New lawyer considering career change

[DrESQ]

Hi guys, new to the forum here. As the title suggests, I'm a new lawyer who's considering a career change.

Why waste all that money on law school just to turn around a few months after graduation and start thinking med school you ask? A variety of factors, including being interested in law at the time, plus family pressures and a whole lot of "I can't do much with my BA."

Anyways, I've been practicing law for about 4 months. I've always been interested in health care and the medical field, which is why I specialized in and currently practice health law. I work with doctors and health care entities on a daily basis.

However, the more I practice law and work with doctors, the more interested I am in shifting over to a medical career. I do have a lot of concerns though, which is why I'm here seeking advice. They are:

• Debt, debt, debt. I don't have much from undergrad, but my law school debt is significant. Med school would likely double my debt.
• Pre-reqs. I have a double BA, though I did take quite a few science courses (required and elective) in undergrad. I will likely have to take a couple pre-reqs though, chemistry for sure.
• MCAT. I'll get this out of the way now...math isn't my strongest suit, but I excel at science. I'm nervous about taking the MCAT, but more importantly, doing well, especially with no math background.
• Applying. Part of me is worried that schools will think I'm someone who isn't committed and is just career hopping. Then again, I'm hoping my work in health law and my undergrad courses in health/medical/science things might help.
• Med school life. Frankly, law school wasn't hard. I didn't spend a ton of time studying, I had plenty of free time, and most of the people were nice. Obviously med school is going to be different and more intense, and I'm also concerned that people will be competitive and unfriendly.

So anyways, that's my position right now. Open and grateful for any discussion about this!

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[Snakes]

The ability to multiply and divide are about the extent of the math ability you'll need for the MCAT. Nearly all med schools require some math as part of pre-req's, so if you didn't take any math in undergrad, you may have to. I would recommend getting some clinical experience with volunteering and shadowing and then seeing if you want to go ahead and do your pre-req's. There are quite a few of us lawyers in this forum.

EDIT TO ADD: Pay down as much of your law school debt as you reasonably can afford while you are seeing if you want to make the switch.

 

[Fedekz]

I don't have much to contribute here, other than the fact I'm a non science major who hates math as well. I did just fine in all my pre reqs without a math background (high school algebra). Even physics. I did adequately on the MCAT, well enough for MD and DO schools. Then after getting a 4.0 in all the pre reqs, I decided to take calculus for "fun"... I withdrew 4 weeks later and came to the conclusion math just isn't for me.

So don't think being a math expert is in anyway required for medical school... And if I'm misinformed and it truly is, I guess we're both screwed!

 

[Eccesignum]

On the math issue:

You'll probably need to take some math but don't stress about it. Algebra helps for gen chem. If you haven't taken physics yet you'll need trig before you launch into that. The physics on the MCAT is also all trig-based.

As @Snakes mentioned, many schools have math pre-requisites (some say just '1 semester of math' or the like, whereas some specifically want statistics and/or calculus). Doing the algebra-trig sequence is safe for the majority. But you might want to investigate schools you're interested in via the MSAR and make sure you know what the specific pre-reqs are ahead of time.

On job hopping:

It may indeed look like that to some adcoms, which you can't help. But I'm guessing you'll have a few years before you apply, which is to your advantage. When you get to the point of application you'll have some more solid experience in law behind you, which you can use as part of your "why medicine?" story. The more compelling and coherent that story is, the stronger your application will be. As was mentioned above, be sure and get some exposure to the clinical side of medicine while you work on your pre-reqs. They're going to want to know you've seen the side of healthcare that doctors experience and won't run away from it.

 

[Apollo1]

Part of me is worried that schools will think I'm someone who isn't committed and is just career hopping

This is a definite concern, especially with your overall lack of practice time. You need to clearly understand and elaborate on why the switch; generalities may work here, but adcoms need to know.

I would recommend getting some clinical experience with volunteering and shadowing and then seeing if you want to go ahead and do your pre-req's

+1 to this, OP. Start here and see if you'll be willing to be around sick people for 30+ years.

 

[DrESQ]

Thank you all for the help so far -- I hadn't even though about doing some shadowing and volunteering, but that sounds like a really good next step before starting pre-reqs

 

[Okazaki Frag Grenade]

On the math issue:

You'll probably need to take some math but don't stress about it. Algebra helps for gen chem. If you haven't taken physics yet you'll need trig before you launch into that. The physics on the MCAT is also all trig-based

Obviously YMMV, but I never had taken trig prior to taking physics, and I ended up doing just fine. So it may not be completely necessary.

