Are Engineers who have worked for 1 - 2 years at a disadvantage?

[Neha4000]

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I just graduated, and I plan on working in an engineering position for 2 years, and applying next year. Will ADCOM members hold this career change against people?

I have a lot of clinical/volunteer experience, research, and a clinicial publication, but I'd like to work for a while to see how the field is, and make $$ as well to pay off loans. I plan on taking the mcat in april. For those of you who are working as engineers while applying, is it important to continue with volunteering experiences during those years? I'm very passionate about medicine, but I'd like to work in the engineering industry as well to see how it is.

thanks

 

[Pinkertinkle]

It's fine as long as you can adequately explain why you wish to pursue medicine instead of your choosen engineering.

 

[CaptainJack02]

wanted to point out a few things: you'll be more mature than other applicants, get more respect for working as an egineer(not easy!!), and earn some money to pay off loans. plus u get to live your early 20s out in the real world rather than hunched over books in a library. it's never too late for med and what you're doing will only help you to get in.

good luck. and the above is not BS since this is what i plan on doing too!

 

[Mr Reddly]

Thought I'd add... I got a bunch of crap for it (embedded software, EE degree)... Especially from med student interviewers. Keep the volunteering up. As someone who did it... my suggestion is don't.

 

[berriesarie]

i never worked as an engineer, but i come from a heavily engineering oriented school so i know a few people who took your path. I think it will be fine, especially if your engineering field is somewhat medically related in some way (ie drug delivery, pharm., biomed, med circuits...so on) It gives you a different perspective than a more traditional path, and if you plan on continuing to do research your background will be usefull and being a doctor on top of it will only help more with the clinical aspects. I say go for it. Engineering teaches you how to take science and apply it in real life situations. Medicine I think is very similar in that respect as well, you apply what you learn from books and teachers to real patients but you get the added benefit of interaction and humanity that engineering tends to lack.

 

[beanbean]

I had worked as an engineer for 6 1/2 years and then had been a stay-at -home mom for 7 years. It was not an issue. I was of course asked 'why medicine?'; "why now?" and simply gave my reasons.

Many people in my class at UCONN have worked for a couple of years in various fields before matriculating.

 

[kingcer0x]

I worked as an engineer for a year while applying to medical school. I was way too busy and stressed out with work to care about med school admissions, so in that way, it kept my mind off things, and kept me off the bottle (well, somewhat). I think my interviewers liked that I was keeping busy, i mean real busy. I racked up 40,000 frequent flier miles in one year.

But whatever you do, do NOT tell people about your unusual fondness with MATLAB, how it comforts you at nite, always answers the question 'why', is very symbolic, rarely unstable.... frankly i am sick of soft real time so I didnt bring it up.

 

[pjm]

no, there's no disadvantage inherent in working as an engineer. I worked in a non-medical field for several years and was warmly welcomed by several schools.

so long as you explain why you're coming back to medicine, you'll be fine.

you should keep up some level of medical volunteering, maybe one day or a few nights a week; adcoms will want to make sure your passion for medicine is strong despite your engineering work.

 

[CaptainJack02]

But whatever you do, do NOT tell people about your unusual fondness with MATLAB, how it comforts you at nite, always answers the question 'why', is very symbolic, rarely unstable.... frankly i am sick of soft real time so I didnt bring it up.

*vomits

 

[tontondavid]

*vomits

I like MatLab. Especially the wavelet toolbox!!!

I worked as an Engineer for over 2 years and got in one of my top choice schools. I personally think it gives a slight advantage financially and emotionally.

Cheers.