"I don't think you want to go to med school; I think you want to get in."

[pepes1lv1a]

My SO said this to me the other day and it gave me pause. He has just finished law school, though he majored in molecular biology as an undergraduate and scored well on the MCAT (he won't tell me exactly because it's well over my 34Q and he doesn't want to be an ass about it) -- he took the MCAT and the LSAT before going overseas for 2 tours in Afghanistan and 2 in Iraq. He had a lot of time to think about where he wanted to end up after his active-duty service, and chose law school. He's just now finishing his last semester and beginning to prepare for the bar, and by all accounts he could not be happier to finally be done. He thought the majority of the courses were extraordinarily boring and hated the endless legal briefs and papers. He is passionate about going into criminal law, but not so much law school itself.


I'm a nontrad app applying after a year off getting a job as an ER tech. My GPA is extremely (some would say prohibitively) low, but after I took the MCAT and got a 34 I decided the hell with it, they can't keep me out. I've been going a little nuts trying to get every other part of my app as strong as possible (and spending unhealthy amounts of time on SDN). I'm retaking classes as a post-bacc for the grade replacement option in AACOMAS, shadowing, getting my LORs together, all that good stuff. Getting in would be the culmination of two years' worth of hurling myself into a decision I made as a senior in college.



I think he has perceived that I'm using an MD/DO acceptance as validation that my efforts and innate intelligence are good enough, but he doesn't think I've considered how time-consuming and demanding medical school will be To some extent, he's right; being at such a disadvantage with a 3.0 sGPA/3.2 cGPA, I haven't given myself much leave to think about what life would be like as a medical student. Does anyone else feel like they've kind of lost sight of the forest for the trees? Maybe this is just unique to my situation as an underdog, but I'm curious as to how many of you pre-meds are so set on getting in that you don't think about whether you'll be happy there, and how many of you med students know people who dropped out because they realized it wasn't for them.

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[La Presse]

Haters, haters everywhere...

 

[yellowfish]

Wow, hes jealous, and you overanalyze stuff. This relationship is bound to work.

Also, how can somebody be smart enough to score "way over 34" on the MCAT, yet be stupid enough to go into law? A dying field with scarce employment prospects after graduation??? I'm betting he scored a 24 on the MCAT.

What's with the rude posts?

The OP has brought up an interesting point, and probably one that many people haven't fully weighed; in my opinion the medical school application process is rigorous enough that it takes away time from actually reflecting on whether medical school is what a person really wants to do. Admissions has become an ends in itself.

And the top law schools still have mid to high 90% post-graduation employment rates.

 

[mirimonster]

Also, how can somebody be smart enough to score "way over 34" on the MCAT, yet be stupid enough to go into law? A dying field with scarce employment prospects after graduation??? I'm betting he scored a 24 on the MCAT.

+1. I would be so pissed if my SO just said he did way better than me, but wouldn't say his score. That's just obnoxious. He probably got a 34R or is lying all together.

More on point, OP, I also made what seemed like a rush decision to go to med school in my senior year (I actually thought it out very thoroughly, I just didn't tell anyone until I had fully committed). I had very concrete reasons for changing paths and my dad's a doctor so I knew what I was getting into. People definitely questioned my dedication, but screw them. I knew myself and why I was here.

Yes, you will get bogged down in the long process that is admissions, and you will lose sight of the end goal, but only you know if you got on this path for the right reason. Once I got past the painful long process of pre reqs, primaries and secondaries, and got to actually go on interviews, talk about my passion, I remembered what it was all about. Now that I'm waiting to start, I could not be more excited. Try to think back every once in a while to what made you change paths senior year, and then put your head back down and keep on slogging through the mud.

 

[RedICEE]

I think it's a pretty natural feeling. The path to becoming an MD/DO has a bunch of steps of which we are never really completely prepared for or sometimes even enjoy. It's heavier on time consumption, dedication, and delayed gratification than most careers.

Assuming you've done enough to get in (excelled on the pre-reqs, mcat, shadow/volunteer hours), you're probably already familiar with the adjustment from expectation to reality. While medical school is not the same experience, you probably have a good grasp on what you are willing and capable of continuing.

