med & law school

[Gooble]

There are at least two med schools in your area code. I suggest you let your fingers do the walking.

Yeah, already done that. I didn't get that impression from either of them. They spouted more the "grades, MCAT, and demonstrated passion for medicine" than anything else. That's why I was a bit shocked to hear about that on here. When I spoke to GW they told me just to make sure its what I wanted, and recommended the reputable post-bac programs that they have consortum options with.

I think that it just varies from person to person. Definitely a risky thing to do if I did leave though. A lot on the line. Great board though!

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[testerdrop]

Yeah, already done that. I didn't get that impression from either of them. They spouted more the "grades, MCAT, and demonstrated passion for medicine" than anything else. That's why I was a bit shocked to hear about that on here. When I spoke to GW they told me just to make sure its what I wanted, and recommended the reputable post-bac programs that they have consortum options with.

I think that it just varies from person to person. Definitely a risky thing to do if I did leave though. A lot on the line. Great board though!

What year are you in law school? How do you know you won't like law without having practiced it? If you're a IL, split your summer and try two different jobs before you make any decisions.

 

[Gooble]

I am a 1L, also, unless you are H,Y, S the odds of a 1L firm job are slim. That is generally a 2L thing, even out of Georgetown.

 

[testerdrop]

I am a 1L, also, unless you are H,Y, S the odds of a 1L firm job are slim. That is generally a 2L thing, even out of Georgetown.

Yeah, but Gtown students get jobs, right? Public interest, DOJ possibly, state government, etc. How can you know at this point that you won't like practicing law? Two months ago you were planning to spend $$$ to learn law, and now you you want to go to med school. What has changed since then? I'm sure you know that the practice of law is a lot different from IL classes. I think you should at least finish the semester. I don't necessarily agree with the advice of always finishing, even at great cost. However, if you drop out now, adcoms will ask you exactly what I did. How will you answer them?

 

[Gooble]

I never had intention of not finishing the semester, or the year for that matter. Also I have never been planning on spending money for law school. My earlier post states that 🙂. My federal employer is paying for me to attend Georgetown. Medical school isn't something that just popped up, I considered it prior to coming here, however, this was handed to me. Free law school at a top institution.

Before you come crashing on me, at least read what I said.

 

[testerdrop]

I never had intention of not finishing the semester, or the year for that matter. Also I have never been planning on spending money for law school. My earlier post states that 🙂. My federal employer is paying for me to attend Georgetown. Medical school isn't something that just popped up, I considered it prior to coming here, however, this was handed to me. Free law school at a top institution.

Before you come crashing on me, at least read what I said.

I'm just trying to be helpful. However, I don't think I can help as I don't get your situation at all. Did you want to be a doctor or lawyer before you started law school? If you wanted to be a doctor, why would you go to law school simply because it was free? If you wanted to be a lawyer, then the "what changed?" question remains. If you were undecided, why didn't you figure it out before doing law school? It doesn't sound like you're that attracted to medicine. I guess stick with law school.

 

[Gooble]

I always contemplated both law school and medical school. However, medical school always seemed much more out of reach as I have a liberal arts degree. I got a great job out of college that is very federally law related, and they offered to pay for law school so I figured it would be worth it.

Medicine is what I wanted, but would require some serious realigning. I don't really see what there isn't to understand. I have a great job and can get a marketable degree from one of the top law schools in america. Whether its what I want to do or not is an issue, but providing for my family is important, so I walked down this path. However, law school isn't what it seems from the outside, nor is the legal profession in general.

If you don't have anything insightful to say or feel you can't give advice, then don't. I already read some of your law related posts on other threads and they were rather off base. Market rate jobs (i.e. $140k+) are not only for the H,Y,S grads. Anybody in the top 25 in the top 1/3 of their class has these opportunities and at the top 15 or so anybody in the top 1/2.

Its more a question of: do I want to work 90 hours a week for the rest of my life and possibly burn out 2-3 years in?

 

[beetlerum]

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[Gooble]

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Did you hit send before you typed your message or were you just trying to tag this message haha?

 

[BookworMed]

It seems there are several people on sdn who have come to med school after completing law school and working as a lawyer for some period of time.

Wondering if it goes the other way as well...Are there many md's in law school? It seems like law first then medicine is more common (other than the joint programs, of course.)

