Need some advice please..

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

nali1

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2009
Messages
51
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
O-H-I-O
  1. Medical Student
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
So my older brother was in his 2nd year of law school and for whatever reason decided he no longer was to practice law and got turned on to medicine. He is 27, graduated with a degree in Political Science has not a single science course to his name and wants to start medical school as soon as possible after taking his pre-reqs/MCAT. What would you suggest his best plan of attack is. (Also, he didn't stop doing law because of his grades, just had a change of heart).
 
What is most important is that no matter what he finish law school. I can't stress how important this is if he wants to have a future in medicine. Medical schools frown greatly on pHD, law, etc. graduates that do not finish their program. So, if he can go back and finish, he would do himself a huge favor. To add to that, a year or two of experience will help.

After that there are multiple routes to take. I strongly advice people without science pre-reqs to consider a post-bac program with a linkage (Scripps, Columbia, Bryn Mawr and Goucher are probably the most known). This would be an efficient way to take the pre-reqs and secure a spot in medical school. The problem with these programs is that they are very unlikely to take someone that started and didn't finish a law/graduate program.

The other option is to start informally taking pre-reqs or apply to other formal programs. The problem with this route is that you don't have much access to advising. Also, as a non-trad you have to have a solid application and show a strong interest in medicine (volunteer, shadowing etc.) and combine it with a good explanation of why you are a non-trad applicant.

That's my two cents.

So my older brother was in his 2nd year of law school and for whatever reason decided he no longer was to practice law and got turned on to medicine. He is 27, graduated with a degree in Political Science has not a single science course to his name and wants to start medical school as soon as possible after taking his pre-reqs/MCAT. What would you suggest his best plan of attack is. (Also, he didn't stop doing law because of his grades, just had a change of heart).
 
Last edited:
What is most important is that no matter what he finish law school. I can't stress how important this is if he wants to have a future in medicine. Medical schools frown greatly on pHD, law, etc. graduates that do not finish their program. So, if he can go back and finish, that he would do himself a huge favor. To add to that, a year or two of experience will help.

After that there are multiple routes to take. I strongly advice people without science pre-reqs to consider a post-bac program with a linkage (Scripps, Columbia, Bryn Mawr and Goucher are probably the most known). This would be an efficient way to take the pre-reqs and secure a spot in medical school. The problem with these programs is that they are very unlikely to take someone that started and didn't finish a law/graduate program.

The other option is to start informally taking pre-reqs or apply to other formal programs. The problem with this route is that you don't have much access to advising. Also, as a non-trad you have to have a solid application and show a strong interest in medicine (volunteer, shadowing etc.) and combine it with a good explanation of why you are a non-trad applicant.

That's my two cents.

and i would agree with this.
 
I was a nontraditional medical student, went back at age 40, finished residency a couple years ago.

I agree with the advice given. Also, for practical reasons, at the very least, he should take a leave of absence from law school. He may have no aptitude for science, and may not get into medical school. If this happens, he may view law are a more attractive option.
 
What is it with legal eagles wanting to be doctors?

I'm glad I never went that route. I was encouraged to go to law school by a lot of people at different stages of life.

If I had the three years to spare and funding I'd probably go to LS, but the idea of being a lawyer has never appealed to me.
 
What is it with legal eagles wanting to be doctors?

I'm glad I never went that route. I was encouraged to go to law school by a lot of people at different stages of life.

If I had the three years to spare and funding I'd probably go to LS, but the idea of being a lawyer has never appealed to me.


Same here. My advisor tried to push law school (patent law!!) or business school to me, but I wasn't interested.
 
What is it with legal eagles wanting to be doctors?

I'm glad I never went that route. I was encouraged to go to law school by a lot of people at different stages of life.

If I had the three years to spare and funding I'd probably go to LS, but the idea of being a lawyer has never appealed to me.
lol. I'm one of those legal eagles (somewhat). I went so far as to getting accepted into a law school, but I didn't attend. That was for economic reasons, but it is the best thing to have happened to me because I decided to go the medical school route instead.

The life of most lawyers suck. I simply wanted to be a public defender or perhaps work in a small firm doing immigration law.
 
lol. I'm one of those legal eagles (somewhat). I went so far as to getting accepted into a law school, but I didn't attend. That was for economic reasons, but it is the best thing to have happened to me because I decided to go the medical school route instead.

The life of most lawyers suck. I simply wanted to be a public defender or perhaps work in a small firm doing immigration law.

Yeah, I have an LSAC account floating out there, and I've renewed it before. I even bought LSAT prep books, but I never got around to registering for a test. At one time I was interested in going to law school, but that was the extent of it. My post-LS thoughts were "ok, I finish...then what." Prosecution would've been the natural progression from me (police), but I've learned court is a meaningless dog and pony show so minus litigation there isn't a whole lot left. Well, there is, but contracts and estate planning doesn't seem that interesting. At any rate, doctoring has always been in the back of my mind, and chief of my interests, as where I wanted to go in life. I just figured I'd closed the door on that years ago.
 
Top Bottom