7 answers
Corrina
Student
Newport News, Virginia
1
Question
Asked
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What factor should determine whether or not you want to pursue a career path; passion for that area or finances you’d make with that career?
I’m requesting this question because I’m stuck between deciding on two different career paths: a pediatrician or an art therapist. The main thing between the two careers holding me back from choosing the other is the financial differences in them.
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7 answers
Karen Kitchel
Community Volunteer
355
Answers
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Updated
Karen’s Answer
Great you are thinking ahead and what wonderful career choices you are considering. Keep in mind, you're not limited to one career in your lifetime, so you might think about what you want to do first based on your priorities. If earning a higher income will give you the opportunity to do something else in the future, that might be worth considering. Whatever path you choose, stay open to changing course when the time is right.
With every good wish.
With every good wish.
Enise Agel
144
Answers
Updated
Enise’s Answer
Hello Corrina,
I advise you to surf the internet; you may match with your hard & soft skills, and emotional intelligence skills once you look at the job announcements with requirements. The reason is that a recruiter is someone who may potentially test you with your skills on your CV.
When it comes to your major, there are vary surveys; yet you may need to test yourself;
Discover your talent and passion with volunteering, internship, part-time job, club includes projects, and/or sunmer school. If you are not studying at the university, you may look at their pros and cons on choosing either an art therapist or a pediatrician on their websites and previously experienced university graduates and wrote a blog about university experience on website.
You may ask your teacher or your mentor or an advisor who can assist on your specific route. They may ask what you are in right now; you may tell;
What you have experienced,
How you can accomplish and achieve your goals,
And why you need to develop yourself.
I hope this helps. If not, I am sorry I could not answer your question. Yet do not worry! There will more answers here.
I advise you to surf the internet; you may match with your hard & soft skills, and emotional intelligence skills once you look at the job announcements with requirements. The reason is that a recruiter is someone who may potentially test you with your skills on your CV.
When it comes to your major, there are vary surveys; yet you may need to test yourself;
Discover your talent and passion with volunteering, internship, part-time job, club includes projects, and/or sunmer school. If you are not studying at the university, you may look at their pros and cons on choosing either an art therapist or a pediatrician on their websites and previously experienced university graduates and wrote a blog about university experience on website.
You may ask your teacher or your mentor or an advisor who can assist on your specific route. They may ask what you are in right now; you may tell;
What you have experienced,
How you can accomplish and achieve your goals,
And why you need to develop yourself.
I hope this helps. If not, I am sorry I could not answer your question. Yet do not worry! There will more answers here.
I appreciate this, thank you for the advice.
Corrina
ShaRon Bynum
Program Manager
31
Answers
Charlotte, North Carolina
Updated
ShaRon’s Answer
Corrina,
As a Woman of Color you have more than just the two options to consider. I understand the prestige of being a DR and what that would mean to your family. I also see your desire to use art, compassion and counseling to help others. You also have to weigh the cost of education and the earning potential of each role. That is a lot on your young shoulders. The most important thing is WHAT DOES CORRINA WANT, who do you want to be when you grow up. What would you choose if your family was not pushing for the MD? This is going to require some soul searching, but the bottom line is you have to do the work and its better to do what you love than to be in a career you hate.
I would encourage you to find a Pediatrician and an Art Therapist that you can establish a mentor relationship. If you don't personally know anyone in the roles ask family; friends; church members; your doctors and classmates for referrals. Most professionals are more than willing to pour into young people and will be delighted you asked. BE PROACTIVE in these relationships, set time commitments, have a list of questions, be genuine and honest. This is going to require work on your part. I had a friend in High School who wanted to be a Dentist until she did an internship and fainted at the sight of blood, she is now a Kindergarten teacher. Any chance to shadow the mentor you find will help you determine IF you are really made for the options you have in front of you.
Go to your School Counselor and Librarian and ask about doing some test that will help you determine which career suits your interest and personality. Take the assessments and be honest when you answer the questions to get the best results. People of your generation tend to change careers multiple times in their lives so you are not bound by a choice you make as a teenager!
Take the time to get to know who you are and what you want out of your life. That will also help you chart the path you need to take to get there. Pray never hurts either. In the end, its what is BEST for Corrina that should guide your decision. Wishing you the best on your journey!
ShaRon
As a Woman of Color you have more than just the two options to consider. I understand the prestige of being a DR and what that would mean to your family. I also see your desire to use art, compassion and counseling to help others. You also have to weigh the cost of education and the earning potential of each role. That is a lot on your young shoulders. The most important thing is WHAT DOES CORRINA WANT, who do you want to be when you grow up. What would you choose if your family was not pushing for the MD? This is going to require some soul searching, but the bottom line is you have to do the work and its better to do what you love than to be in a career you hate.
