Funnily enough, this is exactly why I gave up on software development and went to study a degree in the biosciences.
Ten years of fixing crappy websites, writing dull database interfaces, troubleshooting bugs in shit code written by people who didn't give a damn -- and for what purpose? The paycheck was good but money is not everything. It felt like such a colossal waste of life.
My mind is my best asset - I want to apply it to something that will actually make a difference and help people. And it isn't going to happen in software or IT.
Anyway, I'm well on my way to working in biomedical research as a career, so this has really paid off. Already interned in a lab for a while and it was amazing, just the feeling of finding out something new and real, even if it takes months, is such a rush. The previous software experience came in very useful too.
I've gone the other way. I started out as a medical tech. It's the same thing every hour, every day. Usher in a patient, do a test. Usher in a patient, do a test. There's no real scope for 'using your mind', but you are directly helping people. At least I saw patients - some medical scientists do nothing but pippette things all day, doing pretty much the same thing as assembly-line factory work. I know one that got RSI of the elbow from endless pippetting.
If you want to 'use your mind' to help people, then either get a job that has some form of diagnostics in healthcare, or build healthcare products in a company in the industry. I moved from medical tech to support at a company that made our equipment to R&D in the same company. You can still do IT things and help people in a medical sense. Just because you don't see the patients directly doesn't mean that the software you build isn't helping them.
It sounds like you've found a good place to be, but I thought I'd throw in my 2c that IT is not a sort of 'by definition not helping'.
Sorry yes I was being rather general and should clarify that I ended up down the wrong path in my software work, didn't feel that I could change to anything more interesting - and really just desired a fresh start.
I do appreciate that there are fields in IT where one can make more of a difference, and I hope it works out well for you!
Wish I could have the choice of a career on any kind of research where I live, 3rd world countries just don't have that luxury. Good for you that you made that move... Wish you best of luck!
Ten years of fixing crappy websites, writing dull database interfaces, troubleshooting bugs in shit code written by people who didn't give a damn -- and for what purpose? The paycheck was good but money is not everything. It felt like such a colossal waste of life.
My mind is my best asset - I want to apply it to something that will actually make a difference and help people. And it isn't going to happen in software or IT.
Anyway, I'm well on my way to working in biomedical research as a career, so this has really paid off. Already interned in a lab for a while and it was amazing, just the feeling of finding out something new and real, even if it takes months, is such a rush. The previous software experience came in very useful too.