Drop-Out of Law School?

[Inygma]

Hi everyone,

I am in a bit of a dilemma. I am finishing up my 2nd year of law school. Unfortunately it has taken me two full years to decide I hate almost everything about it. I was torn between physician/lawyer going into college, but because I was working full-time I decided on lawyer as it allowed me to take easier classes fulltime while working fulltime.

I have done about 40 hours of shadowing over the last few weeks and have truly fallen in love with becoming a doctor. I have reasonable UG stats (3.63c, and about a 3.7sgpa from only two science classes). I am debating whether to finish law school and take out another 30-50k debt and delay med school by another year, or take a leave of absence and do my post-bacc now. I will be applying to DO schools. If accepted I will matriculate a year earlier, with substantially less debt. If I am not accepted, I have up to 5 years to return to my law school and finish the degree.

If I do well in post-bacc/mcat, will the dropping out of law school prevent me from going to a DO school? Should I suck up the debt and finish law school, though I have no desire to practice law?

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[MrBigglesworth]

You're almost done, you might as well finish it. Adcom's don't usually like 'quitters' and it would be prove you can handle harder courses. It would also help in case you end up hating medicine or not getting it in... good luck

 

[hopeful22213]

There are regular posters on these forums who can offer more personal insight- people who have gone into medicine from practicing the law or legal practice- but the conventional wisdom seems to be that it does not look good to quit a program like that.You can use the search function to find similar threads that have been started in the past by people in similar positions.

If you do decide to leave though, imagine an ad-com considering your application. Medical school and residency is a massive undertaking that will take a lot of time, effort and money. How will you convince them that you are not a risk to take a spot in med school and decide halfway through that healthcare isn't the right field for you?

Just my two cents, but whether you take a leave of absence or graduate I'd advise you to go above and beyond the conventional measures to demonstrate interest and experience in medicine. Get tons of volunteer, clinical and shadowing hours in as much as that's possible.

Best of luck.

 

[yankeefan18]

Hi everyone,

I am in a bit of a dilemma. I am finishing up my 2nd year of law school. Unfortunately it has taken me two full years to decide I hate almost everything about it. I was torn between physician/lawyer going into college, but because I was working full-time I decided on lawyer as it allowed me to take easier classes fulltime while working fulltime.

I have done about 40 hours of shadowing over the last few weeks and have truly fallen in love with becoming a doctor. I have reasonable UG stats (3.63c, and about a 3.7sgpa from only two science classes). I am debating whether to finish law school and take out another 30-50k debt and delay med school by another year, or take a leave of absence and do my post-bacc now. I will be applying to DO schools. If accepted I will matriculate a year earlier, with substantially less debt. If I am not accepted, I have up to 5 years to return to my law school and finish the degree.

If I do well in post-bacc/mcat, will the dropping out of law school prevent me from going to a DO school? Should I suck up the debt and finish law school, though I have no desire to practice law?

You'll probably have better luck if you finish out the law degree. Probably not what you want to hear especially considering the cost factor, but hear me out.

In addition to what's been posted above with respect to the "soft" characteristics of commitment, handling difficult coursework and other personal attributes that could potentially be twisted around to hurt you if you DON'T finish the degree, you can also use the degree to help your medical application.

For instance, you can easily incorporate having a background in law will contribute to the field of medicine both in the classroom and as a physician. You could tackle public health, help run a private practice, etc. Adcoms love that stuff. I know of an applicant who was a film/media arts major who used it to her advantage portraying how she would apply her background in developing medical training technologies to help facilitate the classroom and clinical settings.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

If you drop out now, it is going to look like you don't finish things you start and that when the going gets tough, you bail. You could try to explain it, but no matter the reason, it is how adcoms will look at it. Your only real option is to finish. That way you can use it to your advantage. "why didn't you practice?" "I really didn't want to practice law, and I found that out in my second year, but I am not a quitter."

If you want a good chance at medicine, you HAVE to finish.