Read up on what the typical medical student says their day is like. Once the excitement or gratification of getting in wears off, are you willing to live that lifestyle?

 

[yellowfish]

Thats stretching it.

Not if you're counting 9 months after graduation. Look it up.

 

[chemsmith]

Also, how can somebody be smart enough to score "way over 34" on the MCAT, yet be stupid enough to go into law? A dying field with scarce employment prospects after graduation??? I'm betting he scored a 24 on the MCAT.

Yeah definitely calling BS on that claim

"Scored so high he does want to say it"


right....

 

[DokterMom]

My SO said this to me the other day and it gave me pause. He has just finished law school, though he majored in molecular biology as an undergraduate and scored well on the MCAT (he won't tell me exactly because it's well over my 34Q and he doesn't want to be an ass about it) -- he took the MCAT and the LSAT before going overseas for 2 tours in Afghanistan and 2 in Iraq. He had a lot of time to think about where he wanted to end up after his active-duty service, and chose law school. He's just now finishing his last semester and beginning to prepare for the bar, and by all accounts he could not be happier to finally be done. He thought the majority of the courses were extraordinarily boring and hated the endless legal briefs and papers. He is passionate about going into criminal law, but not so much law school itself.



I think he has perceived that I'm using an MD/DO acceptance as validation that my efforts and innate intelligence are good enough, but he doesn't think I've considered how time-consuming and demanding medical school will be To some extent, he's right;

Are you really, really sure he's not being an ass about it? What's the phrase: 'modest brag'? Somehow, the way you describe his comments to you -- all of his achievements, patronizing yours, then dismissing your goals as validation-seeking -- well, that sends off alarm bells. You want a partner who will be your biggest cheerleader, not subtly undermine you.

That said, his core question -- Do you want to go to med school or just be accepted to med school as validation of your worth -- is actually a very good question, and one every pre-med should ask himself at some point in time.

 

[msk86]

Thats stretching it.

It's true. However, it's mostly restricted to the top 10. "Tier 1" as a group no longer has these numbers.

 

[BuddyTheElf]

Unlike everyone feeling the need to comment on your relationship, I'll comment on the question you actually posed. With it being more and more competitive to get into medical school, I think a lot of us feel this way. We are blinded by the short-term goal because we essentially have to be. You have to eat, sleep, and breath personal statements, secondaries, and interviews if you want to be accepted. I think a lot of us get accepted and then it dawns on us that now we actually have to go to medical school and it's so daunting. I felt this way after I was accepted. Part of me felt like I wanted to prove to myself and to others that I was "good enough" to get into medical school. But when I reflect on "Why medicine?" I know that this is the right path for me and it wasn't about proving anything. If you are interested in medicine and want to go into the medical field, great. Shrug off his comments. Go rock medical school

 

[Textbookversion]

He's just jealous you are making the better decision. Law is a dead end career. Most of the starting jobs pay 40-80k. The 5% that will get a job in big law making 175k will burn out within 7 years, very few make partner. Not to mention the absurd levels of unemployment.

I just don't think he wants to lose you to school. Also his statement about getting higher than a 34 sounds dubious and like his ego is threatened by you becoming a doctor.

 

[Textbookversion]

What's with the rude posts?

The OP has brought up an interesting point, and probably one that many people haven't fully weighed; in my opinion the medical school application process is rigorous enough that it takes away time from actually reflecting on whether medical school is what a person really wants to do. Admissions has become an ends in itself.

And the top law schools still have mid to high 90% post-graduation employment rates.

If by top you are only talking about HYS, then sure. The others are hovering around 50% legal employment. You have to really dissect the numbers to get at that figure though because law schools lie.

They lie so boldly, that when the students sued a law school for fraud, the judge said law schools lie so frequently and so dramatically that no reasonable person could trust the employment data from a law school. Law schools can't be held liable for fraud, because they are so dramatically and flagrantly fraudulent you'd have to be a complete idiot to buy the numbers. Most hilarious court decision ever.

 

[yellowfish]

If by top you are only talking about HYS, then sure. The others are hovering around 50% legal employment. You have to really dissect the numbers to get at that figure though because law schools lie.

