Career Change

Society Business and Career
1

salam pplzz… :wave:

alright.. I need some suggestions and advises from all of you. After thinking for almost an year now I have now decided to change my career.. from Computer information system to somewhr in Medical… I don’t know a single thing about it…. But I still wanna be a doc or may be a pharmacist. i still love computers but I don’t want to keep it as my profession anymore. Right now I go to junior college and I have almost done with all my CIS courses.. only one or two courses are remaining and then I will be done, so basically 2 more semesters to go… but now I want to choose something that is more professional, that has more fame (;-)) and something that is more demanding than any other major… I was thinking of becoming a doctor first.. which I still have this in my mind…. But since it takes too long so I think I would wanna go to pharmacy… which I heard it takes 6 yrs after high school, but I aint sure. What do you think which is better and how many years of study does each field require me to do.

What are the requirements.. if you guys have had a tough experience then make sure you tell me.. cuz I am going from CIS which is a piece of cake for me… I mean I hardly study one or two hours a week and I get A in all my Computer classes…. Beside exam week. So thr isn’t any challenge in this field. Kahir tell me what kinda problem I may face…. Well tell me everything you know… I definitely wanan know more about the pharmacy… what kinda job they have… I mean do u have to work in pharmacy stores and all you gotta do it to write the name of the medicine and make it???

Ok pleaseee tell me as soon as possible.. first my family is totally against it… cuz they think I cant do it.. but I guess I can :bummer: but in the end they leave it on me…and I guess I will be doing istakhara too…. I don’t wanna be like ke I cant do in when I am half way through my studies… cuz I knowww I just have a problem by sticking to one thing for longer time.. cuz I get bored very often(just like I got bored to comp science) I just don’t wanna make this decision emotionally.

Alright folks help me out….

Thanks in advance :slight_smile:

2

hmmm

pp07 yar

i kinda went thru the same thing

for me it was like this:

since i was a kid i wanted to become a doctor

till the end of high school i knew i was becoming a doctor

i applied to agha khan which as u might know is the best med skool in pak

and i cleared the test and interviews n everything

i was also applying abroad after high school and i heard that abroad it takes 10 yrs to do medicince and its almost impossible for foreign students to get in, so i dint apply for medicine, but just tukkay se coz it was the in thing those days, i applied for computer science

when i ended up getting a full scholarship from a great uni in the usa, i chose that option instead of donig medicine in pak

while i was studying computer science, i never enjoyed it

i know i did not want to become a programmer for life

my natural interest was more towards humanities and social sciences

medicine was not even an option anymore

after graduating, for a couple months i was still thinking, i wana do medicine, but now finally ive given up the idea coz i dont think its really feasible

lekin sometimes i feel like that would have been the profession most suited to my temparament and interests

anyways, to do medicine in the usa u need to do really well in ur undergrad, exceptionally well…getting into med school there is very competitive…plus it is very demanding…

u also have another option of applying to paksitani med schools and coming and doing ur medicine here…it is shorter and less competitive…unless u wana get into the very top med schools like agha khan, there r some colleges like baqai and hamdard which take anyone…

as for pharmacy, im not too sure abt that…but u shud check with ur college counsellor? i think its a normal 4 yr bachelor’s degree? and u shud go to a pharmacy nearby like rite aid or walgreen’s and talk to some pharmacists there…

waise yaar why dont u try a field like bioengineering or biotechnology…something that mixed computers and bio/chem…u could look into that as well

as for whether u’ll be able to it…what cant u do if u put ur heart into it with full dedication and sincerity?
:k:

good luck :slight_smile:

3

you have to follow your interest (re:education/career) … that’s what I think. If you want to be a doc, then go for it. If you want to be an IT specialist, then stick to it. Don’t follow what’s in demand. If you are good at what you do, then you’ll always be in demand. If you are passionate about a subject then its better to excel in it even though there is fierce competition. I’m sure a wise employer will spot you and you will shine one day. And yes, don’t forget to ask Allah s.w.t for assistance … very important.

My parents wanted me to be a doc cause one of my cousin is doc. I was a pre-medical student till grade 12 … was average (65-70 percent)at my studies. But after I finished high-school I joined Comp Sci. Initially I faced problems catching up (programming etc) but then things went smoothly, Alhamdulillah. Now, after I’ve graduated, I am still keen on learning more about computer networks and usually read up on white papers and stuff. So all this learning etc comes with interest. If you are interested in a subject you’ll always find ways and means to learn more about it … its human nature.

hehehe … :hehe: … sorry guys I got carried away :halo: …

4

If you are good in CS keep it as a profession. it is a great profession and you would do well and can gain a lot of fame if you wanted (just look at Azkar Pahi here :p). Send me an IM if you need more information about CS opportunities vis a vis doing Med school here.