My school offers a dual degree program which is becoming more popular. Per the Website, "less than 1% of the nation's 600,000 physicians and 900,000 attorneys hold degrees in both law and medicine (approximately 2,000 individuals)." I got my JD, practiced for a while, then completed a post-bacc pre-med program and started the application process. Anecdotally, the JD --> MD/DO seems more common: a neurologist that I know started law school part-time/evening but dropped out citing time and money.

UMDNJ-SOM Class of 2009

 

[BookworMed]

Figure this question would attach to this discussion:

I am a law student (3L) applying to post-bacc programs with the desire to enter medical school in the next 3 years. I do not want to practice law. I want to practice medicine. I am finishing my degree because I have heard from numerous sources that dropping out in grad school is not a good choice. I have a question concerning the bar - that is, should I take it? I do not plan to get a job in a law firm, I do not plan to practice law, I don't even really want to go into policy - just practice good ole regular clinical medicine. The bar is somewhat expensive to study for and take as well as taking up a good amount of time - is it worth it in applying to med schools? Thanks in advance.

I graduated from law school, took the bar and practiced for a while before doing the post-bacc pre-med coursework, MCAT, and app process. Although I encountered quite a bit of anti-lawyer bias (including 1 overtly hostile interviewer at Touro), I think that my public interest/poverty law background was an ice-breaker. I agree that studying for the bar exam, paying for it and then taking it is time-consuming and CLE is expensive & burdensome. However, I strongly suggest that you have some practice experience before you go to interviews. This way, you can substantively discuss why you chose law school, what skills you gained/honed that would be helpful for med school, and why you're opting for med school now. In addition, the process is a quasi-rehearsal for becoming a physician: day-long exams (or more), licensing requirements, and ongoing continuing ed.
Good luck,
UMDNJ-SOM Class of 2009

 

[paramoron]

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[Law2Doc]

Just think, all of your law school friends will be jealous as you're enjoying the summer instead of watching Prof. Whitebread yell "Rape!" on grainy videotapes every day.

Gosh that brings me back.🙂

 

[paramoron]

Gosh that brings me back.🙂

He was one of the more memorable lecturers. 🙂 Which state(s) did you sit for?

 

[tarheeler2205]

Paramoron -

Where did you graduate from law school/where are you in post-bacc? Have you found any reverberation from post-bacc administrators or med school administrators concerning the law degree merely in the sense of the old adage "doctors hate lawyers"? Also, how specifically did you market the degree to benefit your application?
Thanks!

 

[paramoron]

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[poissonbanane]

Thanks to all for all of the great information in this thread!

I'm currently a 2L, and because law school is mercifully half over for me, I'm planning on finishing my J.D. and practicing for a couple years or so (most likely in immigration/asylum law) before applying to a pre-med post-bacc, just so that I can say that I gave it a shot and that it wasn't for me.

My main concern is my low UGPA (political economy 3.2) and even lower 1L GPA 🙁 I'm doing my utmost to pull up my grades my 2L year, but even with steady improvement I suspect my class ranking will be pretty underwhelming. I'll also be around 30 by the time I start applying to post-bacc programs.

Do I have a shot at post-bacc programs, much less med school? Is there anything I can do to try to make up for my poor academic record? Volunteer work? Maybe take a few prereqs independently before applying to a formal post-bacc? Any advice would be much appreciated 🙂

 

[Sainttpk]

Thanks to all for all of the great information in this thread!

I'm currently a 2L, and because law school is mercifully half over for me, I'm planning on finishing my J.D. and practicing for a couple years or so (most likely in immigration/asylum law) before applying to a pre-med post-bacc, just so that I can say that I gave it a shot and that it wasn't for me.

My main concern is my low UGPA (political economy 3.2) and even lower 1L GPA 🙁 I'm doing my utmost to pull up my grades my 2L year, but even with steady improvement I suspect my class ranking will be pretty underwhelming. I'll also be around 30 by the time I start applying to post-bacc programs.

Do I have a shot at post-bacc programs, much less med school? Is there anything I can do to try to make up for my poor academic record? Volunteer work? Maybe take a few prereqs independently before applying to a formal post-bacc? Any advice would be much appreciated 🙂

Don't worry about your law school grades. Worry about your postbacc grades! I no for a fact that Osteopathic med schools do not count professional course work (pharm, law dental) grades in any way shape or form. So that is something to think about.

