late 40s? Early 50s? Yeah, probably not.

You still have time, just not much.

What’s interesting to read about this is I’m a doctor who wants to transition to tech.

Send me a mail if you want to discuss

There's lots of opportunity in the medical tech space.

i almost went to med school until i found out about the grueling 24 hour residency shifts. absolutely pointless torture that hurts patients and doctors alike. makes being on call for prod look easy

I'm considering the same. Approaching 30 and I've been at FAANGs for half a decade, but I'd love to grab a Doctorate in Physical Therapy and transition away from computing. Not sure how feasible it is in terms of time though... seems like 2 years for pre-reqs and then 3 more years for the DPT program?

If anyone has attempted this I would love to talk.