₦airaland Forum

I want to switch career. From Geology to Medicine. (I will post my progress, with hopes that someday someone will need my story to guide them)

I studied Geology in the University. From the reason why I studied the course to why I currently have it as a profession is all shades of wrong. I studied Geology because I thought it was related to Agriculture. I've always liked Agriculture, I wanted to study Agriculture because I believe I like to do things with my hands. I didn't get admission study Agriculture, part reason because I did not do Agriculture in my WAEC (I'm a joker you must think). I later dropped the idea of Agriculture because i learnt i might to even get hands-on and that my subordinate would be the ones to get hands-on. I studied Geology because I liked Geography, it seems like a complex form of Geography, because it also relates to Agriculture, and because I will get to learn about coal and bring coal back in use to Nigeria (O ye! of little knowledge ...smiles).

I later abandoned the thoughts of coal as it was contributing to carbon footprints in the atmosphere. I abandoned Agriculture totally. I decided Petroleum Geology would be cool, creating energy for the world. I pursued a career in Geology after NYSC. My plans were either UN job or Oil and gas job. I told myself , Geology will be my profession, I will use it to fund my GO to help people. I got a sponsor and got trained to be oil and gas software savvy. I never missed the annual conference of NAPE AICE (Nigeria association of Petroleum Explorationists Annual International Conference and Exhibition). I got a job 6 months after my training and after NYSC. I've been at this job for up to a year now.

The pay wasn't beautiful, it was a service oil and gas company. I was earning less than #150,000, I assisted my grandma, bought a phone, made terrible financial decisions and ran into a 2.5million Naira debt with 6 months of employment. The rest of the 6 months was me thinking "how can I make money to pay my debt?", "how can I also help people, I need to fulfill my purpose on earth?". I was torn between making money and helping people.

One afternoon after watching about three scenes from an episode of Grey's anatomy that I had recently started watching. It came to be like a passersby who stamped into my mind and ran away, I started thinking "study medicine", "purpose, prestige, profession and the future I envision, all in one?", another mind said "is it too late to study medicine?", in less than 10 mins I had researched the procedure to study medicine in the US. By now I was completely overwhelmed, October 21st, 2025. I stood up, went to visit my Lawyer friend across the street, I told him what had just came to mind, he listened attentively, he always listens. He encouraged me and shared the story of his course mate who went to study medicine at UNIBEN during final year clearance, and who's now a medical doctor in the US doing his PhD. I was calmed.

If you checked my previous posts, you'd see a zealous young girl, I wanted to a part of those who makes Nigeria great again, I wanted to make money. You could feel a girl who wanted to do so much because she felt she was capable. I am 28 now, then I was 17/18/19, maybe less. It's been more than 10 years and now I'm starved, I'm unfulfilled, Geology does not fill me. Like I wrote in my personal statement "You should fill a 100kg container with 100kg of water not 50kg", in this analysis, I am 100kg container, Medicine is 100kg, and Geology is 50kg of water". I do not regret being a Geologist honestly. I can say proudly that I have contributed to the production of oil and gas. It's just that where I stand in that long process leaves me unfulfilled. I cannot keep helping people by the side, I want helping people to be my profession, my main thing.

I have decided the kind of surgeon I want to be, that might change later though. Yes, a Surgeon. I watched House MD, I always envy doctors, but I felt nothing, because it was mainly Diagnosis. But Grey's anatomy was different, it was hardcore, it was practical (hands-on), the eye, mind, hands and brain will work together to get things done, I will help people everyday for the rest of my44 life and get paid for it (wow! That's the best thing that can ever happen to anyone). It got to me and I told myself, this is what I want to do everyday for the rest of my life, this must be what I was made for.

My plans were to go to Columbia University or John Hopkins (yes, i am provoking my potential) for my PreMed, then apply to a medical school, then residency, then fellowship and finally a Surgeon. But with the US ban on Nigerians, I am now looking to go to the UK. I had Japan and Germany would have been great, but the language be barrier. Now, I need to volunteer, meet doctors, change my circle, I need to be intentional, I need to be extra ordinary. These school will only accept extraordinary students. I will update you soon. I will appreciate people's contribution, have you done this before? What was it like? I will still be working at my workplace till I'm ready to go to the UK.

