Change jobs for financial stability vs. stay for stronger LOR?

[woktheline]

Fellow non-trads,

I am a 28 yo M looking to matriculate for Allopathic MD school, Fall 2023. I was an English/philosophy major in college who circled back around to science to get an MS in epidemiology, with 1 year of courses into a PhD in the same.

I took an "extended leave of absence" (essentially for their records to stay cleaner) last spring, but will not return as I needed to focus on finishing out prereqs, take the MCAT, gain clinical experience, etc.

My dilemma now, is that after 6 months in a neuroscience research lab as an RA and significant changes to my financial support structure (longer story that I will not discuss due to anonymity concerns), I am considering finding a far more highly paid position doing much of the same data analysis/modeling/statistical work I am doing currently. But I simultaneously fear severing the relationship with my PI, who's LOR would carry immense weight in the community and certainly many of the higher tier schools I expect to be competitive for. He knows the skinny of my situation though and might understand that I can't afford to both eat and save anything on such razor thin margins.

So what should I do??

Relevant facts:
- Remaining pre-reqs = enrolled this spring in Gen Chem II (lab) and Physics II (lab); Orgo I and II; Biochem
- Several publications on record, including 2 FA, most in high impact journals
- No debt, some moderate savings that paired with at least 1+ year of even median earnings for my skill set would likely cover the first year at any program
- 3 maybe 4 strong LOR's right now with 2 speaking to research quality, 1 to academic, 1 to nonprofit/volunteering

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[chicandtoughness]

Would your PI be open to you continuing to work in his lab on a part time volunteer basis? That way you could work elsewhere for the money, but still contribute to research and get his LOR. (And he wouldn’t have to pay you haha).

 

[woktheline]

I have read some of the adcom posters on SDN say that research is overrated and not all that important on applications. Personally, I’d take a job that pays me enough to live comfortably. You’re trying to embark on four years of no income, then 4+ years of low income—take care of yourself now. not to mention applications are so expensive, you’ll need the extra cash when the time comes.

Explain the situation to your PI, they should understand. If they don’t and withhold a LOR from you because you have to pay bills and eat, they would be a jerk and I’d be worried about the kind of letter were they going to write in the first place.

This makes some great points. I guess I am most concerned with not only losing that LOR but also having a job that would be less flexible or even that I would need to hide my med school plans from to work. I've seen some examples on here of that working though. I think with remote stuff it would be especially doable to pop in and out of classes, but maybe I am just trying to have my cake and eat it too?

Happy to have some pushback on this too.

 

[woktheline]

I work a full time job and I don’t tell my employer my plans. I think it is totally up to you to decide what you’re most comfortable with. Part of the reason I don’t tell them is that 1) I’m done with my post bacc coursework so I don’t need schedule flexibility and 2) I have a professional license that requires someone with a higher license to supervise me, so they’re investing time and resources into me—I don’t want to float the possibility (which is only that, a possibility) that I will be leaving. I am very much of the belief that if you have financial stability as a non-traditional student you shouldn’t give it up.

How did you (or did you at all) manage to prep for the MCAT while doing this? I was kind of planning on that being my FT job basically for three months, but kind of hard to tell the company I would start with that in 9 months I will need 3 off.

Suggestions?

 

[woktheline]

I have read some of the adcom posters on SDN say that research is overrated and not all that important on applications. Personally, I’d take a job that pays me enough to live comfortably. You’re trying to embark on four years of no income, then 4+ years of low income—take care of yourself now. not to mention applications are so expensive, you’ll need the extra cash when the time comes.

Explain the situation to your PI, they should understand. If they don’t and withhold a LOR from you because you have to pay bills and eat, they would be a jerk and I’d be worried about the kind of letter were they going to write in the first place.

Update on this. I did meet with my PI and they unfortunately did the following: First, got ridiculously emotional and upset that I spoke with a researcher in the lab I am comfortable with first. Second, hammered on how "there are no jobs in the area" due to the pandemic and low funds as a state, as if to put me down to getting another one. Third, tried to explain that I should just work more hours during school, threw out some red herring about his child getting an electric car to save money (WTF), and repeated how much I need this for medical school.

 

[deleted803986]

Update on this. I did meet with my PI and they unfortunately did the following: First, got ridiculously emotional and upset that I spoke with a researcher in the lab I am comfortable with first. Second, hammered on how "there are no jobs in the area" due to the pandemic and low funds as a state, as if to put me down to getting another one. Third, tried to explain that I should just work more hours during school, threw out some red herring about his child getting an electric car to save money (WTF), and repeated how much I need this for medical school.

That’s too bad, but maybe a good indicator of how they may be when it’s time for the LOR. If you tell someone you can’t eat and survive on what you make and their response is to tell you a personal story about their son’s electric car—start working on your exit. This is not someone who can even fake empathy. I happen to have an MPH so not quite an MS in epi, but I’d say your skills are likely in demand—especially if/when more covid funding trickles down from the federal govt. I also think my personal statement was easier to write after working in the field in which I have my masters for awhile. That said, I didn’t get in the first cycle I applied, waited another cycle and am preparing to reapply in the upcoming cycle—so maybe my advice js trash—who knows? (My mcat score wasn’t great, that was the issue per the schools who gave me feedback on my application).

 

[deleted803986]

How did you (or did you at all) manage to prep for the MCAT while doing this? I was kind of planning on that being my FT job basically for three months, but kind of hard to tell the company I would start with that in 9 months I will need 3 off.

Suggestions?

I might not be the best person to give this advice. I didn’t do great on my first attempt. I am doing the unpopular thing on these boards and spread my studying way out so I’m not cramming 5 hours a day of studying in. I did the opposite my first attempt and did 3-5 hours a day over 3-4 months plus practice exams on weekends. I didn’t do well because it felt stressful and exhausting doing this after work, plus I do better going slower over a longer period of time.

 

[woktheline]

I might not be the best person to give this advice. I didn’t do great on my first attempt. I am doing the unpopular thing on these boards and spread my studying way out so I’m not cramming 5 hours a day of studying in. I did the opposite my first attempt and did 3-5 hours a day over 3-4 months plus practice exams on weekends. I didn’t do well because it felt stressful and exhausting doing this after work, plus I do better going slower over a longer period of time.

How much longer if you don't mind me asking? I feel that I would also benefit from the long game approach, as I have felt that way on many courses in school etc. I don't see the long chunk studying 1) productive - even with a trained attention, you cannot do deep work longer than a few hours, and 2) attractive. Nothing worse than staring down the barrel of a 5 hour prep session.

What did you do exactly if you don't mind me asking for more detail?

I'm increasingly realizing I may not have the financials to take off 3 months from work to prep so I want all the ideas.