Taking the MCAT early?

[ADSigMel]

I know there has been some discussion on taking the MCAT early among the traditional college students. I'm a nontrad, though, finished undergrad in 2004 and law school in 2007. I've been practicing law for close to 9 years and have finally gotten up the nerve to pursue my passion, which has always been medicine. I just punked out in college, didn't think I could hack it, so didn't try. Now that I'm older and wiser, I figure I may as well not get any older before I take a chance at doing what I really want. I've got six pre-reqs to take before I can apply (Organic I and II, Gen Bio I and II, and Biochem I and II), which I'm planning to do over the next three semesters, finishing in Spring 2017. My question is whether it might make sense to ALSO study for the MCAT and take it this coming fall (after/during a semester each of Bio, Organic, and Biochem). If my MCAT isn't what it ought to be, I'll take it again next spring/summer with an eye toward taking a gap year. But if I do pretty well on it this fall, I can avoid the gap year and start med school the semester after I finish my pre-reqs, which would be nice.

Any advice? If it's important, I'm only applying to one medical school. I want to be a doctor, but I've got a husband and three kids who I'm not willing to uproot, especially considering that it's my husband's job that will have to feed us while I go back to school.

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[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I know there has been some discussion on taking the MCAT early among the traditional college students. I'm a nontrad, though, finished undergrad in 2004 and law school in 2007. I've been practicing law for close to 9 years and have finally gotten up the nerve to pursue my passion, which has always been medicine. I just punked out in college, didn't think I could hack it, so didn't try. Now that I'm older and wiser, I figure I may as well not get any older before I take a chance at doing what I really want. I've got six pre-reqs to take before I can apply (Organic I and II, Gen Bio I and II, and Biochem I and II), which I'm planning to do over the next three semesters, finishing in Spring 2017. My question is whether it might make sense to ALSO study for the MCAT and take it this coming fall (after/during a semester each of Bio, Organic, and Biochem). If my MCAT isn't what it ought to be, I'll take it again next spring/summer with an eye toward taking a gap year. But if I do pretty well on it this fall, I can avoid the gap year and start med school the semester after I finish my pre-reqs, which would be nice.

Any advice? If it's important, I'm only applying to one medical school. I want to be a doctor, but I've got a husband and three kids who I'm not willing to uproot, especially considering that it's my husband's job that will have to feed us while I go back to school.

This is just a pre-med's opinion, but if you're only applying to one med school (I get the spouse/kids situation--I have a wife and 2 kids), you better wait and give yourself the best chance to do as well as you can the first time. Even with a great GPA and MCAT, you may strike out at that school and be SOL and JWF.

There's only one school in a reasonable area? Your husband doesn't have a very portable job?

 

[ADSigMel]

It's the only allopathic med school within a two-hour drive. There's a D.O. school a little under two hours away. And my husband's job is not very portable, sadly.

I hear you on giving myself a better chance to do well. But I'm wondering if it would hurt me to take it early, do mediocre (hopefully no worse than that, lol) then take it again and be awesome (again, hopefully!). Best case scenario would be to blow it out of the water the first time around, and I do test pretty well (or at least I did over a decade ago when I last had to take a standardized test). I wouldn't be cocky enough to assume I'd get a 528 after six months of being back in school, but wouldn't that be something?!

 

[eteshoe]

I advice you take enough time to do well on the MCAT once. I understand the anxiety of starting med school ASAP but you've made it this far (a gap year won't really negatively affect you). Plus if you do very well and have the correct combo of ECs (shadowing, volunteering, etc) then you should be able to get into the one med school in your area.

 

[GreenDuck12]

"I figure I may as well not get any older before I take a chance at doing what I really want."

Great to hear that you are shooting for your passion but these words are frightening for many reasons:
1. The MCAT is like the LSAT in that you really only want to take it once (ADCOMs will have access to all of your prior test attempts)
2. If the 1st attempt does not go well and the 2nd attempt does, it shows poor judgement on your part for taking the test before you had finished the coursework (they will see that dates on your score report and transcript). This can be more easily forgiven if you were a 20 something undergrad but not someone who is well into their 30s and has had a career.
3. Applying to medical schools as a non-trad with a non science background without completing the majority of your pre-med required classes is asking to be turned down. How can an ADCOM evaluate you without the core classes as you would be applying during summer/fall 2016?
4. Applying without a prepared application/test scores and hoping to get into 1 school is very, very risky.

Reality check:
- 60% of medical school applicants do not matriculate in any given year
- You should have everything for your application (grades/scores/recommendations) ready to go by July at the latest
- It is almost universally recognized as a bad idea to take the MCAT (a 7 hour marathon) before you are ready, let alone before completing the classes with material on the exam
-It is almost universally recommended that you take several months to study for the MCAT with limited outside commitments. A competitive score is in the top 20th percentile.

