When I performed last year’s survey of the coolest jobs, I was a little surprised when no one voted for two of the most traditionally prestigious occupations – lawyer and doctor.  And sure enough, this week the New York Times reported that the desirability of the law and medical professions is at an all time low. 

In the days when a successful career was built on a number of tacitly recognized pillars – outsize pay, long-term security, impressive schooling and authority over grave matters – doctors and lawyers were perched atop them all,” said the Times’ Alex Williams.  “Now, those pillars have started to wobble.”

Indeed, as of 2006, nearly 60% of doctors polled by the American College of Physician Executives said they had considered getting out of medicine because of low morale, and nearly 70 percent knew someone who already had.  Forty-four percent of lawyers recently surveyed by the American Bar Association said they would not recommend the profession to a young person. Applications to law schools and medical schools have declined from recent highs. According to the Law School Admissions Council, the national number of law school applicants dropped to 83,500 in 2006 from 98,700 in 2004, representing a 6.7% drop between 2006 and 2005 on top of the 5.2% slip the previous year.

What’s the reason for the decline?  I agree with Williams and his experts that young professionals-to-be are now looking for careers that allow for more flexibility, creativity, and work/life balance.  Today’s physicians and lawyers, in contrast, are some of the most overworked and overstressed people in America.  Doctors are finding their ability to help patients severely impacted by managed care, and associates at large law firms may toil at 80-hour weeks for years only to find that the coveted partnership is still out a reach.

I’d love to hear from twenty-somethings who have recently made the decision to pursue medicine or law.  What was your rationale, and how do you feel about your decision so far?