Just my two cents

 

[Law2Doc]

Hi guys, new to the forum here. As the title suggests, I'm a new lawyer who's considering a career change.

Why waste all that money on law school just to turn around a few months after graduation and start thinking med school you ask? A variety of factors, including being interested in law at the time, plus family pressures and a whole lot of "I can't do much with my BA."

Anyways, I've been practicing law for about 4 months. I've always been interested in health care and the medical field, which is why I specialized in and currently practice health law. I work with doctors and health care entities on a daily basis.

However, the more I practice law and work with doctors, the more interested I am in shifting over to a medical career. I do have a lot of concerns though, which is why I'm here seeking advice. They are:

• Debt, debt, debt. I don't have much from undergrad, but my law school debt is significant. Med school would likely double my debt.
• Pre-reqs. I have a double BA, though I did take quite a few science courses (required and elective) in undergrad. I will likely have to take a couple pre-reqs though, chemistry for sure.
• MCAT. I'll get this out of the way now...math isn't my strongest suit, but I excel at science. I'm nervous about taking the MCAT, but more importantly, doing well, especially with no math background.
• Applying. Part of me is worried that schools will think I'm someone who isn't committed and is just career hopping. Then again, I'm hoping my work in health law and my undergrad courses in health/medical/science things might help.
• Med school life. Frankly, law school wasn't hard. I didn't spend a ton of time studying, I had plenty of free time, and most of the people were nice. Obviously med school is going to be different and more intense, and I'm also concerned that people will be competitive and unfriendly.

So anyways, that's my position right now. Open and grateful for any discussion about this!

You've only been in law for four months, so I'd take it slow. My feeling is you shouldn't really assess a professional job in the first 6-9 months because you are still early on the learning curve. Additionally the more of a chance you give this job, the less flighty you seem. Jumping from one professional degree to another, without giving it a chance, can worry Adcoms that you haven't really figured out what you want to do with your life.

Med schools expect you to look before you leap. So as the advice above suggests, you should shadow and volunteer in medical settings for a while and decide if medicine is right for you. It isn't for everyone.

Additional, you need to be drawn to specific things about medicine, experiences, goals. You can't be perceived as running from law. And as a career changer you'll be expected to have more detailed reasons than "helping people", which the premeds out of college sometimes can get away with. The expectation that you'll do your due diligence is higher.

I would hold off on prereqs and mcat until you've done the initial ground work, as well as logged a bit more time in your current career. Having been a practicing lawyer can be a huge asset in medicine, with lots of transferable skills, but jumping ship too early may put you on the defensive explaining away your previous missteps.

 

[ZPakEffect]

Hi guys, new to the forum here. As the title suggests, I'm a new lawyer who's considering a career change.

Why waste all that money on law school just to turn around a few months after graduation and start thinking med school you ask? A variety of factors, including being interested in law at the time, plus family pressures and a whole lot of "I can't do much with my BA."

Anyways, I've been practicing law for about 4 months. I've always been interested in health care and the medical field, which is why I specialized in and currently practice health law. I work with doctors and health care entities on a daily basis.

However, the more I practice law and work with doctors, the more interested I am in shifting over to a medical career. I do have a lot of concerns though, which is why I'm here seeking advice. They are:

• Debt, debt, debt. I don't have much from undergrad, but my law school debt is significant. Med school would likely double my debt.
• Pre-reqs. I have a double BA, though I did take quite a few science courses (required and elective) in undergrad. I will likely have to take a couple pre-reqs though, chemistry for sure.
• MCAT. I'll get this out of the way now...math isn't my strongest suit, but I excel at science. I'm nervous about taking the MCAT, but more importantly, doing well, especially with no math background.
• Applying. Part of me is worried that schools will think I'm someone who isn't committed and is just career hopping. Then again, I'm hoping my work in health law and my undergrad courses in health/medical/science things might help.
• Med school life. Frankly, law school wasn't hard. I didn't spend a ton of time studying, I had plenty of free time, and most of the people were nice. Obviously med school is going to be different and more intense, and I'm also concerned that people will be competitive and unfriendly.

So anyways, that's my position right now. Open and grateful for any discussion about this!

I am someone who graduated from a T14 law school, who was on law review, and who is now interviewing for medical school. I never took the bar or practiced law.

