Law Vs Medicine Which One Should I Study?

Are you trying to decide what to study?

Are you debating whether to study law or medicine?

Choosing which one to study can be a difficult and daunting task.

As a result, this is why I’ve written this article.

So, should I major in law or medicine?

You should consider studying law if you want to pursue justice and rights and want to make the world a fairer place. You should study medicine if you are interested in studying sciences, helping, and possibly saving people’s lives. However, you do need to be prepared to study for 14 years.

A career in Law or Medicine is intellectually stimulating, financially rewarding, and personally fulfilling.

Working in either Law or Medicine will require you to work long hours and have a demanding career.

To study medicine, you must be comfortable and interested in learning science skills such as math, physics, and chemistry.

It is not an easy task to study law.

Most students struggle with a large amount of studying, which requires them to read, comprehend, and apply various logical processes and analyses.

So, now that we’ve addressed the main question, let’s go over some of the other major concerns that people have when deciding whether to study law or medicine.

Which Is Better Law or Medicine?

Both Law and Medicine offer varied, interesting, intellectually challenging, and financially rewarding careers. However, getting entry into medical school is harder, study takes longer and expensive than Law school.

Potential earnings are important, but what’s also important is how rewarding the job is.

Being a lawyer or doctor can be highly rewarding in helping people.

Doctors can help someone who is sick or injured and have the incredible opportunity to restore these people’s lives to normalcy and even save some from death itself.

Lawyers have the opportunity to pursue a career that improves the world.

Better by upholding justice and human rights. It allows you to serve your people and your country.

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What Lawyers do every day?

Lawyers advise and represent individuals, businesses, and government agencies on legal issues and disputes

Duties

Lawyers typically do the following:

  • Advise and represent clients in courts, before government agencies, and in private legal matters
  • Communicate with their clients, colleagues, judges, and others involved in the case
  • Conduct research and analysis of legal problems
  • Interpret laws, rulings, and regulations for individuals and businesses
  • Present facts in writing and verbally to their clinic ents or others, and argue on behalf of their clients
  • Prepare and file legal documents, such as lawsuits, appeals, wills, contracts, and deeds

Lawyers may specialize in particular legal fields. Following are examples of types of lawyers in these fields:

Environmental lawyers deal with issues and regulations that are related to the environment.

For example, they may work for advocacy groups, waste disposal companies, or government agencies to help ensure compliance with relevant laws.

Tax lawyers handle a variety of tax-related issues for individuals and corporations.

They may help clients navigate complex tax regulations so that clients pay the appropriate tax on items such as income, profits, and property.

For example, tax lawyers may advise a corporation on how much tax it needs to pay from profits made in different states to comply with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules.

Intellectual property lawyers deal with the laws related to inventions, patents, trademarks, and creative works, such as music, books, and movies.

For example, an intellectual property lawyer may advise a client about whether it is okay to use published material in the client’s forthcoming book.

Family lawyers handle a variety of legal issues that pertain to the family. They may advise clients regarding divorce, child custody, and adoption proceedings.

Securities lawyers work on legal issues arising from the buying and selling of stocks, ensuring that all disclosure requirements are met.

They may advise corporations that are interested in listing on the stock exchange through an initial public offering (IPO) or in buying shares in another corporation.

The majority of lawyers work in private and corporate legal offices.

Some work for federal, local, and state governments.

Most work full time and many work more than 40 hours a week.

What Doctors do every day?

Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses and address health maintenance.

Physicians examine patients; take medical histories; prescribe medications; and order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests.

They often counsel patients on diet, hygiene, and preventive healthcare.

Surgeons operate on patients to treat injuries, such as broken bones; diseases, such as cancerous tumors; and deformities, such as cleft palates.

There are two types of physicians, with similar degrees: M.D. (Medical Doctor) and D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine).

Both use the same methods of treatment, including drugs and surgery, but D.O.s place additional emphasis on the body’s musculoskeletal system, preventive medicine, and holistic (whole-person) patient care. D.O.s are most likely to be primary care physicians, although they work in all specialties.

Duties

Physicians and surgeons typically do the following:

  • Take a patient’s medical history and perform a physical exam
  • Document and update charts and patient information to show findings and treatments
  • Order tests and consultations for other physicians or healthcare staff to perform
  • Review test results to identify abnormal findings
  • Recommend, design, and implement a treatment plan
  • Address concerns or answer questions that patients have about their health and well-being
  • Help patients take care of their health by discussing topics such as proper nutrition and hygiene

Physicians and surgeons focus on a particular type of practice.

Within their area of focus, they also may specialize or subspecialize.

The following are examples of types of physicians and surgeons:

Anesthesiologists focus on the care of surgical patients and pain relief.

They administer drugs (anesthetics) that reduce or eliminate the sensation of pain during an operation or another medical procedure.

During surgery, they adjust the amount of anesthetic as needed and monitor the patient’s heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, and breathing.

They also provide pain relief for patients in intensive care, women in labor, and patients suffering from chronic pain.

Cardiologists diagnose and treat diseases or conditions of the heart and blood vessels, such as valve problems, high blood pressure, and heart attacks.

Cardiologists may work with adults or specialize in pediatrics (typical newborns through age 21).

Although they treat many of the same disorders in either population, cardiologists in pediatric care focus on conditions that patients are born with rather than on those that develop later in life.

Dermatologists provide care for diseases relating to the skin, hair, and nails. They treat patients who may have melanoma or other skin cancers.

They may offer both medical and surgical dermatology services.

Emergency medicine physicians treat patients in urgent medical situations. These physicians evaluate, care for, and stabilize patients whose illness or injury requires immediate attention.

Unlike many other physicians, who often choose to specialize, most emergency medical physicians are generalists.

Family medicine physicians are generalists who address health maintenance and assess and treat conditions that occur in everyday life.

These conditions include sinus and respiratory infections, intestinal ailments, and broken bones.

Family medicine physicians typically have regular, long-term patients, who may include all members of the same household.

General internal medicine physicians diagnose and provide nonsurgical treatment for a range of problems that affect internal organs and systems such as the stomach, kidneys, liver, and digestive tract.

Internists use a variety of diagnostic techniques to treat patients through medication or hospitalization.

Their patients are mostly adults. They may specialize, such as in gastroenterology or endocrinology.

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Which Is Harder to Become a Lawyer Or Doctor?

Becoming a Doctor is harder than becoming a Lawyer based on the difficulty of getting into medical school, the intensity of study, and the duration and overall cost of the study. That being said becoming a lawyer is no easy task.   

But of course, the two fields are entirely different and one or the other may be more difficult for you than the other simply because of your aptitude, or lack of aptitude, in the skill sets required of each.

With regards to cost, the average tuition for law school comes in at over $45,569 per year.

In comparison to becoming a Doctor, the cost of medical school will vary depending on whether you go to an in-state or out-of-state school and if the institution is private or public.

A medical student can expect to pay anywhere from $37,611 (in-state, public school) to $61,916 (out-of-state, public school) per annum.

Then if you apply the annual cost to the duration of the study, which is 7 years for a lawyer and 14 years the cost difference is higher being a Doctor. Lawyer $318k versus Doctor $854k.

Once you become a Lawyer you can then start earning a wage.

To become a Doctor you will need to continue studying for another 7 years.

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Is Law School Harder Than Medical School?

Medical school is far more difficult than law school. Not only is admission to Medical School much more difficult, but the volume of study at Medical School is also much greater than at Law School.

Doctors must complete a four-year undergraduate program, along with four years in medical school and three to seven years in a residency program to learn the specialty they chose to pursue.

In other words, it takes between 10 to 14 years to become a fully licensed doctor.

Once you finish your medical education, including your residency program, you need to take an exam for the state you plan to practice medicine in.

Getting a law degree is no easy task.

Whilst the rewards of becoming a lawyer may be great, it will take a serious number of serious hard work studying,

Becoming a lawyer usually takes 7 years of full-time study after high school—4 years of undergraduate study, followed by 3 years of law school.

Most states and jurisdictions require lawyers to complete a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA).

There will be some academically capable students who will find law school relatively easy.

There will be a vast number of students who will need to focus and work hard to pass law school.

And then there will be some students who are not that academically inclined, will struggle, and have to work extremely hard to pass law school.

Should a Lawyer Be Called a Doctor?

Yes, a Lawyer can be called a Doctor.  A Juris Doctorate is a doctorate for a reason.

Lawyers earn a rigorous professional doctorate (J.D.) like their medical doctorate counterparts, who earn an M.D.

Career Planning 

Are you having trouble deciding on a professional path and what to study?

It’s a difficult decision and one that I’ve struggled with after graduating from high school.

The good news is that there are proven courses that can assist students in making informed career decisions.

Here is a course worth checking out 

Career Decisions: From Insight to Impact

Rating 4.7 Stars
Beginner Level
25,5530 already enrolled

What I like about this course is it provides you with the tools to help you understand best practices for making career decisions.

Perfect for people who want to know what to study in college and what job path to choose.

So, by the end of the course, you should have a clearer path on what to study and a career path to pursue. 

The course is conducted by Sharon Belden Castonguay who is an adult developmental psychologist by training and a career counselor.

Sharon draws on decades of expertise with research from the domains of psychology, organizational behavior, and sociology. This information will assist you in developing the skills you’ll need to make the best decisions for you, from deciding on a field of study to researching potential career paths.

Check out the reviews below, they are fantastic 

What Are The Student Reviews Saying?

I am so lucky that I found this course and decided to enroll. It is a life-changing course that one could learn. Dr. Sharon provides knowledge from different perspectives not limited only to the field of psychology but also in sociology as well, so it makes this course so valuable and important for people to understand how people make their career decisions or how they define their success in life.

Source: Coursera

I don’t know why I didn’t watch this before! This was an excellent course, it answers so many questions, and made it clear to make a career decision. If you feel confused, and don’t know what to do next this course is for you.

Source: Coursera

I loved this course! As a young professional, this course helped me think about new ways to approach my career choices and provided great tips to help me pursue what I truly want to do.

Source: Coursera

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Final Thoughts

Studying either Medicine or Law is no easy task.

It will take a serious amount of hard work over many years, and that just to graduate.

However, being either a Doctor or a Lawyer is prestigious, intellectually challenging, financially rewarding, and personally fulfilling.

As with any career that you want to pursue, analyze yourself and your strengths and weaknesses, and seek career counseling.

Speak with your friends and family to get their feedback and thoughts before deciding which major you want to pick.

Hope you enjoyed this article, for more articles relating to studying Law or Medicine, please see the links below

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Related Articles

  • Lawyers: Occupational Outlook Handbook:: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov)
  • Physicians and Surgeons: Occupational Outlook Handbook:: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov)

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