How will unfinished graduate work affect me?

[eng2doc]

I'm what you would consider a non-trad pre-med student. I graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering in 2002 and have been working as an engineer since then.

I'll save the "life story" for another post and ask the question that's on my mind.

During the search for my life's calling I tried MBA school. I only completed a couple of semesters when I realized that this wasn't the direction I wanted to go in life. Does the AAMC require transcripts from my MBA school? How will this weigh into my application?

I'm concerned that having an unfinished degree like this might give the admissions committee the idea that I don't know what I want, or that I've made a rash decision to apply to medical school.

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[Twitch]

I'm what you would consider a non-trad pre-med student. I graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering in 2002 and have been working as an engineer since then.

I'll save the "life story" for another post and ask the question that's on my mind.

During the search for my life's calling I tried MBA school. I only completed a couple of semesters when I realized that this wasn't the direction I wanted to go in life. Does the AAMC require transcripts from my MBA school? How will this weigh into my application?

I'm concerned that having an unfinished degree like this might give the admissions committee the idea that I don't know what I want, or that I've made a rash decision to apply to medical school.

It won't look good. You're better off getting in touch with med school admissions and taking to them about your situation - I did. Believe me they have heard it before. In my situation I was about 3/4th of the way done with my MBA at a top 20 school. These guys picked me over many other applicants. If you get into a competitive program that means the adcoms believe in you and picked you over the other applicants. How would that look at a different (competitve) school if they see you drop the program in the middle? I chose to finish it while taking premed prereqs, working full time and being on call every night (for one week/month though). Nothing like being up all night on a page and going to work the next day then class in the evening...ahh the good old days. As you know these classes aren't typically where you can doze off in the back since the profs typically call you out and you've got to argue some case or the other. Most of my classes - 50% of the grade depended on what you said in class - how you argued the case and such.

Most MBA programs have several concentrations you can pick. Surely there has got to be something that would interest you (even mildly). Another thing to consider is that folks also do an MD/MBA program. You'd just be getting your MBA early. There is sub-forum that talks about combined programs such as MD/MBA.

Personally I feel I gained a lot from the program. Some classes have already paid for themselves several times over. YMMV.

Good luck,
-Y_Marker

 

[eng2doc]

Your comments border on what I was thinking. However, I've since moved out of state and on with my life. MBA school was almost 2 years ago.

Your comment of contacting the admissions committee sounds like a good one. I'll do that and get their view on that.

Also.... Since I only took 13 credits. What would be the ramifications of not even submitting those transcripts? - GPA for those credits was 3.63 BTW.

 

[metalkaren]

Your comments border on what I was thinking. However, I've since moved out of state and on with my life. MBA school was almost 2 years ago.

Your comment of contacting the admissions committee sounds like a good one. I'll do that and get their view on that.

Also.... Since I only took 13 credits. What would be the ramifications of not even submitting those transcripts? - GPA for those credits was 3.63 BTW.

I was wondering the exact same thing. I also started a grad program and hated it, and realized it was not at all what I wanted. I stopped after 18 credits and I am not about to continue. I'm not sure I could get through it, having absolutely less than no interest in the subject. If it were an MBA I would consider it since that is always helpful, but this program, as I've since come to realize, was a pretty useless social science degree. (My GPA in that program is a 3.9 though, so I didn't do badly).

I will be taking my premeds at the same school though, if that makes any difference. So essentially I just changed majors. I am taking my premeds as a matriculated second-degree student, probably declaring a major in biology or chem, so perhaps they will let me transfer a few of the credits as electives? (I doubt it though because they have nothing to do with science).

I just hope this won't affect me too badly. I'm an extremely tenacious person, and this is the only thing in my entire life I've ever quit without finishing. Yes, I've never had the good fortune of knowing for certain what I wanted to do in life. In fact I'm still not sure. But I'm tired of being punished for being unsure and trying to figure it out. I realize that the medical profession is used to people who knew what they wanted to be since birth, but they must understand that most people simply aren't like that. It takes time to figure out where you belong and what makes you happy. And a whole lot of trial and error.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

it probably will raise a red flag, but i think you'll be okay if you can explain it. also, it's done so do the best you can and don't worry too much about it. be prepared to answer questions on your interviews about it, but don't let it stop you from pursuing your dream.