Doctor vs Engineer

[yvan300]

Was wondering if anyone knew the pros and cons of being an engineer or doctor from a local perspective. Looking for info under headings such as
-Job security
-Employment opportunities
-Income
-Amount of time spent studying (If i happen to go UWI)
-Usual working hours
-Out of work lifestyle
Thanks for the info

[Allergic2BunnyEars]

Depends on what sort of engineering you do. From talking to my doctor friends: study for 5 years in uwi under stress as you have frequent exams. They work shift after coming out of uwi. I guess job security is secure as there is a demand for docs. Social life odd due to working shift. Would improve later in life after specializing. Money increases faster generally depending on the individual.

Chemical engineer: 3 years and done in uwi. Job security currently iffy due to market stagnation but if u do get a job u should be safe. Social life good depending on which company u choose to work for. Pay scale all over, again dependent on which company u end up with. Possible to be good engineer but not move up ranks due to inability to sell oneself in positive light.

[Allergic2BunnyEars]

Also doctor friends seem irritated with job pressure. Pay is good after 2 years out of uwi but very uptight. Tend to look at patients as a source of frustration.

Engineer work hours usually 7 to 4pm but management expects you to stay back till after 4 usually depending on which company u with.

[Rory Phoulorie]

-Job security - No job is ever secure. You can get laid off anytime.
-Employment opportunities - In the current economy, you can faster get employment as a doctor than as an engineer
-Income - Your salary will increase at a quicker rate as a doctor than as an engineer. From a Civil Engineering standpoint, you can earn more money working for a contractor than for a consultant/public service/state enterprise.
-Amount of time spent studying (If i happen to go UWI) - Provided you pass your exams, in 3 years you can earn a B.Sc. in Engineering. You will require a further 4 years of experience before you can apply to become a Registered Engineer with the Board of Engineering of T&T.
-Usual working hours - My working hours are 16-18 hours a day during the week and 12 hours a day on the weekend. I work for a consultant.
-Out of work lifestyle - I only see black sky during my own time.

Kindest Regards,

Rory Phoulorie, R.Eng.

[maj. tom]

Study law

[Rooki3]

Doc > Eng

[nivek]

do process operations....sure to get work faster than doctors and engineers.....and its only a 1 yr course

[Rooki3]

wow

[S_2NR]

do whatever you like and what u can see yourself doing for the rest of ur life.

[Rooki3]

do whatever you like and what u can see yourself doing for the rest of ur life.

best advice so far

[hustla_ambition101]

try and pass CXC first nah dan

[yvan300]

try and pass CXC first nah dan

Got all distinctions , is just CAPE to kill off now.......

But about the 'Do what you see yourself doing' advice, i really stuck between the two. For me both seem to pay well. But i studying how doctors never have time for family or themselves, so engineering seems more promising if i'm looking to enjoy life.

[Rory Phoulorie]

...But i studying how doctors never have time for family or themselves, so engineering seems more promising if i'm looking to enjoy life.

Probably only chemical engineering.

[jm3]

lol another one that is just choosing there trade based on incentives try doing what you would be good at and enjoy.

[Rooki3]

congrats on yur passes

[UML]

who makes more money? doctor or engineer?

[jm3]

its about the same my gf and i used to make pretty much identical salaries.

[Bizzare]

I think you'd be miserable if you don't like what you're doing. The outcome may be worse than choosing a field you love although the benefits are lesser. As generic as that sounds, I say so from personal experience.

[Trini Hookah]

...But i studying how doctors never have time for family or themselves, so engineering seems more promising if i'm looking to enjoy life.

Probably only chemical engineering.

Low blow Rory

Not all doctors don't have family time, you're forgetting about private practices etc. Everyone has to have a balance.

I liked and still have a passion for Dentistry, I hope that one day in the future I can work towards some form of Education in that field, not necessarily as a job, but a goal. The other half of me loves engineering and that's where i'm studying atm.

But again Rory, those hours man

[jm3]

I think you'd be miserable if you don't like what you're doing. The outcome may be worse than choosing a field you love although the benefits are lesser. As generic as that sounds, I say so from personal experience.

i agree it takes more than money to get you to work the hours and maintain the level of professionalism required in both fields. back a few years ago i had worked 16 20 hour days in a straight run several times that fat pay check does not make up for having no life.

[sykomekanik]

I think you'd be miserable if you don't like what you're doing. The outcome may be worse than choosing a field you love although the benefits are lesser. As generic as that sounds, I say so from personal experience.

i agree it takes more than money to get you to work the hours and maintain the level of professionalism required in both fields. back a few years ago i had worked 16 20 hour days in a straight run several times that fat pay check does not make up for having no life.

well said bizzare

i cant say much for engineering but being a doctor or anything in the field of medicine is not just a job or a profession but a lifestyle... you have to love it to do it and if you don't like dealing with the public on a daily basis then its not for you.... choose wisely

[S_2NR]

try and pass CXC first nah dan

Got all distinctions , is just CAPE to kill off now.......