I'm in the same boat as you, I decided to finish law school. argh

 

[paramoron]

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[Gooble]

Paramoron you are on par with my opinion.

I am a 1L at Georgetown considering leaving to pursue post-bac studies in the fall. It is a tough decision since I am at law school for free and currently have a great job, but its NOT WHAT I WANT TO DO.

Law school is definitely not like a Masters program where you can just suck it up. It is long, it is painful, it is competitive, and it is specific. The old myth that you can do anything with a JD is just that.... A myth.

 

[paramoron]

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[Gooble]

See, I go to a school where I AM in line for those big cushy, $145K market rate jobs and I still have no interest. Georgetown is in the "T14" and has one of the top OCI programs in the country. On top of that, my employer is paying my tuition so I haven't spent a dime as of yet (not even on books).

Yet still, I don't like it. Its not even that I don't get the material, its just that I can't picture myself working for a bigfirm for any amount of money, slaving away over some desk for 15 hours per day and answering to some obnoxious partner about the most recent 12(b)(6) motion haha.

There is more to life than money. Furthermore, the "interesting" law jobs, like you said, don't pay much. So I have a choice: work in biglaw for big bucks and be miserable, or go to a DA's office and be overworked and making $35k per year after four (I am in the evening division) years of hell.

 

[poissonbanane]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts -- this definitely gives me a lot to think about! I'm probably going to kick myself really hard when I do end up ditching law and pursuing medicine, but I just can't shake the feeling that it would be a mistake for me to not finish up my degree. I detest every moment of law school, which is something I figured out quickly and won't be changing my mind about. But I can't be 100% certain that I'll feel similarly about practicing (as much as I suspect that I will), and I don't have nearly enough experience in healthcare or law to make that judgment call.

I have no cojones 🙁 But maybe I should try to squeeze in as much work experience as possible in the next few semesters and not take the bar after all...

 

[Sainttpk]

See, I go to a school where I AM in line for those big cushy, $145K market rate jobs and I still have no interest. Georgetown is in the "T14" and has one of the top OCI programs in the country. On top of that, my employer is paying my tuition so I haven't spent a dime as of yet (not even on books).

Yet still, I don't like it. Its not even that I don't get the material, its just that I can't picture myself working for a bigfirm for any amount of money, slaving away over some desk for 15 hours per day and answering to some obnoxious partner about the most recent 12(b)(6) motion haha.

There is more to life than money. Furthermore, the "interesting" law jobs, like you said, don't pay much. So I have a choice: work in biglaw for big bucks and be miserable, or go to a DA's office and be overworked and making $35k per year after four (I am in the evening division) years of hell.

I went to a top law school. And even if you go to a top school there is no guarantee that you will get one of these so called "cushy jobs". Granted I graduated in the bottom half of my class!

The advice above given by paramoron is good advice to follow. However you may want to think about just finishing ur degree in case you change your mind. Its just something to think about. I was in your boat 2 years ago. I was about to just quit law school, but decided to at least finish what i started.

I'm not saying you have to practice law, but at least finishing your law degree may be something you want to have under your belt, it may open doors in the future if your med school dreams don't work out. Of course the debt and time wasted is something to consider.

I wish you best of luck in your decision. Its tough I know, because I was there myself. And in some regards I still am. Its sad to know that none of the legal jobs I have applied for excite or interests me. I feel like a drone sometimes! argh

T

 

[FutureDoctorJ]

Agree with the fact that the no pre reqs for Law School make it much more easier, especially if you havent taken all of the Med School pre reqs and have been out of school for 10 years. At the same time, I may take one year and try to ace General and Organic Chem and see what happens....I am still debating...

 

[Gooble]

Saint: Didn't you say you went to suffolk? No offense, but it isn't a "top law school." In fact, I don't even think it is in the first tier.

Anything outside of the "T14" schools is not "top anything" and anything outside of the top 25-30 might as well be lumped together.

Here at Georgetown everyone I know is heading to biglaw this summer. The OCI program here can't be compared to any school outside of the elite few schools. We bid, we can easily land 10-20 on-campus interviews, and the average is 1-3 callbacks.

