Pilot or a Doctor?

Hello I will soon have to decide which course I must follow, between pilot or a doctor.

I need to find out which option is best in general, or better, from the following points:

1. Salary
2. Social Status and How the society looks at the jobs
3. Job Security
4. Usefulnes

Thank you very much

Mcm9H

Reply 1

LH

15

Become a flying doctor.

Reply 2

Vienna

12

mcm9H

Hello I will soon have to decide which course I must follow, between pilot or a doctor.

I need to find out which option is best in general, or better, from the following points:

1. Salary
2. Social Status and How the society looks at the jobs
3. Job Security
4. Usefulnes

Thank you very much

Mcm9H

5. Which one you want to pursue?

Reply 3

Mephistopheles

Lol ! yeah.. you could become a flying doctor :biggrin:

good one Lord Huntroyde!

a doctor would be better ... think of it
in flying... it'd be almost all the same... but if you wanna be a doctor, you could further specialise in some part of the body...

for eg. if you specialise in heart surgery, you'd be rollin in money man..

its all about specialisations...

Reply 4

Unregistered

you remind me of the people in physics class....... that used to call out without thinking and ask stupid questions

Reply 5

Mephistopheles

who me ?

Reply 6

Nikki J S

mcm9H

Hello I will soon have to decide which course I must follow, between pilot or a doctor.

I need to find out which option is best in general, or better, from the following points:

1. Salary
2. Social Status and How the society looks at the jobs
3. Job Security
4. Usefulnes

Thank you very much

Mcm9H

I'm currently pursuing a career as a doctor in the RAF so you might want to consider that as an option. As you probably know there is a desperate shortage of doctors nationally, and particularly in the military so the remuneration package is higher than that for RAF pilots. Things are so bad that the RAF is currently offering a 50k 'golden hello' to entice fully qualified GP's into the service.

The salary of RAF MO's is also higher than civilian GP's and compares very well with NHS consultants. The career path is similar to civilian doctors in both primary and secondary care but with the addition of the RAF rank structure.

That said, I wouldn't go into a career just for the money or status. Remember you will be doing whichever job you choose for a number of years so you have to be passionate about it. Also you will have 6years minimum training to be a doctor, with long hours and little pay :frown:

Whilst both professions are very respectable, their usefulness is quite a subjective question; which I'm sure there will be wildly differing opinions on.

My best advice would be to go with your heart. :smile:

Reply 7

GH

13

Nikki J S

Also you will have 6years minimum training to be a doctor, with long hours and little pay :frown:

"Little pay"? During the 6 years, you will get your assess worked off, but at a reasonable/decent amount of pay. (compared to other people's situation after 6 years) though not really comparable to the level of responsibility/work you have to undertake.

Reply 8

SusieQ

mcm9H

will soon have to decide which course I must follow, between pilot or a doctor.
I need to find out which option is best in general, or better, from the following points:
1. Salary
2. Social Status and How the society looks at the jobs
3. Job Security
4. Usefulnes
Mcm9H

1. Depends on a lot of things, you'll get a pretty similar pay basically, but can make more or less in either profession depending on your specialisation.
2. It's a completely different image between these two jobs: that of a pilot is very dynamic and a doctor is more traditional.. Pilots get to retire earlier and go to the Bahamas to enjoy life. In both jobs you're responsible for human lives, but I guess this is more tangeable for a doctor who's hands on with a patient on the operating table or sth.
3. Doctor's job's more secure than a pilots. It's less risky in terms of your own life & health, but
4. Usefulness? Isn't that a pretty stupid question with the most obvious answer. Sorry m8.

Reply 9

Nikki J S

2776

"Little pay"? During the 6 years, you will get your assess worked off, but at a reasonable/decent amount of pay. (compared to other people's situation after 6 years) though not really comparable to the level of responsibility/work you have to undertake.

I meant the 5yrs at med school where you don't get anything (unless you're being sponsored :smile:

) and the year as PRHO, where pay will not be brilliant :smile:

Reply 10

Unregistered

Becoming a Doctor is not as good as what it was....... The pay only gets good when you are on average, 33,34,35 years of age, plus having to work 50 to 60 hour weeks as well as emergancy calls in some cases...

Qualifying say 10 or 20 years ago would have been a lot different and better IMO...... Other matters to take into account :the debts, the lengthy course, the high drop out rate and stress factors

Reply 11

GH

13

Nikki J S

I meant the 5yrs at med school where you don't get anything (unless you're being sponsored :smile:

) and the year as PRHO, where pay will not be brilliant :smile:

Ahh, I thought you meant the 6 years after university.

Reply 12

marabara

1

mcm9H

Hello I will soon have to decide which course I must follow, between pilot or a doctor.