I also have a large amount of debt from law school, which will just have to wait until I become a doctor to get paid. I am only applying to Texas schools, which are very cheap, and I am hoping for scholarships as well.

I had to do every single pre-req class after law school.

Having went through law school really helped with the MCAT. It is above all a reading comprehension test.

I have received 7 interviews out of 8 schools I applied to. It does not seem as if having a law degree, or the fact that I never used it, has hurt my chances at all.

Some of the people at my law school were nice. Some were dinguses. Some were downright weird. Med school will probably be the same.

 

[DrESQ]

I am someone who graduated from a T14 law school, who was on law review, and who is now interviewing for medical school. I never took the bar or practiced law.

I also have a large amount of debt from law school, which will just have to wait until I become a doctor to get paid. I am only applying to Texas schools, which are very cheap, and I am hoping for scholarships as well.

I had to do every single pre-req class after law school.

Having went through law school really helped with the MCAT. It is above all a reading comprehension test.

I have received 7 interviews out of 8 schools I applied to. It does not seem as if having a law degree, or the fact that I never used it, has hurt my chances at all.

Some of the people at my law school were nice. Some were dinguses. Some were downright weird. Med school will probably be the same.

This is super encouraging to hear. I went to a strong regional school and was on law review and did a bunch of health related externship, as well as practicing in health law.

Glad to hear that the law background helps at least a little with the MCAT. I'm strong in bio too, so that will help. But definitely need to brush up on physical science.

As for applying to schools, I'm mostly considering in state schools as well, partly for financial reasons, but also because my friends, family, network, etc are all here. We have a large medical district in my city, so I'm hoping that will lend itself well, too.

Question: did you do your interviews yet? Has law come up at all?

 

[DrESQ]

FWIW, I've had some interest in PA (still in medicine, shorter schooling requirements, fewer pre-reqs, etc) but I've generally been more interested in MD. Any thoughts on PA?

 

[ZPakEffect]

Law school has been a topic of conversation in almost every interview. I actually think this is a good thing. It's a topic that I am well prepared to discuss and it takes up a lot of interview time, which means fewer random, off-the-wall type questions.

 

[Ad2b]

FWIW, I've had some interest in PA (still in medicine, shorter schooling requirements, fewer pre-reqs, etc) but I've generally been more interested in MD. Any thoughts on PA?

When looking for MD/DO's to shadow, find a few PA's to talk to. Get their insight as to why they chose PA over NP over MD/DO.

re: math - everyone else said it; can you add? subtract? divide? use a calculator? a computer? Excel? PERFECT!

My suggestion: take a class - start with gen chem, or the pre-req for gen chem if there is one (like chem for today, or similar) and see if you LIKE it. Get an A. If you like it, take another one.

Doing this, you stay employed as a lawyer (stability in job), you get the pre-reqs nailed (required) AND you figure out whether you really want to do this or not. Perfect!

Oh, and as my beloved cousin says (adcom at allo school): MCAT = reading comprehension test. I wish I had YOUR mad skills that

 

[DrESQ]

dumb question re: shadowing...how do you find a doc to shadow? how do you ask them? is this something docs are familiar with?

In the little bit of reading/googling i've done, i've seen suggestions for shadowing docs you already know/have a connection with.

Wondering if docs in certain specialties are more likely to allow shadowing than others? For example, I have a law school classmate who is a practicing OB/GYN. I'd imagine it would be more difficult to shadow her (particularly due to the especially sensitive nature of that practice) compared to a family med doc.

 

[Law2Doc]

...
My suggestion: take a class - start with gen chem, or the pre-req for gen chem if there is one (like chem for today, or similar) and see if you LIKE it. Get an A. If you like it, take another one.

Doing this, you stay employed as a lawyer (stability in job), you get the pre-reqs nailed (required) AND you figure out whether you really want to do this or not. Perfect!...

Disagree with this part of the above post --do NOT try to use the prereqs to decide whether med school is for you. It doesn't matter if you "like"the prereqs or not because a medical career is nothing like them -- they will just be a silly limited hurdle you need to get past. Figure out if med school is for you through shadowing and volunteering and talking to doctors who won't sugar coat things, and only THEN (relatively later in the process) take a stab at the prereqs. This is the whole "look before you leap" I was saying Adcoms prefer to see. Taking prereqs as your first move is a misstep that looks bad -- looks like you just launch yourself in a direction without deciding first if it's the right direction. Career changers are held to a higher expectation of doing due diligence than this.