 

[gasknight]

If you want a good chance at medicine, you HAVE to finish.

Not really true. If you have the grades, MCAT, convincing reasons, & an overall competitive application, you will be just as competitive as the next guy.

I left a professional program 2 years ago & have had a very good application season with allopathic schools.

But I agree with yankeefan.. the law degree could help out in some ways.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

Not really true. If you have the grades, MCAT, convincing reasons, & an overall competitive application, you will be just as competitive as the next guy.

I left a professional program 2 years ago & have had a very good application season with allopathic schools.

But I agree with yankeefan.. the law degree could help out in some ways.

was it a structured professional program like law school? and I didn't say it was impossible. I said if the OP wanted a good chance. they may be able to do it, but from what I have read on here over the years, you seem to be the exception, not the rule.

 

[gasknight]

was it a structured professional program like law school? and I didn't say it was impossible. I said if the OP wanted a good chance. they may be able to do it, but from what I have read on here over the years, you seem to be the exception, not the rule.

I left an allied health professional program. I am likely the exception, you are right. But with a competitive application, it shouldn't really hurt the OP. My first interviewer at my first allopathic interview said that he left dental school mid-stream in order to pursue medicine.

It's not ideal to leave a professional program, but it shouldn't be a barrier to gaining entry into medicine if the OP is able to justify their reasons well to the adcom & present a competitive application (MCAT ftw)

 

[eject]

No matter how much experience you gain in law school, it is profoundly unlikely that you understand what it's like to practice law. There's good and bad. But you can't make those judgments in an informed way as a 2L.

You've made a huge investment of time and money. I say you should see it through.

That said, I've met current med students who are law school dropouts. So I suppose it can work. But you'll want to work on a good (preferably true) story that makes you seem informed and mature.

 

[Inygma]

My issue is that I've now had enough experience in every field of law to see that it just isn't for me. I have decent grades (been going downhill since I started realizing I don't really like law), I was on law review, etc. I had job offers, but I am just not interested. I really do not want to effectively double my loans if I have a decent shot at a DO school. I am a great test taker, and have scored in the top 10% on LSAT and other standardized tests, so I am confident I can score high enough to link into the DO program through the Post-bacc program I have been accepted too...

I am going to call the D.O. school and see what they say.

 

[flodhi1]

My issue is that I've now had enough experience in every field of law to see that it just isn't for me. I have decent grades (been going downhill since I started realizing I don't really like law), I was on law review, etc. I had job offers, but I am just not interested. I really do not want to effectively double my loans if I have a decent shot at a DO school. I am a great test taker, and have scored in the top 10% on LSAT and other standardized tests, so I am confident I can score high enough to link into the DO program through the Post-bacc program I have been accepted too...

I am going to call the D.O. school and see what they say.

I would definitely call the DO schools or talk to Law2Doc (PM him), he's very knowledgeable.

 

[Law2Doc]

I would definitely call the DO schools or talk to Law2Doc (PM him), he's very knowledgeable.

1. Med schools hate quitters, and consider whether you stuck it out through other professional schools asthe best indicator as to whether you will stick it out through the darkest hours of med school. At least get the degree.

2. Law school and practicing law are not the same thing, so hating law school probably doesn't give you as much insight into this career as you may think. In fact there are more similarities between the practice of law and medicine than you are going to like.

3. It troubles me that in your post it took you two years to decide you hated law, and yet 40 hours over a couple of weeks to decide you loved medicine. More shadowing or volunteering over a sustained period of time would be more compelling.

4. It's very important for med school applications that you aren't going to med school because you hate law. Med schools want you to be drawn to it for positive reasons, not see you as running away from something.

5. It will also be troubling to some that you nix law (a profession) for medicine (a profession). Makes it sound like you have it in your head that you need to be a professional, rather than a doctor. More shadowing and clinical exposure so you can better answer the "why medicine" questions BEFORE quitting law and starting a postbac are thus essential.

