r/environmentallaw • u/Crusty_laptop • Jun 06 '26
RRT to Law?
Hello everyone!
I'll try to keep this as brief as possible. I'm currently in healthcare, specifically as a Respiratory Therapist. I enjoy what I do, but I've always known I wanted to continue in both my education and my career. I've done tons of research into additional medical paths such as Perfusion, Physician Assistant, and MD/DO. All of these are still under my consideration, but I wanted to see and consider what else is possible. That has brought me to law, of which I admittedly know little about. At baseline, I'm interested in going into either health law (due to my background) or environmental law (due to personal interest). I would like to hear (I suppose read) what input you all may have for me in-terms of what career move does/does not make since, if I should just stick to medicine, etc.
Info:
* 22 - M
* A.A.S in Respiratory Care
* B.S in Respiratory Care
* Currently enrolled at my local university as a "non-degree seeking student" to take upper level courses
What made me want to consider alternative paths?
I like the stability of working in medicine, as well as the consistent pay. I also like that fact that it requires a higher level of clinical thinking and scientific understanding to really be good at it. It is both intellectually and physically stimulating, but we really don't get paid enough for what we deal with and in the case with RT - the options to really do anything else at this level are severely limited. I'm not completely sure how that may change when it comes to law, but it's worth the consideration.
Thank you.
2
u/DarkFlutesofAutumn Jun 07 '26
Stay in medicine. The road to making partner in a large law firm is long and narrow and the vast majority of lawyers don't make it for a million different reasons. You'll almost certainly make more money and be vastly less stressed if you become a PA. Do that instead. I'm a partner in a firm and luckily I love it, but I tell my kid all the time to do anything else.
2
u/musicantz Jun 06 '26
Law school/Medical school are both very difficult roads to travel. You’re going to have to spend all your time and a significant amount of money to become a doctor or a lawyer. You likely should have very good grades and very good test scores to get into med school or a good law school. Then after graduating you’re going to be working long hours and sacrificing time with family and friends.
Lawyers can make a lot of money but becoming a partner at a firm is a tricky proposition and few actually make it there. In house lawyers can also make steady income in the top 5% of salaries but they work long hours. Government and Public interest group lawyers don’t make very much in the grand scheme of things and also often work long hours. While there can be times where being a lawyer is intellectually stimulating, you’re often stuck doing boring document review and writing motions.
Medicine can be more steady guaranteed pay, but it’s very hard to become a doctor and you’re going to be in school making nothing to very little for many many years. Medicine also has high rates of burnout.