Hey everyone, so I recently graduated and am now working as a technology consultant at a very large technology consulting firm. I was wondering if there were a decent amount of people that go along this path, and then decide to do medicine. Will this sort of diversify my application? Why did you guys choose to do medicine over consulting as well? And how are you going to use it in your application?
technology consulting to medicine
- Thread starter wmd95
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Very rarely seen among my interviewees.
Interesting. Also, excuse my ignorance, I've recently started becoming more active on sdn. It seems like a lot of people (from what I gather in your profile) like your advice. If I may ask, what is your background/story?
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PhD teaching in one of the basic sciences for > 20 years at a DO school and an MD school, mostly the former.
Adcom member for > 15 years
SDNer for > 5 years
Adcom member for > 15 years
SDNer for > 5 years
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@wmd95 - you asked about Goro... 
he tells it like it is, calls one out on their b.s. and once you get to know him and his quirky little Goro-isms (he hates "alot" ), he's like a the old friend you can ask "WTH now?" ... but as the CEO of my clinic group says, "You can ask me a direct question but realize, you don't get to ask for an indirect answer." Same w/Goro.
Anyway, I'm older than most on here; spent years in consulting, big thinking better move type companies to accentuating the positive to the little 8, minor 6 or whatever they are now.
For me, I would say I did not stray from technology as much as technology was my landing point when medicine seemed like a nonexistent possibility. Removing that road block, and thinking, here I am.
My roles from keyboard junkie to partner play a VERY minor role in my application. It shows up on the AMCAS as "something" but even there it is not noted as most meaningful. Frankly, it allowed me to grow the heck up, gave me the world (literally) and exposure to what real suffering is. It also keeps the lights on, the bills mostly paid, and food in the house. Even my titles don't show up on the AMCAS primary (though I do reference one of them very indirectly).
Not sure what else to say but best of luck on the path!
he tells it like it is, calls one out on their b.s. and once you get to know him and his quirky little Goro-isms (he hates "alot" ), he's like a the old friend you can ask "WTH now?" ... but as the CEO of my clinic group says, "You can ask me a direct question but realize, you don't get to ask for an indirect answer." Same w/Goro.Anyway, I'm older than most on here; spent years in consulting, big thinking better move type companies to accentuating the positive to the little 8, minor 6 or whatever they are now.
For me, I would say I did not stray from technology as much as technology was my landing point when medicine seemed like a nonexistent possibility. Removing that road block, and thinking, here I am.
My roles from keyboard junkie to partner play a VERY minor role in my application. It shows up on the AMCAS as "something" but even there it is not noted as most meaningful. Frankly, it allowed me to grow the heck up, gave me the world (literally) and exposure to what real suffering is. It also keeps the lights on, the bills mostly paid, and food in the house. Even my titles don't show up on the AMCAS primary (though I do reference one of them very indirectly).
Not sure what else to say but best of luck on the path!
Okay, awesome! You definitely have a lot of experience. How would you recommend advertising myself in a medical school application after going through 1-3 years of technology consulting?
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One does not "advertise" in the med school application.
Great GPA + solid MCAT + solid ECs (volunteering, shadowing, clinical)
True. You mentioned you barely said anything about it. Do you feel that's the best way to go? I feel that there are many ways you can show you have transferable skills from consulting that can apply in medicine.
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There are, of course! Being able to relate to people in a professional setting that can change daily/weekly/monthly is a good asset but I think you have to show you can be a medical student first by GPA + MCAT + ECs before you can discuss how the skillset transfers across the disciplines... that's good for interviews, imo, not the application.
Remind yourself of this one thing I was told as well: you know nothing of what it takes to be a successful med student, resident or physician so don't tell an adcom what it takes or how your skills transfer.
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You let your app speak for you by walking the walk, and not merely talking the talk.
Thus, you need to demonstrate your shadowing and ECs. Those being commitment to service to others, and exposure to Medicine via patient contact experience.
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I know a technology consultant who got into med school with solid academic credentials, clinical experience, etc. I don't know the details.