 

[Ad2b]

do NOT try to use the prereqs to decide whether med school is for you.

I can see where you're coming from. You're right.

My only thought was that the pre-reqs and shadowing should not be done consecutively but concurrently; that way he can see if he likes the classes AND if medicine really interests him. One or the other = no, then it's a done deal.

 

[Ad2b]

I have a law school classmate who is a practicing OB/GYN.

Ask! Start there. If she can't allow you to shadow maybe she can point to someone who can.

I'd imagine it would be more difficult to shadow her (particularly due to the especially sensitive nature of that practice) compared to a family med doc.

Don't make that assumption. Ob/Gyn might be more sensitive but it's not like you're going to be looking at the stirrups. I've been in family med rooms where someone was being examined for STDs, I just stayed at the head, listened to the doc and the patient. I also shadowed/helped deliver an 11 lb baby girl a few years ago; was there for the whole thing. Fascinating to see it from the non-patient POV.

 

[New_Slang]

MCAT. I'll get this out of the way now...math isn't my strongest suit, but I excel at science. I'm nervous about taking the MCAT, but more importantly, doing well, especially with no math background.

Correct me if I'm just reading this wrong, but are you suggesting you'll just handle the MCAT after not having chemistry ever or science classes recently? Read up on the content of the MCAT - it isn't like the LSAT. The LSAT is more about logic and reasoning and little (or no?) actual law knowledge required. For the MCAT, half the battle is logic and reasoning, but it is all within the context of hard science. The other half of the MCAT is content (content-based, to be more specific). Don't look at it too flippantly because you had success on the LSAT and think you can just jump to the MCAT prior to taking science courses. You won't be able to think critically about a biochem passage if you don't understand the underlying science.

However if you meant this as in "after I take the pre-req classes", then your reasoning might be perfectly sound. It just seems like you mean "I'll get this out of the way now..." like "Oh, and I'll just sign up for the MCAT and take the next one."

 

[Law2Doc]

I can see where you're coming from. You're right.

My only thought was that the pre-reqs and shadowing should not be done consecutively but concurrently; that way he can see if he likes the classes AND if medicine really interests him. One or the other = no, then it's a done deal.

Absolutely not. NOT concurrently. This is the look BEFORE you leap due diligence I am trying to emphasize. Do the shadowing first. Figure out if medicine is right for you. Only then try the Prereqs. Yes it may take a little longer but it shows you aren't just launching yourself down a path willy nilly.

 

[Ad2b]

@Law2Doc - we'll have to agree to disagree then. I did both concurrently and all it did was reinforce that I needed to keep going. Also, finding a doc to shadow would have been near impossible without truly being a premed.

I defer, however, to your insider knowledge and experience

 

[esob]

One thing you should consider to begin with is what prereq's you will actually need. I was under the impression I would "only need a few prereq's" as well until I looked at the official list of things i needed for TX med schools. It's not so much the number of classes that is daunting, but the sequence in which they need to be taken. For example, if you need 8 hrs of organic chemistry, that's two semesters, but likely you will need 2 semesters of general chemistry as a prereq for the organic chemistry so now just the chem prereq's are 2 years of school.

 

[DrESQ]

Correct me if I'm just reading this wrong, but are you suggesting you'll just handle the MCAT after not having chemistry ever or science classes recently? Read up on the content of the MCAT - it isn't like the LSAT. The LSAT is more about logic and reasoning and little (or no?) actual law knowledge required. For the MCAT, half the battle is logic and reasoning, but it is all within the context of hard science. The other half of the MCAT is content (content-based, to be more specific). Don't look at it too flippantly because you had success on the LSAT and think you can just jump to the MCAT prior to taking science courses. You won't be able to think critically about a biochem passage if you don't understand the underlying science.

However if you meant this as in "after I take the pre-req classes", then your reasoning might be perfectly sound. It just seems like you mean "I'll get this out of the way now..." like "Oh, and I'll just sign up for the MCAT and take the next one."

No. I meant "i'll get this out of the way" as in "I'll put this (the fact that i'm not great at math) up front now."

I'm also not TOO worried about the science portion of the MCAT, given the fact that I took many higher level science courses in college as electives because they weren't required for my major. I'll need to brush up on some stuff for sure, especially physical science, but bio and chem were always strong for me. Math is another story.