6. In this time of economic tightness, there will be plenty of full fledged lawyers contemplating change. As a law school drop out, you'd have a lot less to bring to the table.

In short, I think to give yourself your best shot, you need to finish up the law degree and get a lot more clinical exposure. And work on your story of why medicine, why the misstep, and all the great transferable skills your law studies have provided you that will make you a better doctor. Lose all the"I hate law" sentiment. You love the law -- it's what's going to make you a better doctor, get it?

 

[Inygma]

1. Med schools hate quitters, and consider whether you stuck it out through other professional schools asthe best indicator as to whether you will stick it out through the darkest hours of med school. At least get the degree.

2. Law school and practicing law are not the same thing, so hating law school probably doesn't give you as much insight into this career as you may think. In fact there are more similarities between the practice of law and medicine than you are going to like.

3. It troubles me that in your post it took you two years to decide you hated law, and yet 40 hours over a couple of weeks to decide you loved medicine. More shadowing or volunteering over a sustained period of time would be more compelling.

4. It's very important for med school applications that you aren't going to med school because you hate law. Med schools want you to be drawn to it for positive reasons, not see you as running away from something.

5. It will also be troubling to some that you nix law (a profession) for medicine (a profession). Makes it sound like you have it in your head that you need to be a professional, rather than a doctor. More shadowing and clinical exposure so you can better answer the "why medicine" questions BEFORE quitting law and starting a postbac are thus essential.

6. In this time of economic tightness, there will be plenty of full fledged lawyers contemplating change. As a law school drop out, you'd have a lot less to bring to the table.

In short, I think to give yourself your best shot, you need to finish up the law degree and get a lot more clinical exposure. And work on your story of why medicine, why the misstep, and all the great transferable skills your law studies have provided you that will make you a better doctor. Lose all the"I hate law" sentiment. You love the law -- it's what's going to make you a better doctor, get it?

Thanks for the info... I will be talking to the linkage school today to kind of gauge the decision. I understand I will be a lot more competitive if I finish the degree...I am just so miserable there!

My current plan (after I talk to an admissions counselor at the linkage school) is to take a year of absence leave, do my first semester of post-bac, see if I link...

If I link, I do not have to worry about returning and if I do not link, I can finish out law school the year after with nothing lost.

If I link I save a year of life plus 60k. If I do not link, I'll be in the same position if I finished law school now.

 

[Law2Doc]

Thanks for the info...
If I link I save a year of life plus 60k. If I do not link, I'll be in the same position if I finished law school now.

Don't focus on a year of life. Your life happens whether you are on this path or not. And the light at the end of the tunnel is sometimes a train. Some would argue that the longer you put off some of the ordeals of intern year, the better your youth. This is a path of a lifetime of learning. It really doesn't matter if you start this year or next, you still have forty-ish years. We are talking postbac, then 4 years med school, 3-7 years residency 1-2 years fellowship, and then a lengthy career. And a variety of reasons things could be extended along the way for various reasons. So don't get carried away about "saving a year". You have years to play with -- one is pretty meaningless on this path. There is no set schedule, there is no set timeline. That's th whole concept behind the nontrad board.

 

[BosNonTrad]

I agree - stay the path. An alumn from my school actually pursued a law degree first and then decided she wanted to be a doctor. She ended up applying to medical school and was able to leverage her law degree in interviews and personal statements, positioning herself as someone who wants to eventually help fight for doctor/patient rights and work on healthcare reform. I don't know all of the details, but it worked out well for her. Maybe you could try to take more healthcare policy or human rights classes during your third year (although I suppose that would depend upon what electives you have left) to show your interest?

 

[TriagePreMed]

1. Med schools hate quitters, and consider whether you stuck it out through other professional schools asthe best indicator as to whether you will stick it out through the darkest hours of med school. At least get the degree.

Could you explain why it's viewed this way if say a student is successful in law school? Someone's interests may simply change even if they are getting a 3.8 in their classes. I don't see how finishing the degree makes one seem like you will stick through its darkest hours. To me it seems like you're wasting time and money.

