Career Blues

Society Business and Career
1

Salams :wave:

I’m going to be done with my computer science bachelor’s degree very soon inshallah.

The thing is…

I HATE computer science and all types of engineering and technical even business fields.

I always wanted to be a doctor since I was a little girl. In fact I always used to think I am never going to become an engineer. To this day I hate technical subjects, and biology had always been my favorite subject…

The programming classes and the math and stuff I had to take in college were a horrible ordeal I had to go through.

After completing A levels [high school] in Pakistan, I applied to all the med schools there and then I got admitted into a good college in America with a scholarship so I came here just because it seemed too big of an opportunity to pass up and I was always scared at the sight of blood so always had a tiny doubt in my mind about being a doctor.

When here, I realised it takes too long to do medicine in America. And then, being a Pakistani, what was the next option? Engineering…! So I settled for Computer Science…it wasn’t even that my parents made me…they always said do whatever you want…but me being the tees maar khan trying to be an over achiever :smack:

and it totally backfired :frowning:

But recently, as I am closer to graduating, and reflect on my academic experience during my undergrad, I realise more and more that engineering and business type careers are not ME. I don’t like the stuff I hate every second of it. I hate coding, I hate all technical stuff and business and all that is not my cup of tea.

Anyone who meets me tells me I am not like an engineering major and I feel it in myself too that I wasn’t cut out to be an engineer or a business person…my friends also say that it would have suited my personality a lot better if i had been like paedetrician or family doctor or something…and i feel like that too…

sigh…

but no use crying over spilt milk…

I want to go into healthcare or children’s/ women’s issues…or social work…things like that…but not social activism. Peaceful slow easy and involved with the people you are dealing with type of work…

eventually i want to do social work among women, children and families in pakistan…
maybe even have a business on the side which employs poor women…if its for such a cause it wont be that bad i guess…

i also thought about field social work of the type where you have to stay in remote areas all the time and keep travelling a lot to spread education and awareness…but my extended family might not be too happy about that kind of a job cuz its not one of the most practical things for women to do in Pakistan…

so maybe i’ll join a social organisation to begin with and then go towards these things more…

i am totally not sure what to do :crying:

So…

Now…

that I’m almost done with my undergrad in Computer Science, I want to switch fields…

I know ppl tell me 'bohot jaldi khayal aa gya :rolleyes: '…but khayr…dayr aayay drust aayay innit :slight_smile:

I want to do a masters in something that would take me more towards that field…but also don’t want to completely waste my undergrad…is that wanting too much btw?

So I’m hecka confused about what to do…

There are programs like medical instruments etc…but those too are toooooooooo technical for me…

I am just hecka confused about what to do next as I do want to get my masters inshallah, and my parents want me to…anywhere in the world is fine for masters, no restrictions at all alhamdulillah…my parents have always been really open to allowing me to do whatever i want …

and then after masters inshallah I want to go into this field in Pakistan…

hmm…so any of you got any advice, ideas, suggestions, thoughts for me? :slight_smile:

2

I guess getting a job as a Systems Administrator in a Hospital is also out of question? ;-)

3

Re: Career Blues

urr.. are you still looking to get into medicine?

if you're are, what is there to stop you from getting in, you could prolly take an extra term to take the prereq courses, write the MCAT and get into med school. It is just my personal opinion that the length of the program really should not affect your decision, if that is what you want to do then just go for it.

you might have made the wrong choice but your cs/eng'g education gives you a very different perspective from a typical premed. And you'll prolly make a beter doctor for it. Don't know about the states but in Canada it is unusual for people to go into med from eng'g and cs, but it happens. And from what i've heard non-traditional applicants are actually appreciated for their unique background. So, if I were you I would really look at that option unless you feel very strongly that medicine just isn't for you because of its length or whatever other reasons.

4

Faisal bhai systems admin is not my cup of tea :frowning:

Thanks for the advice :slight_smile: Firstly, everyone’s going to KILL me if I tell them now that I want to do medicine :biggrin: Also, I don’t really want to do medicine, its TOOOOO long and that is definitely a factor for my family and for myself, and at this point don’t want to start med school now…that’s for sure so medicine is out…
Just wanted to maybe get a masters and some work experience in something that utilises my undergrad degree somewhat but more so propels me in the direction I want to take as i explained in my post…
And its almost impossible to find something like that cuz both are on two ends of the spectrum… :frowning:

5

well there are tonnes of options: CMA, CA, MBA, Act Sci but all these are business related and that is something that you're not interested in either.

hey here's an idea: how about law school. All you need is a good GPA which I guess you do have and a good LSAT score. You can get into women's rights and what not. Do insane amounts of women rights adovation and what not. but I just remembered you can't study for that long either?

from what I understand, getting into a Masters program basically depends on a lot of factors of which undergrad major is one but not the most significant one. The most important thing is whether your supervisor thinks that you have the academic skills and the intellectual accumen to complete your grad degree under him/her. so, a comp engg could do his masters in chem eng'g theoretically if a prof accepted him. And he could cover up his deficiencies by taking the right background courses (undergrad). So, I mean if someone wanted to switch fields like that you would still have to take courses. I don't know if this helps but I just met someone who started his PhD in Civil eng'g, changed supervisors, and then eventually changed programs and is doing his PhD in Systems Design eng'g. I know another guy who did his bachelors in civil from Pak and to continue his masters here, he took undergrad courses to fill up on some stuff that he was missing.

