Private Equity to Med/Dental? Too late?

[srqmcojfk]

Hello SDN! I'm excited for the opportunity to post and pick the incredible brains on this site.

Long story long, I'm looking for some color on my current situation. I'm currently a junior, 21 y/o at a public university (top 100) in the U.S. studying finance/accounting. I started out as a 19 y/o intern with a private equity fund a year and a half ago, and am now a full-time analyst (for the most part) while in school. This summer I most likely will take second intern (for those don't know finance world, most important time of undergrad is your "summer" i.e. where you intern junior summer) in NYC with an investment bank for 10 weeks. I've had my sights set on high finance for awhile now and this current experience has been incredible, but something for the past few months has been intriguing me about medicine (I can fully elaborate). I have family in nursing and healthcare (dentist(s), ARNPs, cardios) and I've adopted the mindset that finance can wait, and that 'something' is pulling at me to give a shot at med or dental school because I intrinsically do have the interest for the art of medicine (aside from lifestyle, prestige [hate that word] etc.).

My biggest rationalization as to not pursuing med/dental falls across three places:
1) Age and undegrad
- I'm already a junior, and have completed one prereq (couple this with a 3.5 GPA business degree - hey, 50 hour work weeks + school sucks)...probably just too late in the game (assuming flawless prereqs) compared to how many classmates are through the full curriculum
2) No experience.
-I know finance isn't medicine in that experience is everything, but seriously, how would I sell financial modeling and my crazy excel skills LOL??!! I'm not in any health clubs, or a volunteer at a hospital. I wouldn't know where to begin.
3) MCAT/DAT
- This is where I'm probably the most ignorant, but isn't this the time for students to start taking these tests (especially DAT?)?
- Just feel so ridiculously behind

I've loved every second of my undergrad, I don't want any misconstruction on that front, but if I were to do it all over again knowing what I know, I hands down would've done pre-med or associated track and maybe minored in finance. That way both doors would've been open, because I could have same job now as either an accounting or bio major.

My prospects in finance are pretty good, I have realistic opportunities ahead for I've worked my ass off and continue to do so. It's just such a cutthroat profession (without satisfaction I'll say); I know I'll survive, but if med or dental school was remotely feasible I'm ready to hit the ground running. I just don't know if the idea of med/dentistry is completely irrational.

I appreciate honesty and I will touch on more if needed. Thank you SDN!

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[petershot]

Thanks for starting the post.

I'm currently an investment banker in NYC working in the field for 1.5 years. I have been seriously considering pursuing a career in medicine. I would love to hear from people who made the career change.

 

[srqmcojfk]

Thanks for starting the post.

I'm currently an investment banker in NYC working in the field for 1.5 years. I have been seriously considering pursuing a career in medicine. I would love to hear from people who made the career change.

That's awesome!

Hopefully we get some constructive feedback. This site is full of great information and insight.

But first, let me get back to my model. The company isn't factoring A/R correctly so my entire balance sheet is off ..................................

 

[Goro]

Can't advise you on DDS, but for medicine, it's a calling. What does your heart tell you?
I have family in nursing and healthcare (dentist(s), ARNPs, cardios) and I've adopted the mindset that finance can wait, and that 'something' is pulling at me to give a shot at med or dental school because I intrinsically do have the interest for the art of medicine (aside from lifestyle, prestige [hate that word] etc.).

Start doing some clinical volunteering

Here's the deal: You need to show AdComs that you know what you're getting into, and show off your altruistic, humanism side. We need to know that you're going to like being around sick or injured people for the next 40 years.

Not all volunteering needs to be in a hospital. Habitat for Humanity, Humane Society, crisis hotlines, soup kitchen, food pantry, homeless or women’s shelter, after-school tutoring for students or coaching a sport in a poor school district, teaching ESL to adults at a community center, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, or Meals on Wheels.

Also, check out your local houses of worship for volunteer opportunities.

Service need not be "unique". If you can alleviate suffering in your community through service to the poor, homeless, illiterate, fatherless, etc, you are meeting an otherwise unmet need and learning more about the lives of the people (or types of people) who will someday be your patients.



Then start thinking about shadowing a doctor to see what his/her day is like.


You don't.
I know finance isn't medicine in that experience is everything, but seriously, how would I sell financial modeling and my crazy excel skills

 

[srqmcojfk]

Can't advise you on DDS, but for medicine, it's a calling. What does your heart tell you?
I have family in nursing and healthcare (dentist(s), ARNPs, cardios) and I've adopted the mindset that finance can wait, and that 'something' is pulling at me to give a shot at med or dental school because I intrinsically do have the interest for the art of medicine (aside from lifestyle, prestige [hate that word] etc.).

Start doing some clinical volunteering

Here's the deal: You need to show AdComs that you know what you're getting into, and show off your altruistic, humanism side. We need to know that you're going to like being around sick or injured people for the next 40 years.

Not all volunteering needs to be in a hospital. Habitat for Humanity, Humane Society, crisis hotlines, soup kitchen, food pantry, homeless or women’s shelter, after-school tutoring for students or coaching a sport in a poor school district, teaching ESL to adults at a community center, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, or Meals on Wheels.

Also, check out your local houses of worship for volunteer opportunities.

Service need not be "unique". If you can alleviate suffering in your community through service to the poor, homeless, illiterate, fatherless, etc, you are meeting an otherwise unmet need and learning more about the lives of the people (or types of people) who will someday be your patients.



Then start thinking about shadowing a doctor to see what his/her day is like.


You don't.
I know finance isn't medicine in that experience is everything, but seriously, how would I sell financial modeling and my crazy excel skills

This is great Goro. Thank you so much.

I've been a Big Brother for a roughly five years now along with other causes I regularly donate my time to when I have the opportunity (Susan G Komen, CTF).

I think the biggest 'next step' for me currently is finishing pre-reqs (classes fungible for both DDS & MD?). And obviously a subsequent ~4.0 in these classes to have any shot?

 

[bbbaaa]

I was an accounting major, got my CPA and worked for Deloitte for a couple years. Got the itch for medicine and eventually quit and took classes as a non-degree seeking student until I had all the pre-reqs. Mean time, started doing extracurriculars. After two years I finished the classes, took the MCAT, applied. and got in.

To imagine it is "too late" for you is ridiculous. You are way ahead of most of the people in the non-traditional forum, in that you're only 21 and not out of college yet. Yes, you will be behind your classmates who went pre-med from Day 1, but who cares? You've had valuable experience that you can always fall back on, assuming you finish your finance degree.

Speaking of which, I think you should finish out your degree. Take a med school pre-req or two if you have time for an elective, and try and shadow a doctor or two to get your feet wet. You'll finish school with a solid degree, a job offer, a more honest impression if medicine may be right for you, and a head start on the pre-requisites should you decide to go that route.

If your experiences make you decide to go medicine once you graduate, you can take an extra semester and some summer school, knock out the remainder of your pre-reqs, and take the MCAT. You'll have a gap year which you can fill doing finance/accounting work (this is my exact situation right now). You'll be a year or two behind your premed classmates, big whoop. You'll be done with med school before future guys like me even start thinking about it.