Respect your competition. Put in the time that is necessary to prepare the strongest application possible.

 

[Law2Doc]

I know there has been some discussion on taking the MCAT early among the traditional college students. I'm a nontrad, though, finished undergrad in 2004 and law school in 2007. I've been practicing law for close to 9 years and have finally gotten up the nerve to pursue my passion, which has always been medicine. I just punked out in college, didn't think I could hack it, so didn't try. Now that I'm older and wiser, I figure I may as well not get any older before I take a chance at doing what I really want. I've got six pre-reqs to take before I can apply (Organic I and II, Gen Bio I and II, and Biochem I and II), which I'm planning to do over the next three semesters, finishing in Spring 2017. My question is whether it might make sense to ALSO study for the MCAT and take it this coming fall (after/during a semester each of Bio, Organic, and Biochem). If my MCAT isn't what it ought to be, I'll take it again next spring/summer with an eye toward taking a gap year. But if I do pretty well on it this fall, I can avoid the gap year and start med school the semester after I finish my pre-reqs, which would be nice.

Any advice? If it's important, I'm only applying to one medical school. I want to be a doctor, but I've got a husband and three kids who I'm not willing to uproot, especially considering that it's my husband's job that will have to feed us while I go back to school.

Never have the attitude that you'll take the MCAT, and if it isn't good enough you'll just retake it. All scores will matter and so you need to take it once, when you are ready. The admissions process does not reward winging it. Really bad idea.

This isn't a race. You'll have four years of med school and 3-7 years of training ahead of you once you get in, followed by a lifetime of learning your trade, so rushing now to your possible detriment is a bit pointless.

Also start doing lots of shadowing, if you haven't already. Career changers are supposed to objectively have looked before they leaped.

 

[ADSigMel]

Got it. Slow and steady wins the race to the M.D. Fall 2018 matriculation gives me more time to work and save for those lean years of med school, anyway.

What about this: I've heard that the new MCAT is light on biochem, and my preferred med school prefers, but does not require, two semesters of biochem. Would it be silly to take my Gen Bio and Orgo over the next school year, then take the whole following summer to study for the MCAT? I could then take the MCAT and apply Fall 2017, THEN take the two semesters of biochem during the application/interview process. FWIW, I'm taking my prereqs at the school I'll be applying to.

Shadowing begins as soon as I can find a doctor to let me stalk him or her. I've already put out some feelers among my peers, which I guess is one benefit of being older (not THAT much older! I'm 32): having friends my own age I can talk to about this stuff rather than parents of friends.

 

[eteshoe]

Got it. Slow and steady wins the race to the M.D. Fall 2018 matriculation gives me more time to work and save for those lean years of med school, anyway.

What about this: I've heard that the new MCAT is light on biomed, and my preferred med school prefers, but does not require, two semesters of biomed. Would it be silly to take my Gen Bio and Orgo over the next school year, then take the whole following summer to study for the MCAT? I could then take the MCAT and apply Fall 2017, THEN take the two semesters of biomed during the application/interview process. FWIW, I'm taking my prereqs at the school I'll be applying to.

Shadowing begins as soon as I can find a doctor to let me stalk him or her. I've already put out some feelers among my peers, which I guess is one benefit of being older (not THAT much older! I'm 32): having friends my own age I can talk to about this stuff rather than parents of friends.

Since you are a nontrad do not wait to apply in the fall of any cycle. You need to submit your application(s) in June or July (latest). Also are you talking about biology when you say 'biomed'?

 

[ADSigMel]

Sorry, I meant biochem. I went back and fixed it.

Does it really matter where in the admissions cycle you apply? My school has a November 15 deadline, but I don't know whether they start evaluating before that deadline. As I recall from a million years ago, some of the law schools where I applied didn't look at applications until the deadline had passed. I guess either way, I can take the MCAT the summer before my last two pre-reqs. I can study in May and June and take it in July. Gosh that'll bring back memories of studying for the bar exam....

 

[Goro]

You should only take the MCAT when you are 100% ready for it.


Only one school? And if you don't get accepted there?

I know there has been some discussion on taking the MCAT early among the traditional college students. I'm a nontrad, though, finished undergrad in 2004 and law school in 2007. I've been practicing law for close to 9 years and have finally gotten up the nerve to pursue my passion, which has always been medicine. I just punked out in college, didn't think I could hack it, so didn't try. Now that I'm older and wiser, I figure I may as well not get any older before I take a chance at doing what I really want. I've got six pre-reqs to take before I can apply (Organic I and II, Gen Bio I and II, and Biochem I and II), which I'm planning to do over the next three semesters, finishing in Spring 2017. My question is whether it might make sense to ALSO study for the MCAT and take it this coming fall (after/during a semester each of Bio, Organic, and Biochem). If my MCAT isn't what it ought to be, I'll take it again next spring/summer with an eye toward taking a gap year. But if I do pretty well on it this fall, I can avoid the gap year and start med school the semester after I finish my pre-reqs, which would be nice.