5

PP007, why don’t you do a minor in the field of your choice. Anything with CS is a good combination. Pharmacy is not a bad idea.

What is the latest trend in universities these days? I am wondering if people are still opting for I.T after what we have experienced in the last few years.

6

Timber, you can consider bioinformatics and/or bioengineering. Let me send you a PM.

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Irem…. That’s great…. Well I wanted to be a doctor too… but I never really thought about going for it cuz I always thought I cant do it until now……..
Ummm I didn’t know that u came here with full scholarship..thats awesome yar…I mean mujhe scholarship nahi milti :bummer: but still yar its good that you are in comp science…. I cant say its doesn’t have much scope in this field because you never know today the economy may be down but tomorrow it will be up and rising.. and the fact that u have done from Stanford the whole thing makes it excellent.. I mean its extremely hard for foreign to get into such institute and pass in such a manner…
Btw you said medicine isn’t really an option anymore.. common yar.. you cant just give up for something you love to do… 2good2btrue emailed me about this bioinformatics major which I will consider as well… i mean you can still be part of comp science but more towards biology and science related stuffs.. and he said you can have a great career in this field and also make a lot of money… why dun u think about it tooo…. Its never too late…
I know that it’s the most demanding field.. you know wat I went to this pharmacy store echerd I donno if I spell it right or wrong… but I went thr and had a lil chat with the guy works in a pharmacy section.. I asked him his experience in this field and he goes like… he has done his 2 yrs in science from Penn State(not UPEN) and then complete his BS in pharm D. from temple university and now he makes around 95 K and that was his starting salary.. so isn’t really great… but he is getting the same money from the last 7 yrs… but still its good… I mean he loves the work he does….. everything he has to deal with people who has lods of problem… so he loves curing them… and he loves it….
Yar Pakistani med school… I don’t think so… nor I wanna go back and study thr… i just cant…. But I will definitely wanan go back with my degree and serve what I learn… laikin wahan parhia mere liay imposible hia… anwaysy thanks for your suggestions yar.. I think you should think about it too.. rather than working… you can do what you wanan do… life is too short yar…… :slight_smile:

Digitelsurgeon: I know thr is somethin.. actually now there are a lot of medical field that are emerging with comp science… my friend who was in CS tooo but now she changed her major to Dentistry and now CS has became her minor…. because in USA thr is a huge demand of doctors rather then people in IT, since many IT jobs are going abroad so I have seen many graduate looking for work and when they cant find it, they start to change their career to medicine cuz of the demand :slight_smile:

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Nos: I totally agree with you… but I have been hearing this from my family a lot.. specially from my mom.. she wishes so badly that atleast someone in her family would be a doc.. so aisay hi baithay baithay.. I am like let me do it…..thats how I came up with this… I may end up becommin a doc.. you never know.. laikin let see… abhi I should take the first step.. you are so right… I still love computers but I guess I don’t wanan be a programmer for life… kuch to diff ho na… most of the desis are in this field… isi liay I wanna do somehtin diff :)

Hcmq: sure… yeah u r right.... azkar bhia is one of the example..a nd not just himm.. you guys are also doing well in each of your field in IT… let me give it a try into medicine.. if I don’t get succeed then I will probably end up going back to IT.. then I will definitely gonna need your help :)

Fayz: minor sounds like agood idea… I would like to keep comp science as my minor now.. and medicine be my major… I have seen a lot of people who are switching from CS to other fields too…. Lack of jobs…and a lot of jobs going to other countries isi liay not that many offers left in this field… but if you are extremely genius and highly qualified then offcourse you are in demand :)

2good uncle: yeah sounds like a great idea… I found out that UPEN offers one of the best bioinformatics curriculam in the whole state of Pennsylvania.. I will also apply thr.. but its extremely expensive… and the place whr I wanna go is also one of the best univ in philly… but they don’t offer this curriculam… but let see kya hota hia…. let me take few pre req and then I will see whr I stand :)
trust me… I have always hated biology as a subject… laikin dekhian kya hota hia :)

9

A friend of mine is doing his bachelor's in Biotechnology and he said that it requires a person with a good knowledge of computers. He said he's done programming in C++ as well! (don't know if it's part of his Bachelors?) He's studying at the University of British Columbia I guess?? Maybe this is a good field like some other guppies mentioned. But there is a good deal of chemistry involved in it and he's not very comfortable with it ... saying its a bit difficult for him. Otherwise, he says he's been enjoying it :)

Good luck bud :biggthumb

10

woww.. i just love chemistry :hula:

let see what happenes with me… i am yet to meet with my councelor…