 

[DrESQ]

Absolutely not. NOT concurrently. This is the look BEFORE you leap due diligence I am trying to emphasize. Do the shadowing first. Figure out if medicine is right for you. Only then try the Prereqs. Yes it may take a little longer but it shows you aren't just launching yourself down a path willy nilly.

This is great advice and I'll end up going this route, I'm sure. Plus, I'm not sure I'd even be able to handle shadowing while doing pre-reqs and having a full time job. Once I get some shadowing in and decide if this is right for me, I'll be in a better position. Don't want to waste money on pre-reqs and then end up hating med based on shadowing.

 

[New_Slang]

No. I meant "i'll get this out of the way" as in "I'll put this (the fact that i'm not great at math) up front now."

I'm also not TOO worried about the science portion of the MCAT, given the fact that I took many higher level science courses in college as electives because they weren't required for my major. I'll need to brush up on some stuff for sure, especially physical science, but bio and chem were always strong for me. Math is another story.

Have you read up on the changes to the MCAT? It also requires psychology, sociology, and biochem as of April 2015.

 

[DrESQ]

Have you read up on the changes to the MCAT? It also requires psychology, sociology, and biochem as of April 2015.

I'm very well aware.

 

[Goro]

This is on Adcom members minds when we see people bailing on other professions, especially those with a glut. You can convince us by shadowing and your volunteer ECs, especially those involving patients. You need to convince us you really want to be around sick and injured people. The bolded part does nothing for that.

• Applying. Part of me is worried that schools will think I'm someone who isn't committed and is just career hopping. Then again, I'm hoping my work in health law and my undergrad courses in health/medical/science things might help.

n =1: I've found that my own students are incredibly friendly and altruistic, and do NOT have the gunner mentality.

• Med school life. Frankly, law school wasn't hard. I didn't spend a ton of time studying, I had plenty of free time, and most of the people were nice. Obviously med school is going to be different and more intense, and I'm also concerned that people will be competitive and unfriendly.

 

[esob]

This is on Adcom members minds when we see people bailing on other professions, especially those with a glut.

Does the inverse hold true? ie, if you are leaving a field where the demand is greater than the supply.

 

[Goro]

Nope. Some people out there are just "professional students". We look for evidence of commitment. Now keep in mind that we also realize that some people go down one path and then realize that Medicine was their true calling. So it isn't always black and & white. But given the state that the legal profession is in these days (and veterinary medicine as well), our radar flips on earlier for the law -> medicine career changers.

Does the inverse hold true? ie, if you are leaving a field where the demand is greater than the supply.

 

[Law2Doc]

@Law2Doc - we'll have to agree to disagree then. I did both concurrently and all it did was reinforce that I needed to keep going. ...

I'm just telling you how this looks to some Adcoms members. The closer to college you are the less due diligence you can get away with. But for an actual career changer they want to see that you got some exposure to medicine, decided it was for you in some articulable way, and only then launched forward with your plan. The "do some courses and decide as you go" approach just objectively looks less well thought out.

And OP already is going to have to allay fears of having already made a career misstep. Best to be able to show a systematic path of researching the career before taking real steps in another direction.

 

[Ad2b]

I'm just telling you how this looks to some Adcoms members. The "do some courses and decide as you go" approach just objectively looks less well thought out.

Got it And that makes perfect sense for the OP but not necessarily for everyone else. For me, it is clear from early on, even in elementary school, this was my path. Life and ... got in the way; after 25 years of ... taking a class shored up the one thing I was worried about: can I do this, and do I like the science classes to which my answer was yes.

My response to OP was based upon that. His situation IS different and I defer to you.

 

[DrESQ]

Nope. Some people out there are just "professional students". We look for evidence of commitment. Now keep in mind that we also realize that some people go down one path and then realize that Medicine was their true calling. So it isn't always black and & white. But given the state that the legal profession is in these days (and veterinary medicine as well), our radar flips on earlier for the law -> medicine career changers.

Just out of curiosity, is this true mainly for newer lawyers who have only been practicing for a short while? Or is this true across the board, even for someone who may have been practicing 5-10 years?

 

[Goro]

For the former I worry more about the switch being made due to the job situation.

For the latter, I worry about burnout and long term commitment.

Just out of curiosity, is this true mainly for newer lawyers who have only been practicing for a short while? Or is this true across the board, even for someone who may have been practicing 5-10 years?

