Is becoming a doctor worth it

I'm about to graduate high school and I need to choose a career. I have a few ideas, and I need to choose between two colleges that offer different choices.

Of course I am thinking doctor, probably going into emergency medicine, because I love doing EMT related things. However, I'm concerned on not being around my family at all, because the college offering this is hours away. And, they are planning on moving to another state. Plus, its 12 plus years of school, and I want to explore the world, enjoy every second of my youth.

My favorite part of Medicine is the ethics behind it. Deciding what is the best ethical choice to make for any case and any patient. This would be my top choice, but I have no idea what job does this.

Then there is teaching. I love teaching, and I love the idea of being in charge of an entire classroom and getting them to learn, and listening to their ideas. I would teach English, because its the most expressive. I would also be close to family, and have kids relatively younger' and make all their birthdays and basketball games.

So, you see, I'm not sure what college to pick. The medical emphasis or the teaching emphasis.

Thank you :)

I read your question twice, and it is very interesting that when you discuss teaching-its all pro's. When you discuss medicine, you list mostly negatives. To me, it sounds like you fo not want to travel that very long & difficult path to the MD (which is rally OK). Ethics can be addressed through several routes--legal (lawyer), religious degrees (ie through a jesuit college-but not as a priest), and other. There are ethics masters/PhDs etc and most hospitals have an ethics review panel for special circumstances. So with some digging it is possible to go that route. IMO< you are really trying to convinve yourself about MD, but your heart is elsewhere, IMO>

Looking back, yes, it was worth it for me. It was also worth it for the vast majority of my contemporaries. A few might have done better to choose another profession.