Ruqayah ...what are you doing with grinding pepper machine. Branch into geophysics. Seek employment in bigger oil and gas firms. You can still help people directly by building a hospital

ruqqayah:
I want to switch career. From Geology to Medicine. (I will post my progress, with hopes that someday someone will need my story to guide them)

I studied Geology in the University. From the reason why I studied the course to why I currently have it as a profession is all shades of wrong. I studied Geology because I thought it was related to Agriculture. I've always liked Agriculture, I wanted to study Agriculture because I believe I like to do things with my hands. I didn't get admission study Agriculture, part reason because I did not do Agriculture in my WAEC (I'm a joker you must think). I later dropped the idea of Agriculture because i learnt i might to even get hands-on and that my subordinate would be the ones to get hands-on. I studied Geology because I liked Geography, it seems like a complex form of Geography, because it also relates to Agriculture, and because I will get to learn about coal and bring coal back in use to Nigeria (O ye! of little knowledge ...smiles).

I later abandoned the thoughts of coal as it was contributing to carbon footprints in the atmosphere. I abandoned Agriculture totally. I decided Petroleum Geology would be cool, creating energy for the world. I pursued a career in Geology after NYSC. My plans were either UN job or Oil and gas job. I told myself , Geology will be my profession, I will use it to fund my GO to help people. I got a sponsor and got trained to be oil and gas software savvy. I never missed the annual conference of NAPE AICE (Nigeria association of Petroleum Explorationists Annual International Conference and Exhibition). I got a job 6 months after my training and after NYSC. I've been at this job for up to a year now.

The pay wasn't beautiful, it was a service oil and gas company. I was earning less than #150,000, I assisted my grandma, bought a phone, made terrible financial decisions and ran into a 2.5million Naira debt with 6 months of employment. The rest of the 6 months was me thinking "how can I make money to pay my debt?", "how can I also help people, I need to fulfill my purpose on earth?". I was torn between making money and helping people.

One afternoon after watching about three scenes from an episode of Grey's anatomy that I had recently started watching. It came to be like a passersby who stamped into my mind and ran away, I started thinking "study medicine", "purpose, prestige, profession and the future I envision, all in one?", another mind said "is it too late to study medicine?", in less than 10 mins I had researched the procedure to study medicine in the US. By now I was completely overwhelmed, October 21st, 2025. I stood up, went to visit my Lawyer friend across the street, I told him what had just came to mind, he listened attentively, he always listens. He encouraged me and shared the story of his course mate who went to study medicine at UNIBEN during final year clearance, and who's now a medical doctor in the US doing his PhD. I was calmed.

If you checked my previous posts, you'd see a zealous young girl, I wanted to a part of those who makes Nigeria great again, I wanted to make money. You could feel a girl who wanted to do so much because she felt she was capable. I am 28 now, then I was 17/18/19, maybe less. It's been more than 10 years and now I'm starved, I'm unfulfilled, Geology does not fill me. Like I wrote in my personal statement "You should fill a 100kg container with 100kg of water not 50kg", in this analysis, I am 100kg container, Medicine is 100kg, and Geology is 50kg of water". I do not regret being a Geologist honestly. I can say proudly that I have contributed to the production of oil and gas. It's just that where I stand in that long process leaves me unfulfilled. I cannot keep helping people by the side, I want helping people to be my profession, my main thing.

I have decided the kind of surgeon I want to be, that might change later though. Yes, a Surgeon. I watched House MD, I always envy doctors, but I felt nothing, because it was mainly Diagnosis. But Grey's anatomy was different, it was hardcore, it was practical (hands-on), the eye, mind, hands and brain will work together to get things done, I will help people everyday for the rest of my44 life and get paid for it (wow! That's the best thing that can ever happen to anyone). It got to me and I told myself, this is what I want to do everyday for the rest of my life, this must be what I was made for.

My plans were to go to Columbia University or John Hopkins (yes, i am provoking my potential) for my PreMed, then apply to a medical school, then residency, then fellowship and finally a Surgeon. But with the US ban on Nigerians, I am now looking to go to the UK. I had Japan and Germany would have been great, but the language be barrier. Now, I need to volunteer, meet doctors, change my circle, I need to be intentional, I need to be extra ordinary. These school will only accept extraordinary students. I will update you soon. I will appreciate people's contribution, have you done this before? What was it like? I will still be working at my workplace till I'm ready to go to the UK.

