Pilot or dentist? Can't decide
04-03-2008, 06:31 AM
#11
Self Employed.
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Corporate Pilot
Posts: 7,119
Dentist
Originally Posted by whythereis
For a long time I've had a love for aviation and dentistry. I can't decide which I'd like to do and it is really bothering me. I love dentistry almost as much as I love aviation. On a scale of 1 to 10, I think dentistry would be a 9 and aviation would be a 10. Obviously, there are big lifestyle differences.
Could anyone help me out? Pros? Cons?
Thanks!
Could anyone help me out? Pros? Cons?
Thanks!
SkyHigh
04-03-2008, 08:27 AM
#12
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2007
Position: Dream within a dream
Posts: 1,306
I know a guy who captains A320s for NWA when he isn't practicing dentistry. He manages to combine both of his interests and loves both of his jobs.
If I were to answer your question . . . well, I'm rather partial to flying
If I were to answer your question . . . well, I'm rather partial to flying
04-03-2008, 09:33 AM
#13
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2007
Posts: 248
Pilot or Dentist...
Recently, I talked to one of my old high school friends. After college, he went into the Navy and did secret squirrel special ops stuff and travelled all around the world. I went into the Air Force and did the fighter pilot thing. Everyone talked about how much we had our sh-t together and were the smart ones after college. We did have a lot of fun.
Now he's out of the Navy and got a fancy MBA and works as a consultant. I got out of the AF and work as an airline pilot. We both now constantly worry about paying the bills and whether we'll have a job next month. And frankly, we're both a little bored.
Another one of our friends went to dental school. We used to make fun of him because teeth were so much less cool than what we were doing. Now, he owns his own business, works with hot dental hygenists every day, lives in a $800,000 house, gets paid junkets to Cost Rica and Palm Springs all the time to go to conferences on fillings or whatever, works 35 hours a week, swims in cash, and spends an awful lot more time with his wife and kids than I do. AND...like others have mentioned, he has the coin to fund his own flying...the "just for fun" kind of flying that I used to know how to do.
Dentistry may not be the most exotic job in the world, but it's awfully stable and it sure looks like a nice life, at least from the outside.
Recently, I talked to one of my old high school friends. After college, he went into the Navy and did secret squirrel special ops stuff and travelled all around the world. I went into the Air Force and did the fighter pilot thing. Everyone talked about how much we had our sh-t together and were the smart ones after college. We did have a lot of fun.
Now he's out of the Navy and got a fancy MBA and works as a consultant. I got out of the AF and work as an airline pilot. We both now constantly worry about paying the bills and whether we'll have a job next month. And frankly, we're both a little bored.
Another one of our friends went to dental school. We used to make fun of him because teeth were so much less cool than what we were doing. Now, he owns his own business, works with hot dental hygenists every day, lives in a $800,000 house, gets paid junkets to Cost Rica and Palm Springs all the time to go to conferences on fillings or whatever, works 35 hours a week, swims in cash, and spends an awful lot more time with his wife and kids than I do. AND...like others have mentioned, he has the coin to fund his own flying...the "just for fun" kind of flying that I used to know how to do.
Dentistry may not be the most exotic job in the world, but it's awfully stable and it sure looks like a nice life, at least from the outside.
Last edited by TBoneF15; 04-03-2008 at 12:01 PM.
04-03-2008, 10:51 AM
#14
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Joined APC: Dec 2007
Position: C-130 Co
Posts: 35
Here's the deal: You don't have to have a degree(or specific degree) for aviation, but it is HIGHLY desired for the majors. So get the Pre-dentistry degree while you're young, probably w/out kids and have lots of energy to study hard. If at the end of college you see dentistry is not for you, THEN you can probably go work as a hygenist or in a dental lab while you are saving money for your ratings.
04-03-2008, 12:49 PM
#15
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Joined APC: Sep 2007
Posts: 37
whythereis: join the Air National Guard or Air Force Reserves as a Dentist and be a Pilot as your full time job. Or the other way around if your more inclined to fly in the service. I'm doing the same thing except it was Physician Assistant for me.
04-03-2008, 12:51 PM
#16
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Spartan
Posts: 3,652
Dentist. Fly GA for fun or after your schooling be a guard pilot and full-time dentist. I think that would be the best of both worlds. I can't recommend anyone getting into this career with the instability that exists now and in years past.
