Advanced Degree In Non-Science Field- Help, Hurt, or Neutral?

[jamilla_w]

Help- I did well (Ranked #30/205) and it shows I can compete in a competitive graduate school (MBA) program; Makes you seem more unique and that you will bring an interesting perspective to med school

Hurt- Makes you seem like you change your mind a lot and that you could back out of medicine as a career and waste a precious space in med school; Means you are older

Neutral- They care primarily about science and/or the positives and negitives cancel out

 

[sentrosi]

Plenty of people are non-traditional applicants. I don't really think it hurts, especially if you do well.

 

[speedyk]

I would think that you'd have to do more medically related ECs than normal to show that this is what you want to do and that you wouldn't change your mind again.

 

[dcolon_et06]

I think it'd be in between neutral and positive. Neutral since major's "aren't" supposed to make a difference but positive since most of us feel that a majority of non-science majors aren't looked down upon and can possibly help seperate you (in a good way) from the group of mostly science (bio mainly) applicants. As speedyk said, make sure you have a good amount of EC's medically related and otherwise under your belt along with maybe some shadowing of a doctor. This would help not only the adcom's but you to feel better about whether you would enjoy medicine or not.

 

[johnny pollen]

I went for a masters of fine arts in poetry, and previous posts by others suggested it cain't hoit: my rationale is that I took a passion outside of medicine and followed through with it, with some degree of success. Also, it's writing about medicine that clinched the deal for me, so to speak: the more I learn, the more (and better) I write, and the more fascinated I become. It's a nice little positive feedback system.

Your degree should be easy to "explain away," and I can't imagine it would do anything but bolster your application. There are a bunch of established programs that offer MBA/MDs. If you say you "planned it all along," you'll look like a genius. And after all, medicine and business go together like peanut butter and chocolate: it's a delicious, profitable combination.

Still, I'm doing as many medical ECs as I can: I'm currently a public health researcher, I'm volunteering in an ER, and I'm shadowing several different doctors. Seems like that'd be a good idea for you, too.

Ooh, also, I'm going out right now to buy a bag of Reese's Pieces.