 

[MD89]

Semi-related question: for career-changers, do you think it's sufficient to just mention in the personal statement some of the shadowing/clinical volunteering I did before I jumped into my prereqs? These are activities that would not necessarily make it to my list of 15 ECs since I have better things to put on that list, plus I did not track my shadowing at that point so I wouldn't feel comfortable listing it there. Oh and also, some of the volunteering was in high school.

ETA: to the OP, 4 months is too short to really see what it's like to be a lawyer (or really any professional). My experiences as a (non-lawyer) first year associate were vastly different from my current work as a senior associate. If you truly despise it now, that could mean you will keep hating it. But at least give it a fair chance. I would jump on board with the others who are saying to get some shadowing and clinical volunteering in first. If you really like what you see, start the prereqs in a few months...this delay should not make or break your potentially future application but will allow you to make a better informed decision.

 

[DrESQ]

Semi-related question: for career-changers, do you think it's sufficient to just mention in the personal statement some of the shadowing/clinical volunteering I did before I jumped into my prereqs? These are activities that would not necessarily make it to my list of 15 ECs since I have better things to put on that list, plus I did not track my shadowing at that point so I wouldn't feel comfortable listing it there. Oh and also, some of the volunteering was in high school.

ETA: to the OP, 4 months is too short to really see what it's like to be a lawyer (or really any professional). My experiences as a (non-lawyer) first year associate were vastly different from my current work as a senior associate. If you truly despise it now, that could mean you will keep hating it. But at least give it a fair chance. I would jump on board with the others who are saying to get some shadowing and clinical volunteering in first. If you really like what you see, start the prereqs in a few months...this delay should not make or break your potentially future application but will allow you to make a better informed decision.

Absolutely agree. I probably should've stated this earlier, but I'll be in law a minimum of 2 but likely 3+ application cycles. This is due to 1. wanting to really make sure I want to get out of law 2. I have ample time to shadow, and shadow many different areas and 3. I'll need time for pre-reqs and MCAT.

 

[AnotherLawyer]

I'm just telling you how this looks to some Adcoms members. The closer to college you are the less due diligence you can get away with. But for an actual career changer they want to see that you got some exposure to medicine, decided it was for you in some articulable way, and only then launched forward with your plan. The "do some courses and decide as you go" approach just objectively looks less well thought out.

And OP already is going to have to allay fears of having already made a career misstep. Best to be able to show a systematic path of researching the career before taking real steps in another direction.

I don't think anyone will argue that, all else equal, more and earlier patient contact experience is better. I just want to add that I know several people who have gone into formal post-baccs in their late 20s to mid-30s without any prior patient contact experience and all of them are now attending or have graduated from allopathic medical schools. I think everyone has a different story. Showing you've looked before you leaped is probably more critical for some than for others.

 

[Law2Doc]

... I just want to add that I know several people who have gone into formal post-baccs in their late 20s to mid-30s without any prior patient contact experience and all of them are now attending or have graduated from allopathic medical schools. I think everyone has a different story....

I know a few people who won the lottery. Doesn't mean you aren't wasting money buying tickets.

This does come up with respect to discussions of career changers and matters to many Adcoms.

 

[Law2Doc]

... If you truly despise it now, that could mean you will keep hating it. But at least give it a fair chance...

Do not go into medicine because you despise your current job. Only do it if there's an actual draw toward clinical practice. You'll hate it otherwise and med schools really aren't looking for other professions malcontents/washouts. Adcoms are on high alert for this and do a decent job sniffing out those running from a bad situation rather than actually having a genuine interest. But lots of shadowing and volunteering helps sell this.

 

[AnotherLawyer]

I know a few people who won the lottery. Doesn't mean you aren't wasting money buying tickets.

This does come up with respect to discussions of career changers and matters to many Adcoms.

Did every single person you know who bought a lottery ticket also win the lottery? Because that would be the more accurate analogy. And if so, that wouldn't be particularly wasteful.

I'm sure your experiences are valid and you have good intentions in sharing them. But please don't suggest that there is only one way to get from point A to point B. Even the verified adcoms on SDN do not see eye to eye on all issues.

 

[Meridian32]

I agree with the excellent advice above - including what Law2Doc said. I was on my MD school's admissions committee as a med student and we definitely expected career changers to have done their due diligence - i.e., to have a coherent story about why they were switching careers into medicine, shadowing experience showing they knew what being a doctor is like and volunteering experience showing they had an interest in helping other people.

