Now What?

[Zerosixjt]

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😕 I have been waitlisted to the only school I applied to this cycle, and now I don't know what to do. I don't want to get a job that I want, only to quit if I get a spot, or put all the work and money into another application if I will still get a spot this year.

Any advice?

 

[Law2Doc]

😕 I have been waitlisted to the only school I applied to this cycle, and now I don't know what to do. I don't want to get a job that I want, only to quit if I get a spot, or put all the work and money into another application if I will still get a spot this year.

Any advice?

I guess you get a gap filler job and wait out the waitlist. Or keep doing whatever it is that you are currently doing. Why only one school?

 

[RxnMan]

What Law2Doc said. And I've gotten to the point that I don't plan on med schools accepting me - I expect them to reject me and think about my career as-is. Always always always apply to many schools, unless limited by certain (e.g. family) issues.

So get a job. I'm interviewing right now for jobs, and I still have a chance of getting in at one school. Throughout the process I made it clear to the prospective employers that my priority is med school. That way, if I get a notice of acceptance in the 11th hour, I'm not burning any bridges.

 

[Zerosixjt]

I was moving during the application period and I am georgraphically limited because my husband is in the military. I planned on applying to more schools 2007, but I had the chance to get my application into one school in the area for 2006 because they had later deadlines.

Now I am stuck on the waitlist. Job hunting has been more difficult than I anticipated, but there is a research job fair coming up that I think will give me a real boost. I don't know if I should tell them that I have been waitlisted or just wait and see what happens.

I think that I will fill out next years app though. Worst case scenario, I waste the money, but I think that it is better to get the app in early rather that later so I am not in this same possition next year.

 

[RxnMan]

I was moving during the application period and I am georgraphically limited because my husband is in the military. I planned on applying to more schools 2007, but I had the chance to get my application into one school in the area for 2006 because they had later deadlines.

Now I am stuck on the waitlist. Job hunting has been more difficult than I anticipated, but there is a research job fair coming up that I think will give me a real boost. I don't know if I should tell them that I have been waitlisted or just wait and see what happens.

I think that I will fill out next years app though. Worst case scenario, I waste the money, but I think that it is better to get the app in early rather that later so I am not in this same possition next year.

Be honest with prospective employers. If they have full knowledge of where you're headed, then maybe they'll be motivated to help you in that direction.

You have time to wait for next year's application. AMCAS doesn't open up until May, and even then, you can't submit it until June. I'd say save your money and be patient (something that is very hard for me to do). See what happens in between now and then.

 

[chrisjohn]

Be honest?!

Hey don't listen to that advice at all. This is about YOU, not the employer. Don't worry the PI will get plenty of work out you for little pay.

Want some more? I applied to a position and was honest, what did it get me? 10K less than EVERY other person in our lab. Keep your goal of MS quiet. Many people in academia/hospitals LOVE to stick it to future doctors.

Hang in there, keep improving you’re package and you’ll make it. I did.

 

[pdavis68]

Be honest?!

Hey don't listen to that advice at all. This is about YOU, not the employer. Don't worry the PI will get plenty of work out you for little pay.

With all due respect to RxnMan, I'm with chrisjohn on this. I can't speak for your field, but I'm a software engineer myself and I've spent plenty of years busting my butt for a number of companies, doing everything I can to stand out and a number of times not getting appreciated for the extra effort. The companies have always had a "bottom-line" first attitude. Don't get me wrong, I've had (and currently have) great jobs, but if I needed a job while I was waiting, I'd take the best I could find and then take off the moment I got accepted.

Remember, with very few exceptions, the company isn't terribly concerned with your best interest. Why should you be terribly concerned with theirs. That doesn't mean stick-it-to-em every chance you get. It just means, put your priorities where they belong. Worry about what's best for you.

 

[QofQuimica]

I strongly disagree with the previous two posts. It's always best to not burn your bridges if you can avoid doing it. You never know when or if you will need something from your employer (like a strong LOR for med school???) in the future. The world is amazingly small, and you have no way of knowing whether this person will be someone who knows someone and can screw something important up for you later. Thus, I am arguing that it is actually in your best long-term interest to be honest with your employer about your aspirations. You might feel good about "sticking it to the man" in the short term, but that can come back to bite you later, big time.

 

[DaffyDoc]

One does not have to be honest with a potential employer given that they do not want a rec letter from this employer/their boss. Therefore, if you apply for a job during for the glide year, make them think you are going to be there forever. Then, when you become accepted to MS turn in your resignation letter and leave. Poof, done, no problems. You earned your money and you earned your spot in MS. All of this, and you did not even need a rec letter from the employer because....you had several others lined up and ready to go. There is no need to be loyal to this company if you do not plan on using them or needing them in the future. You will start your brand new life in MS and never look back.

 

[medworm]

One does not have to be honest with a potential employer given that they do not want a rec letter from this employer/their boss. Therefore, if you apply for a job during for the glide year, make them think you are going to be there forever. Then, when you become accepted to MS turn in your resignation letter and leave. Poof, done, no problems. You earned your money and you earned your spot in MS. All of this, and you did not even need a rec letter from the employer because....you had several others lined up and ready to go. There is no need to be loyal to this company if you do not plan on using them or needing them in the future. You will start your brand new life in MS and never look back.