But about the 'Do what you see yourself doing' advice, i really stuck between the two. For me both seem to pay well. But i studying how doctors never have time for family or themselves, so engineering seems more promising if i'm looking to enjoy life.

they are both good careers..
just do whatever u like more, i dont see what all the confusion is about.

seems like u just looking for acceptance

[yvan300]

Hmmmm, i see where you'll coming from. Ok well then can anyone tell me what being an engineer is like in Trinidad? I love physics and always envisioned engineers being people who made inventions and did a lot of scientific stuff lol. But someone told me its kinda boring. You basically just manage this and that and don't really get to feel that rush of using science to make new things etc. I already know what it is like to be a doctor to an extent. Did an internship at a hospital and saw a few surgeries, it was kinda good, but engineering sounds better. Can anyone verify the tasks of an engineer?

[jm3]

Hmmmm, i see where you'll coming from. Ok well then can anyone tell me what being an engineer is like in Trinidad? I love physics and always envisioned engineers being people who made inventions and did a lot of scientific stuff lol. But someone told me its kinda boring. You basically just manage this and that and don't really get to feel that rush of using science to make new things etc. I already know what it is like to be a doctor to an extent. Did an internship at a hospital and saw a few surgeries, it was kinda good, but engineering sounds better. Can anyone verify the tasks of an engineer?

it all depends on the engineering field you join,
engineering is an envelope category we all do very different jobs but they are based around the sciences. the worse part is the more experienced and skilled of an engineer you become the less engineering you do as paperwork, emails and phone calls start to take over

[metalgear2095]

...But i studying how doctors never have time for family or themselves, so engineering seems more promising if i'm looking to enjoy life.

Probably only chemical engineering.

Low blow Rory

Not all doctors don't have family time, you're forgetting about private practices etc. Everyone has to have a balance.

I liked and still have a passion for Dentistry, I hope that one day in the future I can work towards some form of Education in that field, not necessarily as a job, but a goal. The other half of me loves engineering and that's where i'm studying atm.

But again Rory, those hours man

dentistry bess

[rfari]

lock necks OP.

[Rory Phoulorie]

...But someone told me its kinda boring. You basically just manage this and that and don't really get to feel that rush of using science to make new things etc...

Probably only chemical engineering.

...Can anyone verify the tasks of an engineer?

I have designed and supervised construction of things that I, and others, have designed.

I have gotten death threats over a contentious project and used to have to go into and out of the particular community under a Police escort.

I have had villagers threaten to drown me for something that was not the fault of the project that I was working on (different to that above). I explained to them what caused the flooding, but they still wanted to kill me. But when my project manager, who happened to be Caucasian, explained the exact same thing to them, they went off happy about everything. One even commented that he was happy that the area flooded so he could mind ducks. Massa day eh done in T&T.

I have had contractors try to bribe me to pass shoddy work (I have never accepted a bribe at all during my career and never intend to).

I have seen a road collapse because of wrong information provided by WASA. That road was the only road into and out of the community and had to be restored immediately. The contractor and supervising engineer had to work non-stop throughout the night to get the road restored before the following morning.

I could go on and on. All in all, I would say my job has never been boring.

[metalgear2095]

...But someone told me its kinda boring. You basically just manage this and that and don't really get to feel that rush of using science to make new things etc...

Probably only chemical engineering.

...Can anyone verify the tasks of an engineer?

I have designed and supervised construction of things that I, and others, have designed.

I have gotten death threats over a contentious project and used to have to go into and out of the particular community under a Police escort.

I have had villagers threaten to drown me for something that was not the fault of the project that I was working on (different to that above). I explained to them what caused the flooding, but they still wanted to kill me. But when my project manager, who happened to be Caucasian, explained the exact same thing to them, they went off happy about everything. One even commented that he was happy that the area flooded so he could mind ducks. Massa day eh done in T&T.

I have had contractors try to bribe me to pass shoddy work (I have never accepted a bribe at all during my career and never intend to).

I have seen a road collapse because of wrong information provided by WASA. That road was the only road into and out of the community and had to be restored immediately. The contractor and supervising engineer had to work non-stop throughout the night to get the road restored before the following morning.

I could go on and on. All in all, I would say my job has never been boring.

engineering is pretty cool especially if you on big projects. you cud always tell someone i built that!

[rfari]

I have gotten death threats over a contentious project and used to have to go into and out of the particular community under a Police escort.

I have had villagers threaten to drown me for something that was not the fault of the project that I was working on (different to that above). I explained to them what caused the flooding, but they still wanted to kill me. But when my project manager, who happened to be Caucasian, explained the exact same thing to them, they went off happy about everything. One even commented that he was happy that the area flooded so he could mind ducks. Massa day eh done in T&T.

I could go on and on. All in all, I would say my job has never been boring.

i could relate to this. good times.

[shake d livin wake d dead]

be a farmer,most important thing right now...both doctors and engineers must eat.