Any advice? If it's important, I'm only applying to one medical school. I want to be a doctor, but I've got a husband and three kids who I'm not willing to uproot, especially considering that it's my husband's job that will have to feed us while I go back to school.

 

[eteshoe]

Sorry, I meant biochem. I went back and fixed it.

Does it really matter where in the admissions cycle you apply? My school has a November 15 deadline, but I don't know whether they start evaluating before that deadline. As I recall from a million years ago, some of the law schools where I applied didn't look at applications until the deadline had passed. I guess either way, I can take the MCAT the summer before my last two pre-reqs. I can study in May and June and take it in July. Gosh that'll bring back memories of studying for the bar exam....

Got it. And unfortunately, when you apply does matter since many schools have rolling admissions.

 

[ADSigMel]

Only one school? And if you don't get accepted there?

If I don't get accepted there, I keep going with the excellent career I've already got. I'm not quitting my day job until I get my acceptance letter. The school only has a 5.3% acceptance rate, so I'm not holding my breath. All I can do is my best.

 

[Gandyy]

Allow me to tell you that I made the mistake of taking the MCAT the 1st time when I was not ready. Even though I improved greatly on my second take, I'm sure the first score hurt my medical school applications pretty badly.

You do not want to hurt yourself in the same way.

 

[New_Slang]

Sorry, I meant biochem. I went back and fixed it.

Does it really matter where in the admissions cycle you apply? My school has a November 15 deadline, but I don't know whether they start evaluating before that deadline. As I recall from a million years ago, some of the law schools where I applied didn't look at applications until the deadline had passed. I guess either way, I can take the MCAT the summer before my last two pre-reqs. I can study in May and June and take it in July. Gosh that'll bring back memories of studying for the bar exam....

It very much matters when you apply. I had all interview invites and 4 decisions (including my acceptances) before that Nov 15th deadline, for example. I submitted the AMCAS primary application in the 2nd week of JUNE and was finished with all 31 secondary applications by July 31st to make sure I was in the "early" batch - I credit that to a lot of the success I experienced this cycle.

ETA: I also had finished the MCAT (April test) and gotten my score back before I submitted the AMCAS primary application.

 

[New_Slang]

Another thought: You didn't list physics as a prerequisite you'll need - I would check with that 1 particular school to make sure that the physics you took in undergrad (I'm assuming you did since you didn't list it as needed??) will still be acceptable. Some schools have a 10 year policy on courses, or even fewer years if they're the core prereqs.

 

[ADSigMel]

I do have physics and chemistry credit already. I actually took them in high school (way back in the 90s) and got college credit for them. The premed advisor at my school said that was fine. I'm going to audit a chemistry refresher, though, before I jump into organic.

 

[New_Slang]

I do have physics and chemistry credit already. I actually took them in high school (way back in the 90s) and got college credit for them. The premed advisor at my school said that was fine. I'm going to audit a chemistry refresher, though, before I jump into organic.

I'm sure someone wiser can chime in on this, but from what I heard this is not even recommended for traditional applicants (to use HS courses for pre-reqs). It just doesn't seem like a good idea to me. Those courses are over 15 years old and I have a hard time believing** your (hopeful) medical school was okay with that.

**not saying you're lying, I just am stunned

ETA: FWIW, I had those same college credits coming out of high school and I took additional upper level courses to show that I could handle it.

 

[futuremdforme]

I'm sure someone wiser can chime in on this, but from what I heard this is not even recommended for traditional applicants (to use HS courses for pre-reqs). It just doesn't seem like a good idea to me. Those courses are over 15 years old and I have a hard time believing** your (hopeful) medical school was okay with that.

**not saying you're lying, I just am stunned

ETA: FWIW, I had those same college credits coming out of high school and I took additional upper level courses to show that I could handle it.

I know people who did that with 10 year old HS credits. The disadvantage is that you don't get a grade for it so they can't help your GPA. It's worth asking though since the OP only has one target school.

 

[eteshoe]

I do have physics and chemistry credit already. I actually took them in high school (way back in the 90s) and got college credit for them. The premed advisor at my school said that was fine. I'm going to audit a chemistry refresher, though, before I jump into organic.

You may want to audit a physics refresher as well because that is a long while since you've had to think that way and I can't imagine law requiring you to have kept that knowledge handy.