Regardless, my point is just to say that even someone at a top law school without a dime in debt considers leaving (that would be I). Don't stick around for hell just because you think it will look good on a resume. However, if you are halfway done, and you ARE in debt you might be better off finishing up, working for a few years to get down that debt, then going for the post-bac work.

Only you can really decide in the end.

 

[paramoron]

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[Law2Doc]

I'm curious to hear Law2Doc's opinion on this, but I seriously think that Bar/Bri could train a monkey to pass the bar exam. If you decide to go the postbacc route, be prepared to be a postbacc student full time.

Science courses are no walk in the park compared to spirited discussions on the constitutionality of search and seizure. If you want to do medicine, go for it. If you're bored of law after a semester and looking for something with a comparable level of prestige so you can leave law while saving face, you may not be going into medicine for the right reasons.

I haven't seen any monkeys pass the Bar exam, but I haven't been keeping track the last few years. Whether postbac or med school is harder than law school probably depends on what kind of a science student you are. For many, particularly those who love to read, law school was not particularly painful.
There are plenty of people who simply don't like the "mathy" subjects, and for them, science is an exercise in futility. Law school is very different in that most of the tests are issue spotting essay exams, and you can get away without a ton of rote memorization. Science classes/postbac tend to require you to have done tons of problems until you can do them in your sleep. In med school the material isn't conceptually that difficult, but the volume is huge -- a strong memory and good organizational skills and pure brute force going through the material a zillion times until it sticks is what works.

 

[Gooble]

No offense was meant so sorry if it came across that way. Just finished a helluva legal memo and hadn't slept in a while. My apologies.

I'm considering UMDs science in the evening program over Georgetown just for sheer cost purposes. The cost of G-town's post-bac is a hard sell considering they have no linkage agreements or anything. Might as well save the cash and do a self-made post-bac program. On the other hand, you can't really do UMD full-time, which means it takes longer.

In the meantime, I've gotta do some contracts/civ. pro. reading 🙂. Regardless of what I end up doing I'll finish this year because its not costing me anything and I really couldn't get rolling in most of the one year post-bac programs until summer anyway.

Law: I totally agree. I don't think you can really compare law school with post-bac or medical school. Its just apples to oranges. Law school is all about abstract application, science/med. school are both largely about memorization and/or complex calculations. Either way, science addresses the right and wrong of the world while law school dances around the grey areas.

 

[Law2Doc]

Either way, science addresses the right and wrong of the world while law school dances around the grey areas.

I'm not sure I would dismiss law as being so murky. In law there is always a right and wrong, but it is more a matter of perspective. The world is going to be a different place depending on whose eyes you are looking through (or representing).🙂
In truth nothing happens in this world without the law. All major business dealings depend on contracts and legal advice. Few buildings or structures get built without it. Law is protective. It is a career in facilitating much of what goes on in the world.
I see far more similarities between law and medicine than differences. Both are service driven, people oriented industries. Both embrace the idea of professionalism, ethics, helping people who seek your services, often in life impacting and emotion laden situations.

But back to the prior question, I will say that the average student will spend a whole lot more hours studying in med school than law school.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

I went to a top law school. And even if you go to a top school there is no guarantee that you will get one of these so called "cushy jobs". Granted I graduated in the bottom half of my class!

Yep, I also went to one of those supposed top law schools where we could all get cushy big firm jobs. However, at my school, that wound up being a reality for only the top quarter of students, if that. Of course, I graduated in the height of a recession, and that did have a big negative effect on getting a biglaw job.

 

[Gooble]

Well, I can't say much about UT other than I hear most people choose to stay in TX and that might have a large effect on the Biglaw jobs only going to the top 1/4.

I know for a fact that at Georgetown the top 1/2 does just fine and at schools like UVA etc.... graduating is enough.

Regardless, its moot really, considering Biglaw is a hellish nightmare.

Law: I agree with regards to studying more in med. school than law school, but I definitely would not discount the work involved in law school (at least as a 1L learning the process). To me, medical school seems more like a series of marathons where the students are constantly studying and learning. Law school, on the other hand, is more of a series of all out sprints. Weeks of reading and briefing culminating in that final month or so before finals when students begin their sleepless nights to create the perfect outline for study.

