Students across the world find themselves at the crossroads after
completing their high school. For toppers, the decision to opt between
engineering and medicine is the most difficult task. Of course, the
choice is never entirely yours and is influenced by several external
factors. These include your parents, the success of your elder siblings
in a particular academic area, your teachers and, for some, even
friends. Not to say that you should ignore them but the best bet is to
listen to your inner-self and do some search on both these fields before
deciding on one. Following are some considerations you should take into
account:
Ease of finding a job
How many doctors or nurses have you come across who said they were
unemployed? The answer would be less than ten. Yes! If you are the one
who wants to land up in a job immediately after completion of your
course, medicine is the right specialty for you. There is little doubt
that engineering profession has too many opportunities; however, finding
a desired job can be a tad difficult.
Leisure time
Are you a kind of a person who prefers to work five days a week and
wants to try lots of other things during the weekend? In that case, you
may opt for engineering. There are several doctors and nurses who say
they have little time for themselves and they have to be ready to work
during any time of the day and week.
Income
Engineers can be found at many levels in the organization. You can
see some of them running companies as CEOs and you may even see some
engineers providing low paying technical support services. Hence, there
is no certainty on income levels. On the other hand, people in medicine
profession invariably earn decent income.
Sensitivity
Many medicine students leave this field after first three months of
study. The probable rationale: I am allergic to smell in operation
theater; I couldn't dissect the frog; the sight of dead bodies haunts me
in my dreams. If you can set aside all these issues and look at the
larger picture of treating the ill, you can take up medical profession.
Creativity
There is no limit to creativity in engineering profession. Some
engineering specializations such as automobile and architecture are
perfect example of these. Who knows you could be the next Alexandre
Gustave Eiffel, and end up constructing the ninth wonder of the world!
But medicine is a much strict discipline.
Social Purpose
There is no better way to save human lives than through medicine.
There are hundreds of ailments that are yet to be overcome. If you
empathize with living beings and want to make a change to lives then go
for medicine.
Social status
The doctors are at the top of the social hierarchy in terms of
respect and recognition. People treat them gently and always want to
make friends with them. If you crave for such attention then becoming a
doctor can fulfill your desires; however, there is a caveat to it: You
can never take your personal conduct for granted.
The above
mentioned considerations are general in nature and are highly debatable.
You may find exceptions in both engineering and medicine. Nevertheless,
these guidelines may serve you a great deal in knowing some of the
basic characteristics in both these professions. The important thing is
that you should not decide on a career just because you think it's cool.
Your grades in high school, your priorities in life, your finances and
several other things will dictate your decision. But doing basic
research on both these specializations is utmost important before
choosing. Once chosen, the next step will be to secure admission in a
good academic institution that will add real value to your knowledge and
career. Remember, getting a seat in a reputed college is half the work
done. Other rewards will come due to your perseverance, hard work, and
passion for the job.
All the best!