 

[italiancowgirl]

You should take some time to really look through the forums to get a better understanding of what the field looks like today, and then create a timeline that gets your required classes in, then gets you a great mcat, and then gets your apps in super early in the cycle if you are banking on ONE school to say yes. You might be the best thing since sliced bread, but if you rush you will be in trouble! GL!

 

[esob]

Only applying to one school doesn't offer a very good statistical chance of becoming a doctor. There is no alternative path that would allow you to relocate for med school?

 

[Law2Doc]

Only applying to one school doesn't offer a very good statistical chance of becoming a doctor. There is no alternative path that would allow you to relocate for med school?

I am not sure it's even worth the bother of postbac classes, mcat and application if you only apply to one school. Most nontrads apply to over a dozen places, with 20+ not uncommon, and you won't get interviews at most of them. So much of the process is about subjective "good fit" from the schools perspective and so even if your credentials are in line, it may be a year in which they don't feel another 30 yo former lawyer adds enough to the diversity of the class. If you are serious about medicine you need to apply widely and broadly, and if you are blessed to get in someplace, you'll need to figure out how to make it work. You don't get to pick geography in this career. Lots of people have to relocate for med school, again for internship, then maybe for the rest of residency, then maybe fellowship and even again for their first job. It's unrealistic if you think you'll apply to the local school, stay there for residency, and then the job. Rarely works that way and so much is not even in your control.

This is most of the reason there are so few career changers -- you have to be totally willing to uproot your life in a much bigger sense than a traditional applicant.

 

[QofQuimica]

OP, I agree with L2D's advice above.

With all respect, I do not believe you have totally comprehended the possible magnitude of the life upheaval you are contemplating yet. I suggest that you do the following:

First, forget the postbac classes for now. You're 32 years old with a family in tow; going to medical school at this point in your life isn't a decision that should be made without doing A LOT of due diligence first. For the next several months, focus on shadowing, clinical volunteering, and/or getting a part time clinical gig. You want to spend some time actually working/volunteering in a medical setting so that you see what the day-to-day experience is like, including the downsides of it - there are many of them. You should also talk to some docs who hate their jobs and who will do their best to try to talk you out of going into medicine. You want to make sure your interest in medicine is of the realistic type that is worth the kind of sacrifice and life disruption you're going to cause for both yourself and your family for the next decade if you go through with this career change.

Second, as already discussed, you need to understand that you will almost certainly have to move at some point during your training. Even if you manage to pull off getting into the medical school by your house, what happens afterward? Unlike a law degree, an MD/DO is useless without a residency. Have you thought about what you will do if you need to move for residency? If you're not willing to move at least once or twice during your training, then you should give serious thought to how dedicated you really are to this path. And see above discussion again about making sure you do your due diligence before even starting down it.

The best case med school scenario would be if you live in the South, since most of our state schools in this region of the country protect their seats for state residents, and there is less competition compared to schools in more popular cities on the coasts. The Midwest would be the second best place to apply from. If you live in New England, the Middle Atlantic coast, or the West coast, you will almost certainly have to move once for medical school, possibly again for residency, and likely a third time for fellowship or your first job. But even as a Southerner, I've already moved four times since starting med school (once for school, once for residency, twice for my job). I will be moving at least once more for fellowship. At least two of those moves were technically optional, but they were made because I had better options in other locales, including being fully scholarshipped to an OOS med school. (I would have paid full price at my home school.)

Finally, consider whether whatever need is not satisfying you about your current career could be met in some other, less disruptive way. Could you volunteer at a hospital or in a lab? Take classes at your local university to learn more about medicine and science? Earn more money by taking on a side gig or working more hours at your current job? Does pursuing your passion really REQUIRE an MD and a decade of training? I mean, there are plenty of interests and passions I have chosen to pursue as hobbies rather than as careers. There's nothing wrong with finding medicine interesting and wanting to learn about it as a hobby rather than making it your career.

Hope these thoughts help, and best of luck to you.

 

[edgerock24]

All due respect, but OP does not sound committed to becoming a successful premed/eventual medical student.

Either make this your primary goal, or don't even start.

 

[New_Slang]

All due respect, but OP does not sound committed to becoming a successful premed/eventual medical student.

Either make this your primary goal, or don't even start.

I was thinking this but couldn't find a polite way to state it. I honestly don't think she has put any time into investigating what this would entail. She's successfully gotten through a law school application cycle and I think she's assuming a lot of things will be similar to that process. From what I know, it isn't similar at all.

OP, just do some more research on SDN and on AMCAS statistics - I think that might help you get a better view of what you're up against. Best of luck.