 

[Law2Doc]

Law: I agree with regards to studying more in med. school than law school, but I definitely would not discount the work involved in law school (at least as a 1L learning the process). To me, medical school seems more like a series of marathons where the students are constantly studying and learning. Law school, on the other hand, is more of a series of all out sprints. Weeks of reading and briefing culminating in that final month or so before finals when students begin their sleepless nights to create the perfect outline for study.

Well, I'm not sure about the marathon part. In med school you have fairly frequent exams (many places have monthly, a few even more frequent than that), and the quantity of material you cover in that month isn't really all that different than what I recall covering in a semester in law school, in terms of pages. But in medicine you are expected to remember a whole lot more detail, and there is no way to "fake it" or "sort of know", which I found sometimes was enough in law. Volume is what makes it hard, and whatever volume you are thinking of now is less than what is really involved (I know I sadly underestimated it having come from the law background). Expect med school to eat up 75% of your weekends, which law certainly never did.

 

[Sainttpk]

No offense was meant so sorry if it came across that way. Just finished a helluva legal memo and hadn't slept in a while. My apologies.

I'm considering UMDs science in the evening program over Georgetown just for sheer cost purposes. The cost of G-town's post-bac is a hard sell considering they have no linkage agreements or anything. Might as well save the cash and do a self-made post-bac program. On the other hand, you can't really do UMD full-time, which means it takes longer.

In the meantime, I've gotta do some contracts/civ. pro. reading 🙂. Regardless of what I end up doing I'll finish this year because its not costing me anything and I really couldn't get rolling in most of the one year post-bac programs until summer anyway.

Law: I totally agree. I don't think you can really compare law school with post-bac or medical school. Its just apples to oranges. Law school is all about abstract application, science/med. school are both largely about memorization and/or complex calculations. Either way, science addresses the right and wrong of the world while law school dances around the grey areas.

I did not go to Suffok. One of the other posters did, regardless I was trying to make a point. For the unlucky half who graduate in the bottom half in law school it is much more difficult to find good work right away, even if you went to a top 15 school. Of course their are exceptions. .

The bar exam is no joke. I have heard some Doctor/lawyers tell me that the bar exam seemed harder. It just depends on what your good at. Some people are better at writing and abstract concepts. So like you said its apples and oranges.

I happen to be very good at memorization and math, so postbac to me seems like a much more welcome sight then writing legal memos. goodlucl

 

[Law2Doc]

The bar exam is no joke. I have heard some Doctor/lawyers tell me that the bar exam seemed harder. It just depends on what your good at. Some people are better at writing and abstract concepts. So like you said its apples and oranges.

However the bar exam is a test you just need to pass -- there is no benefit for doing better than that minimum. Thus the MCAT and Step 1 are harder for many in that it is not enough to get the minimum passing grade -- better scores are meaningful.

 

[Gooble]

MCAT and Bar exam can't be compared. If you want to compare then compare a standardized test. The minimum, or even the average on the LSAT doesn't get you anything. Georgetown's median's are in the 92nd percentile. Minimum my ass.

Maybe "the minimum" is enough to pass the bar but it won't get you into a top law school.

Its apples to oranges like I said before. Plenty of med. students would fail miserably in law school (if they could even get in considering the science majors tend not to do as well on the LSAT) just like some law students would fail miserably at medical school.

Its just flat out different. For me, I am sure it will be a helluva challenge to get back to hard sciences, but I look forward to and welcome that challenge.

 

[Law2Doc]

Maybe "the minimum" is enough to pass the bar but it won't get you into a top law school.

This makes no sense. No one ever sees your bar exam score (in some states not even you) and you are already done with law school by the time you take it. The minimum is all you ever need.

And the multistate portion of it, BTW is, actually a standardized test. LSAT isn't as good a comparison as it is not tied to subjects you have studied (as is the MCAT, bar, boards), and is not a full day test (which has great effects on some).
You will likely find the LSAT to have been a joke compared to the standardized tests you take if you do the medical route. I sure did.

 

[Gooble]

I wasn't talking about the minimum score required for the bar, I meant the minimum on the LSAT won't get you in. I figured it was implied but I guess I should have said it.

