ADCOMs perception on career change

[chillinillinkillin007]

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I've seen numerous non-traditional (humanities majors, law students, etc.) but what if someone goes from Investment Banking/Finance into medicine? Is this a common change and how do adcom's view this. What about the lack of volunteering shown during this individuals undergraduate and his or her sudden desire for service? I'm just confused if schools want dedication to service how there are many individuals who successful change careers like that

 

[Dr.Zoidberg]

I'm no adcom, but if I were I'd actually view someone who went from iBanking to medicine more positively than someone from the humanities going into medicine. Call me cynical, but I honestly believe most humanities majors going back for postbaccs and applying to med school are doing so because they finally realize their #1 choice wasn't going to support their lifestyle. I'm only in my early 20's and I've already seen several humanities majors jump ship after getting a taste of what living on 25k/year feels like, and getting jealous of their friends who are making considerably more. Someone turning down big six figure salaries early in life to pursue medicine seems a lot more genuine than a writer suddenly gaining an interest in science and medicine.

On the other hand, anyone who decides to go into iBanking is clearly pure evil, and humanities majors can undoubtedly write a much better personal statement about how "writing about the human condition has provoked my interest in the human body itself," or something...

 

[Goro]

Having a diverse pool of students with different backgrounds and viewpoints is a good thing.
Some people have always wanted to be a doctor. With others, it's an epiphany, and can come at much later ages.
We do have radar up for people who are merely fleeing a job climate, like lawyers or veterinarians. if they can articulate that Medicine is their calling, and have evidence to back it up, then we're fine with that.

Most of my non-trads from non-science or clinical based professions seem to come from more artistic/creative endeavours, like English or Drama or some sort, or Fine Arts, like dancers, or artists. I think we get maybe one or two people from business a year. Also, we get maybe anywhere from 1-2 veterans a year. We wish we could get more.

We do interview lawyers every now and then, but the make the mistake of thinking that a high law school GPA counts for something...it doesn't.

We get more career switchers from people already in some type of health care profession. Respiratory techs, EMTs, research or lab techs, 1-2 chiropractors, 1-2 PAs. Rarely nurses. I don't know why.

This is the profile for my school...somewhere west of St Louis. NovaCom's or CCPM's mileage may vary.

I've seen numerous non-traditional (humanities majors, law students, etc.) but what if someone goes from Investment Banking/Finance into medicine? Is this a common change and how do adcom's view this. What about the lack of volunteering shown during this individuals undergraduate and his or her sudden desire for service? I'm just confused if schools want dedication to service how there are many individuals who successful change careers like that

 

[lisi326]

Top 10 school here -- I can think of 3 people between the 3rd and 4th year classes who went from I-banking/finance to medicine. So it can't be viewed that negatively (or else my school is just weird).

 

[allantois]

the Asian resident in NY med second season came from Invest banking.

So, here's that 😛

 

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Some people have always wanted to be a doctor. With others, it's an epiphany, and can come at much later ages.
We do have radar up for people who are merely fleeing a job climate, like lawyers or veterinarians. if they can articulate that Medicine is their calling, and have evidence to back it up, then we're fine with that.

Most of my non-trads from non-science or clinical based professions seem to come from more artistic/creative endeavours, like English or Drama or some sort, or Fine Arts, like dancers, or artists. I think we get maybe one or two people from business a year. Also, we get maybe anywhere from 1-2 veterans a year. We wish we could get more.

I can see adcoms being okay with fleeing a job climate. At least they're practical, and it's not like every traditional applicant is honest in their reasons for pursuing medicine.

I think my issue with this group is that those that I know have come from wealthy backgrounds and decided to pursue a humanities major because college was free and they never really thought about money. Afterwards they looked around, got disappointed that life as a writer wasn't all rooftop champagne parties, and looked around for the path of least resistance to a career promising wealth. I've had at least seven humanities gone pre-meds say to me, "Well, I'd rather go to law school, but there's no money or jobs in that anymore. Plus, med schools love humanities people!" or "Writing is my true passion, but if I can't do that I might as well make a lot of money, hahaha." That's not to say there aren't genuine career changers from jobless fields out there, but I've seen enough to be skeptical.

That being said, if they can do the job better than the person whose spot in med school they took, who cares what their motivations are? I don't think there's any data suggesting that career changers are less compassionate/competent, so if I take issue it's a personal thing, not a valid reason for turning these people away.

 

[Goro]

People fleeing a poor job climate tend not to have done all the necessary things to prove to us that they really want to be around sick people for the next 30-40 years. Medicine is a calling, like being a fireman or a priest, after all.

That being said, if they can do the job better than the person whose spot in med school they took, who cares what their motivations are? I don't think there's any data suggesting that career changers are less compassionate/competent, so if I take issue it's a personal thing, not a valid reason for turning these people away.[/QUOTE]

 

[DokterMom]

Ask any layman what being an investment banker and being a physician have in common and the number one answer will be: ________________.

I'd be extra-prepared to answer the questions "Why medicine?" and "Why did you choose investment banking first?"

 

[deleted435584]

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[bbbaaa]

I went from being a CPA at a Big 4 accounting firm to recently being accepted to medical school. Not investment banking, but similar enough in the 180 degree career change department. I was also worried about how this would be viewed, but in fact I got a lot of positive response from the med schools that did give me a shot.

It makes you unique, it gives you a different perspective, it means you have real-world, professional experience, it brings diversity to the incoming class, and it means you sacrificed a stable job and a good salary to follow a difficult, uncertain, but (hopefully) more rewarding path.

I also didn't do anything at all service or extracurricular related during undergrad. But I started once I quit my job and went back for post-bacc. It took me two years- plenty of time to rack up some good EC's. It's my guess that admission committees see people like us as a breath of fresh air sometimes, a change from all the 21 year old kids who blindly they decided at 15 they wanted to be a doctor like Dad and have amassed a million different EC's and done everything by the book.

At every interview I had at least one of my interviewers had come to medicine from a different career. Doubt it was coincidence, and it allowed us to bond. I wouldn't worry for a second that they'll look on your past unfavorably, as long as you do all the right things from here on out.

 

[Valyria]

I am no adcom, but I was recently accepted to med school. I have been in banking for years, and I think that was viewed very positively. That being said, I took great care to explain how my skills would translate into the medical field. I explained how working in banking helped me to grow into being more professional and taught me about time management. I also made sure to emphasize my passion for medicine. However, maybe my situation is a little different. My original degree is in genetics.

 

[Samir Desai]

The answer is that we would view the applicant favorably assuming that the applicant is able indicate a sound reason for making the career switch, and can provide evidence that he or she has explored the profession and is committed to it. A career in banking requires certain skills and qualities, and like Valyria said, some of these are transferable to medicine. You could definitely highlight this in an interview.