On the Fence: law vs. medicine

[bays1de]

Hello everyone,
I apologize if this is posted in the wrong section. I really could use some guidance/advice regarding my current direction in life.

In HS, I did several hundred hours of hospital volunteering. I hated the hands-off, scutwork nature of volunteering, but I really enjoyed the medical profession. I come from a STEM background, so there has always been a push towards medicine from my family. I ended up going to a UC (not UCLA lol) with pre-med intentions. However, I did poorly on a placement exam right before starting college, and I was forced to major in something that didn't require math/science. Switching to the sciences would have required dropping out/transferring, which wasn't an option at the time.

As a result, I redirected my path towards a career in law. I completed some very competitive internships/work experiences in the legal field. I have also been preparing for the LSAT extensively. I finished my bachelors with a 3.8 cumulative GPA. My freshman year hindered my cumulative GPA (and my placement exam performance), otherwise I'd be at a 3.9+ cumulative.

Right as I'm ready to commit to a career in law, I have begun questioning my calling. I have a very specific career goal within the field of law. I know that I will be 100% unsatisfied if I do not break into that field (maybe 50% chance of getting it). However, if I decide to change paths towards medicine, I will have to start at ground zero. My math skills are awful (terrible high school education), so I would likely have to start at the algebra level.

Regardless, I think a career in surgery or medical research would be quite interesting. I enjoy reading medical journals in my free time. I know postbacc programs exist, but I'm just trying to wrap my head around the size of this mountain. In four years, I can be a practicing attorney, starting to make real money. If I change paths, I will probably be in school for many more years. The path towards a medical career is already long enough.

I would truly appreciate any ideas, thoughts, suggestions, whatever. Would I even have a chance if I change paths?
Thank you so much!

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[LizzyM]

If you can imagine yourself being happy in any other field, go for it.

If you do decide to go into medicine, you will need to start, I think, with community college courses in algebra before attempting the pre-req courses of chemistry and physics. This might also be a good time to shadow a few physicians (shoot for 50 hours of shadowing) to see if medicine is somethign that you really want to do.
You should buy access to the MSAR for more details on the other pre-req courses. You can assume that the pre-reqs will take at least 2 years to complete. There are formal post-bac programs and informal DIY ways of getting the pre-reqs. You'll also need to build up your work and activities including community service, and clinical experience. Most applicants also have research experience but that may have to wait until you have some laboratory or data analysis skills.

 

[AttemptingScholar]

I think I've heard of more lawyers who later became doctors than vice versa, so if you end up disliking your choice it may be easier to start with law.

 

[Goro]

Hello everyone,
I apologize if this is posted in the wrong section. I really could use some guidance/advice regarding my current direction in life.

In HS, I did several hundred hours of hospital volunteering. I hated the hands-off, scutwork nature of volunteering, but I really enjoyed the medical profession. I come from a STEM background, so there has always been a push towards medicine from my family. I ended up going to a UC (not UCLA lol) with pre-med intentions. However, I did poorly on a placement exam right before starting college, and I was forced to major in something that didn't require math/science. Switching to the sciences would have required dropping out/transferring, which wasn't an option at the time.

As a result, I redirected my path towards a career in law. I completed some very competitive internships/work experiences in the legal field. I have also been preparing for the LSAT extensively. I finished my bachelors with a 3.8 cumulative GPA. My freshman year hindered my cumulative GPA (and my placement exam performance), otherwise I'd be at a 3.9+ cumulative.

Right as I'm ready to commit to a career in law, I have begun questioning my calling. I have a very specific career goal within the field of law. I know that I will be 100% unsatisfied if I do not break into that field (maybe 50% chance of getting it). However, if I decide to change paths towards medicine, I will have to start at ground zero. My math skills are awful (terrible high school education), so I would likely have to start at the algebra level.

Regardless, I think a career in surgery or medical research would be quite interesting. I enjoy reading medical journals in my free time. I know postbacc programs exist, but I'm just trying to wrap my head around the size of this mountain. In four years, I can be a practicing attorney, starting to make real money. If I change paths, I will probably be in school for many more years. The path towards a medical career is already long enough.

I would truly appreciate any ideas, thoughts, suggestions, whatever. Would I even have a chance if I change paths?
Thank you so much!

Have you:
Shadowed doctors?
Volunteered with patients?
Done non-clinical volunteering?

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Medicine, like football, is not for everyone. Lots of big, fast, talented men cant hack it.The training is a real grind and the hours are long. Nights, weekends, holidays, missed soccer games and graduations. I definitely would look into it in greater depth to see if the years lost in training and lifestyle might be for you. Also, do the math on law income lost while in medical school and training, and add about 300k in school costs. We recently had a lawyer of 7 yrs, Top 500 firm, on partnership track enroll. Dropped out after 1 yr, with good grades. I dont think they liked their station in life as a 1st yr student with at least 7 yrs of training left to go. Went back to law.

 

[bays1de]

If you can imagine yourself being happy in any other field, go for it.

If you do decide to go into medicine, you will need to start, I think, with community college courses in algebra before attempting the pre-req courses of chemistry and physics. This might also be a good time to shadow a few physicians (shoot for 50 hours of shadowing) to see if medicine is somethign that you really want to do.
You should buy access to the MSAR for more details on the other pre-req courses. You can assume that the pre-reqs will take at least 2 years to complete. There are formal post-bac programs and informal DIY ways of getting the pre-reqs. You'll also need to build up your work and activities including community service, and clinical experience. Most applicants also have research experience but that may have to wait until you have some laboratory or data analysis skills.