They lie so boldly, that when the students sued a law school for fraud, the judge said law schools lie so frequently and so dramatically that no reasonable person could trust the employment data from a law school. Law schools can't be held liable for fraud, because they are so dramatically and flagrantly fraudulent you'd have to be a complete idiot to buy the numbers. Most hilarious court decision ever.

Don't want to turn this into a thread about law school employment, but... source (for any or all of this)? And what exactly are you defining as "legal employment"?

 

[Dires]

Also, how can somebody be smart enough to score "way over 34" on the MCAT, yet be stupid enough to go into law? A dying field with scarce employment prospects after graduation??? I'm betting he scored a 24 on the MCAT.

FYI, if you go to HSY you're making more than a GP your first year out of law school.

I have a couple friends who attended said schools. Right now they are busting ass at the big firms (much like a residency except you are paid WELL for it).

Law is still a great field. You just shouldn't go if you only got into your **** teir state school.

 

[MsFutureDr]

My SO said this to me the other day and it gave me pause. He has just finished law school, though he majored in molecular biology as an undergraduate and scored well on the MCAT (he won't tell me exactly because it's well over my 34Q and he doesn't want to be an ass about it) -- he took the MCAT and the LSAT before going overseas for 2 tours in Afghanistan and 2 in Iraq. He had a lot of time to think about where he wanted to end up after his active-duty service, and chose law school. He's just now finishing his last semester and beginning to prepare for the bar, and by all accounts he could not be happier to finally be done. He thought the majority of the courses were extraordinarily boring and hated the endless legal briefs and papers. He is passionate about going into criminal law, but not so much law school itself.


I'm a nontrad app applying after a year off getting a job as an ER tech. My GPA is extremely (some would say prohibitively) low, but after I took the MCAT and got a 34 I decided the hell with it, they can't keep me out. I've been going a little nuts trying to get every other part of my app as strong as possible (and spending unhealthy amounts of time on SDN). I'm retaking classes as a post-bacc for the grade replacement option in AACOMAS, shadowing, getting my LORs together, all that good stuff. Getting in would be the culmination of two years' worth of hurling myself into a decision I made as a senior in college.



I think he has perceived that I'm using an MD/DO acceptance as validation that my efforts and innate intelligence are good enough, but he doesn't think I've considered how time-consuming and demanding medical school will be To some extent, he's right; being at such a disadvantage with a 3.0 sGPA/3.2 cGPA, I haven't given myself much leave to think about what life would be like as a medical student. Does anyone else feel like they've kind of lost sight of the forest for the trees? Maybe this is just unique to my situation as an underdog, but I'm curious as to how many of you pre-meds are so set on getting in that you don't think about whether you'll be happy there, and how many of you med students know people who dropped out because they realized it wasn't for them.

This is sort of an issue i'm currently dealing with right now. My science gpa is higher than yours. I've yet to take the mcat. I already have 3 highly marketable degrees. So earning a high income at this point in my life is not an issue for me. Even though i do enjoy science and i perform well in science courses than any other subjects, they are days i wonder if i'm just doing all this for the adrenaline rush. The "excitement" of the challenge, overcoming adversity and proving to myself i can get into a medical school. I do have some idea of how time consuming medical school is ( multiple physicians in the family), but still getting into medical school is one thing and making through medical school, well, that's another challenge.
excuse my typos

 

[circulus vitios]

FYI, if you go to HSY you're making more than a GP your first year out of law school.

I have a couple friends who attended said schools. Right now they are busting ass at the big firms (much like a residency except you are paid WELL for it).

Law is still a great field. You just shouldn't go if you only got into your **** teir state school.

If you're lucky enough to get into a big or midlaw firm. Otherwise you're going to make $30-50k/year. (I'm not exaggerating.)

 

[Wifey1985]

My SO said this to me the other day and it gave me pause. He has just finished law school, though he majored in molecular biology as an undergraduate and scored well on the MCAT (he won't tell me exactly because it's well over my 34Q and he doesn't want to be an ass about it) -- he took the MCAT and the LSAT before going overseas for 2 tours in Afghanistan and 2 in Iraq. He had a lot of time to think about where he wanted to end up after his active-duty service, and chose law school. He's just now finishing his last semester and beginning to prepare for the bar, and by all accounts he could not be happier to finally be done. He thought the majority of the courses were extraordinarily boring and hated the endless legal briefs and papers. He is passionate about going into criminal law, but not so much law school itself.