 

[Law2Doc]

Could you explain why it's viewed this way if say a student is successful in law school? Someone's interests may simply change even if they are getting a 3.8 in their classes. I don't see how finishing the degree makes one seem like you will stick through its darkest hours. To me it seems like you're wasting time and money.

Simple. Med schools have a mission to generate clinicians. They fail this mission if people drop out. Some percentage of people will suffer angst in med school and contemplate dropping out. It will have little to do with how they are doing, and more to do with the isolation, number of hours you are putting in, a lot of things not being exactly as you imagined. Etc. So med schools look for hints about who is likely to see things through. Someone who has already dropped out of one professional school is this a huge red flag.

And again the concept of "wasting time" is inaccurate. Time exists independent of what you are doing. Those of us who came to medicine years or decades later didn't waste anything. If anything we packed an additional adventure into life, exposing ourselves to new ideas, concepts, people, that someone who sticks at the same job for 50 years probably wouldn't have. Life is life. Careers don't make or break it. Schooling doesn't shorten it. You can't waste it -- it goes by at a set rate independent of what you do. So you want to pack in lots of cool experiences, of which law school could be one) not settle in to wait out death.

 

[Law2Doc]

What are the odds that person is going to want to deal with the bs in this career when his previous (much more comfortable) job and life is begging for him to come back at a moment's notice?

Maybe not lawyer or banker, but engineer or small business owner, work from home, or something else with good money and lifestyle.

People have different things that drive them. For most career changers, it's not about comfort/income, it's about doing something cool and interesting for the next few decades. For those people, going back is not really an option.

 

[salsasunrise123]

I was in your shoes not that long ago so maybe I can impart some guidance. I'm a 3L who is starting a formal postbac in the Fall. Definitely finish the law degree. The previous posters are correct. Having a JD will set you out from the crowd. Also, don't think of the law degree of a hindrance. You might hate the law but if you spin it the right way in your personal statement and in interviews, it will help you. You are gonna want to play up the transferable skills you've acquired in law school. Granted, those skills are not as diverse and abundant as the ones you would acquire if you've practiced, but, nevertheless, they are there. Also, rack up as much volunteer and shadowing experiences as you can. The more exposure to medicine before you apply, the stronger your argument will be that you looked before you jumped. If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me. And congrats for taking the first step and seeking guidance.

 

[JMC_MarineCorps]

Don't drop out! Finish and then go to med school. Go into psychiatry and then forensic psychiatry. J/k, not really, but that's just me projecting my interests onto you.

Good luck!

 

[RHeff]

I guess this almost goes without saying after reading the above feedback, but if I'm in the middle of a PhD program and wanted to make the move to post-bacc work and then med school, I suppose I should stay in and finish my PhD, too? It's in education. Is it looked upon the same way as law school?

 

[notbobtrustme]

I guess this almost goes without saying after reading the above feedback, but if I'm in the middle of a PhD program and wanted to make the move to post-bacc work and then med school, I suppose I should stay in and finish my PhD, too? It's in education. Is it looked upon the same way as law school?

It's not as bad but it might take some explaining to do. Getting a PhD is a lot different than getting a JD or PharmD since it requires a lot of independent research.

 

[RHeff]

It's not as bad but it might take some explaining to do. Getting a PhD is a lot different than getting a JD or PharmD since it requires a lot of independent research.

I have a year of classes left and then my dissertation. If I continued with the PhD, I think I'd probably have to push back any post-bacc work. Might be a bit much to do PhD, postbacc, and work all at the same time.

Not sure what is best to do....

 

[Law2Doc]

The job is really not for everybody. You have to dig deep and do lots of due diligence before you go down this road. I think a lot of people have warped and glamorized views of what doctors do, and a lot of that falls away during 3rd year clerkships. That being said, a lot of it is pretty cool, and you are forever learning.