how to talk to the current boss about my situation

[naixin]

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I am applying this cycle and have got three II (all pretty far away from where I am living) However, I have not told my current boss (I'm doing a postdoc) about my application. I am not sure how to take that much time off for interview because I already took some time off before. Should I tell him the truth and quit? Will Quitting have a bad effect on my application? I don't want this senario happen: interviewer asked me, can you talk about you current research in XX lab and how it is going. I said, I quitted. One of my interview date (the school specified that) is the date I am supposed to give a lab meeting. My boss is already not satisfied with my performance because I put a lot of time in the application process.
What should I do? Tell him and say I can volunteer in the lab? I am not sure it is allowed. My appointment for this position ends at the end of this year.
Any suggestions?

 

[Doctor Strange]

You're not going to get any help by asking people here. Just man up and go talk to your boss. If you need to take time off to interview, then do it. What happens happens.

 

[DAPI]

I'm so confused by this post... Why would someone with a PhD want to volunteer in a lab. I mean, I'm sure you could find a lab that would be willing to hire you as a Research Assistant II for a year and let you take time off to interview if it really came down to quitting or getting fired.

 

[Neurophage]

I am applying this cycle and have got three II (all pretty far away from where I am living) However, I have not told my current boss (I'm doing a postdoc) about my application. I am not sure how to take that much time off for interview because I already took some time off before. Should I tell him the truth and quit? Will Quitting have a bad effect on my application? I don't want this senario happen: interviewer asked me, can you talk about you current research in XX lab and how it is going. I said, I quitted. One of my interview date (the school specified that) is the date I am supposed to give a lab meeting. My boss is already not satisfied with my performance because I put a lot of time in the application process.
What should I do? Tell him and say I can volunteer in the lab? I am not sure it is allowed. My appointment for this position ends at the end of this year.
Any suggestions?

I understand why you chose not to tell your boss about your application, but that was probably an error. If a med school admissions committee contacts him and he acts surprised, it could paint you as someone who lacks integrity. Also, without knowing the specifics, it seems like there might be an ethical issue involved in leading your boss to believe you'll complete your postdoc while secretly planning to leave for med school.

In your position, I would talk to my boss and try to work something out. Perhaps he'd let you work weekends to make up the days you take for your interviews.

I have no adcom experience, but if an applicant told me "my boss and I could not find a way to accommodate my interview schedule, and since med school is my top priority, I quit," I don't think I'd view it negatively.

 

[Wildcat37]

As a fellow postdoc who is currently applying to medical school this cycle, I think you made a mistake in not telling your mentor at the start. I was very up front with my boss and not only did he understand but he encouraged me to pursue whatever career I felt would make me happiest and was more than willing to allow me to continue working in the lab through the application and interview process. If it were me, I would tell your boss the truth and honestly don't really see any way around it unless you have a lot of sick and vacation days stored up. Hopefully they'll understand that you're simply persuing what you love and allow you to continue in the lab.

And as an aside, clearly you didn't ask your mentor to write you a LOR, do you not think an admissions committee might find that strange? I'd be prepared to answer questions about why your current research mentor did not prodvide a LOR.

 

[naixin]

Thanks for the replies. The thing is I just joined the lab last Dec. I haven't made contributions to the lab to feel comfortable to tell him about my plan to apply to medical school. I feel that my boss is not satisfied with me because I put time in MCAT preparation and application, so I did not ask for a letter from him. The appointment is for one year. I think mostly likely he will not resume the appoitment.

 

[xXIDaShizIXx]

You're not going to get any help by asking people here. Just man up and go talk to your boss. If you need to take time off to interview, then do it. What happens happens.

This. Sorry OP grow a pair and tell the them. The worst they can do is be hateful.

 

[naixin]

will he call some admission comittee and say something bad about me?

This. Sorry OP grow a pair and tell the them. The worst they can do is be hateful.

 

[IncognitoGuy]

will he call some admission comittee and say something bad about me?

Doubt it. Unless you give him schools TO call, I would hope that your PI would be more mature and sensible than to cold-call every single medical school just to trash you.

 

[naixin]

After talking with the boss, I resigned the position. What should I say during the interview?

 

[LizzyM]

After talking with the boss, I resigned the position. What should I say during the interview?

An interviewer may say, "I see you finished school in 20xx. What are you doing now?"

An interviewer may say, "I see from your application that you are working in the Wangerhoffer Lab. Tell me about that."

An interviewer may say, "Tell me about your research."

An interviewer may say, "Tell me about yourself."

Without memorizing a script, you should have a response to each of those inquiries.