Anyway, thanks for your insight. What I was comparing with the LSAT and MCAT is that you are competing against each other for your score. Withough being in the 90th percentile or better you can pretty much give up on going to a school in the T20 unless you are an URM.

Anyway, in other news, it looks like UMD's self-made post-bac might be worth its weight in gold based on price. We will see though, I have to ask around about it more.

 

[edmadison]

You will likely find the LSAT to have been a joke compared to the standardized tests you take if you do the medical route. I sure did.

I agree with this, but I definitely think that the Bar Exam was harder then Step II and III. As for which was rougher: Step I or the MBE, I think the MBE test itself was harder. However, the pressure for Step I was higher because the Bar exam is really a pass/fail test, unlike the USMLE.

Ed

 

[Sainttpk]

I agree with this, but I definitely think that the Bar Exam was harder then Step II and III. As for which was rougher: Step I or the MBE, I think the MBE test itself was harder. However, the pressure for Step I was higher because the Bar exam is really a pass/fail test, unlike the USMLE.

Ed

Suprisingly the few MD/JDs I have been in contact with have told me the same thing.

 

[captainbsm]

Njbmd,

I would like to talk to you further about the MD/JD. I am taking the LSAT in Feb and the MCAT June and I need some advice. Since you have a cousin who is doing what I would like to be doing (i.e. neurosurgery and law)perhaps I give you some question to ask her.

 

[helpfuldoc2b]

This makes no sense. No one ever sees your bar exam score (in some states not even you) and you are already done with law school by the time you take it. The minimum is all you ever need.

And the multistate portion of it, BTW is, actually a standardized test. LSAT isn't as good a comparison as it is not tied to subjects you have studied (as is the MCAT, bar, boards), and is not a full day test (which has great effects on some).
You will likely find the LSAT to have been a joke compared to the standardized tests you take if you do the medical route. I sure did.

I think the OP is confusing the Bar and the LSAT, two VERY different tests. LSAT score is VERY important and can determine what law school you get in. I mean you can have a 4.00 from Harvard and bomb your LSAT and not get in a decent Law school and unlike the MCAT, if you bomb that LSAT, it is there to stay for the big part and averaged in. Example you get a 145 say first time around, and 170 second time around and all Law school admissions see is the average.
Now Bar exam, heck go to law school in Wisconsin and you dont even need a bar exam to practice! But other states, just PASS and it does not matter what so ever. Just like law2doc said, Step I determines what residency you will be competitve to enter, Bar exam getting 100% or passing is really the same.

 

[helpfuldoc2b]

Njbmd,

I would like to talk to you further about the MD/JD. I am taking the LSAT in Feb and the MCAT June and I need some advice. Since you have a cousin who is doing what I would like to be doing (i.e. neurosurgery and law)perhaps I give you some question to ask her.

Neurosurgery and law? Will he/she even have time to practice both? What is the point of having both degrees in such a specialized field of medicine. Neuro is entense enough alone and the salary is more than you will make in law unless you do law alone for many years and become managing partner etc... What is your cousins goals or plans?

 

[helpfuldoc2b]

Yep, I also went to one of those supposed top law schools where we could all get cushy big firm jobs. However, at my school, that wound up being a reality for only the top quarter of students, if that. Of course, I graduated in the height of a recession, and that did have a big negative effect on getting a biglaw job.

Just wanted you to know, that cats eyes are so freaky. I am just superstitious about black cats starring in my eyes like that

 

[6feetunder]

Wow, this thread hits home. I took all my medical school prereqs in college (graduated '97) but then I let some relatives in the medical profession talk me out of med school, because I was young and impressionable. Because I am a little neurotic, I had to find something else which was "impressive," so I made the middle class mistake of going to law school. I received my JD in 2000. I thought law school was fun. I made great freinds and had tons of free time. I have basically despised being a lawyer ever since law school graduation, even though I have one of the "cushy" (anything but) jobs at an AmLaw 100 law firm making a nice salary. The problem is, if you do not want to go to your job in the morning, it does not matter how much you get paid. Anyway, for the past few years I have been working to get myself into medical school. I have had a few interviews and am hopeful it will work out for me to be in the class of 2011.