So, theoretically you can do you masters in some social work program but you would have to hope that potential supervisors will think that you will be able to complete the requirements of the grad degree with most of your present skills. And if need be, that you will be upgrade your skills to complete your masters. What I would do is just send an email to some program's co-ordinator that you're interested in and ask them what they think is feasible for you. I guess it is upto you to convince the school that you're interested in that you do have the skills that they are looking for regardless of your major.

hope that was helpful and I would like to say the the above constitute some of my research and thus is not 100 percent accurate, cold facts.

6

Irem

a few points

just because you have the personality traits that would work in a career does not mean that career is right for you. Maybe your friends and family know your love of medicine and thus say hey you would be a good pediatrician, but ask them a few questions, a series of "why" questions may clarify something.

because if you look at personality traits, there are computer ppl who are hide ina corner day in day out code builders, and there are those outgoing, leaders who are at the forefront of bringing computer technology to support another field, whether its supply chain management, or development of biometric devices. So personality traits may have a little bit to do with where you will fit in, but not all, I know veryy friendly sociable doctors and very nerdy, unsociable types.

Going further, if you like medicine but cant stand the sight of blood, then will you be comfortabe cuting up specimen and bodies? how will you deal with death and the terminally ill, even if you want to go into pediatrics you have to see all this, got hru all this isn med school and in your residency etc.

There are tons of resources available to you at your university career planning services,they have programs that can match your personality, interests and other criteria into a set of potential career choices for you after a long computer based aseessment.

hacks like I can give you advice based on what we know and see, or based on our own experiences or those of ppl we know, but this is not something we are trained in so take the help of people who do this stuff for a living.

having said that, have you looked into areas such as child psychology, INternational development, or education etc as a masters subject? this way you can be close to helping kids since it seems that is something that you like to do.

anyways go to career services and ask them for this service, any self respecting career services det will have this tool available.

g'luck

7

Getting an undergrad in Cs is great and should not take away from your value even if you want to become a doc.

if you want to do something that is related to medicine look into MPH (i think thats the degree title) which deals with administration/business in medical establishments/hospitals. there is also pharmacy and then you can also become a dentist.

Seriously though, if you are at all interested in research I would suggest you go into an engineering-medical field such are genetics or microbiology and a combo of mech and medicine (deals with replacement devices for humans). There are literally tonnes of opportunities out there but you have to figure out what you want in life and what will make you happy. we can only give suggestions and options that may be available :).

Also if at all possible I would suggest you work for a year or two in the area you want to focus on and see how you feel about it. Very often after working for a while people get totally different ideas in their minds. And dont worry about the time you have spent in the bachelors. Literally everyone I know has changed careers in their lifes and there is no longer a sitgama attached to not doing what your degree is in as long as you are good at it and enjoy it.

8

What about doing pharmacy you don’t have to look at blood, yet you will still be in the medical field. Oh and its in demand right now too so no problem getting a job.

Best wishes.

9

IF i were you irem and hated this CS thing as much as you do, i would go for sumthing like buisiness or as belle suggested u there, pharmacy. They will not hamper your prev education that much and also will help you explore new fields.

P.S congrats on your upcoming graduation and Best of luck in future studies. :k:

10

You can always moderate the career forum.

11

thanks to everyone for these very useful replies :flower1: :slight_smile:

12

:wave: Irem

In the beginning, I didn’t like engineering either but after four years of torture in labs and two yr long internship, I finally begin to love it :slight_smile: I suggest you should work in the industry before changing your career because it is different from what you experience at school.

13

Irem,
I can sort of relate to what you're saying...

did my undergrad in Comp. Sci. - was never sure if this is what I wanna be doin for the rest of my life... had an amazing opportunity to pursue a research career at a place ppl would only dream to be studying at and declined it - (my family still nods their head when they think about that)... and decided to do my MBA from a school that is nowhere close to the other schools that I "could have" gone to!

That being said, I looka t myself today and I am alhadullilah very satisfied with the way I am professionally... I've enjoyed business school... and am hoping to continue with my PhD this fall in Knowledge Management.

and although I don't wanna program, I'm not "wasting" my degree as I'm teaching at the University and College Level diploma programs - that gives me a sense of accomplishment... I've been told I'm good at technology but I'm better at teaching it - and I enjoy every moment of that experience and ultimately I aim to teach and consult to keep both aspects alive... professional competence and self actualization...
inshaAllah :)

hope the same for you...

in the end you have to ask yourself what you think you wanna do...
if you wanna go to med skule, time should be the last thing stopping you. I know its different for girls than it is for guys in our society but from the sound of it, your family is accomodating and believe me, if you enjoy it, you wouldn't even feel the time go by.

If you do wanna work with ppl though, ever thought about teacher's college or an HSM (Health Services Management) program that would allow you to utitlize your background and add the socializing andpeople interaction facet to it...
just a thought :)

14

wasim21 and umar talib, thanks so much for your replies :k: they were really insightful :slight_smile: