jaryeh: Why do you wanna go for Civil Engineering? Articulate your points, discuss with them to convince them that you prefer Civil Engineering.

Sijioke: i have not only discussed with them. We even invited a family freind but my dad rejected the offer. He said I must do it.

lomaxx:

Have you asked him why he wants you to study medicine?

Sijioke: i have not only discussed with them. We even invited a family freind but my dad rejected the offer. He said I must do it.

Sijioke: yea, i did.. He said all my elder ones studied another course, so i should be the one to study medicine and because i am brillant..that was the main reason.

lomaxx:


Yeah. I'm familiar with that story. Parent feels because you're smart then you should naturally study medicine. That's a very flawed perspective. Very flawed. I'd say you should persist.

Whatever happens, don't do what you don't want. In the long run, you'd need more than intelligence to sustain you.

lomaxx: Parents have been making this mistake from time immemorial till now. You are not the only person. I've met countless people whose parents feel if they're not studying medicine then they are not living the life. Parents know very little about studying hard to get a spot in a good university. Parents know little about the rules and regulations that guide your stay in this place. Parents do not know that if you make a slight error, you could be pushed out of the program. Parents do not know that you spend 7 useful years of your life studying day and night. Parents do not know that this place robs you of time for yourself, time for your friends and time for family.

There are a lot of things parents do not know about med school. Most of them do it out of utter ignorance. And you must not allow it.

If you want civil engineering, go for civil engineering. Don't be bullied into what you don't want. My parents initially didn't want me to study medicine- they had their plans. I did it against their wish. Sooner or later they had to live with the reality that it's my life and the choice remains mine. And whatever would come out of it will be my responsibility.

So it's up to you. Let no one bully you. 7 years is a lot of time to spend in a course you don't want.

bushdoc9919: Why do parents force their children to read medicine

(Full disclosure....I am a doctor).

Because Medicine is the only course where you are guaranteed a job after you graduate....and even before you do your NYSC.

Plus, if you cannot get a job as a doctor...nothing stops you opening up your clinic in a one room apartment....and growing in to a hospital ten years later (as one of my former bosses did).

Other courses in Nigeria have poor job prospects. Like a friend of mine who read Fine Art....and is yet to get a job after over 5 years. Or another one who did business admin....and no job three years post graduate.

Until Nigeria becomes a industrial society.......

Sijioke: if i am getting you right u actually meant doctors are the only ones who make it in Nigeria.. If you reason that way also know that .. President Goodluck jonathan studied Zoology and Gen olusegun obasanjo studied civil enginnering with the aid of his younger sister.

bushdoc9919:

I don't deny that....but just look at the ''Vacancy '' pages in the newspapers....the medical doctor jobs are the ones that do not require 5 years post NYSC experience.

Victoriousvic: I'm a victim of this.

Victoriousvic: I'm a victim of this.

Doclight: share ur experiences

Doclight: share ur experiences

STENON: I'm also a Victim..

Snc my First Day on earth, I dislike that course. Bt My Parnt wish I shld go for Medicine.
Although, Throughout my Primary, secondary and evn till now that I'm in Higher Institution, some People never stop calling me "Doctor".

Academically and Physically, I'l do well in Medicine.
Bt Mentally and Emmotionally, The interest is nt jst there. They refused to pay for my OAU PD some yrs ago, after passing their entrance exam simply because I'm going for PMC(Physics,Maths and chemistry oriented course).

Bt i dnt have interest in that Medicine.
I have so much interest in Geophysics(Exploration aspect).

Thank God for my Life now, I'm very comfortable, Happy and Performing Excellently in my Present course. Though they said I'l be young wen I graduate and that I shld wrt anoda Jamb and go for Medicine, bt I'v told them that I can'nt and I won't, because My Plan is to cross to Geophysics at Masters Level,Go for my PhD immediately and become A Doctor in my Discipline.

I think this is the only way that I'v offended my Parent.