As for the subjects of this thread, there were two MDs in my law school class. One dropped out while the other was a Supreme Court Clerk. Anectdotally, it seems every medical student I talk to knows 1 or 2 lawyers in medical school. So without any scientific basis, it seems that more lawyers become doctors than vice versa. Personally I cannot imagine going to medical school if you did not intend on working in the medical field as some have suggested.

No one has directly indicated that being a lawyer is detrimental to my application. However, I have still not been invited for interviews at a couple of schools where my objective numbers are significantly higher than the schools admitted students' averages, so I could believe that the JD is not exactly a gold star in the AMCAS application - especially when you have been practicing law 50-60 hours a week instead of doing summer internships in African clinics or assisting the world class cancer researcher at your undergrad school.

 

[helpfuldoc2b]

Wow, this thread hits home. I took all my medical school prereqs in college (graduated '97) but then I let some relatives in the medical profession talk me out of med school, because I was young and impressionable. Because I am a little neurotic, I had to find something else which was "impressive," so I made the middle class mistake of going to law school. I received my JD in 2000. I thought law school was fun. I made great freinds and had tons of free time. I have basically despised being a lawyer ever since law school graduation, even though I have one of the "cushy" (anything but) jobs at an AmLaw 100 law firm making a nice salary. The problem is, if you do not want to go to your job in the morning, it does not matter how much you get paid. Anyway, for the past few years I have been working to get myself into medical school. I have had a few interviews and am hopeful it will work out for me to be in the class of 2011.

As for the subjects of this thread, there were two MDs in my law school class. One dropped out while the other was a Supreme Court Clerk. Anectdotally, it seems every medical student I talk to knows 1 or 2 lawyers in medical school. So without any scientific basis, it seems that more lawyers become doctors than vice versa. Personally I cannot imagine going to medical school if you did not intend on working in the medical field as some have suggested.

No one has directly indicated that being a lawyer is detrimental to my application. However, I have still not been invited for interviews at a couple of schools where my objective numbers are significantly higher than the schools admitted students' averages, so I could believe that the JD is not exactly a gold star in the AMCAS application - especially when you have been practicing law 50-60 hours a week instead of doing summer internships in African clinics or assisting the world class cancer researcher at your undergrad school.

Just curious, whats your stats? What law school did you go to and what type of company/salary/job are you walking away from?

 

[6feetunder]

Helpfuldoc2b:

I went to the University of Chicago Law School. I would rather not name my firm, but it is a large firm (~800 attorneys) with offices in major U.S. cities and a couple of European offices. I earn more money now than many doctors do. I scored a 34R (11V, 11PS, 12BS) on the MCAT and have a 3.73 GPA from undergrad. It has been difficult to prepare for the MCAT, volunteer and work at the same time, but I really want to be a doctor and I am confident the sacrifices will be worth it.

 

[Law2Doc]

Helpfuldoc2b:

I went to the University of Chicago Law School. I would rather not name my firm, but it is a large firm (~800 attorneys) with offices in major U.S. cities and a couple of European offices. I earn more money now than many doctors do. I scored a 34R (11V, 11PS, 12BS) on the MCAT and have a 3.73 GPA from undergrad. It has been difficult to prepare for the MCAT, volunteer and work at the same time, but I really want to be a doctor and I am confident the sacrifices will be worth it.

Being a practicing lawyer won't hurt your application, but you need to sell yourself the right way. Play up the similarities between medicine and big firm practice, and the numerous transferrable skills you bring to the table. Make clear why you want to go into medicine and that you have no interest in using your degree to sue doctors. The "Why medicine?" and "why now?" questions will loom large. You have to sell your interest in medicine without sounding like you are running from a dislike of law. And your interviewers will be quick to point out to you that you are unlikely to ever duplicate your big firm salary in medicine (especially considering the 7+ year hit to income you will be taking during school/training). Good luck.

 

[6feetunder]

I have played up transferable skills (attention to detail, working with people, managing expectations, long hours, etc.) while never saying that I do not like practicing. However, in some interviews, the question has been "Why don't you like being a lawyer?" I have just been positive about everything and how I really want to be a dcotor, which is true. Hopefully it will be enough. I am realistic about the money. In fact, if I wanted to just make money I would quit being a lawyer and go into business. Thanks for the advice and the good wishes.