I would encourage you to find a Pediatrician and an Art Therapist that you can establish a mentor relationship. If you don't personally know anyone in the roles ask family; friends; church members; your doctors and classmates for referrals. Most professionals are more than willing to pour into young people and will be delighted you asked. BE PROACTIVE in these relationships, set time commitments, have a list of questions, be genuine and honest. This is going to require work on your part. I had a friend in High School who wanted to be a Dentist until she did an internship and fainted at the sight of blood, she is now a Kindergarten teacher. Any chance to shadow the mentor you find will help you determine IF you are really made for the options you have in front of you.
Go to your School Counselor and Librarian and ask about doing some test that will help you determine which career suits your interest and personality. Take the assessments and be honest when you answer the questions to get the best results. People of your generation tend to change careers multiple times in their lives so you are not bound by a choice you make as a teenager!
Take the time to get to know who you are and what you want out of your life. That will also help you chart the path you need to take to get there. Pray never hurts either. In the end, its what is BEST for Corrina that should guide your decision. Wishing you the best on your journey!
ShaRon
I am really grateful you took the time to answer this question.
Corrina
Shelia Bereszniewicz
Seller enblement
94
Answers
Woodstock, Georgia
Updated
Shelia’s Answer
You have chosen some rewarding careers to consider. Either path requires extensive education. Let's look at the paths for each career.
Pediatrician - You will need a college degree in one of the sciences. Depending on your MCAT score, you may need to get your masters (1-2 years) while you improve your MCAT score (need over 510). Medical school is 4 years at a hefty cost. If you do not get scholarships to help offset the cost of living and some of the medical school fees, you may end up borrowing over $250,000. After passing all of the required medical exams, your pediatrician residency program is three years. After your residency, you will need to decide if you want to work at a hospital or join a practice with starting salary over $100,000 on average.
Art therapist - Practicing art therapy requires a master's degree (2 year program). The most common program is a Master of Counseling, often with a concentration in art therapy. It also requires a license as a Professional Counselor (LPC) from the state in order to practice. These requirements may take six years or more to complete and might be expensive. The average salary starts around $47,000 based on factors like location, job title, experience and place of work.
Hope this helps.
Pediatrician - You will need a college degree in one of the sciences. Depending on your MCAT score, you may need to get your masters (1-2 years) while you improve your MCAT score (need over 510). Medical school is 4 years at a hefty cost. If you do not get scholarships to help offset the cost of living and some of the medical school fees, you may end up borrowing over $250,000. After passing all of the required medical exams, your pediatrician residency program is three years. After your residency, you will need to decide if you want to work at a hospital or join a practice with starting salary over $100,000 on average.
Art therapist - Practicing art therapy requires a master's degree (2 year program). The most common program is a Master of Counseling, often with a concentration in art therapy. It also requires a license as a Professional Counselor (LPC) from the state in order to practice. These requirements may take six years or more to complete and might be expensive. The average salary starts around $47,000 based on factors like location, job title, experience and place of work.
Hope this helps.
Alisha Gandbhir
Consulting in Managed Services
5
Answers
Natick, Massachusetts
Updated
Alisha’s Answer
Hello Corrina!
It's absolutely fantastic to see you considering your future career while still in school - that's a brilliant step in the right direction! An effective strategy to help you navigate your career path could be connecting with local pediatric care clinics and schools or hospitals that provide medical psychology courses, including art therapy programs. Try to arrange meetings with the staff to discuss their professional experiences. Getting a firsthand glimpse into these career paths can assist you in refining your options. Always bear in mind that your first career choice doesn't have to be your final one - there's always room for change and growth on your journey.
It's absolutely fantastic to see you considering your future career while still in school - that's a brilliant step in the right direction! An effective strategy to help you navigate your career path could be connecting with local pediatric care clinics and schools or hospitals that provide medical psychology courses, including art therapy programs. Try to arrange meetings with the staff to discuss their professional experiences. Getting a firsthand glimpse into these career paths can assist you in refining your options. Always bear in mind that your first career choice doesn't have to be your final one - there's always room for change and growth on your journey.
Thank you for sharing your perspective.
Corrina
steven kulchawick
Building inspector
6
Answers
Orlando, Florida
Updated
steven’s Answer
PEDIATRICIAN.
Hi Steven! Thanks for responding to Corrina's question. Can you share more information on why you think becoming a pediatrician is a good occupational choice? It would help her be better equipped to come to a decision. Thanks so much in advance!
yoonji KIM, Admin
Keyston Rice
Supervisor
178
Answers
Lawrence, IN
Updated
Keyston’s Answer
I get where you're coming from. Deciding between passion and finances is tough. For me, it's been a balance. While I didn't follow the college path, I found passion in supporting my wife's business. But everyone's journey is different. It's worth considering how much you value doing what you love versus the financial stability you'd get. Think about where your heart truly lies and how you can make it work, just like I did with my role.