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| Thread : Career Advice - Especially From Those With Advanced Degrees/Specializations | |
13 May 2008 @ 4:30 PM
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| bazique |
Join Date:
Wed 16th Apr 2008
Threads: 1 Posts: 0 |
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Career Advice - Especially From Those With Advanced Degrees/Specializations
Hi All, I have read the threads with interest since my diagnosis of ADHD inattentive type several months ago. I am currently 25, male, a law student who just completed his first year. Given my poor performance, I am considering and almost certain I will opt for another career path. I have not gotten testing but I may also have a central auditory processing disorder. I did complete pre-med back in undergrad, so that is a possible field to get into. I was wondering if some of the people here have experience in the following fields, and could provide some guidance or opinion regarding these paths and my abilities: medicine, health administration/policy, environmental law. My weaknesses as shown by law school were: 1) organization, 2) writing quickly, 3) doing westlaw research without guidance, 4) shifting my attention from subject to subject. My standard test scores have always been in the top 2-3 %, but that is a product of work ethic and exam practice. For example, I took all 40 practice tests for the LSAT, but was not able to figure out a way to practice for law school essay exams. My strength, obviously, is preparing - as long as I know what it is I have to prepare for. I am also not afraid of a lot of work. I am considering medical school for psychiatry, a master's in health administration and possibly a phd, or possibly completing law school with a focus on environmental law. Given my horrible first year though, I cannot help but think document review is looming in my future should I continue because usually associates have to do whatever work they are given; they don't choose their specialization. Hence my career change. At this point, I would like to study something that will maximize my strengths. I have always been a good preparer, and I know a lot of friends and family in med school. The instructions are clear, it's a lot of work but you don't have to pull out things to study, it's right there. Health admin is less strenuous and I have little interest in it, but at this point I feel I could be interested in anything as long as it's clear and I have the opportunity to solve problems. I hope to hear from anyone who has experience in any of these fields. Thank you. |
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13 May 2008 @ 9:13 PM
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1
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| Anni |
Join Date:
Thu 25th Oct 2007
Threads: 2 Posts: 130 |
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Dr. Ned Hallowell
Hello: I don't have any first-person experience to share, but I would like to turn you on to Dr. Ned Hallowell, a contributor to ADDitude who has ADD and dyslexia. He's also a wildly successful medical doctor who may have some advice to share with you... Articles by Dr. Hallowell: http://www.additudemag.com/authorID/7.html Reach out to Dr. Hallowell here: http://www.additudemag.com/resources/asktheexperts.html Hope this helps! |
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14 May 2008 @ 3:59 PM
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2
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| Laura P |
Join Date:
Wed 14th May 2008
Threads: 0 Posts: 3 |
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Try a coach
Have you tried talking to a career/life coach? I'm sure you don't have a lot of extra money being in law school, but talking to a career coach that specializes in ADHD might really help you get started on the right career path for you. You may even find out that you are already on the right path, but just need some helpful tools to get you through the areas that your ADHD hold you back. I have been in a training class with a wonderful woman, Barbara Luther, who is a Master Certified Coach who specializes in ADHD clients. She is speaking at the ADDA conference in July in MN. Here is her website http://www.windbeneathyourwings.com/ If she is not the right coach for you I know she has many other ADHD coaches that she could recommend. You are right in trying to figure out your best career path now rather than constantly being frustrated and making multiple career changes that cost you money rather than make you money. Good luck! Laura Paul |
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22 May 2008 @ 9:58 AM
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3
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| meffie |
Join Date:
Mon 3rd Mar 2008
Threads: 0 Posts: 8 |
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Finding the Right Career
I am excited for you. If you choose to formally get diagnosed. The information you learn about yourself can play a significant positive role in helping you better understand how to the AD/HD can impact the life you carve out for yourself. I was diagnosed with high intelligence along with AD/HD and auditory sensitivity when I pursued the nuerological testing because of challenges and failings, again, on the job. I am 57. The school may offer testing at no or limited cost to you as a student. It is worth knowing the true diagnosis. In addition, taking the Strong Inventory assessment of skills and interests might aid you in finding out other careers might suit a person with your interests. It is based solely on interests and gender. Compares your interests with what others in same gender group with your same interests have done for jobs and careers a year into their profession. I found the Strong six top options 5 of the 6 were work I tried in the past, or wanted to try. The recommendations aligned with many of my "hobbies" and dream jobs. Was very helpful information for me to have. I sought out medication after my diagnosis. The medication allowed me to focus for longer periods of time. In addition I am able to recall more easily and rapidly information I learned in the past. Depending on the career path and education needed that you select, medication for the AD/HD might be an option to consider. I find my daily life more productive and focused than ever in my life. I imagine my desire to pursue advanced degrees would have been easier if I had known I was AD/HD and had medication to assist me channeling the symptoms to my advantage. Even now, as I work from home after being laid off from the job I did not fit, I find the medication makes my life more productive. The use of medication is a disputed remedy. My brother in law, like some, said his son would outgrow his ADD. Seeing as I have spent my entire life with AD/HD and only recently got help. I see his theory as faulty. Once you have it, you always have to manage it. But the life you live, the job you select all contribute to making your life easier or harder on managing the AD/HD.
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1 Jun 2008 @ 8:59 PM
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4
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| Firecracker |
Join Date:
Sat 31st May 2008
Threads: 2 Posts: 10 |
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You're definitely not alone
Hi Bazique, I was diagnosed as ADHD 3 times as a kid but everyone thought I "outgrew it" when I learned to cope and started succeeding in school at age 12 (my older brother also has ADHD along with a bunch of other issues, so I was the "easy one"). No one really thought to mention anything in highschool and college, either -- they all thought I knew I had had it, and I just thought I was lazy/lucky in getting through school. I am now getting officially diagnosed (again) at age 25 after having had a really rough first year of graduate school. Since one of my problems is reading quickly (I'm depressingly slow compared to most of my collegues), I have been doing much rethinking regarding the possibility of finishing my PhD in (what else?) literature. I've been able to keep my grades up ok, but I've been really struggling to keep up the readings (one particularly depressing moment came when I lent an article that I had just spent what felt like forever reading to a colleague, and he emerged from the office about 10 minutes later having had finished it). I've also noticed my procrastination getting worse, and my attention to detail slipping -- consequently my papers are becoming sloppier and sloppier (I have to write them in a foreign language, so grammar is really important), which is not a good sign. I'm very worried about slipping further and further behind and not being able to finish the program. Or finishing it, but ending up with a meaningless degree.The problem is I have no idea what I would do otherwise -- I have lots of interests, but a mish-mosh of work experience (one of my other major areas of weakness has been motivation, so my resume has a few gaps). I've decided to stick with my program at least for the moment, since my grades are ok and I will hopefully now have access to help. I also get to start teaching in the fall, which should give me a better idea of whether an academic job would be right for me in the long run. But I also plan on exploring other options as I go so that I have some kind of backup. So I guess I just wanted to say that you're definitely not the only one going through this, and thank those who posted suggestions. Good luck! Firecracker |
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