You should pick up a copy of Tim Lahaye's " Why You Act The Way You Do" to identify your dominant and baseline temperaments, know your strengths, weaknesses and how to play to your strengths.

In my opinion, you're likely a sanguine dominantly and their weaknesses is all over your post. Their major weakness is poor self-discipline and weak self-governance.

You can do with a great mentor or partner who will be devoted to really helping you attain your peak of excellence with strict regimented self discipline and focus.

Unfortunately, it is not even in medicine your new 'excitement'. I may have been able to support you a lot but this is a faceless forum.


Once you draw the strengths of the cholerics and melancholic and combine it diligently with that of Sanguine in a structured disciplined plan, trust me, the sky will be your limit. You will soar like an eagle that you truly are.


If you govern yourself very well, even your relationship with Allah will improve greatly and unlock more wisdom, blessings and strength to finish excellently everything you start for you.

Here's wishing you all the best.

MarketDispatch:
Ruqayah ...what are you doing with grinding pepper machine. Branch into geophysics. Seek employment in bigger oil and gas firms. You can still help people directly by building a hospital

Thank you for your comment. Grinding pepper machine was me trying to, you know, make money, I even thought of a pop corn machine then. My mother was terribly ill, my Grandma was always the one dropping money to take care of her and that made me feel useless, because how can I be capable of doing things that will make money to help mama and I'm not doing anything. So I decided to do whatever came to mind. Mind you, as at then I had just finished my IJMB in Ilorin. I just wanted to be the best thing that's ever happened to my mum. She later died though.

I didn't get admission to study Agric at FUNAAB like I said. I did Geology because I felt it'll be hardcore, and because I like hard things, it'll be easy for me, and for the reasons I stated before. I don't feel fulfilled being a Geologist, in fact where I stand in the long process of contributing to energy production in the world in far. What I do does not fulfil me. I do not feel like I am helping anybody. If I force myself to stay back in the industry because you are looking at it from an angle of I will soon grow and start making money, I thought about that too, but I'd be more miserable, I stopped being sad everyday (I do not want to say depressed) few years back (about 2years ago). In those times, I thought of committing suicide, as a Muslim I shouldn't even think of such, talk much of doing it, but I wished for death in terrible ways. I do not want to be sad anymore, I have control over things. I want to be in the health sector, while I am studying to be a Surgeon. I will be doing apprenticeship, internship and volunteer works in the hospital.

Stay back in the energy industry, so that one day I can build an hospital, and to what ends. It's not about controlling helping people to help others. It's about actually and directly helping people. I feel like if I keep living this way, I might die young. I am not helping anybody. I am miserable. I feel useless, I feel unutilised, unharnessed.

I do not want to stay back in the oil and gas industry ONLY because of money. Do you know that as a Geologist, you could analyse Data, tell where the oil is and how much oil is there, and management still are the once who makes the decision of should we drill for oil or not.

FreeStuffsNG:
You should pick up a copy of Tim Lahaye's " Why You Act The Way You Do" to identify your dominant and baseline temperaments, know your strengths, weaknesses and how to play to your strengths.

In my opinion, you're likely a sanguine dominantly and their weaknesses is all over your post. Their major weakness is poor self-discipline and weak self-governance.

You can do with a great mentor or partner who will be devoted to really helping you attain your peak of excellence with strict regimented self discipline and focus.

Unfortunately, it is not even in medicine your new 'excitement'. I may have been able to support you a lot but this is a faceless forum.


Once you draw the strengths of the cholerics and melancholic and combine it diligently with that of Sanguine in a structured disciplined plan, trust me, the sky will be your limit. You will soar like an eagle that you truly are.


If you govern yourself very well, even your relationship with Allah will improve greatly and unlock more wisdom, blessings and strength to finish excellently everything you start for you.

Here's wishing you all the best.

I really appreciate it, your comment. It was insightful and full of witchcraft 😁, I mean you're right about most of the things you said as though you knew me. Only that I am a Melancholy, who tend to be a Sanguine and a Choleric. I am all for "Let's do it the right way", and when I don't do things the right way, I become sad. The sanguine would say "Let's do it the fun way", I don't know how to do that. Over the years I've grown very much less of a Choleric, we don't have to "Do it my way", the most important thing is to do it the right way. If I weren't a Muslim, I'd be a moralist. Though I'm venturing into exploring that part of me that loves rock and roll, sings like Nina Simone, wants to learn the guitar (please don't be a staunch Muslim), all for fun and I'd like to get the privilege sometimes to entertain people, all for fun sake.