I'm a nontrad app applying after a year off getting a job as an ER tech. My GPA is extremely (some would say prohibitively) low, but after I took the MCAT and got a 34 I decided the hell with it, they can't keep me out. I've been going a little nuts trying to get every other part of my app as strong as possible (and spending unhealthy amounts of time on SDN). I'm retaking classes as a post-bacc for the grade replacement option in AACOMAS, shadowing, getting my LORs together, all that good stuff. Getting in would be the culmination of two years' worth of hurling myself into a decision I made as a senior in college.



I think he has perceived that I'm using an MD/DO acceptance as validation that my efforts and innate intelligence are good enough, but he doesn't think I've considered how time-consuming and demanding medical school will be To some extent, he's right; being at such a disadvantage with a 3.0 sGPA/3.2 cGPA, I haven't given myself much leave to think about what life would be like as a medical student. Does anyone else feel like they've kind of lost sight of the forest for the trees? Maybe this is just unique to my situation as an underdog, but I'm curious as to how many of you pre-meds are so set on getting in that you don't think about whether you'll be happy there, and how many of you med students know people who dropped out because they realized it wasn't for them.

I think the most important q is whether you want to be a doctor, not whether you want to go to med school. (Does anybody really *want* to do more school? Isn't it just a means to an end?)

FYI, if you go to HSY you're making more than a GP your first year out of law school.

I have a couple friends who attended said schools. Right now they are busting ass at the big firms (much like a residency except you are paid WELL for it).

Law is still a great field. You just shouldn't go if you only got into your **** teir state school.

This.

And maybe someday there will be a thread on SDN that doesn't jump on every opportunity to cut down the legal profession and the people who choose to go into it

 

[Wifey1985]

FYI, if you go to HSY you're making more than a GP your first year out of law school.

I have a couple friends who attended said schools. Right now they are busting ass at the big firms (much like a residency except you are paid WELL for it).

Law is still a great field. You just shouldn't go if you only got into your **** teir state school.

Oops, except I disagree with your juxtaposition of **** tier and state school. There are plenty of **** private law schools, and plenty of top tier state law schools (which, by the way, can lead to very lucrative positions at regional firms which pay just below NY market).

 

[Dires]

If you're [bold]lucky[/bold] enough to get into a big or midlaw firm. Otherwise you're going to make $30-50k/year. (I'm not exaggerating.)

You mean qualified enough. If you get into HYS you are set if you put in the effort. The students there make ungodly connections. I've been hearing/seeing about it for the past 3-5 years.

Even students from other schools get great jobs. It's just a lot more cut throat. I have another friend who went to the normal 2-3T state law school who knew the competition and busted ass. Got top ten % of his class and now landed a great high paying job.

The market isn't like it was, but it's still profitable. You can make a good living if you were hard just like in any other profession.

I could easily see medicine heading down the same path with the eminent residency crunch fast approaching. Regardless of what profession you go into your goal should be to kick ass if you want to make it.

 

[Sabate]

My SO said this to me the other day and it gave me pause. He has just finished law school, though he majored in molecular biology as an undergraduate and scored well on the MCAT (he won't tell me exactly because it's well over my 34Q and he doesn't want to be an ass about it) -- he took the MCAT and the LSAT before going overseas for 2 tours in Afghanistan and 2 in Iraq. He had a lot of time to think about where he wanted to end up after his active-duty service, and chose law school. He's just now finishing his last semester and beginning to prepare for the bar, and by all accounts he could not be happier to finally be done. He thought the majority of the courses were extraordinarily boring and hated the endless legal briefs and papers. He is passionate about going into criminal law, but not so much law school itself.


I'm a nontrad app applying after a year off getting a job as an ER tech. My GPA is extremely (some would say prohibitively) low, but after I took the MCAT and got a 34 I decided the hell with it, they can't keep me out. I've been going a little nuts trying to get every other part of my app as strong as possible (and spending unhealthy amounts of time on SDN). I'm retaking classes as a post-bacc for the grade replacement option in AACOMAS, shadowing, getting my LORs together, all that good stuff. Getting in would be the culmination of two years' worth of hurling myself into a decision I made as a senior in college.