 

[edgerock24]

I was thinking this but couldn't find a polite way to state it. I honestly don't think she has put any time into investigating what this would entail. She's successfully gotten through a law school application cycle and I think she's assuming a lot of things will be similar to that process. From what I know, it isn't similar at all.

OP, just do some more research on SDN and on AMCAS statistics - I think that might help you get a better view of what you're up against. Best of luck.

Yeah. OP is clearly smart if she's been able to complete law school/practice as a lawyer for multiple years. I know there are some exceptions, but law schools, for the most part, care 90% about LSAT scores. Everything else is icing on the cake.

The premedical process is so different. Everything matters. Everything needs to be taken seriously. Especially when doing a post bac, like OP plans to do. If she's not 120% committed to doing well in her courses, and getting clinical exposure, then she might not do as well as expected. Also, the process cannot be rushed.

And, not to mention, the OP's mindset on eventually applying to schools... Applying to one or two medical schools after completing all of the [tough] prereqs, after taking the MCAT, and after getting worthwhile clinical experience, is very stupid. I'm not trying to be offensive. This is tough love. You don't spend your time or money as a nontraditional premed to only apply to a couple schools. Set yourself up for success.

 

[ADSigMel]

You all make great points. The fact is that I enjoy learning. I mean, my end-game is M.D., but to be honest, I'd probably take these classes even if I weren't considering a career change. I love math and science, and I'm good at them, probably better than I am at liberal arts, law degree notwithstanding. So as far as the post-bac studies go, if I don't get into medical school, I'll still know more than I do now, which is enough for me. I'm not starting them until June anyway (I haven't even registered yet), so I'm starting shadowing this week, with several doctor friends in different areas.

As far as moving goes, I never said I wouldn't move for a residency. I'm just not willing to sacrifice both my (fairly lucrative) career as well as my husband's in order to move somewhere that neither of us will have a job. I'm looking at losing close to a million dollars in income (not to mention the cost of school itself) between med school and a 4-year residency, so it's not a decision I take lightly. When residency time rolls around, I'm willing to look anywhere, because by that time, I'll be moving for a job (albeit an underpaid one), and I'll hopefully be 100% sure by that time that medicine is it for me. But I'm not one to jump off a cliff just hoping that there's a parachute strapped to me. If I make it through one semester of medical school and discover that it's not for me, I don't want to have uprooted my whole family and left the one state where I'm already licensed to practice law just to gain that insight.

I do live in the South, by the way. 90% of the students at my school of choice come from this state.

 

[ADSigMel]

I've seen a lot of people on SDN refer to post-bac "programs." Are these structured non-trad pre-med programs that some schools offer? My local school's pre-med advisor just said to apply to the university as a non-degree seeking undergrad, take these six courses, then take the MCAT. There isn't a "program," really, just a free-for-all. The process wasn't any different than taking some classes for fun at a community college.

 

[tnedoots]

There are structured programs but they aren't necessary especially if you already have a significant amount of the pre-reqs already completed. Just knock out the pre-reqs to check that box for the adcoms and to prep for the MCAT. I'd also call or email your preferred school regarding those HS fulfilled pre-reqs. I had to get some 10+ year old classes okayed but they were taken at a 4 year college and were soft science pre-reqs. Better to be safe than sorry when it comes to hard and fast things like pre-req requirements.

I'm a bit confused about your comment "...and I'll hopefully be 100% sure by that time that medicine is it for me." when moving for residency.
I'm not saying that anyone needs to be 100% sure about anything in life, let alone medicine, but the transition between med school and residency is definitely a little late to be having doubts about the career path.

Additionally, your comment about taking one semester of med school and if it's not for you not wanting to have uprooted your family...
I know that as I've gotten older I've become less concerned about quitting things that I don't want to do. But medicine is a different animal. It's a long and competitive process. Taking a seat in a med school class just to see if you like it is not fair to other applicants. Additionally, med school is not medicine (THANK GAWD). Med school and the application process sucks. But is definitely not medicine. You should be pretty confident that you want the end result before you start because you don't know exactly what it's like until you actually get there, 7+ years later.

 

[ADSigMel]

I'm a lot more gun-shy about life decisions now than I was when I was 20. I went through three years of law school only to have my heart-pounding moment of clarity during my FINAL final: I did not want to be a lawyer. I mean, I'm not telling an adcom (or my law partners) that, and it's not one of the reasons that I want to be a doctor. But I went with the flow all the way through the application process and all the way through law school at a T14 school knowing that it wasn't really my deal, but I felt like I was too far down that path to go back. I have now practiced law for close to nine years, and, while there have been some bright spots and I make enough money to make most of the drudgery worthwhile, I feel like there is a constant pressure on my whole body. Almost like I'm really supposed to be in an alternate reality and it's trying to pull me there. I can't change the dumb decisions I made as a teenager, but if I keep going down a path that I KNOW isn't the best one for me, the fault is with 32-year-old me, not 20-year-old me. The stakes are just SO HIGH now, and I guess they'll only keep getting higher. It's hard to even imagine moving my family to some unknown location to go to med school only to get there and again realize that I did the wrong thing. At least if I put all my eggs in the basket of my local school, if I don't get in, all I've really lost is some money.