But I am a melancholy, I'm all about fulfilling my purpose in life. I believe I know what my purpose in life is. Right from 8 years old, I knew I wanted to leave my footprints on the sands of time, make impact, leave the world better than I met it (talk, talk, talk. I'm tired of talking, I want to do). I get carried away by the mention of Nelson Mandela, Abraham Lincoln, Malcom X, Malala Yousafzai, Queen Elizabeth (I like her and I will not apologize for it), Leonardo Da Vinci, Albert Einstein, Shakespeare, Micheal Jackson, Elvis Presley, Isaac Newton, Martin Luther King, Sir Nicholas Winton, Oscar Schindler etc something all of these people have in common is "greatness" and their impact on humanity, some through music, something through their leadership, some through their Kind heart.

Aside from hearing these names and thinking "I want to be like them". I've watched movies over the years that helped me squeeze out, that sparked and helped me figure out what my purpose in life truly is. "A Star is Born" (how could someone 'brad cooper' influence another's life so much that it drives the person 'Lady Gaga' to be the best they could ever be), I told myself, I want to be able to do that much good, have that much power to influence goodness. "A Private War", a true life story of a journalist who sacrificed her life for what she believed in, she saw terror, conveyed it as words, she saw for us, what we shouldn't see. I wanted something that was worth me sacrificing my life for. "Fury", a true life story of a soldier during world war 2, he was a great leader, he guided his men, he sacrificed his life for his men. "3 Diots", he was so good to his friends, they dropped everything at the thoughts of seeing him again. "Like Stars on Earth". "Arrival". "Hacksaw Ridge" was that movie for me, I almost shouted "Eureka (I found it)" like Archimedes in Physics. I found my purpose. All these movies were like when you're trying to see the particular drop of what that eventually fills the container to the brim and it eventually spills. "Hacksaw Ridge" was that movie that filled my curiosity and I found it. Those other movies only made me curious, after watching these movies I'd cry and say "God please use me too" (Cry I said, "I'd she'd river" praying to God for mercy and grace that he should make me useful for humanity). I didn't really do why I was always crying. But I cried anyways. "Hacksaw Ridge" was a true life story of a man who wanted God to use him, and God did. I told myself, God created me to be part of those who will contribute to lifting the burden off humans. But then I didn't know how, but I was glad I figured it out.

I want to leave my mark, I never had a future ambition as I grew, but since I was a young girl, I always knew being a doctor would fit, all my life, that was the only professional I knew deep in my heart would be best for me. But the fear that my empathetic nature would get in the way of me being a good doctor affected my judgement and I never pursed it. I never really spoke to it with anyone. I just felt I wouldn't make a good doctor because I was too emotional, because I could go bankrupt trying to save the life of a patient (how do I become rich if I use all my money to help people, how do I take care of Grandma, my mum when she was alive, my Dad and myself). The thoughts of seeing someone hurt scared me. I was always in and out of hospitals and this always came to mind, but I always shy away. I had the perfect results. I had 12 points /16 in IJMB, I had 78/100 for post-utme. I thought about it, but I was scared, same old "You'd make a terrible Doctor, you'd cry while treating patients, Doctors are strong, they don't cry", these were the things I told myself.

Over the years, I've being NYSC CDS president (we went for outreach to a school for the less privileged in Akure, it was my idea, we gave them books, sucks and pen); Head Girl in senior secondary school, Faculty President during my final year in the University (it was one of the best moments of my life, I was there for those freshers, I motivated them and got willing scholars to teach them every weekend so they can advance to sophomore year); I volunteered with the former P.S. of TESCOM, Ondo state; I'm currently soliciting funds for Mr Sheed Fatai's Keloid surgery; I go on outreaches to secondary schools, I talk to students about Patriotism, Self development, Sexual and Reproductive Health, and Importance of Education etc. The time I am helping people are the only times I feel alive, like I am living my love to the fullest, I am having fun, I am happy, I am fulfilled. There was this time I took it upon myself to cater for this young boy in secondary school, I advise him, I bought him school bag, I give him money sometimes, I was 20 then, (I know I shouldn't disclose things like this, I just want you to know and understand me. The times I spent taking care of my sick mother were the best moments of my life when I look back, those moments make me happy when I think about it. As much as they were traumatizing moments, the fact that I was there for a sick mother who i was never really close to, but she was an amazing person, the fact that she was supposed to be the best human in my life, but she wasn't (it's not her fault like just happened to her, she's the most generous human being, she just couldn't love me as much and wasn't really there for me deep down), I loved her regardless, I was always there for her when she needed it. I tried, not enough though, or else she'd still be alive (don't mind me, I know everything is predestined. I just could have done so much, I just wasn't strong enough to do that much more. I would have helped her like I'm helping Mr Sheed rn).