I think he has perceived that I'm using an MD/DO acceptance as validation that my efforts and innate intelligence are good enough, but he doesn't think I've considered how time-consuming and demanding medical school will be To some extent, he's right; being at such a disadvantage with a 3.0 sGPA/3.2 cGPA, I haven't given myself much leave to think about what life would be like as a medical student. Does anyone else feel like they've kind of lost sight of the forest for the trees? Maybe this is just unique to my situation as an underdog, but I'm curious as to how many of you pre-meds are so set on getting in that you don't think about whether you'll be happy there, and how many of you med students know people who dropped out because they realized it wasn't for them.

MD/DO school acceptance is a huge validation of the effort and dedication that it takes to apply. The gray area is when you view acceptance as a validation of who you are as an individual. Part of the application process wants you to be who you are and the adcoms may find that who you are just doesn't cut it for them. That's the double-edged sword of applying; being honest and clear about your desire to practice medicine while not letting the possibility of rejection undermine your sense of self-worth.

I don't want to speak for him, but it can be easy from the outside for someone to see all of your efforts going into getting into med school and not see your desire to be a practicing physician. As for that person being your SO...well there's a lot more understanding ways to check in with you. His refusal to tell you his MCAT score is a big red flag that he doesn't view you with much respect (and probably is a blowhard as well). There's nothing wrong with questioning the process before you commit yourself to this social role and lifestyle, but don't question it on his behalf. It's a very personal decision, even for those in committed relationships.

 

[preMedDonut]

Just to give everyone a heads up, the guy who claims he scored a high mcat is prior military service. Do you know how many prior military service guys spew bull****? A bunch.

EDIT: How old is this guy by the way? He took his MCAT and LSAT BEFORE 2 tours in Iraq and Afghanistan? No matter what service that's around 6 years right there depending on the break in between tours. To give you a reference, it was usual for us to have 2 tours of duty in 4 years of service. That's 7-10 month deployments, if he was Army that would be 13 monthish deployment with a 2 week break.

 

[def1]

When you were doing all your volunteering, shadowing, and other extracurriculars, as well as studying for the MCAT were you doing all that to just get accepted and feel validated, or was it because you want to be a doctor?

Your SO also sounds like a jerk

 

[darklabel]

I think the most important q is whether you want to be a doctor, not whether you want to go to med school. (Does anybody really *want* to do more school? Isn't it just a means to an end?)



This.

And maybe someday there will be a thread on SDN that doesn't jump on every opportunity to cut down the legal profession and the people who choose to go into it

Agreed, but realize most are pre-med and don't really know the law environment (including myself). They don't really know much except what they hear off hand or from 5 minutes searching google.

While there are a glut of lawyers, realize that is the vocal majority (those that attended under Tier 1 schools) that are getting burned the most. From what my friends say, you can still net decent employment with a good tier 1 college, the right connections and internships under your belt. Just don't expect to get a job fresh out of a law school and not having done anything else meaningful (Which can easily be said about medicine as well)

 

[Microglia]

.

 

[3bamboo]

What about malpractice lawyers? I was talking to a physician and he says they are making easily upper 300's

 

[911 Turbo]

I would dump him

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

Agreed, but realize most are pre-med and don't really know the law environment (including myself). They don't really know much except what they hear off hand or from 5 minutes searching google.

While there are a glut of lawyers, realize that is the vocal majority (those that attended under Tier 1 schools) that are getting burned the most. From what my friends say, you can still net decent employment with a good tier 1 college, the right connections and internships under your belt. Just don't expect to get a job fresh out of a law school and not having done anything else meaningful (Which can easily be said about medicine as well)

You could say that for every career though. Anyone can score a high paying, good job in any career with a degree from a tier 1 college, the right connections, and internships under their belt, along with meaningful experience. Hell, you don't even need the education, internships, or experience in some careers.

When people speak of good job opportunities in a field, what they mean is how easy is it to find a job just based off of merit and not who you know.