Only thing I would add to the advice above is that besides shadowing and volunteering, one thing I found very helpful in deciding whether medicine was right for me was informational interviews with practicing doctors. Think about what you would do if you were planning to switch your practice area or setting (e.g., IP -> tax law or big law -> smaller firm) - you'd reach out to people in your network who were in the area/setting of interest and talk to them. You can do the same thing with medicine. When I was in your shoes, I reached out to many doctors - through friends of friends, my college alumni network and my state medical specialty societies - and asked for a phone call or offered to buy them coffee/lunch in exchange for a conversation about their job and what they liked/disliked about it. Most were very willing to do this and I felt it was a great way to get a sense for (a) what medical practice is like at the end of training (I had friends who were in training and could tell me about med school/residency, but no one who could tell me about being an attending), (b) the incredibly broad scope of medicine (e.g., family docs, general surgeons and radiation oncologists are all doctors, but they each do very different work) and (c) the downsides of being a doctor (because I felt, as you seem to, that I had a decent sense for why I wanted to become a doctor, but a poor sense of the downsides of the job).

I actually posted some of my notes from these interviews on SDN seven years ago - here is the post: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/notes-from-informational-interviews-with-doctors.505544/

It's seven years later and I'm a resident now, so clearly I felt that the upsides of medicine outweighed the downsides. Perhaps you will too, but definitely do your due diligence as there are many downsides. Good luck!

 

[Law2Doc]

...But please don't suggest that there is only one way to get from point A to point B. Even the verified adcoms on SDN do not see eye to eye on all issues.

I'm not saying there's only one way. I'm saying there is a way that works well, and a handful of other outlier data points that less commonly work and you should probably ignore like lottery winners. I don't actually think any Adcoms on here wouldn't advocate due diligence research for career changers first before they start taking classes. Yes it sometimes happens the way you say but it's a much lower percentage play and if your goal is to actually get into med school rather than roll dice don't risk it IMHO.

And yes it's my opinion, and you are free to weigh it as you like, but it's the informed opinion of someone who already traversed this road, is looking back at it from the other side, and knows more than a few career changers on my side of it as well as a bunch who got left behind.

So I really don't care if you drink but I'm doing my best to lead people to the non tainted well.

 

[DrESQ]

Do not go into medicine because you despise your current job. Only do it if there's an actual draw toward clinical practice. You'll hate it otherwise and med schools really aren't looking for other professions malcontents/washouts. Adcoms are on high alert for this and do a decent job sniffing out those running from a bad situation rather than actually having a genuine interest. But lots of shadowing and volunteering helps sell this.

Yeah, I see your point. Though I'm not leaving law because I hate it, but because with my work, I'm onsite at hospitals and advising clients every day on how to improve patient flow and how to improve patient safety and what to do about health privacy laws and similar issues. I've come to find that I'm more interested in being in the hospital and being involved, first hand, in patient care and clinical practice rather than just giving someone the tools to improve it. That's at least my reasoning for a possible career change. I've always had an interest in health, science, and medicine

 

[DrESQ]

I agree with the excellent advice above - including what Law2Doc said. I was on my MD school's admissions committee as a med student and we definitely expected career changers to have done their due diligence - i.e., to have a coherent story about why they were switching careers into medicine, shadowing experience showing they knew what being a doctor is like and volunteering experience showing they had an interest in helping other people.

Only thing I would add to the advice above is that besides shadowing and volunteering, one thing I found very helpful in deciding whether medicine was right for me was informational interviews with practicing doctors. Think about what you would do if you were planning to switch your practice area or setting (e.g., IP -> tax law or big law -> smaller firm) - you'd reach out to people in your network who were in the area/setting of interest and talk to them. You can do the same thing with medicine. When I was in your shoes, I reached out to many doctors - through friends of friends, my college alumni network and my state medical specialty societies - and asked for a phone call or offered to buy them coffee/lunch in exchange for a conversation about their job and what they liked/disliked about it. Most were very willing to do this and I felt it was a great way to get a sense for (a) what medical practice is like at the end of training (I had friends who were in training and could tell me about med school/residency, but no one who could tell me about being an attending), (b) the incredibly broad scope of medicine (e.g., family docs, general surgeons and radiation oncologists are all doctors, but they each do very different work) and (c) the downsides of being a doctor (because I felt, as you seem to, that I had a decent sense for why I wanted to become a doctor, but a poor sense of the downsides of the job).