My point is, I've realised, I'm very capable. Like the 100kg container I described earlier. I get you, I asked myself the same question, is this just a new "excitement". I have answered so many questions about "Why Medicine". This is the "excitement". Medicine is the one. It's like you've been in several marriages and you finally find that one person with whom you believe, you want to spend the rest of your life and that it will work with them because it you didn't feel this way in the other marriage. This feeling is different, it's scary, you cry every time, because this is risky, because you're scared, because you want to be sure if this is the right thing to do.

Medicine feels like the one, the final excitement. But isn't that life, walking down a street, you step on a banana peel that looks like sand, you slip and fall, you stand up and continue; someone running might run into you, almost making you fall, even if you fall, you stand up, you keep going, you've not gotten to the end of the street, you have to keep going, isn't that life. I chose mechanical engineering (that was crap. In primary school), (medicine came to mind, but out of fear I ignore it), I chose architecture because I'm a Melancholy I love meticulousness and because all my drawings have a survey 😁 in secondary school, i didn't do Technical drawing so It didn't work, I couldn't be an Architect, (medicine came to mind, but out of fear I ignore it), I later chose Agriculture, I didn't do Agric, and it's not hardcore after secondary school, (medicine came to mine, but out of fear I ignore it), I later decided to do Geology, medicine came to mind even in University but as usual I ignored it out of fear. After University, I knew I had to help people one way or another, so I was like, Geology is just a means to an end, I always knew that. So either I work in the UN and contribute to helping the world, or I go into oil and gas, make money from there, use it to fund my NGO.

I didn't get any trance when I saw "House MD" series. But what I felt was massive when I started watching "Grey's anatomy". If you see the trend in everything that interests me, "Practical (hands-on)", "the use of my hands, eye, mind and whole body", "hardcore (demanding and challenging)".

You're right "poor self-discipline", and "weak self-governance", that was the wizardry or witchcraft of your who comment for me. I know too. I grew up as my own mother and father. I tried nuturing myself, but I can't, I realized that few years back and my poor financial decisions this year confirmed it. So I told myself, I will create an environment to ensure I achieve success, less talking, more doing. I told myself I'd pay someone, I met her 2023, but I don't believe she can help me. Sapiosexual people like me can be intellectually bias or find it difficult to extend my epistemic trust towards someone so I'm looking out immensely for someone else.

I even spoke to my lawyer friend about getting a "talent manager" or even "life coach". I know too, that me, myself and I can't do this alone as I do not have the foundation. I do best when I have eyes on me, that was why I had "A s" in boarding school, everyone sees me 24/7. It's as though my discipline is tired to people seeing me. I loved secondary school, I hated breaks, I hated Friday nights, I love work (but I don't like what I do there anymore and I think I never really liked it, I just wanted to make money from what I studied in school), I hate it when school closes or work closes. I hate weekends. I don't want to live alone.

Medicine is that "excitement" for me, I look forward to everything that will come with it. The final one. I will still do rock and roll, sing and play the guitar. Sell Guinea brocade, do underwear affiliate marketing (create content), and sell honey 🍯 to get buy. Still do Geology till Medicine clicks. I think this is it.

I'd be in your email.

Call me Déèye. (Don't call me Ruqqayah, not anymore)

In anything you do, sha make Aljannah. Nothing is really worth it. Thank you.
Can you read the Qur'an?
If yes, kindly spend more time ruminating over some portions daily. E get why.

I’d start by talking to current med students, shadowing doctors, and checking entry requirements for each school. Volunteering in clinics can really strengthen your application and confirm the path feels right.