 

[Doctor Strange]

Wow... So clearly we don't like lawyers here......

 

[sinombre]

Wow... So clearly we don't like lawyers here......

We hate pharmacists even more, and pharm students more than that

I don't know if there's really anything to add to this thread until the OP answers some of the questions asked.

 

[gmcguitar4]

And the top law schools still have mid to high 90% post-graduation employment rates.

Yea...this is simply not true. What the law schools post is complete BS. Employment rates don't specify what type of employment..did they get a job in law? Also, many law schools...especially top ones that want to keep their rankings high..have been paying for fellowships at top firms for their students to work in after they graduate. So the school basically pays the salary for the graduate while they work at the firm. They count that in their employment rates.

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

Wow... So clearly we don't like lawyers here......

Yeah, it's puzzling why a forum consisting entirely of doctors, people training to become doctors, and people who want to become doctors would hate lawyers.

 

[Wifey1985]

Agreed, but realize most are pre-med and don't really know the law environment (including myself). They don't really know much except what they hear off hand or from 5 minutes searching google.

While there are a glut of lawyers, realize that is the vocal majority (those that attended under Tier 1 schools) that are getting burned the most. From what my friends say, you can still net decent employment with a good tier 1 college, the right connections and internships under your belt. Just don't expect to get a job fresh out of a law school and not having done anything else meaningful (Which can easily be said about medicine as well)

Exactly, most people on here don't know anything about law school or being a lawyer. That's why it's so confusing that there's so much anti-legal sentiment. No offense to every one here, but I can promise you lawyers, law students, and pre-law students are not standing around at the water cooler bashing doctors.

Wow... So clearly we don't like lawyers here......

Yea...this is simply not true. What the law schools post is complete BS. Employment rates don't specify what type of employment..did they get a job in law? Also, many law schools...especially top ones that want to keep their rankings high..have been paying for fellowships at top firms for their students to work in after they graduate. So the school basically pays the salary for the graduate while they work at the firm. They count that in their employment rates.

This was true for about 2 years, when the financial crisis finally reached biglaw, and biglaw firms were deferring their incoming class of first-year associates. It's not really true anymore.

Yeah, it's puzzling why a forum consisting entirely of doctors, people training to become doctors, and people who want to become doctors would hate lawyers.

Sarcasm?

 

[CjOz]

I think we all have our doubts about med school to some degree. I remember focusing so hard on "just getting in", and now that I will be starting my first year in 2 months, I get cold feet. I hear physicians say that you shouldnt go into medicine if you can't imagine doing anything else for the rest of your life. Well, I can imagine doing plenty of jobs and being perfectly content with myself. In part, yes I wanted to go to medical school for the prestige/respect/job stability and the feeling of self worth...but I also really love human biology. I suppose its natural to feel trepidation before starting med school, because it is such a tremendous sacrifice to so many parts of a student's life.

 

[TheShaker]

I think the original question (not the one about lawyers) is a good one and I think a lot of applicants are guilty of it. I'm willing to admit that I partly fall into that mindset. It's not my complete reason for going into medicine but it's understandable to get trapped into that mindset. When you spend your undergrad working harder than average to get into a school then it can become a part of your identity. When you get denied what you want, it can feel like that identity is shattered.

I don't know, that's kinda how I felt at certain points of this cycle, especially when 22 adcoms have unanimously decided that I shouldn't be a doctor...

 

[Ar2]

If you're lucky enough to get into a big or midlaw firm. Otherwise you're going to make $30-50k/year. (I'm not exaggerating.)

False. I know numerous people making much, much more than this. And also making much more than physicians I personally know. Law is not a dying field like others have said. It's not easy, but nothing in today's world is easy.

 

[Ar2]

You mean qualified enough. If you get into HYS you are set if you put in the effort. The students there make ungodly connections. I've been hearing/seeing about it for the past 3-5 years.

Even students from other schools get great jobs. It's just a lot more cut throat. I have another friend who went to the normal 2-3T state law school who knew the competition and busted ass. Got top ten % of his class and now landed a great high paying job.

The market isn't like it was, but it's still profitable. You can make a good living if you were hard just like in any other profession.

