Advice for transitioning from software engineering to medical school

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Bernoulli

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I'm a recent December graduate from a state school in Virginia with a job offer for a big 4 tech company (Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook) as a software engineer. I interned at the big 4 company over Summer 2016 and while I enjoyed the work I did, I realized that I'm not as passionate about software engineering as I am about medicine. With my CS curriculum, I was never able to finish my last four prerequisites for medical school (O-Chem series, Physics 2, and Biochemistry). I'm hoping to do a post-bacc to finish up the prerequisites, but I want to get some advice first.

I've currently accepted the offer from the big 4, and my job will be located in Seattle should I choose not to change it. Should I choose to move to Washington, I'm losing a great deal of potential in-state options in Virginia where I currently reside. I can move my location from Seattle to Herndon, VA, but I will be taking a massive cut in salary and bonus while being forced to work on a software team I will not enjoy until I can apply and hopefully be accepted into a medical school. It's really difficult to transfer internally at this company, so I could potentially be handicapping myself career wise if I forfeit my current position in Seattle for a position in Herndon.

The logical option seems like I should stay in Virginia, but it's a huge risk with medical school admissions being as competitive as they are. I'd like to hear some thoughts from some of you on a situation like this. I'm basically set right now as far as my current job goes (Great benefits, six figure salary, nice bonus, office job), but I don't see myself wanting to do this for the rest of my life. I'd like to transition from this into becoming a physician like I had originally planned, but the risk of losing what I have now for just a chance is pretty terrifying.

Thoughts on this situation? What would you do in the same situation?

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How long do you plan to work before you apply? Are you concerned with getting into med school in VA specifically, or would you be happy anywhere in the country? I'm not familiar with any of the schools in that region, but have you looked on their websites to see what their definition is of in-state vs. out-of-state? For several schools, you can be considered in-state as an applicant for a number of criteria other than simply being a legal resident of the state. Some of those details could have a significant impact in regards to your approach to the situation.

Also, what does the rest of your application look like? I'm assuming you haven't taken the MCAT, but how are your grades, and your ECs?
 
How long do you plan to work before you apply? Are you concerned with getting into med school in VA specifically, or would you be happy anywhere in the country? I'm not familiar with any of the schools in that region, but have you looked on their websites to see what their definition is of in-state vs. out-of-state? For several schools, you can be considered in-state as an applicant for a number of criteria other than simply being a legal resident of the state. Some of those details could have a significant impact in regards to your approach to the situation.

Also, what does the rest of your application look like? I'm assuming you haven't taken the MCAT, but how are your grades, and your ECs?

I'm planning to apply as soon as I can finish the prerequisites, which could take over a year given I'll be working full time. I'm locked in for a year at my current job if I don't want to pay back a prorated amount of my relocation and bonus. I'd want to work at least that amount to pay down some of the debt I have now plus be able to pay for the courses as I'm not sure about financial aid for post-bacc.

I'm not really concerned with where I get into medical school. I would be happy with MD or DO pretty much anywhere. I mean, I'd prefer to avoid high cost of living areas as it will increase the amount I'll need in loans each year, but I'm not picky location-wise. As long as I am a culture fit with the school, I'd be happy anywhere. I know many places in Virginia have lower CoL areas, and most of these schools do give benefit to in-state students versus out-of-state. I would lose my in-state status moving to Washington where I've researched there are really only three medical schools (2 MD + DO) versus the six (eight) (4 MD + 2 DO + 2 MD in development). The school I graduated from is affiliated with a medical school (BSMD program), but I'm not sure how much further the relationship goes than that.

The research into in-state qualifications is great advice. I didn't realize that schools used other factors for in-state criteria other than being a resident. I'd be mostly interested in researching into if I could still be classified as in-state for Virginia if I did move to Washington.

The rest of my application is just okay. I have shadowed a general surgeon, an anesthesiologist, and an internal medicine physician. Each one for roughly 15-20 hours, so my total shadowing is less than 100 hours. I am shadowing a vascular surgeon next month who would likely be a strong candidate for a physician LOR. He was my mother's surgeon, and he had asked me of any intention to enter medicine after interacting with me several times during her care. He's giving me the opportunity to shadow him, so it could potentially turn into a LOR. My clinical hours could use some work. My GPAs aren't terrible. My cGPA is roughly 3.8. sGPA is a bit lower at 3.5 for MD and 3.7 for DO with grade replacement, but I haven't taken O-Chem 1 and 2, Physics 2, or Biochemistry. ECs aren't good. I've mostly done tutoring in subjects like chemistry, math, and computer science. No MCAT score at the moment.
 
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I'm planning to apply as soon as I can finish the prerequisites, which could take over a year given I'll be working full time. I'm locked in for a year at my current job if I don't want to pay back a prorated amount of my relocation and bonus. I'd want to work at least that amount to pay down some of the debt I have now plus be able to pay for the courses as I'm not sure about financial aid for post-bacc.

I'm not really concerned with where I get into medical school. I would be happy with MD or DO pretty much anywhere. I mean, I'd prefer to avoid high cost of living areas as it will increase the amount I'll need in loans each year, but I'm not picky location-wise. As long as I am a culture fit with the school, I'd be happy anywhere. I know many places in Virginia have lower CoL areas, and most of these schools do give benefit to in-state students versus out-of-state. I would lose my in-state status moving to Washington where I've researched there are really only three medical schools (2 MD + DO) versus the six (eight) (4 MD + 2 DO + 2 MD in development). The school I graduated from is affiliated with a medical school (BSMD program), but I'm not sure how much further the relationship goes than that.

