left PhD program to start a biotech...how will it be looked at?

[majikbob]

I'm 31 years old. I left my PhD program in my 4th year to start a biotech company that i ran for 3 years and sold (for a very nice profit). Used some of the profits to found a snowboard graphics company that is kinda in limbo right now, but might also make money.

About a year ago i decided i wanted to give medical school another shot before i became too old (at least from my POV) or burned another 3 years starting another company. Hit the books hard and just pulled a 35 down on the april mcat.

I'm really worried how schools are going to look at me not finishing my PhD. My GPA is ok, 3.6 ish. I have no recommendations (yet) and am not really sure who to even ask at this point.

Any help, recommendations or similar experiences would be very helpful.

bob

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[ntmed]

I wouldn't worry too much about leaving your PhD program, as long as you left on good terms. Also, you left to do something constructive. You didn't drop out because of a lack of direction in your life.

You're main problem may be that your application will be late. Most medical schools have a rolling admissions policy, where those who apply early have a better shot of getting in. So try to move quickly, if you want to apply this year.

It would contact the premed comittee at your undergraduate or graduate school. See if they can offer assistance or advice. They should. My undergradate school's committee helped me 12 years after I graduated.

You need letters from 2 science professors. This may take a little work, since it's been a few years. It may help if you give your letter writers a copy of your resume and transcripts. Talk to the premed advisor and department chair, if you're having trouble coming up with 2 letters.

You probably should also include a letter from someone in your PhD program, preferably your PhD advisor or department chair. This is especially important, because a positive letter from your PhD program will verify that you left on good terms.

Finally, you might want to take a couple biology courses this summer or fall. If you take the course(s) this summer, there's a good chance you can use the letter(s) for this year's application.

 

[Beau Geste]

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[ntmed]

Will it hurt my chances by leaving the Ph.D. program?

Similar to the OP, as long as you can get a letter from your PhD advisor or department chair (or both), I don't think this should be a problem.

 

[majikbob]

Thanks,

I could track down my advisor, but the chair was a jerk - wouldn't want a letter anyway

Meg

Hey Meg

sounds like you and me are in kinda the same boat. I would say that about half the proffs in my old Ph.D. department were “questionable” researchers….many on the verge of retirement….alcoholics, ego freaks, or head-in-the-sand-don’t-take-my-lab-space types. I wouldn’t ask the department chair to spell my name correctly save ask for a recommendation. However, my thesis advisor was one smart guy, who I made a lot of money for through sub-contracting. He’s already wrote me a pretty solid letter….

Anyway, I’m not sure how the entrepreneurial sprit is going to play out in the process. From what I can tell from reading the boards, it is a rather rare thing to bring to the table, which might be a plus….but it also might bring up questions like,”Why aren’t you staying in business?” i.e. doubting our commitment

My big shocker was finding put my graduate grades aren’t going to help my overall GPA…

Can anyone tell me definitively how schools look at your graduate grades? Does they figure into their initial cut off, not really looked at, or looked at like a nice extra?

 

[majikbob]

Megboo,

I am applying for 2006, so I'll let you know how it goes. I went to UofM (ann arbor) as a undergrad, majored in biochem and got a very good education, not to mention a great research experience. I applied to graduate school with the intention of working in industry. I wanted to do fermentation and bioreactor work. I got in to a Ph.D. program in biotechnology at a small private school in the NE (i don’t want use its name in an open forum as I tend to bad mouth the place pretty heavily), full ride and all that.


My alarm bells went off after about a month at the school...I think 3 of the 15 or so faculty members had funding, it was a very different scene than UofM....

I got into the lab I wanted, and decided to stick it out as long as I could, but by my 4th year I was not progressing as a student any longer, saw no end to my research in site, and was basically depressed 24/7. On a whim I entered a buisness plan contest, got some start up money, and commercialized an aspect of my research. It got me away from the school long enough to realize how F'ed up the place really was. After I sold the business, I had a couple of real tragic things happen to me and my family, and they kind of made me realize that making money wasn't really the answer, so I set upon medicine, and now here I am.

All i can say now is I wish I hadn't been such a immature, head strong kid while in college, maybe paced myself a little better, and listen to people in the know when applying to graduate schools....they are very different than undergraduate education.

anyway, nice to hear another's story, and good luck when you do apply.

bob