I could easily see medicine heading down the same path with the eminent residency crunch fast approaching. Regardless of what profession you go into your goal should be to kick ass if you want to make it.

^^ This.

 

[IslandStyle808]

Also, how can somebody be smart enough to score "way over 34" on the MCAT, yet be stupid enough to go into law? A dying field with scarce employment prospects after graduation??? I'm betting he scored a 24 on the MCAT.

In this scenario, I am not sure what to say about this person's decision to go into law. However, don't think that everybody with a good GPA or MCAT wants to go to medical school. I know people with 3.8+ GPAs (undergrad GPA) who considered medicine but instead wanted to go into science research and thus went to graduate school. Of course they knew the risks of entering research with the job market as is but did it anyway cause they love it.

 

[cookiemonsters]

The application process drains a lot of energy for many of us, especially those who are reapps. It's very easy to lose sight of 20 years into the future when the here and now is being so damn difficult. I think what OP is experiencing is very common, just most of us get over it pretty quickly.

 

[Bamfu]

With respect to choosing law over medicine with, apparently, a 59Z MCAT:

"Just because you're hung like a moose doesn't mean you gotta do porn!" - Kumar, 2004

I'm calling shens, and though the title of this thread makes a good point, I've gotta go with :troll:

 

[TheWeeIceMan]

This was true for about 2 years, when the financial crisis finally reached biglaw, and biglaw firms were deferring their incoming class of first-year associates. It's not really true anymore.

It's actually gotten worse from what I've heard, in that schools are starting to hire their own grads who can't find employment to boost numbers.

 

[Tommyguns89]

He's just jealous you are making the better decision. Law is a dead end career. Most of the starting jobs pay 40-80k. The 5% that will get a job in big law making 175k will burn out within 7 years, very few make partner. Not to mention the absurd levels of unemployment.

I just don't think he wants to lose you to school. Also his statement about getting higher than a 34 sounds dubious and like his ego is threatened by you becoming a doctor.

Im the first one to say that law sucks for most people that goes down that route. However this doesnt sound like one of those cases. The guy wants to be a criminal attorney, so school prestige matters a lot less. Crim law is one of the areas you can grind out the early years piecing together experience until you are comfortable going solo and make a good living. Combine that with the fact that he is a vet and probably used the GI bill to pay for law school.

For him it is worth it if he truly wants to do crim and has the personality for it.

 

[Tommyguns89]

If you're lucky enough to get into a big or midlaw firm. Otherwise you're going to make $30-50k/year. (I'm not exaggerating.)

Starting out yes, after you get experience if you go solo and are good at getting business you can make a lot of money. There are some personal injury guys that make millions in contingency cases. Even without those cases some guys make six figures. But it is not for the risk adverse which is the type of person who usually goes to law school.

 

[TheWeeIceMan]

What about malpractice lawyers? I was talking to a physician and he says they are making easily upper 300's

A very, very small percentage of lawyers are able to get med mal work. Going to law school assuming you can get a malpractrice focused job would be foolish, imo.

False. I know numerous people making much, much more than this. And also making much more than physicians I personally know. Law is not a dying field like others have said. It's not easy, but nothing in today's world is easy.

You know people making 200k+ the first year out of law school? That's extremely rare. I believe most first years top at about 160 as a biglaw first year associate in a major market.

 

[Tommyguns89]

Agreed, but realize most are pre-med and don't really know the law environment (including myself). They don't really know much except what they hear off hand or from 5 minutes searching google.

While there are a glut of lawyers, realize that is the vocal majority (those that attended under Tier 1 schools) that are getting burned the most. From what my friends say, you can still net decent employment with a good tier 1 college, the right connections and internships under your belt. Just don't expect to get a job fresh out of a law school and not having done anything else meaningful (Which can easily be said about medicine as well)

The major difference between medicine and law consist of 2 things

1)The barrier to entry in Medicine is getting into an American Medical school. Once you do that you will probably work as a doctor. The barrier for entry in law(first job in law) is a combination of your school rank/class rank/connections/luck/ability to hustle

2) There is virtually 0 unemployment in medicine. A lot of you underrate the job security medicine provides. Even if you "make it" in law you can lose it at any time. Most dudes who get big law get pushed out after a few years, some land good jobs after that, some dont. Even biglaw partners get pushed out sometimes. There are plenty of stories of former equity partners working temporary doc review at an hourly rate with no benefits.

