I really need your advice. Since I was maybe seven or younger I always wanted to be a surgeon, most likely neurosurgery or probably orthopedic surgery. It was an inspiration or motivation I got when I saw lots of kids with more severe medical problems than me. I said to my parents I wanted to do the same that the doctors were doing for me — changing the lives of people medically.<\/p>\n
After high school, I wanted to go to college for my undergraduate work and then go to medical school, but I haven’t been able because of my medical health issues. I applied several times to go during different semesters, but I couldn’t go because I had to wait for my doctors to figure out what to do next with my condition. I have waited two years now and I’m getting a little discouraged from chasing my dreams. I’m 21 and you know how they say at a certain age it’s too late to become a doctor, or even go to medical school. How will God feel if I gave up? I know Jesus Christ knows what future I will have. My parents tell me I was born to save people’s lives or change them like it’s a gift from God. But will something bad happen if I give up and choose another career like maybe owning a skateboard shop? (My favorite hobby is skateboarding.) Should I still aim for medical school?<\/p>\n\t
The reason older students are discouraged from entering medical school is that they won’t have a long enough career to pay back the loans typically incurred while going to school. But you are not close to that age yet.<\/p>\n
What you do with your life is your decision. I can’t make it for you, nor can your parents. If you are truly interested in the medical field, I would suggest that you get involved in it. For example, have you considered being a physician’s assistant or a nurse practitioner? The schooling required is not nearly as long. The pay is less, but you get to do many of the duties that typically fall to doctors and you don’t have the liabilities that a doctor has to pay insurance for. You could also consider nursing, which again takes less schooling and is a job in high demand.<\/p>\n
Even if you decide to go for a lesser degree, the option remains to move up at a later point if you so desire.<\/p>\n
If you lost interest in the medical field — and such things do happen when you are maturing into an adult, then that is fine. No one is forced into holding on to past dreams. If you want to own a shop, then get a business degree because there is a lot you need to know about to be successful in a business.<\/p>\n
The hard part is making a decision at your age. The world is open to you and there are too many choices and not enough time to pursue them all. But first, take care of yourself so that you can do what you want later. Even while you are between surgeries, fit as much schooling in as you can, even if it is general courses at a community college. At least that will keep you sharp.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: I really need your advice. Since I was maybe seven or younger I always wanted to be a surgeon, most likely neurosurgery or probably orthopedic surgery. It was an inspiration or motivation I got when I saw lots of kids with more severe medical problems than me. I said to my parents I wanted…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[763,105,659],"class_list":["post-34404","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-decisions","tag-employment","tag-jobs"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":38371,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/im-tired-of-living-with-this-medical-condition\/","url_meta":{"origin":34404,"position":0},"title":"I’m tired of living with this medical condition","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 14, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What's the purpose of my life when I'm suffering from a socially isolating and debilitating medical condition? I kid you not, I'm so sick and tired of reading platitudes; I'm tired of begging, pleading, imploring God for help. What's the point of living, if you can't function as a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9401,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/where-does-the-bible-say-doctors-wont-know-what-they-are-healing\/","url_meta":{"origin":34404,"position":1},"title":"Where does the Bible say doctors won’t know what they are healing?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 12, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: My father-in-law keeps telling me that somewhere in the Bible it says that at the end of time the doctors will not know what they are healing. Can you tell me if this is in the Bible and if so where I might find it? Answer: Since your father-in-law\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":87635,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-advanced-medical-directives-or-living-wills-wrong\/","url_meta":{"origin":34404,"position":2},"title":"Are Advanced Medical Directives or Living Wills wrong?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 9, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In my country, there is an arrangement called \"Advance Medical Directive (AMD)\". \"It is a legal document that you sign in advance to inform the doctor treating you (in the event you become terminally ill and unconscious) that you do not want any extraordinary life-sustaining treatment to be used\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":35962,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-long-do-i-pray-for-a-cure-for-my-tmau\/","url_meta":{"origin":34404,"position":3},"title":"How long do I pray for a cure for my TMAU?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 26, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I clearly understand that Jesus Christ is absolutely under no obligation to heal anyone.\u00a0 He owes us nothing in the way of healing, health, prosperity, or posterity.\u00a0 If Jesus decides to heal anyone, He does so because it's His will.\u00a0 I remember Paul's thorn in his flesh.\u00a0 He prayed\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10355,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-i-trust-in-god-for-my-healing-and-not-seek-the-aid-of-a-doctor\/","url_meta":{"origin":34404,"position":4},"title":"Should I trust in God for my healing and not seek the aid of a doctor?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 11, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I'm a diabetic and I take insulin. Should I trust in God for my healing and not seek the aid of a doctor (II Chronicles16:12)? Answer: Perhaps I should walk off of a cliff and trust that God will prevent me from being injured. Oh, wait a minute, someone\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":37207,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-christians-support-the-legalization-of-marijuana-for-medical-use\/","url_meta":{"origin":34404,"position":5},"title":"Should Christians support the legalization of marijuana for medical use?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 16, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, I am a Christian, and I do not imbibe alcohol or any other drugs for recreational purposes. I have in the past (my youth) partaken in sinful inebriation, but have been sober for several years and have since been baptized. My question is whether or not you think\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34404","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34404"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34404\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}