True, though, that med school is not medicine. Law school bears even less resemblance to the actual practice of law, I think. It's absurd. At least in med school, you get to spend your last two years around real live patients.

 

[tnedoots]

I understand being gun-shy. I started med school at 34. It wasn't an easy decision, but I did a lot of investigating prior to applying: lots of thinking, lots of shadowing (2 years worth), and lots of internet research on the whole process.

You should figure out whether or not you want to go down this long and arduous path prior to applying. My advice, whatever it's worth to you, is to figure what you like and don't like about what you've done up to this point. Figure out what you think medicine will be like, keeping in mind that med school is just the gateway, specialties can be vastly different. You can be in a practice where you rarely, if ever, interact with patients (think some of radiology or pathology), or something where your entire day is spent bouncing from patient to patient (primary care, medicine, etc). You can have a completely structured day, every day, or you can have no idea what you'll see from one minute to the next. Then, go investigate those specialties that match what you think medicine will be like. This includes shadowing; it's the closest you can get to seeing what it's like. But keep in mind that what you are seeing is that specialty in that location. It could be vastly different depending on where you practice: think private community clinic versus public county hospital.
Ask lots of questions from everyone you meet; you'll never have a better chance to do this. I asked every physician I met 3 things: 1) what do you like most? 2) what do you like least? 3) If you could go back in time, would you do it all over again knowing what you know now?

Don't waste your money and effort applying, getting accepted to, and taking a seat from another applicant if you aren't as confident as you can possibly be when making this decision.
For me, this has been a very long path that takes regular self-initiated reminders as to why the fk I am doing this to myself. But I know that I want the end goal; it's the only thing that keeps me going. I can't imagine starting this journey without knowing that.

Good luck!

 

[QofQuimica]

Good that you're starting the shadowing now. As I said above, pay close attention to the downsides of this career as well as the upsides. The issue, OP, is that once you're done with medical school, residency really won't be an optional pursuit. Even if you absolutely hate medicine at that point, you likely won't be able to pay all that debt back unless you see residency through and then practice as an attending for several years. I can tell you from the attending side of things that my colleagues in this situation are among some of the unhappiest and most bitter people I know. So you want to go into medical training with a realistic perspective on your future career.

Being from a Southern state is an enormous advantage in the app process. If you do decide to move forward, I suggest you find out whether your local school offers early decision as an option. This would get you expedited consideration as a candidate. One of the stipulations for applying ED is that you can initially only apply to that one school since you are required to attend there if accepted; that's obviously not a concern in your case since you don't want to apply to other schools anyway.

 

[ADSigMel]

tnedoots, all of what you talk about is exactly why I'm gun-shy. It took me six months just to decide to apply to a post-bac school to do some pre-reqs. And, although, I'm starting shadowing now, I'm not starting classes until the summer, and I won't take the MCAT and apply to med school until over a year from now, for a fall 2018 start date. I think that should give me enough time to really be able to make an informed decision, based on a LOT of research. I lean toward emergency medicine, but hell, when I went to law school, I thought I was going to be a defend med mal lawsuits, and I don't do anything remotely close that (although I have represented a lot of health care facilities in other areas). But as a lawyer, my license allows me to do any kind of law I want (or all of them) as long as I don't leave my state. I've done everything from representing governmental entities in competitive bid disputes to negotiating collective bargaining agreements for multinational manufacturers to writing insurance coverage opinions, with a little pro bono probate and divorce work thrown in for good measure. That's one of the things I love about practicing law - that, yeah, I'm kind of married to this industry, but at least there are a lot of things I can do within it to find my niche.

But one of the reasons I want to go into medicine at this point in my life (besides the fact that I can help people and also get paid pretty well, which is not necessarily the case in the legal field - the people that need help the most are generally the ones least able to afford to pay for the services they need) is that I can REALLY get a feel for it in med school. I mean, if it turns out that I literally cannot deal with blood, chances are I'll find out before graduation. Whereas, the billable hour in corporate defense law was not something I was exposed to in law school, while my life now revolves around it.