I need to find out which option is best in general, or better, from the following points:

1. Salary
2. Social Status and How the society looks at the jobs
3. Job Security
4. Usefulnes

Thank you very much

Mcm9H

what about job satisfaction? surely that's more important than any of the above, especially "How society looks at the jobs"

ultimately, pilot will suit some people more than others, and the same for doctor - it depends on your qualities, and whichever job someone says is the greatest, it may not be for you

Reply 13

vinz

2

let's compare offices
i present, the 772ER and your your bog standard office :>
i know i'd rather be chillin' at 33,000 ft :>

772er.jpg100.6KB

office.jpg97.8KB

Reply 14

Nikki J S

DazYaABBB

Becoming a Doctor is not as good as what it was....... The pay only gets good when you are on average, 33,34,35 years of age, plus having to work 50 to 60 hour weeks as well as emergancy calls in some cases...

Qualifying say 10 or 20 years ago would have been a lot different and better IMO...... Other matters to take into account :the debts, the lengthy course, the high drop out rate and stress factors

It depends what career path you take. Newly qualified RAF doctors start on 47k per yr - not bad for a 24/25 yr old! By the time they have been in for ten years they will be on salaries of 75k-98k per annum - very comparable with civilian NHS consultants.

With the new European Working Time Directives, doctors cannot work more than 58hrs per week anymore, which is far better than the old system.

The RAF also offer sponsorships through university, where they pay all your fees, accommodation and give you an annual allowance in your first two years. In years 3-4 you receive a salary between 12-14k pr yr, and in your final year you get 35k; So with this route you wouldn't end up with massive student debts.

I'm part way down the sponsorship route, which given the benefits is certainly worth considering. :smile:

Reply 15

Nikki J S

DazYaABBB

Becoming a Doctor is not as good as what it was....... The pay only gets good when you are on average, 33,34,35 years of age, plus having to work 50 to 60 hour weeks as well as emergancy calls in some cases...

Qualifying say 10 or 20 years ago would have been a lot different and better IMO...... Other matters to take into account :the debts, the lengthy course, the high drop out rate and stress factors

It depends what career path you take. Newly qualified RAF doctors start on 47k per yr - not bad for a 24/25 yr old! By the time they have been in for ten years they will be on salaries of 75k-98k per annum - very comparable with civilian NHS consultants.

With the new European Working Time Directives, doctors cannot work more than 58hrs per week anymore, which is far better than the old system.

The RAF also offer sponsorships through university, where they pay all your fees, accommodation and give you an annual allowance in your first two years. In years 3-4 you receive a salary between 12-14k pr yr, and in your final year you get 35k; So with this route you wouldn't end up with massive student debts.

I'm part way down the sponsorship route, which given the benefits is certainly worth considering. :smile:

Reply 16

Dajo123

RAF Fighter Pilot :biggrin:

Reply 17

Unregistered

Nikki J S

It depends what career path you take. Newly qualified RAF doctors start on 47k per yr - not bad for a 24/25 yr old! By the time they have been in for ten years they will be on salaries of 75k-98k per annum - very comparable with civilian NHS consultants.

With the new European Working Time Directives, doctors cannot work more than 58hrs per week anymore, which is far better than the old system.

The RAF also offer sponsorships through university, where they pay all your fees, accommodation and give you an annual allowance in your first two years. In years 3-4 you receive a salary between 12-14k pr yr, and in your final year you get 35k; So with this route you wouldn't end up with massive student debts.

I'm part way down the sponsorship route, which given the benefits is certainly worth considering. :smile:

Yes but you'll have to dedicate yourself to the RAF for what, a minmum of 12 years? which means travelling everywhere they go! I mean if you like that then ok...

58 hours a week? that's still a LOT more than the average 37-40 hours a week and i'd like to see that put into practice........

Reply 18

AT82

mcm9H

Hello I will soon have to decide which course I must follow, between pilot or a doctor.

I need to find out which option is best in general, or better, from the following points:

1. Salary
2. Social Status and How the society looks at the jobs
3. Job Security
4. Usefulnes

Thank you very much

Mcm9H

Become a pilot and put any future patients of yours out of their missery. In fact I doubt you would even be able to pass a 7 year medicine degree with that kind of attitude.

Reply 19

Nikki J S

DazYaABBB

Yes but you'll have to dedicate yourself to the RAF for what, a minmum of 12 years? which means travelling everywhere they go! I mean if you like that then ok...

I agree, it's not for everyone - you have to really want to be in a military organisation. You can join on a short term commission which is only six years, and if you went in as a GP you would be stationed on an RAF base.

However, if you wanted to travel all around the world you could join the aeromedical evacuation teams, where you would have lots of opportunities to do this.

I'm enthusing about it so much because it's what I really want to do - but obviously only you know if it's the kind of career that interests you.

Anyway, good luck with your choices :smile:

Pilot or a Doctor?

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