# Did I make a terribly wrong choice?!



## GENIUSandVIOLENCE (Oct 6, 2012)

Hello all. ENTP here who seems to be in some trouble.

I'm in my final year at university studying dentistry. I seem to be having a lot of trouble with the people in my cohort and the nature of my future career.

I know that there are a couple of sources that say dentistry is not a popular career choice for ENTPs because it involves a lot of details and such. However, to me, the work itself is fine, and it's alright seeing different patients, problem solving and diagnosing, etc. The issue I am having is with the people around me. From my peers to my teachers, it's very evident that there are many SJs and many dom/aux F-types. Pretty much no Ne or Ti dom/aux individuals. I feel trapped and I don't get along with many people. People are indirect and passive aggressive, they're exclusive, perfectionist and highly competitive about grades, etc. (i.e. the majority fit into those categories and there's not much else leftover). It's not an environment that makes me happy or allows me to utilise my natural skills. I feel stifled and I'm not close to many people. In fact, I think many people dislike me because somehow or another I've offended because of my natural personality strengths/weaknesses. Inferior Si is to blame for screwing me up in a J-heavy environment.

Do you think that's more of a university thing and that hopefully, after graduation, that things get better? I've heard horror stories about how dental practices can also have insane politics and bitchiness. I know that workplace politics is very commonplace, but am I doomed to this? Do I have to be wary and defensive all the time? There's no promotion in the world of dentistry, it's not like if you work hard as an underling you can become a dentist without proper training. A dental nurse will always be a nurse unless he/she takes a course. So it's different from the corporate world in that regard. I just feel so much pettiness is unnecessary and I'm worried I've gotten myself in with the wrong group of people. They don't inspire me, encourage creativity and growth and aren't open-minded. I don't feel they're open about communicating candidly either. Unless I run my own practice, which will be years down the track if that ever happens, am I'm stuck with some authority figure towering above me with the traits that I find hard to get along with?

Anyone know anything about dental/medical/health science fields to discuss this? I've been battered around so much I feel like I'm at my wits' end. Someone help?



tldr; Is dentistry (or any medical/health science field) a bad career for an ENTP due to clashes with the majority of personalities in said field(s) or the nature of the work itself?


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## EndsOfTheEarth (Mar 14, 2015)

Any type can do any kind of work they are interested in. If I can work in a people job I can't see why you can't do dentistry. You will find politics and bitchiness in every environment known. It's a side effect of humanity and there is no escaping it. So now you know that, you might as well do what interests you. Who gives a crap if your uni cohorts don't like you. Are you planning on working with them? 

Your life after graduation will only be as hard as it would be in any other profession. Your challenges exactly the same on the people front. Sometimes it's just a matter of finding the company that's right for you, and sometimes it a matter of developing an uncomfortable aspect of ourselves. You've come this far, why second guess yourself now. Stick with it, graduate and do what everyone does, try and find a job that suits you. If it doesn't happen first time around, try again.


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## Stelmaria (Sep 30, 2011)

GENIUSandVIOLENCE said:


> tldr; Is dentistry (or any medical/health science field) a bad career for an ENTP due to clashes with the majority of personalities in said field(s) or the nature of the work itself?


What fields are there where there aren't any clashes with people with other personalities? 

If you enjoy the work, I say stick with it. Just be a bit more careful when it comes to choosing a workplace, find the right niche.


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## anarchitektur (Feb 11, 2011)

GENIUSandVIOLENCE said:


> I seem to be having a lot of trouble with the people in my cohort and the nature of my future career.


It has nothing to do with your career and it has nothing to do with the MBTI types of the people you work with. The problem is that you're just discovering one of the fundamental truths of what it means to have a job-- an equal mixture of performing a series of tasks and dealing with people you can't stand in exchange for money. Working in a place where you like everyone is a rare thing.


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## angelfish (Feb 17, 2011)

GENIUSandVIOLENCE said:


> The issue I am having is with the people around me. From my peers to my teachers, it's very evident that there are many SJs and many dom/aux F-types. Pretty much no Ne or Ti dom/aux individuals. I feel trapped and I don't get along with many people. People are indirect and passive aggressive, they're exclusive, perfectionist and highly competitive about grades, etc. (i.e. the majority fit into those categories and there's not much else leftover). It's not an environment that makes me happy or allows me to utilise my natural skills. I feel stifled and I'm not close to many people. In fact, I think many people dislike me because somehow or another I've offended because of my natural personality strengths/weaknesses. Inferior Si is to blame for screwing me up in a J-heavy environment.
> 
> Do you think that's more of a university thing and that hopefully, after graduation, that things get better? I've heard horror stories about how dental practices can also have insane politics and bitchiness.


Yes, I think you will be better off once you start working. Academic environments run on competition to a large extent, while an office environment is less likely to have it be the dominant drive. My INTP dad is a doc at a small office and doesn't own the practice but he really likes his boss and the nurse there. (He used to have shared ownership in a practice but he decided he liked public practice better than private.) When his office was larger he used to go to parties with his doc coworkers and the nurses and he still plays music with some of them. He has had trouble with an asshole here or there from time to time but that is just life - I am sure there are some dental practices with awful politics but I think that is true of any field. I assume the less you orient towards "elite" practices, the less politics you will have to deal with.


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## drmiller100 (Dec 3, 2011)

find a niche. 

I know an ENTP who is an oral surgeon. makes BIG bucks. 

I know another guy who does false teeth. another who builds teeth remotely. 

An ENTP can run the practice, and deal with patients, and have the SJ's UNDER him to take care of all the details. that works fine.

when you get to be the boss, the SJ's are handy. Working for an SJ not so much. Good news is there are probably very few SJ dentists, and quite a few NT's, so the field is used to it.

Heck, most doctors are INTP and INTJ's. They RULE their world


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