I actually posted some of my notes from these interviews on SDN seven years ago - here is the post: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/notes-from-informational-interviews-with-doctors.505544/

It's seven years later and I'm a resident now, so clearly I felt that the upsides of medicine outweighed the downsides. Perhaps you will too, but definitely do your due diligence as there are many downsides. Good luck!

Definitely appreciate this! I've started small and talked informally with the handful of doctors I know. I have a law school classmate who is a practicing OB/GYN (definitely interesting to hear her perspective as she's getting out of clinical and switching to legal) who has been great about talking to me and answering random questions. But I think even before shadowing and volunteering I can do quite a few more coffee talks and the like.

Great that you mention this because I totally did this before law school and when I was a 1L. I was looking for summer externships and had quite a few meetings over coffee to talk to people in positions that interested me.

 

[Goro]

You don't need to be a doctor to do all this.

Yeah, I see your point. Though I'm not leaving law because I hate it, but because with my work, I'm onsite at hospitals and advising clients every day on how to improve patient flow and how to improve patient safety and what to do about health privacy laws and similar issues. I've come to find that I'm more interested in being in the hospital and being involved, first hand, in patient care and clinical practice rather than just giving someone the tools to improve it. That's at least my reasoning for a possible career change. I've always had an interest in health, science, and medicine

 

[Law2Doc]

Yeah, I see your point. Though I'm not leaving law because I hate it, but because with my work, I'm onsite at hospitals and advising clients every day on how to improve patient flow and how to improve patient safety and what to do about health privacy laws and similar issues. I've come to find that I'm more interested in being in the hospital and being involved, first hand, in patient care and clinical practice rather than just giving someone the tools to improve it. That's at least my reasoning for a possible career change. I've always had an interest in health, science, and medicine

i think being in a hospital setting advising clients on patient flow and safety is a fine starting point, but would caution that from that vantage point you don't really see enough of what doctors do, probably don't get first hand exposure to doctor patient interactions, and are quite well insulated from the uglier and messier aspects of healthcare. So you need to shadow and volunteer and get heart to heart info from doctors. The above post is full of vague notions of medicine. An interest in "health, science and medicine" isn't a defined enough goal. (Sort of like the meaning of "life, the universe and everything") What exactly does it mean -- what role will you enjoy and why -- how do you even know you'll like it? When I go to work each day, I am really not doing any "science" although there is science at the basis of some of what I do. And medicine and health are probably synonyms as you are using them and encompass a lot of professional and nonprofessional careers -- as Goro was suggesting. If you get out and see more you can define this stuff better. Maybe decide you don't want to be a doctor or if you do you'll be able to answer the essay and interview questions without sounding so nebulous.

 

[DrESQ]

i think being in a hospital setting advising clients on patient flow and safety is a fine starting point, but would caution that from that vantage point you don't really see enough of what doctors do, probably don't get first hand exposure to doctor patient interactions, and are quite well insulated from the uglier and messier aspects of healthcare. So you need to shadow and volunteer and get heart to heart info from doctors. The above post is full of vague notions of medicine. An interest in "health, science and medicine" isn't a defined enough goal. (Sort of like the meaning of "life, the universe and everything") What exactly does it mean -- what role will you enjoy and why -- how do you even know you'll like it? When I go to work each day, I am really not doing any "science" although there is science at the basis of some of what I do. And medicine and health are probably synonyms as you are using them and encompass a lot of professional and nonprofessional careers -- as Goro was suggesting. If you get out and see more you can define this stuff better. Maybe decide you don't want to be a doctor or if you do you'll be able to answer the essay and interview questions without sounding do nebulous.

I guess I'd just like to generally say that I know I still have a long road before me before even deciding whether to take the plunge. I'm very well aware of that. I received great advice here, especially with regard to shadowing and volunteering and discussing what doctors do and why they love it and why they hate it over coffee. I plan to do all of those things. My reasoning in offering part of my interest in medicine above wasn't to say "hey i'm jumping ship on this whole law thing because I go to hospitals to advise clients and what doctors do looks cool so I'm just going to try that instead." I'm offering it more as a jumping off point and to clarify that this isn't because the legal job market is bad, or law is boring, or I just want to be a student forever and rack up all the degrees.

Though points are all well taken that I'll need to hammer out my specific interest in switching as I gather more information by shadowing, volunteering, talking with docs.