I figured that I'd need to start with algebra classes, since math is a prerequisite for almost everything. I've shadowed a bit in the past, and it was a positive experience. MSAR subscription is a good idea, it can probably give me a better idea of what is required. I was also thinking about taking an EMT course. The experience might be eye-opening, and I'm sure the training doesn't hurt to have.

Do you know if taking CC math/chem courses would reflect poorly when combined with a postbacc program?

I think I've heard of more lawyers who later became doctors than vice versa, so if you end up disliking your choice it may be easier to start with law.

I agree, seems like that's the case. Having a science background in combination with a law degree may help with breaking into patent law, but I imagine that people tend to prefer medicine.

Have you:
Shadowed doctors?
Volunteered with patients?
Done non-clinical volunteering?

My hospital volunteering was mostly wheeling patients around in wheelchairs. Nothing too hands-on.
I have shadowed doctors, and I did have the opportunity to watch several procedures and surgeries in the OR. I was also allowed to help patients and their families with basic requests afterwards. However, it was outpatient surgery, and I didn't find it fast-paced enough for my taste. I think trauma surgery or ER medicine would be much more interesting.

Medicine, like football, is not for everyone. Lots of big, fast, talented men cant hack it.The training is a real grind and the hours are long. Nights, weekends, holidays, missed soccer games and graduations. I definitely would look into it in greater depth to see if the years lost in training and lifestyle might be for you. Also, do the math on law income lost while in medical school and training, and add about 300k in school costs. We recently had a lawyer of 7 yrs, Top 500 firm, on partnership track enroll. Dropped out after 1 yr, with good grades. I dont think they liked their station in life as a 1st yr student with at least 7 yrs of training left to go. Went back to law.

It is a massive investment of time and effort. I have no issues with grinding through late nights and early mornings. I am ready to work my ass off, whether in law or medicine. I figured that a lucrative career in BigLaw would have me working to death, so why not apply that effort towards helping people, rather than covering the asses of multi-national companies?

Still, the lost time/income is a massive factor. I would be more inclined to jump towards medicine if I wasn't so far behind on the prerequisites!

 

[bays1de]

If you deeply care about caring for ailing human beings, go into medicine. It will be more fulfilling in the long run.

If not, go into law. Play the game, make the money.

As someone who has always held a held a deep desire to care for people and is deeply medicine-oriented, I could never imagine going into law. I've always looked negatively upon the profession, as I think it objectifies human beings. This might just be me, but if you are drawn to both law AND medicine, it might mean law is for you.

I am only interested in criminal prosecution (and to a certain extent, criminal defense). I think they would give me the greatest opportunity to make an impact on the lives of others. If I end up in a money-making law firm position, I honestly think I would be miserable.

 

[B5Avantlife]

TL;DR-
MD/JD
Do it! From my research on this joint option is that you can apply MD only and apply in 2nd year of med school for the JD program.

 

[LizzyM]

TL;DR-
MD/JD
Do it! From my research on this joint option is that you can apply MD only and apply in 2nd year of med school for the JD program.

Complete waste of time if the OP actually wants to be a criminal defense attorney.

 

[SterlingMaloryArcher]

Law school prestige matters a lot more than med school prestige.

 

[bays1de]

I've looked at joint degree programs, but I think they'd make me a jack of all trades, master of none.

I'm trying my hardest to chew this predicament down to the bone. If only student loans didn't exist!

 

[Rachapkis]

As you get older, you begin understand emotionally, not just mentally, that life is a long, long term venture. You will wear that lab code or suit and tie for several decades. It is worth exploring what your really want to do (your calling, if you will) and taking that path. Losing four years in your twenties to change paths may seem like a eternity now, but it will seem like a small investment twenty years hence. If you wait too long, you may find yourself with a spouse, a child and golden handcuffs, which may leave you feeling unhappy in your career and unable to change. Good luck--may you choose wisely.

 

[bays1de]

As you get older, you begin understand emotionally, not just mentally, that life is a long, long term venture. You will wear that lab code or suit and tie for several decades. It is worth exploring what your really want to do (your calling, if you will) and taking that path. Losing four years in your twenties to change paths may seem like a eternity now, but it will seem like a small investment twenty years hence. If you wait too long, you may find yourself with a spouse, a child and golden handcuffs, which may leave you feeling unhappy in your career and unable to change. Good luck--may you choose wisely.

You're right, four years is nothing in the bigger picture of things, but it seems like an eternity now. It's basically re-doing college, which was already long enough. I hope that my increased focus as a mature student will help streamline things if I end up changing paths. There's just too many options/paths available right now.

I reached out to a surgeon to potentially shadow today, hopefully I can get some further exposure before deciding one way or another. I'm wondering if hospital policies will prevent me from shadowing?

 

[Angus Avagadro]

You're right, four years is nothing in the bigger picture of things, but it seems like an eternity now. It's basically re-doing college, which was already long enough. I hope that my increased focus as a mature student will help streamline things if I end up changing paths. There's just too many options/paths available right now.

I reached out to a surgeon to potentially shadow today, hopefully I can get some further exposure before deciding one way or another. I'm wondering if hospital policies will prevent me from shadowing?

Usually you have an orientation including HIPPA training before going into the OR.