To Be or Not To Be?

Let's try this again.

As it now stands, I work as an associate for another doctor in the greater Houston area. I make more than I did before I went to school. However, now that student loans are coming in, I'm effectively making less. The amount I'm making is supposed to increase with time. However, time is not on my side. Let's put it this way, I owe more to my education than 2 times my mortgage. It's actually closer to 3 times my mortgage. I'm suffering. I need to do something. I may need to take a chance and start my own. I need to support my family. If it takes a few years to build up a practice, at least I have that and, hopefully, a business loan.

I'm actually in the process of trying to refinancing our home and consolidating all of the credit card debt now. But, they needed my employment contract, land survey, W-2's, pay stubs, etc, etc, etc. By providing more of these documents, I could probably get a very good interest rate.

For awhile, the main doctor was under a lot of stress at the clinic. I don't blame her for it. The problem is that she tends to take that stress out on me and the others. When that happens, she tends to micro-manage. So, she'll pull me aside and talk to me for 15 minutes about the necessity of little things while people are waiting for their treatments. I understand that these little things are important for us to get paid, but I utilize a system of double checking myself especially during busy times. My main concern during busy times is to get people in and out. If I have to stay late and finish paper work, I will. I'm salary and have no problems with staying late to finish my paperwork. It costs her nothing extra.

The other day, we actually had a very good talk. We discussed that she tends to give very conflicting orders/requests. Once I gave her a single example of what she does, I saw her eyes open widely and a realization of what I've been trying to tell her for the past few months completely hit her. I felt better.

However, that still doesn't change our financial situation. I've been granted several opportunities. One is to run a clinic in one of the most remote areas on Earth in the harshest environment possible. Why would I consider this? It pays six figures. The other is to take a chance in opening my own place. That way, I could at least request a deferment on my school loans until I can make enough to pay it back. The problem is that we don't have enough capital. Obviously, we have a lot of decisions to make. My contract ends at the beginning of April. Time is ticking away quickly.