I absolutely agree with DaffyDoc. If you are in mid-career interviewing for a new job, telling your potential employer straight up that you're going back to school will not only jeopardize your chances of landing a semi-decent job but you may also experience a 20% paycut (as I did). So best to keep them in the dark until you've got your acceptance in hand.

On the other hand, if you're looking for an entry-level job ... that probably doesn't matter as much.

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

Be honest with prospective employers. If they have full knowledge of where you're headed, then maybe they'll be motivated to help you in that direction.

You have time to wait for next year's application. AMCAS doesn't open up until May, and even then, you can't submit it until June. I'd say save your money and be patient (something that is very hard for me to do). See what happens in between now and then.

I agree with the others that think this was bad advice -- that was my first reaction. As a former Engineering Manager, I can tell you that if someone found out that you were planning on quitting within a year you WOULD NOT be hired at any company that I have worked for. My advice is don't volunteer any information that isn't necessary (i.e. that you are just taking the job while waiting to get accepted to Medical School.)

While what QoQ says is absolutely true (that you DON'T want to go around burning bridges) I don't think that that's what you would be doing by not volunteering the information, and then just quitting (with appropriate 2 weeks notice) a year later. Depending upon the relationship that you have with your supervisor, they may well support you in your decision (by writing a LOR, etc.) Personally, if a good employee came to me, gave me his/her 2 weeks notice, said they were going to Medical School, and that was what they really wanted to do, I would wish them the best of luck and ask if there was anything I could do to help. Life, in general, is about the relationships that you cultivate with the people around you. So, while I agree that you don't want to take a "I'm sticking to the man" attitude, there's no need to volunteer any extra information. Just take the job, do your best work, treat your supervisor with respect when you DO resign, and everything will be cool (i.e. you won't be burning bridges.)

In the end, though, you DO need to look out for YOURSELF and your own goals, and don't worry too much about burning bridges. You SHOULDN'T burn bridges, if at all possible, but if you have to choose between what's best for you and your ultimate goals, or pissing someone else off, you have to do what you have to do.

Good Luck,

Jota

 

[TacoStand]

My advice is don't volunteer any information that isn't necessary (i.e. that you are just taking the job while waiting to get accepted to Medical School.)

In the end, though, you DO need to look out for YOURSELF and your own goals, and don't worry too much about burning bridges. You SHOULDN'T burn bridges, if at all possible, but if you have to choose between what's best for you and your ultimate goals, or pissing someone else off, you have to do what you have to do.

I agree completely. In general, do not burn bridges, but do not volunteer information. You never know what the next year will bring. For an engineering-like or professional job, a normal company is not going to hire you and spend their time and resources training you, if they know you are leaving in 1 year. It's not worth it for them.

Walk the fine line and do not lie, but being completely open without being asked is not in your best interests.

I'll be informing my company in early June that I'm leaving to med school. I'm giving them ~8 weeks notice b/c I'm confident they will not lay me off in that time period and I'm striving for the balance of respect for my boss and watching out for my backside. I've been here ~3 years and have been pursuing med school while working for this company. I made it a point to not communicate this goal in case it never materialized. In the end of the day, most companies do not care about YOU.

My advice - go for the job; keep your goals quite; work hard; and let time sort out what happens. If you get in this year, you will not care much about having to leave in 2-3 months once you are in med school.

 

[QofQuimica]

I agree with the others that think this was bad advice -- that was my first reaction. As a former Engineering Manager, I can tell you that if someone found out that you were planning on quitting within a year you WOULD NOT be hired at any company that I have worked for. My advice is don't volunteer any information that isn't necessary (i.e. that you are just taking the job while waiting to get accepted to Medical School.)

While what QoQ says is absolutely true (that you DON'T want to go around burning bridges) I don't think that that's what you would be doing by not volunteering the information, and then just quitting (with appropriate 2 weeks notice) a year later. Depending upon the relationship that you have with your supervisor, they may well support you in your decision (by writing a LOR, etc.) Personally, if a good employee came to me, gave me his/her 2 weeks notice, said they were going to Medical School, and that was what they really wanted to do, I would wish them the best of luck and ask if there was anything I could do to help. Life, in general, is about the relationships that you cultivate with the people around you. So, while I agree that you don't want to take a "I'm sticking to the man" attitude, there's no need to volunteer any extra information. Just take the job, do your best work, treat your supervisor with respect when you DO resign, and everything will be cool (i.e. you won't be burning bridges.)

In the end, though, you DO need to look out for YOURSELF and your own goals, and don't worry too much about burning bridges. You SHOULDN'T burn bridges, if at all possible, but if you have to choose between what's best for you and your ultimate goals, or pissing someone else off, you have to do what you have to do.

Good Luck,

Jota

I agree with this. I would not volunteer the information unless asked, but I also would not lie about it if I were to be asked. I did not have the impression that a "lie of omission" was the position that some of the previous posters were advocating as much as a "lie of commission." But if what everyone meant was to say not to volunteer the info unasked, then there's no argument here as far as I'm concerned.