 

[McPhee]

An interviewer may say, "I see you finished school in 20xx. What are you doing now?"

An interviewer may say, "I see from your application that you are working in the Wangerhoffer Lab. Tell me about that."

An interviewer may say, "Tell me about your research."

An interviewer may say, "Tell me about yourself."

Without memorizing a script, you should have a response to each of those inquiries.

LizzyM, many medical schools want graduate students to include a letter from their advisor or dean acknowledging knowledge of the student applying to medical school as well as the student's status in the program.

I can see why a medical school doesn't want a failing grad student or professional school student. Is it also important that the student did not "conceal" her medical aspirations and informed the program? For a lot of grad/professional school students, I can see why they would want to keep mum about medical school.

 

[LizzyM]

LizzyM, many medical schools want graduate students to include a letter from their advisor or dean acknowledging knowledge of the student applying to medical school as well as the student's status in the program.

I can see why a medical school doesn't want a failing grad student or professional school student. Is it also important that the student did not "conceal" her medical aspirations and informed the program? For a lot of grad/professional school students, I can see why they would want to keep mum about medical school.

Schools don't want to poach students from other schools. If someone is in a doctoral program considerable investment has been made in that student. It would be very bad form to accept a student and leave the grad program with a hole in its roster (particularly in that it is judged by its graduation rate). So, that is why applicants are expected to have a letter of recommendation from their current school and why applicants are generally interviewed only if they are within a year of graduating from their current program.

 

[McPhee]

Schools don't want to poach students from other schools. If someone is in a doctoral program considerable investment has been made in that student. It would be very bad form to accept a student and leave the grad program with a hole in its roster (particularly in that it is judged by its graduation rate). So, that is why applicants are expected to have a letter of recommendation from their current school and why applicants are generally interviewed only if they are within a year of graduating from their current program.

Oh...well the supplemental application prompt asked for a fairly bare-bones letter (although maybe they were implying it should be a full-blown LOE) and that's what I requested from my advisor, who until then had no idea of my aspirations. Hopefully that isn't too big of a deal. I got reeled into one of those long dual degree programs when I started college and then the pre-med bug hit...I stayed in the program and started doing the pre-med stuff under the radar.

 

[LizzyM]

Oh...well the supplemental application prompt asked for a fairly bare-bones letter (although maybe they were implying it should be a full-blown LOE) and that's what I requested from my advisor, who until then had no idea of my aspirations. Hopefully that isn't too big of a deal. I got reeled into one of those long dual degree programs when I started college and then the pre-med bug hit...I stayed in the program and started doing the pre-med stuff under the radar.

It shouldn't be an issue if you are expected to have your degree(s) before the first day of medical school in 2013.

 

[McPhee]

It shouldn't be an issue if you are expected to have your degree(s) before the first day of medical school in 2013.

Yup. I'll be done and I'm in good standing now with the program. Thanks!

 

[naixin]

Can I just tell the truth? I resigned my position because my job requires a lot of time commitment and my schedule for interview interferes a lot with my work. Meanwhile, I now have more time to take care of my two kids. I am looking for some volunteer position and also new job opportunity before medical school starts. If you are interested what I have done in that job, I am very happy to talk about it.

An interviewer may say, "I see you finished school in 20xx. What are you doing now?"

An interviewer may say, "I see from your application that you are working in the Wangerhoffer Lab. Tell me about that."

An interviewer may say, "Tell me about your research."

An interviewer may say, "Tell me about yourself."

Without memorizing a script, you should have a response to each of those inquiries.

 

[LizzyM]

Can I just tell the truth? I resigned my position because my job requires a lot of time commitment and my schedule for interview interferes a lot with my work. Meanwhile, I now have more time to take care of my two kids. I am looking for some volunteer position and also new job opportunity before medical school starts. If you are interested what I have done in that job, I am very happy to talk about it.

Telling the truth is always the best policy. You are a post-doc meaning you have a doctoral degree, is that correct?

Most interviews take 24-30 hours from departure to return home. How many do you have to interfere "a lot" with work?

 

[naixin]

Yes, I have a doctoral degree

I am having 7 now. I completed most in early and middle aug, and have several more to complete. most of those are pretty far, like taking airplane for 5-7 hours

My boss is very demanding. He was also not happy with me after I told him that I am applying to med school and I had not told him in the beginning.

I made a mistake, I should have taken some sick leave, but just want to be more frank.

Telling the truth is always the best policy. You are a post-doc meaning you have a doctoral degree, is that correct?

Most interviews take 24-30 hours from departure to return home. How many do you have to interfere "a lot" with work?