 

[IslandStyle808]

The major difference between medicine and law consist of 2 things

1)The barrier to entry in Medicine is getting into an American Medical school. Once you do that you will probably work as a doctor. The barrier for entry in law(first job in law) is a combination of your school rank/class rank/connections/luck/ability to hustle

2) There is virtually 0 unemployment in medicine. A lot of you underrate the job security medicine provides. Even if you "make it" in law you can lose it at any time. Most dudes who get big law get pushed out after a few years, some land good jobs after that, some dont. Even biglaw partners get pushed out sometimes. There are plenty of stories of former equity partners working temporary doc review at an hourly rate with no benefits.

 

[pepes1lv1a]

Alright I got halfway through this thread before getting fed up at the people who feel the need to rip on my SO based on a poorly-worded comment.

He is hands-down the smartest man I know. He gets irritated when I call him the rain-man of everything but he kind of is. I sometimes catch myself having conversations with him where I am treating him like wikipedia, and I have to stop myself.

As far as "scoring way higher than I did", he didn't even tell me he took the MCAT until a passing mention way after we began dating. He said nothing about his score, but a few days later, my curiosity got the best of me and I started pressing him for his score. He said "I don't remember. I did pretty well, let's leave it at that." I know I'm smart, but I also know he is light-years ahead of me. That's kind of why I wanted to date him in the first place.

Half of you probably still don't believe me, but that's fine, you've never met him and you have a right to be skeptical. However, to those of you who are calling him a liar, an *******, or whatever, that's really not necessary.

Just to give everyone a heads up, the guy who claims he scored a high mcat is prior military service. Do you know how many prior military service guys spew bull****? A bunch.

EDIT: How old is this guy by the way? He took his MCAT and LSAT BEFORE 2 tours in Iraq and Afghanistan?

He is 28. I don't know what your tours of duty were like, but I should clarify, he hasn't gone on four of them. He's been to both Afghanistan and Iraq twice, which I assume is because he is doing some weird MARSOC stuff that isn't a standard marine thing. Also, not exactly prior. He's in the individual ready reserve. And next year he just agreed to do some training exercise thing in a desert somewhere. Forgive me for the vagueness, I knew virtually nothing about the armed forces before I met him. Even now, I don't retain much from his involved explanations of the central command structure. Not the most exciting stuff.

More on point, OP, I also made what seemed like a rush decision to go to med school in my senior year (I actually thought it out very thoroughly, I just didn't tell anyone until I had fully committed). I had very concrete reasons for changing paths and my dad's a doctor so I knew what I was getting into. People definitely questioned my dedication, but screw them. I knew myself and why I was here.

Where did you get in? What happened?! Especially with regards to your personal statement, how did you justify changing gears? Thanks for posting this, it's definitely encouraging

With respect to choosing law over medicine with, apparently, a 59Z MCAT:

I have to admit I lol'd

 

[pepes1lv1a]

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[pepes1lv1a]

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[Ar2]

A very, very small percentage of lawyers are able to get med mal work. Going to law school assuming you can get a malpractrice focused job would be foolish, imo.



You know people making 200k+ the first year out of law school? That's extremely rare. I believe most first years top at about 160 as a biglaw first year associate in a major market.

Yes, I do. And I also know people YEARS out of residency who do not.
One FM making around 150
Two Peds at around 130
And one Ophtho making around 115!! He told me he should have went dental.

I have a distant relative who has been out of law school for around 5 years. He handled an agricultural case for a few local farmers who received contaminated seed from a crop company. The farmers were granted a little over a cool million in the settlement. The lawyer who took their case, lets just say he is doing just fine .

 

[DokterMom]

Good to hear that he really is that brilliant and is not just blowing smoke --

But do pay attention to how you feel about yourself with him. If you feel insecure (whether he 'makes' you feel that way or not), then the relationship will not be a great one for you, no matter how wonderful he is. If he makes you feel valued and special, then his competence is an asset to the team, not a comeuppance.