[realitygrill]

I tend to hold the opposing view, but appreciate that you made this point. It's definitely my experience that people who worked mastering at the performing arts, classics/literature, or even professional gaming have something that helps them persevere and navigate through a new field.

However the idea that "a true love of the subject emerges", "the help of fantastic teachers".. I don't think I've ever met anyone who had that path to excellence AFTER entering a field, find it difficult to imagine, and I've always disliked the uncritical use of "passion for x stable, responsible profession that their parents approve of". But I might be weird and blinded and I'm going to try to notice if such people exist. It probably doesn't help that most of these professions are made of people that have never done anything else.

[brooklyn_ashey]

One "enters the field" of the arts, classics, history, law, medicine, and computer science often as children. The difference in paths taken is this: when one enters the arts or literature or history, there is a good chance one will have to leave it at some point. Many lawyers are former "writers" who while in law school get inspired by a great constitutional law professor or who while in the early days of their profession get inspired by a colleague who becomes a mentor and helps them form a new identity as writer who is also really really into law...and as I said, many doctors I know were former artists and musicians who bring that same drive toward innovation they learned in the arts to medicine. Most of those people encounter a great mentor while in their residency who helps them find a new inspiration. But a great teacher can be the content itself, or an innovator one learns about. Then, they are on that path to excellence, and even more so than someone who just did medicine the whole time. They have a depth and breadth that other doctors lack, which is why med schools have started to include literature courses these days. (i'll look for a good link on this) My point is, no one is studying actual Dijkstra in a bootcamp and he doesn't work in one either. There may be possible future Dijkstras or the like attending the bootcamp, but they often feel like they jumped into the intellectual equivalent of a quick Happy Meal when they really wanted a quick plate of gorgeous figs. Still quick, but somehow more inspiring...more nutritious.

Computer scientists often begin as children (like the others) but never have to leave their field because after all the gaming and taking stuff apart and building, they go on to be computer scientists who have excellent money making prospects when compared to literature majors.

[realitygrill]

Fair enough. I myself tried to transition to software, but went through Hacker School, now known as the Recurse Center. They're rather closer to a good meal, and are tuition-free.

I do know that medical schools have been trying to attract individuals with other backgrounds -- was recruited myself, and admissions committee members told me one reason is that doctors have the impression they may have screwed themselves by being monoculturally ignorant of economic forces, technology, etc. So they're encouraging people who aren't from the traditional biological sciences backgrounds.

I'd expect the med school literature courses to have about as much effect as med school statistics courses, though -- little to none. Plus, there's been interest in shortening med school.

[brooklyn_ashey]

>I'd expect the med school literature courses to have about as much effect as med school statistics courses, though -- little to none. Plus, there's been interest in shortening med school.

I agree with you there about the lit courses. And shortening med school is a great idea, as is allowing residents to sleep full nights on a regular basis.

The Recurse Center: It seems like a great place! I would not include it in any bootcamp discussion because it is more of a retreat than anything else-- an artist colony for programmers or something more akin to Yaddo or McDowell for coders without the snobbery. I think they might be the only ones who have gotten it right. And I agree that they are closer to a good meal. I think a transitioning person would have a good chance of finding inspiration there among its participants due to the flexibility and internal/self motivation that is emphasized and selected for.

And...no one would ever need to hide the Recurse Center (or any related GitHub repositories) from their résumé—they would highlight it.