04-03-2008, 05:15 PM
#18
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2007
Position: FO
Posts: 117
Three years ago I was in the same boat as you are in now. I was accepted as a Pre-Dentistry major at Ohio State. I thought I had it all worked out. The turning point for me was when my father, an optometrist, explained to me that if he could do life all over again he would be a commercial pilot. He's not a dentist, but he makes a comparable income and has a similar work schedule. I was kind of awe struck when he said this. My dad worked hard to get to where he is now.
What I saw in my father was his frustration when he came home from work. Dealing with insurance companies, problematic patients, and issues with his two offices in separate cities didn't really seem worthwhile to me. I suppose some will argue that aviation isn't much different by having to deal with passengers, management, and aircraft issues, but aviation seemed to be more enjoyable to me and outweighed dentistry.
Now, as a junior at Ohio University majoring in Aviation, I sometimes wonder what life will be like in a couple years flying back and forth between the same airports every day. I enjoy flying now, but what will it be like when it becomes mundane? No matter what profession you choose, you're going to get somewhat tired of it. You need to choose which one you will find the most rewarding and enjoyable.
If I could do college all over again, I would have stuck with Pre-Dentistry and worked on my ratings on the side. That way when I would graduate I would have two options, dentistry school or a regional airline.
What I saw in my father was his frustration when he came home from work. Dealing with insurance companies, problematic patients, and issues with his two offices in separate cities didn't really seem worthwhile to me. I suppose some will argue that aviation isn't much different by having to deal with passengers, management, and aircraft issues, but aviation seemed to be more enjoyable to me and outweighed dentistry.
Now, as a junior at Ohio University majoring in Aviation, I sometimes wonder what life will be like in a couple years flying back and forth between the same airports every day. I enjoy flying now, but what will it be like when it becomes mundane? No matter what profession you choose, you're going to get somewhat tired of it. You need to choose which one you will find the most rewarding and enjoyable.
If I could do college all over again, I would have stuck with Pre-Dentistry and worked on my ratings on the side. That way when I would graduate I would have two options, dentistry school or a regional airline.
04-04-2008, 09:18 PM
#19
Self Employed.
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Corporate Pilot
Posts: 7,119
Its not too late
Originally Posted by Oblique
Three years ago I was in the same boat as you are in now. I was accepted as a Pre-Dentistry major at Ohio State. I thought I had it all worked out. The turning point for me was when my father, an optometrist, explained to me that if he could do life all over again he would be a commercial pilot. He's not a dentist, but he makes a comparable income and has a similar work schedule. I was kind of awe struck when he said this. My dad worked hard to get to where he is now.
What I saw in my father was his frustration when he came home from work. Dealing with insurance companies, problematic patients, and issues with his two offices in separate cities didn't really seem worthwhile to me. I suppose some will argue that aviation isn't much different by having to deal with passengers, management, and aircraft issues, but aviation seemed to be more enjoyable to me and outweighed dentistry.
Now, as a junior at Ohio University majoring in Aviation, I sometimes wonder what life will be like in a couple years flying back and forth between the same airports every day. I enjoy flying now, but what will it be like when it becomes mundane? No matter what profession you choose, you're going to get somewhat tired of it. You need to choose which one you will find the most rewarding and enjoyable.
If I could do college all over again, I would have stuck with Pre-Dentistry and worked on my ratings on the side. That way when I would graduate I would have two options, dentistry school or a regional airline.
What I saw in my father was his frustration when he came home from work. Dealing with insurance companies, problematic patients, and issues with his two offices in separate cities didn't really seem worthwhile to me. I suppose some will argue that aviation isn't much different by having to deal with passengers, management, and aircraft issues, but aviation seemed to be more enjoyable to me and outweighed dentistry.
Now, as a junior at Ohio University majoring in Aviation, I sometimes wonder what life will be like in a couple years flying back and forth between the same airports every day. I enjoy flying now, but what will it be like when it becomes mundane? No matter what profession you choose, you're going to get somewhat tired of it. You need to choose which one you will find the most rewarding and enjoyable.
If I could do college all over again, I would have stuck with Pre-Dentistry and worked on my ratings on the side. That way when I would graduate I would have two options, dentistry school or a regional airline.
Don't walk,,, Run back to dental school.
SkyHigh
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