The research into in-state qualifications is great advice. I didn't realize that schools used other factors for in-state criteria other than being a resident. I'd be mostly interested in researching into if I could still be classified as in-state for Virginia if I did move to Washington.

The rest of my application is just okay. I have shadowed a general surgeon, an anesthesiologist, and an internal medicine physician. Each one for roughly 15-20 hours, so my total shadowing is less than 100 hours. I am shadowing a vascular surgeon next month who would likely be a strong candidate for a physician LOR. He was my mother's surgeon, and he had asked me of any intention to enter medicine after interacting with me several times during her care. He's giving me the opportunity to shadow him, so it could potentially turn into a LOR. My clinical hours could use some work. My GPAs aren't terrible. My cGPA is roughly 3.8. sGPA is a bit lower at 3.5 for MD and 3.7 for DO with grade replacement, but I haven't taken O-Chem 1 and 2, Physics 2, or Biochemistry. ECs aren't good. I've mostly done tutoring in subjects like chemistry, math, and computer science. No MCAT score at the moment.
Do doesn't do grade replacement anymore.
 
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Here are the VA residency questions for in-state:

Filed/Paid VA Income Taxes?
Registered VA Voter?
Registered VA Voter For 12 Months?
Valid VA License?
Valid VA License For 12 Months?
Registered Motor Vehicle In VA?
Registered Motor Vehicle In VA For 12 Months?
Family Active Duty?
Active Duty Family Member?
Filed/Paid Military Income Taxes In VA?
Full‐Time Salary?
Spouse Half Support?
Filed/Paid Taxes On All VA Taxable Income?
Dependent of Parent?
Served In National Guard?

Section 23.1-502 of the Code of Virginia states:

"To be eligible for in-state tuition at public institutions of higher education ... shall establish by clear and convincing evidence (i) domicile in the Commonwealth for a period of at least one year immediately succeeding the establishment of domiciliary [...] and (ii) the abandonment of any previous domicile, if such existed. [...] unless such evidence has existed for a period of at least one year immediately prior to the date of the alleged entitlement. If the individual through whom a dependent student establishes domicile and eligibility for in-state tuition charges abandons his domicile in the Commonwealth, such student is entitled to in-state tuition charges for one year from the date of such abandonment."

source: http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title23.1/chapter5/section23.1-502/

So, you would have a 12 month grace period which probably wouldn't be enough to get through the pre-reqs and the application cycle. You would have to re-establish residency which is the next paragraph of the code:

"To establish domicile, [...] institutions of higher education shall consider the totality of the circumstances, including the following applicable factors: continuous residence for at least one year prior to the date of the alleged entitlement, except in the event of the establishment and maintenance of a place of residence outside the Commonwealth for the purpose of maintaining a joint household with an active duty United States military spouse; state to which income taxes are filed or paid; driver's license; motor vehicle registration; voter registration; employment; property ownership; sources of financial support; military records; a written offer and acceptance of employment following graduation; and any other social or economic relationships within and outside the Commonwealth."

Sorry to be so wordy!
 
TAKE THE SEATTLE JOB!!!!!

You're young... work for a few years at this cush paying job, tuck money away (live in a tiny house or something), and do the pre-reqs part time at night or on weekends. Push comes to shove, in a year or two you can land a job back here in Virginia making 6 figures still, work for a year to get VA residency back, and then apply. I highly, highly, highly, highly recommend taking a few years to work and get experience in the real world, pay off your pre-reqs as you go, and make sure medicine is what you want to definitively do (you will be a better applicant, student, and person for having taken some time experiencing a different career).

Computer science is pretty awesome, and you're gonna have a nice life in that career should you choose to stick it out (and most likely with less sacrifices made).

Good luck!

PS - Do not... i repeat... DO NOT do a post bacc. your GPA doesnt need repair, you can take the classes piecemeal for a lot cheaper. and your effective opportunity cost for a post bacc when you could have a six figure job = that six figure salary plus the money spent on the post bacc.
 
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I highly, highly, highly, highly recommend taking a few years to work and get experience in the real world

I agree with this. Medical schools do consider residency to be a factor but I believe they also value true experience too. It's also possibly worth something to have done something else, continued to work at learning in the evenings and are still interested medicine to better yourself and apply. By having real-world experience, you can be a more developed human being than what might be seen as the sea of essentially identical pre-meds that are still undergrads.
 
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I'm young but not that young. It took me a while to find a major so I'm 25 now (26 at the end of this year). Since I'm interested in surgical specialties, I'm hesitant to put off applying to medical school too long. I don't want to be 40 before I finish residency.


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In Seattle, there is UW, one of the best medical schools in the country. Move to Seattle and work there, become a WA state resident, take your prerequisites at the U and apply to UW when you're ready. By then, WSU will also have a med school. There is also a DO school in WA, so you have some choices. Good luck.
 
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I'm young but not that young. It took me a while to find a major so I'm 25 now (26 at the end of this year). Since I'm interested in surgical specialties, I'm hesitant to put off applying to medical school too long. I don't want to be 40 before I finish residency.


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Even with that info, I still stick by you taking that job, experiencing living somewhere else, working in a job that pays well, and paying for the few classes you need. You'll be a better person (and physician) having had those experiences. No matter what you decide, don't do a post-bacc. There are surgical routes in medicine that don't require 10 years of training. You're in your mid-20s - make some money and enjoy some experiences before medicine.
 
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You sound like you have an awesome situation. If it were me I'd take the Amazon job and make money, while saving/investing most of it. But if it's more about passion than money, medicine is a great route too. But I do agree with some of the other posters. I would work for a few years while finishing up the pre-reqs, do really well on the MCAT, and try and do well at work.

Good luck!
 
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