Is it worth becoming a lawyer?

bluedevilmike
Sat, 30 Dec 2006 00:22:33 +0000

1.) Comparing attendings (post-residency physicians, at least ages 29-31) to law school graduates (at least 25) is the wrong comparison.

2.) What kind of lawyers work more hours than doctors?! Maybe BIGLAW demands more time than, say, dermatology, but that’s basically the only pair of comparisons I can think of.

Remember: residencies are capped at 80 hours a week, but 95% of residencies are noncompliant. Residencies last three to seven years – sometimes more. Are you really going to argue that 19 out of every 20 young lawyers work more than 80 hours a week?

And it’s not as if the situation improves crazily once residency is over. Sure, it’s better – the hours are less – but not amazingly so. It’s not as if doctors work forty hours a week. I’d say sixty, sixty-five would be close to normal, in my rough estimation.

3.) From an admissions standpoint – and this is obviously a rough comparison – 8 of the top 14 law schools have a semi-middle GPA* that seems to be below 3.65. 8 of the top 38 medical schools have mean GPAs that low.

The top 14 law schools are, what, 4% of all law schools? But the top 38 medical schools are a third of all the med schools in the country.

*(Not actually a median GPA, but the midpoint between the 25th and 75th percentile. I’m fully aware of the mathematical problems with such a comparison, but I think they’re more than made up for by premedical requirements being tougher than average college courses.)