Those who left 1st careers - if you can't get into med school, what's your backup plan?

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careerchanger77

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Hello fellow Non-Trads. For those of you who had / have substantial first careers in another field and left to pursue a post bacc and spend years preparing to apply to med school....

What was / is your backup plan if you didn't get into any med school?

(2-4 year gap on resume can't easily be explained away in the event of failure to get into med school, so going back to the original career may not be feasible.)

What's your Plan B should you fail to get in after several years?

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careerchanger77


This is a great question... For now I'm planning to take prereqs part time and hopefully have a gap of a year or so...

I have an academic job in public health/sustainable development and plan to keep publishing and stay on the field if Plan A doesn't work out.

What about you ?



Hello fellow Non-Trads. For those of you who had / have substantial first careers in another field and left to pursue a post bacc and spend years preparing to apply to med school....

What was / is your backup plan if you didn't get into any med school?

(2-4 year gap on resume can't easily be explained away in the event of failure to get into med school, so going back to the original career may not be feasible.)

What's your Plan B should you fail to get in after several years?
Hello fellow Non-Trads. For those of you who had / have substantial first careers in another field and left to pursue a post bacc and spend years preparing to apply to med school....

What was / is your backup plan if you didn't get into any med school?

(2-4 year gap on resume can't easily be explained away in the event of failure to get into med school, so going back to the original career may not be feasible.)

What's your Plan B should you fail to get in after several years?
 
Hi Kastalia! That's awesome that you managed to find a program that allows you to take pre-reqs part time while working, and that's neat that you work in public health (at least your fallback plan is in health, as well!). A public health career is something I may be interested in considering if the med school thing doesn't work out... not sure if it's hard to break in as a career changer, though. Do you like your work right now? I'm curious why you're thinking of leaving public health / sustainable development and going into clinical medicine.

I've been working as a corporate executive for the past 10 years, and doing full time work / part-time classes unfortunately isn't an option in my area
(all the science classes at nearby 4 yr universities are during the day). Part-time work isn't readily available in my line of work either, since there simply aren't very many part-time management positions (if at all). My plan is to test the waters this fall with 1-2 classes while trying to find a part-time position in my field (which may or may not exist) while volunteering / continuing to shadow. If I decide to move fwd with the pre-med school plan, though, I'd probably have to be a student full-time for around 2.5 - 3 years, since I haven't taken any of the science credits and am not getting any younger. I'd be 35-36 at best when applying to med school if I start now.

The problem with corporate / management jobs, though, is a 2-3 year gap on the resume may preclude me from being able to go back to my old career and get a job if I can't get into med school after 2-3 years out of Corporate America as a post bacc... I'm sure recruiters won't take too well to a candidate who took a few years out to take a bunch of random science classes, fail to get into med school, then attempt to get back into the former corporate career. Yikes! Looks like it's a pretty big risk in my case (with hopefully a light at the end of the tunnel at the end), and I'm still trying to figure out Plan B. I'm hoping I'm not too old to make a 180 degree change and start on this path, either - I'm almost 32.

Good luck with your pre-req classes, and looking forward to supporting each other on SDN during our journeys. :)

I'd love to hear about any other career changer pre-meds' "Backup Plans," as well!
 
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No back-up plan. Maybe I'll just get a cabin in the mountains and write long manifestos... lol

But then I'm not giving up my license as a psychologist, so either way there are always options.
 
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I've been working as a corporate executive for the past 10 years, and doing full time work / part-time classes unfortunately isn't an option in my area
(all the science classes at nearby 4 yr universities are during the day).

If I decide to move fwd with the pre-med school plan, though, I'd probably have to be a student full-time for around 2.5 - 3 years, since I haven't taken any of the science credits and am not getting any younger.

I'd be 35-36 at best when applying to med school if I start now.

36 (when applying) - 3 years (studying) - 10 years (as corporate executive) = 23

If you're timeline is correct, you've been in an executive or management position since you were 23. If that's the case, I doubt you'd have any problem getting back on track with your current career. However, look into night classes for one or two of your pre-reqs at a CC or do some evening clinical volunteering.
 
I burned all of my bridges so that there could be no backup plan. It was win or die.

Glad it payed off.
 
