Oh, I already did it once.... I just didn't do it very well. Or rather not very effectively. After 5 years I didn't leave with a degree. I had my reasons (excuses), and DrH wasn't one of the them - although I wish he would have been. I would like to finish this time - before my children graduate.
I just about started two years ago, and then reality (tuition) hit and I decided this wasn't the right time. And it wasn't. We ended up having a baby. But this time, it is going to happen.
And I think I have decided upon the perfect program: I want to study money.
Yes. Money. Specifically, the world of finance.
I figure I already have a natural tendency towards saving and managing our finances now so why not expand on that to match our (presumed) financial needs in the future. Whether that means that I manage our investment/retirement accounts, or have someone else do it - I would really like to know what it all means and how it works. I don't want to blindly turn over our savings and cross my fingers. I want to KNOW. There are many things I want to KNOW.
The list of services and providers we may need in the future really opened up some possibilities for other training and education that could prove invaluable.
Law - think of all the legal implications surrounding the practice of medicine - somebody in the house should know what it means.
Business - being married to a doctor may mean being a part of the family business in one way or another.
Real Estate - finding the perfect house(s) or amassing a rental empire - this could be part of a wise investment strategy.
Architecture - why buy when you can build. Design your own dream home, every beam and door.
Interior Design - any home is going to need some personalization, and this would be fun to learn/practice.
I am sure there are many more areas of study and expertise that could come in handy to know now and in the future. Maybe I will be a forever student (like my DrH has been) and just start tackling them one by one.
What do you look forward to learning or doing when you grow up?
P.S. Don't forget Medical Monday's Blog Hop this Monday!!!!!
Go back! Go back! I went back with a 3yo on my hip. It was hard, but so worth it!
ReplyDeleteBTW... I vote for law or business. ;)
And, yes, that's exactly how it went down. We think the doc is trying to get fired.
Even if I finished when I was supposed to I would still want to study something else. It was a liberal arts program, but that isn't what I am interested in now! Thank you for sharing your "back to school" moment. I figure my baby will be two when it all happens and I should be done before she starts Kindergarten or thereabouts. As for the doctor trying to get fired, doesn't it look better to just quit then to be terminated?
DeleteYou should definitely go back. There are few things that are so personally rewarding. My B.S.c. is mine, all mine. It took me almost seven years, working full time and having to care for a toddler and a husband the last year and a half in which I completed 100 units on the quarter system with a 3.5 gpa. My good friend another med spouse went back to school while her husband was in residency. She took a couple of classes a semester at the JC. Three years later and she just transfered to the university. Her kids are in the 5th & 1st grades. If you want it, go for it. Everything works itself out. Walking across that stage was incredible and seeing/touching my degree is amazing.
ReplyDeleteI love hearing success stories like yours! Congratulations and thank you for sharing.
DeleteIf money and finance are interesting to you....get an ECONOMICS degree. All those other business degrees are not as valuable in this changing economy ESPECIALLY if you want to help manage your husband's paycheck and retirement. Economics is MUCH harder than any "business" degree (no offense to any of your readers). As a doctor wife it will benefit you way more to understand the entire discipline of economics (which encompasses every aspect of business plus gives you the foundation of how the world economy is interconnected each and every single discipline/aspect of life, health, science, math, education, etc). Definitely go back when you are good well and ready and enjoy the journey. I'm thinking about law school BUT will have to wait and see where post-residency life takes us....
ReplyDeleteI'll have to add economics to the list of possibilities:-) Lawyer married to doctor does sound like a nice combination!
DeleteAll of my resident wife/medical school wife friends in real life are either doctor's or lawyers. I guess it's good I think so highly of myself because I've never been insecure around any of them. When I get bummed about my lack of graduate degree I just remind myself of the sacrifices they had to make with their marriage and kids, etc and the fact that we all have different paths to walk and I feel good about my life and situation. (And I am happy for them too.) I'm very adamant that I will NOT drop the ball on rearing my kids post residency. One of my good friends (an ob resident) told me: "Can't nobody raise your kids! No matter what job you have outside the home, you have to raise your own kids." I reckon SHE is RIGHT.
DeleteIt is never too late to start a career! I tell my mom this all the time. She's a DW and 52, stay at home mom all her life, with an unused degree in Biology. I tell her that even if she started working at 55, she'd have a good 10 years of work before "retiring" or could even go longer if she wanted. Never too late!
ReplyDeleteAlso, it is kind of fun being a (non-practicing) lawyer married to a doctor. I mean, people think I am intelligent and that we're this awesome power couple. Reality is that I haven't taken the bar exam yet and I've been out of school two years and Resident Husby, is, well, just a resident lol :)
I vote for becoming a nurse. I'm only just a little biased. ;)
ReplyDeleteStopping by from the MM blog hop! Good for you for going back to school! Education is always a smart choice. :)
ReplyDelete