Does your boss know that you are applying to medical schools?

[Chnobli]

Hey there,

I wonder how other applicants that work handle this sensitive issue.

Have you told your boss that you have applied and may be leaving your position by next August?

If no, when are you going to tell?
If no, what do you say when you have to go to an interview?

Thanks for your input!

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[pre-hawkdoc]

does your boss know you posted this twice?

 

[EMDrMoe]

pre-hawkdoc, you crack me up! Not much can elicit a chuckle at this hour, but you got me.

Anyway, to address the question, my boss let my husband and I work all off-hours projects the Summer of 2000 to be able to take Organic Chem (full pay). We work in a PT clinic. Without his support, this endeavor would have been nearly impossible.

Last night, the high school I work for gave me a wonderful presentation and good luck for the end of the season. I cried. I've been here for 5 years - longer than my OWN high school. It's been great.

My standing joke is that I gave 2 years instead of 2 weeks notice.

 

[lady in red]

when I was inteviewing for jobs every boss (about 9 of them) I told to about med school did NOT hire me (like it's a crime or something). So I decided not to tell and got hired!! If I get any interviews, I will tell him straight, if not, I will just stay another year and go from there.

 

[Chnobli]

Hi there,

Sorry that I posted twice, my mistake .

Like "Lady in Red", I was honest in my job interviews about my med school applications, and DID NOT get hired. Then, in one of my interviews, I was asked about my future, and I just said that I am considering med school or grad school in the "future" (which of course is far away... ) without telling them that I am applying now, and I got hired.

 

[lady in red]

It is sad, but a lot of labs think you are just using them to get in/look better. A lot of labs also want a 2 years committment. So if you want a job fast, you will have to lie or at least disguise the truth. I was dead honest because I did not want to deal with the consequences of having to tell later, but it got me nowhere and I was struggling financially. So I said hell with it, I am not going to mention it, so when they asked, I was very vague about it.
Plus, if its apparent from your resume that you were a pre-med most biotech companies WON't take you.
good luck

 

[Mary Jane Watson]

I suppose I'm lucky because I was already in a career when I decided to pursue this...

My boss was surprised, but I told them way in advance, about two years ago, that I was pursuing this... and hey, they still gave me a promotion, two raises and now let me work parttime. So they've been really great.

 

[The Fly]

I work in a lab too...

I was upfront about my applying to med schools and though it took some looking (most wanted a 2 yr. committment and didn't want me interviewing all the time), I actually found an understanding lab. I've already missed 6 days for 5 interviews and they've been really understanding. I guess I am one of the lucky ones!

 

[punkin2]

You all make me feel completely dishonest.

After being laid of from my programming job in February of 2000, I took a job in a lab - fully disclosing my intentions to apply to medical school. I applied this summer, but the application fees and upcoming traveling fees were more than I could pay living on a measly lab-tech salary in Boston. So I changed jobs 2 weeks ago - back to the programming with a 20K raise. They never asked me my future plans in my interview, so I never out-right lied, but if I had told them that I was applying to medical school and wouldn't even be with them a year, I would never had been hired.

Luckily I have 4 weeks of vacation, so I'll just have to try to schedule all my interview for Mondays and Fridays, and tell them I'm taking a lot of long weekends.

 

[Rumit]

It's very cool. I'm working in a lab but my boss basically said that I should just tell him when I'm interviewing becuase that should be my first priority.

Really nice.

Adam

 

[tBw]

well, I envy those that are completely open with their bosses. I am not. I will have to tell my boss sometime, as I will want a reference from him (I've worked for him for 4 years now). But I don't tell him why I have to leave the lab at a certain time certain days (to get to classes) or what my future plans are. It's awkward as I know he see's me as some kind of 'protege' that will carry on in his research area. I think he'll have a hard time accepting the career-switch as making sense as I have been pretty successful (I currently bring in/control over half this labs grant money, publish more than the rest of the group put together, etc....). Oh well, I'm just following my heart...

 

[mpp]

I've worked for an engineering company for seven years (on and off) and have been honest with them from the beginning that my interest in the company is to earn money and that I do not plan to make this my "career". By being flexible and consistently working above and beyond my job description I've received a pay raise every year and thousands of dollars in bonuses. Honesty and hard work have always worked for me.

 

[sandflea]

if i recall correctly, most of my secondaries actually asked for a rec letter from my employer if i had been out of college for some time (which i have). to me, it seems somewhat suspicious if you have been working for someone for some time yet don't provide a positive letter of reference from them. of course, this only applies if you've been working for the same person for a while.

just a thought.

 

[tBw]

well, people make good points.

it seems somewhat suspicious if you have been working for
someone for some time yet don't provide a positive letter of reference from them (sandflea)

I would have to agree. I am not applying till next year and at that point I will be telling my boss. I would expect most adcoms to expect employer references if you have been out of school for a while (infact I think it is very weird when some adcoms state they would prefer references from professors who haven't seen you in years...)

Honesty and hard work have always worked for me (mpp)

Great. Lovely. I prefer to arrive at work in a black mask and tell people my name is Elvira. Err...no...if people asked I would undoubtedly tell them about my future plans, but it doesn't come up, and I don't raise it. Besides which, I don't think I was under any obligation when I took this job to say "Ok, well, I'm interested in this job but you should know that I'm *only* going to work for you for the next 5 years!!" 5 years (which it will be by time I quit) is longer than most people stay around. You should also remember that while you are lucky people accept your honesty, you only need to read some of the posts in this thread to see that not everyone has been so lucky. Sorry...it just sounded somewhat sanctimonious to me...like somehow anyone that didn't instantly announce their plans for the next 6 years of their lives was dishonest and lazy...

 

[mpp]

it just sounded somewhat sanctimonious to me...like somehow anyone that didn't instantly announce their plans for the next 6 years of their lives was dishonest and lazy...

You are right, and I apologise. Maybe my wording was a bit strong. I was just trying to pose a counter example to the ones already given. Often people just give the negative side to people that are looking for positive support.

 

[UCMonkey]

Maybe I'm in a slightly different situation. I too work in a lab, but its at the university where I did my undergrad work. The prof I work for is fully aware that I'm applying, and still hired me for what will (hopefully) be only 1 year. Maybe its more normal for professors than private industry to hire people in our positions?

 

[tBw]

You are right, and I apologise. Maybe my wording was a bit strong. I was just trying to pose a counter example to the ones already given. Often people just give the negative side to people that
are looking for positive support

Thanks for the post mpp - I also apologise; I probably didn't need to be quite so snippy back. I'm glad you were able to provide a counter example. It is true that there are good examples of both realities.

best wishes



onwis

 

[Sonya]

in response to lady in red and DS..

They didn't hire you just b/c you're medschool bound?

I will be graduating and then starting the application process and working. I will be working for two years, while doing apllications and MCATS. If i work in a lab, they will obviously know i'm applying to medschool, and i REALLY doubt they would mind.

But if i work for a company, i'm not sure how direct i'd be. Would it look bad to say i'm going to medschool, or is just bad b/c that meant for you, that you'd be there only one year? Should i just say, i'm considering graduate studies or medschool, and would like time to clarify my interests? something vague like that. WOuld it be such a problem for me, considering I would be working for two years there?

Obviously, when I apply, they will know i'm applying. I will probably use the person I work for as a reference.

Thanks,
Sonya