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This is something I think about too. I left a career to do a post-bacc full time, similar boat that you're in. I definitely think it will be hard for me to explain the gaps in my resume and get back in the field should I ever want to go back, but I absolutely hated the job so even if I don't get into med school I can't see myself going back to my previous field. Honestly, I just plan to keep applying until I eventually get in, and I'll work random, clinical jobs until I do. If I never get in, I guess I'm in the same situation as other recent college grads all over again. I would consider teaching, or pick a different field that seems interesting and start from the bottom like everyone else.


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This is something I think about too. I left a career to do a post-bacc full time, similar boat that you're in. I definitely think it will be hard for me to explain the gaps in my resume and get back in the field should I ever want to go back, but I absolutely hated the job so even if I don't get into med school I can't see myself going back to my previous field. Honestly, I just plan to keep applying until I eventually get in, and I'll work random, clinical jobs until I do. If I never get in, I guess I'm in the same situation as other recent college grads all over again. I would consider teaching, or pick a different field that seems interesting and start from the bottom like everyone else.


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One of my med school interviewers asked the question of what I would do if I didn't get in and that was my answer, strengthen my application even further and keep applying until I eventually got in.

It worked.
 
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Left a first career to join the military so I could finish my bachelors and apply to med school (doing it through the military now actually, even though that wasn't the plan). If I don't get accepted after this upcoming cycle, I will be within my reenlistment window and will have to decide whether to get out and keep applying or to stay in. Right now I'm thinking of putting in to reenlist and convert to corpsman, put in my dues and then go to IDC school.

Either that, or I'd get out and try for PA school. Or be a math teacher. ****. I dunno. I just hope I get picked up this cycle.
 
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I burned all of my bridges so that there could be no backup plan. It was win or die.

Glad it payed off.
Yeah, when I did it it was pretty much medicine or bust. No idea if I could have gotten back to law if I needed to, although I left on the best of terms possible.

So I guess crazy homeless person living under a bridge was probably plan B. Sometimes that seems like it would be more relaxing, actually.
 
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Initially I told only a few "worker bee" colleagues of my plans. I did not tell my boss or folks in management. Even with taking evening classes, it eventually got difficult to explain why I could not attend a 4.00 pm meeting or conference call every. single. time. My boss eventually found out but not through me. One day when I was getting ready to leave at 4.00 pm, he says "are you late for class?" Well, the cat was out of the bag.

Now I discuss it freely and nearly the entire office of 40 people knows. Some are supportive and others are neutral. Since I haven't really taken myself 100% out of the workforce, it would not be too hard to return. However, I've gone from full time to 32-hr and will perhaps drop to 24-hr next semester. It's difficult to put in more than 24 hours when OChem has a 6-hr lab one day, and classes from 10.00 am to 12.00 am on two other days of the week. It's not like I can work after hours - my work duties can't be done that way. So I'll be down to 8-hrs two days of the week and 4-hrs two more, with the fifth day in OChem lab 9.00 am to 3.00 pm. It's going to cost me in terms of reduced income of course, but I also lose 50% of sick and vacation accrued, and deductions for healthcare are higher as well.

Backup plan is to reapply for a second cycle if first cycle fails. Trying not to let that happen.

One of my med school interviewers asked the question of what I would do if I didn't get in and that was my answer, strengthen my application even further and keep applying until I eventually got in.
I've heard this is the "correct" answer to this particular question.
 
My (soon-to-be former) position has such a high demand for experienced people that I could probably take a huge gap and come back at a higher salary. As it is, now that everyone knows my plans, my schedule is awesome - part-time and I get paid pretty decently by the hour. So it is a perfect job to keep until I start med school.

That being said, if I don't get in this cycle or the next, either way I'll quit as it's just not what I want to do for the rest of my life. I want to work in healthcare - preferably as an MD. If that doesn't happen, then DO (though I'm only applying MD now, I have nothing against DO, I just didn't want to apply through two application systems my first time around). If DO then doesn't work out, I'll seriously consider PA even though that's definitely not something I want to think about right now.

Basically, I want to work in healthcare. I badly want to be a physician but even if that doesn't happen, I still wouldn't want to return to my non-business profession. I would find another path to doing what I want to do and not give up entirely.
 
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Well my 'career' is basically for a position that is hard to fill and that nobody wants. I see job postings all over the place for it. Sorry Administrator has lost another one..

It's because the conditions are terrible. 24 hour on call with staff that doesn't care as they get paid a little over minimum wage... so I'm getting called lol

So I have a feeling I'd have no problem getting that job back if all else fails..
 
