Optimal Career Path

[iThink]

Assalamu Alaikum,

Hello brothers and sisters. I'm new to this forum so let me give a brief background, I'm a Muslim male currently in high school.
I'm not very religious, but I consistently try to improve myself for the better.

So anyways that's a little bit about me, now I would like to talk about my dilemma. College is approaching very quickly and I'm at a complete loss. I'm stuck between two completely different careers.

My plan A:
Was to study medicine and go to Med school

Pros: Job security, financially stable, Will be doing good for people that is tangible and has a real effect, can help family that don't have as much fortune, Real beneficial knowledge that can do good no matter the circumstance

Cons: many years of schooling, very time consuming, less time for family, Very expensive

Plan B:
Get a degree in computer science and go into software developing/programming and gain Islamic knowledge

Pros: financially stable, computers come easy to me, doesn't require more then a B.S degree, time for family/Deen
Cons: Not the same job security as medicine, no idea if I can take this career out of U.S. Useless knowledge if life went downhill


Sorry for making this long, I just my brain tells me to go medicine but my heart tells me to seek Islamic knowledge and do computer science for the work.

[wizard.of.oz]

Re: Optimal Career Path

Salat isthikara. Also, ask your parents. Sometimes parental advice is best advice.

Here are other things you should consider. Weigh up pros and cons for each career. See what you like the most.

Alternatively, flip a coin. Heads = Medicine. Tails = Computer Science. If you're subconsciously happy with the choice you land on, stick with it. If you're not, go with the other one.

IMO medicine should be the one. Yes, it's hard work. However I feel you can benefit humanity in a meaningful way.

[birdman]

Re: Optimal Career Path

Consider doing Law and become a Barrister.

[birdman]

Re: Optimal Career Path

Also the day you start your uni for software engineering, consider that u'll have no life after that. Forget family,friends,hobbies.

[SheSaid]

Re: Optimal Career Path

have you considered medicine + studying Islam, I've heard of some Muslims that do this though I'm not sure how they split up their time to continue to practice as a doctor.

[wizard.of.oz]

[iThink]

Re: Optimal Career Path

I've talked to my parents, mother says I should go for medicine and then move to an Islamic country. Dad says I should pursue whatever I want (not much help). The only reason I'm hesitant about medicine is I'll be in school/residency until I'm 30. Medicine is a time consuming career path and the most valuable thing we have is time. I guess I'll talk to my local imam.

[Jenicca]

Re: Optimal Career Path

Try to get in touch with Shaykh Hussain Abdul Sattar in Chicago or Shaykh Omar Hussaini in Florida

It may be worthwhile for you to speak to them as they are both Dr's in the Medical Field and also prominent Scholars of the Deen and in particular Tassawuf. You can read about their biographies as well, which may give you a better idea of hhow you wish to pursue things

Try to email/speak to either of the if you can,

Best of wishes, I pray everything works out for you

[birdman]

Re: Optimal Career Path

I've talked to my parents, mother says I should go for medicine and then move to an Islamic country. Dad says I should pursue whatever I want (not much help). The only reason I'm hesitant about medicine is I'll be in school/residency until I'm 30. Medicine is a time consuming career path and the most valuable thing we have is time. I guess I'll talk to my local imam.

If you do medicine then you can do dawah to your patients. And they will actually listen to your dawah rather than listening to a broke person's dawah lol.

[iThink]

Re: Optimal Career Path

Wow thank you so much, I really appreciate the help. I'm going to look into these scholars and hopefully get in touch with them.
I'm so curious as to how they managed to attend med school and study Deen simultaneously. Thanks again

[wizard.of.oz]

Re: Optimal Career Path

Wow thank you so much, I really appreciate the help. I'm going to look into these scholars and hopefully get in touch with them.
I'm so curious as to how they managed to attend med school and study Deen simultaneously. Thanks again

[iThink]

Re: Optimal Career Path

Yeah I saw it, the struggle is real though. Let me give you perspective what if someone pursues a career in medicine, moves to a Muslim country, and supports and helps his people? I see no wrong doing there.