Re: the expense - I'm already sitting on a good-sized pile of law school loans. I expect to continue paying them for the next many years, whether I change careers or not, so it's kind of a non-issue. Med school tuition for me would only be about $25k per year, and as a bonus, I don't have to pay law school loans while I'm in med school. So even if, with interest accumulating, I graduate with $250k in total educational debt, it's a less than a lot of doctors I know. The job security alone would almost make that worthwhile. Nationwide salaries for attorneys have actually gone DOWN, with the added bonus of many thousands of them unable to find work as lawyers.

 

[italiancowgirl]

OP, I think you can learn a lot about medicine if you really invest the time, but be aware that right now you speak in a way that indicates your lack of knowledge about the medical field. I think you have some serious questions and soul searching before you are ready to really decide that this is a path you might take. Take classes, sure why not, but until you have REALLY dug into what the roles and lifestyles are in medicine, don't take any big steps. It may be that you can find an alternate option that will be fulfilling for you, or that after you explore it you might want it more than ever. Either way, you can't tell us right now because you don't know. I hope you spend some time to really learn with an open mind, and come back and tell us what you think then! Best of luck to you as you continue to explore medicine.

 

[ADSigMel]

OP, I think you can learn a lot about medicine if you really invest the time, but be aware that right now you speak in a way that indicates your lack of knowledge about the medical field. I think you have some serious questions and soul searching before you are ready to really decide that this is a path you might take.

I know. That's why I'm here.

 

[Law2Doc]

...But I'm not one to jump off a cliff just hoping that there's a parachute strapped to me. If I make it through one semester of medical school and discover that it's not for me, I don't want to have uprooted my whole family and left the one state where I'm already licensed....

I don't know that this is the right path for you honestly. I have precisely described moving from law to medicine in other threads necessarily as jumping off a cliff and hoping for a soft landing. You need to be "all in" or don't play this game. If you have the attitude that you might decide after a semester " that it's not for me" you probably shouldn't be matriculating. Med school, particularly the first two years, is really just foundation, and nothing like practice. It's not medicine, and if you are testing the water you'll need to keep testing for a few more years. Lots of doctors stomach through the early years because they think they will like the clinical years more.

And then in the clinical years and beyond there will lots of long hours, lots of emotional and isolating experiences. If you try and keep an option to bail, you might use it, prematurely,-- so it's really probably better to not have such an option. Do think long and hard how much you want this, shadow a lot, talk to people, and if you decide that you do, expect to have to jump off that cliff-- this career doesn't work if you aren't all in and are trying to just dip a toe in to test the waters.

As I said above, this is part of the reason there are so few career changers in med school -- it's not the kind of risk free endeavor where you can keep an exit route available.

 

[ADSigMel]

If you try and keep an option to bail, you might use it -- so it's really better to not have such an option.

That's an interesting point. Did you not have any doubts or worries about your career change? It's a huge psychological deal. Did you have an "aha moment" where you were just like, okay, gonna go become a doctor now, and never looked back?

I only started thinking about the possibility of changing careers a few months ago, so I'm still really trying to work out the logistics. Medicine is a whole different world, and I feel like I'm behind the 8-ball because no one in my family is a doctor. Maybe I should have lurked a little longer before posting anything.


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[Law2Doc]

That's an interesting point. Did you not have any doubts or worries about your career change? It's a huge psychological deal. Did you have an "aha moment" where you were just like, okay, gonna go become a doctor now, and never looked back?

I only started thinking about the possibility of changing careers a few months ago, so I'm still really trying to work out the logistics. Medicine is a whole different world, and I feel like I'm behind the 8-ball because no one in my family is a doctor. Maybe I should have lurked a little longer before posting anything.


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Everyone has doubts and worries. But career changing isn't a good idea for very risk averse people. You do your due diligence, look before you leap. Lots of shadowing and talking to people. For some that can span years, it shouldn't be a whim. And then once you have convinced yourself that this is something you want, you close your eyes get a full head of steam, and leap, never looking back.

 

[ADSigMel]

I think it will take a LOT of shadowing for me to get to that point. Half of the doctors I've talked to have been super supportive, but the other half have talked to me the way I talk to kids who tell me they want to be lawyers (No, darling, run in the opposite direction!).

I'm gonna take those pre-req classes either way, though. I feel like all these years of practicing law has melted my brain. Some science classes will be good for me, even if I don't use them to get into Med school.


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[esob]

I agree with the concept of not having a bail out option. I had to reach that point before I knew medicine was the only thing I could do (notice I didn't say "and be happy", lol). However, everything does become easier once you drink the koolaid; priorities tend to rearrange themselves without too much internal conflict.

 

[Law2Doc]

I think it will take a LOT of shadowing for me to get to that point...

Spend all the time you need. This shouldn't be a decision you just make on a whim or to just give it a try.

 

[Mimi Em]

This is most of the reason there are so few career changers -- you have to be totally willing to uproot your life in a much bigger sense than a traditional applicant.