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Hey careerchanger77

You are still young! I am almost 36 :). I have been thinking about this and worried about my age for over 10 years now. The funny thing is that I don't worry anymore.

I have MPH and PhD in public health and I do like my work but I can't see myself as a tenured track professor if it doesn't involve patient contact. In fact, I declined 2 tenured track positions this fall so I can stay in NYC, start a 2nd bachelors and take evening classes...A true career suicide but I can't be happier :)

If you have corporate experience it should be possible to obtain a position in public health/healthcare non profit. We could discuss your specific situation further, send me a private note if you want (not sure how this works, just joined a day ago).

I am one of those people who wanted to be doctors since the age of 5. Unfortunately I wasn't raised here and where I am from medical school starts at 17. I wasn't ready psychologically at such an young age :(. I came to the US 9 yrs ago and needed to choose between an MPH or retaking prereqs (after bachelors in chemistry! I just couldn't do it). I love the public health field and would like to keep doing related work. I work with many MDs.

Good luck to you! Are you starting this fall?
 
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Plan B: PathA.
Plan C: grad school (something health/bio, whatever looks good).
Plan D: Go back to flying, make a bunch of money, hate it.

I'm not really cultivating much beyond that basic premise. This an all in to win proposition. That's the attitude I have to maintain.
 
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Quitting your job is an option? I got two more jobs to pay for my degree and application cycle!


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manual labor until my body give out. Worst case scenario, that's at ~57y.o., then I get a job as a Wallmart greater. Best case scenario, I win that sweet workman's comp lottery by injuring myself on the job and retire to my trailer in my mid-40's, where I will drink myself to sleep every day to block the thoughts of everything that could've been.

So, really, this whole med school thing is a decent option for me, but I can take it or leave it.
 
I didn't quit until I had 4 offers. I told one person at the office -- she had the same plan for a different professional program, and she quit a year before I did. I eventually told another person who wrote me a LOR, but the word definitely did not get out. My career was too good to sacrifice if it didn't work out.
 
I'll be working part-time beginning next month when my postbacc program starts at Berkeley, and then I'll quit next summer to focus on upper division courses and the MCAT full-time. At that point, I'd have 9 years experience as a coder under my belt between Microsoft and Google so even if I'm away for 2-3 years, I figure my employment history will open some doors should I have to come crawling back. After that, I guess it's just suck it up for a few years while I figure out the real Plan B. Most likely remain a coder, but move to something healthcare related like EMR systems or back to my bioinformatic roots like what Flatiron Health is doing.
 
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Is Google allowing you to work part time? (If so, that's awesome) Or are you finding a part time job unrelated to coding? / not through your current full time job?

Good luck with the Berkeley Extension post bacc! That was one of the programs I had been considering. I'd be curious to hear if you ilke it after you start. :)
 
I burned all of my bridges so that there could be no backup plan. It was win or die.

This. I've never had a safety net. I joined the military at 17 with nothing but the clothes on my back and I've been on my own ever since (until I met my wife). It's much easier to succeed when you can't afford to fail.
 
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i was a stay at home mom. I'll just go back to eating bonbons.

jk, I'll apply again. and again... and again.....
 
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I would tell my wife to go and get a job while I stay at home and write the Great American Novel, which would without a doubt lead to me winning multiple literature prizes. With my newfound fame and fortune, I would go on to write even more and better novels. My autobiography would be turned into a movie, with Brad Pitt playing me. Years later, I would win the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Something along these lines.
 
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If MD won't take me, I'll apply DO.
If I can't get into DO, PA.
If no PA, I'll go for direct entry masters in Nursing.
If all of that fails, I'll still have over a decade of professional capacity worked and a strong resume (despite the gap) with multiple industry certifications and (at that point) a undergrad degree so I'll move to management in my current field. Or teach. I do like the idea of teaching.

But as others said, there is no back up plan. There is no backing up. This train is full steam forward and I will get into an American medical school.
 
Hello fellow Non-Trads. For those of you who had / have substantial first careers in another field and left to pursue a post bacc and spend years preparing to apply to med school....

What was / is your backup plan if you didn't get into any med school?

(2-4 year gap on resume can't easily be explained away in the event of failure to get into med school, so going back to the original career may not be feasible.)

What's your Plan B should you fail to get in after several years?
My plan A-Z is to get into med school, and my plan after plan Z is to get into med school. Thanks
 
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