This is so true. Left a good paying job. Now living VERY low income for several years (taking gap year). It is not easy people!! You really have to want this, especially for non-trads. I cannot emphasize enough the time, money, blood, sweat, and tears you will have to put into it. Some days I miss having money and my old job. Count the cost, good luck.

 

[ADSigMel]

Nostalgia led me to look back at my very first SDN post, from over a year ago, and I just wanted to say thanks to all of you that helped me get into the appropriate headspace for this astronomical undertaking. @eteshoe @GreenDuck12 @Law2Doc @Goro @New_Slang @italiancowgirl @esob @QofQuimica @edgerock24 @tnedoots

I ended up shadowing, then taking a job as an ER scribe (which I've been doing for over a year now). I took all of my prerequisites, researched for two semesters (and found out this week that I'll be published!), and took the MCAT last month. Boy, am I glad I waited a year - I don't think I'd have been as pleased with my score had I rushed to take it last spring instead!

I submitted my AMCAS primary on 6/1 to my two in-state schools, and I'm working up a list of additional schools to add, now that I have my MCAT score back. So things are moving, and I feel pretty confident that my application is as good as it could have been, in terms of grades, MCAT, ECs, LORs, personal statement, and all. SDN may tend to be a little neurotic, but I absolutely would not have been ready to apply to medical school this year without this community. Thank you!


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[GreenDuck12]

Nostalgia led me to look back at my very first SDN post, from over a year ago, and I just wanted to say thanks to all of you that helped me get into the appropriate headspace for this astronomical undertaking. @eteshoe @GreenDuck12 @Law2Doc @Goro @New_Slang @italiancowgirl @esob @QofQuimica @edgerock24 @tnedoots

I ended up shadowing, then taking a job as an ER scribe (which I've been doing for over a year now). I took all of my prerequisites, researched for two semesters (and found out this week that I'll be published!), and took the MCAT last month. Boy, am I glad I waited a year - I don't think I'd have been as pleased with my score had I rushed to take it last spring instead!

I submitted my AMCAS primary on 6/1 to my two in-state schools, and I'm working up a list of additional schools to add, now that I have my MCAT score back. So things are moving, and I feel pretty confident that my application is as good as it could have been, in terms of grades, MCAT, ECs, LORs, personal statement, and all. SDN may tend to be a little neurotic, but I absolutely would not have been ready to apply to medical school this year without this community. Thank you!


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Best of luck to you on this application cycle!

 

[esob]

Nostalgia led me to look back at my very first SDN post, from over a year ago, and I just wanted to say thanks to all of you that helped me get into the appropriate headspace for this astronomical undertaking. @eteshoe @GreenDuck12 @Law2Doc @Goro @New_Slang @italiancowgirl @esob @QofQuimica @edgerock24 @tnedoots

I ended up shadowing, then taking a job as an ER scribe (which I've been doing for over a year now). I took all of my prerequisites, researched for two semesters (and found out this week that I'll be published!), and took the MCAT last month. Boy, am I glad I waited a year - I don't think I'd have been as pleased with my score had I rushed to take it last spring instead!

I submitted my AMCAS primary on 6/1 to my two in-state schools, and I'm working up a list of additional schools to add, now that I have my MCAT score back. So things are moving, and I feel pretty confident that my application is as good as it could have been, in terms of grades, MCAT, ECs, LORs, personal statement, and all. SDN may tend to be a little neurotic, but I absolutely would not have been ready to apply to medical school this year without this community. Thank you!


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Nice, best of luck to you, it is definitely a journey and you have to try to find parts of it to enjoy!

 

[QofQuimica]

Nostalgia led me to look back at my very first SDN post, from over a year ago, and I just wanted to say thanks to all of you that helped me get into the appropriate headspace for this astronomical undertaking. @eteshoe @GreenDuck12 @Law2Doc @Goro @New_Slang @italiancowgirl @esob @QofQuimica @edgerock24 @tnedoots

I ended up shadowing, then taking a job as an ER scribe (which I've been doing for over a year now). I took all of my prerequisites, researched for two semesters (and found out this week that I'll be published!), and took the MCAT last month. Boy, am I glad I waited a year - I don't think I'd have been as pleased with my score had I rushed to take it last spring instead!

I submitted my AMCAS primary on 6/1 to my two in-state schools, and I'm working up a list of additional schools to add, now that I have my MCAT score back. So things are moving, and I feel pretty confident that my application is as good as it could have been, in terms of grades, MCAT, ECs, LORs, personal statement, and all. SDN may tend to be a little neurotic, but I absolutely would not have been ready to apply to medical school this year without this community. Thank you!


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That's great to hear. Congrats and best of luck with your apps!