Pretty Red Flags

[lolwhat]

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Hi all. 🙂

I'm currently a first-year PhD student and realized I made a huge career misstep. I was pre-med throughout my undergrad (thus ECs, courses, etc. are all pretty much there) but at the end wound up not applying because I did not take the MCAT and was feeling very uncertain if medical school was the right career for me. Instead I took the GREs, did very well, and am now sitting all cushy... except I'm really not. The thought of being at the lab bench the rest of my life finally hit home hard enough that a real fire was lit under my butt to go full-force in pursuit of medicine. I finally realized what was right for me and what I would be willing to pour my whole being into and I do not regret having gone into academia for this brief moment in time, if only to gain that strong epiphany.

The issue obviously is that I'm in a PhD program. My plan was to finish up this academic year (taking the MCAT and doing whatever EC I can fit in along the way) and take my written qualifying exams, but then take a planned educational leave and apply for medical school next summer. However what I'm concerned about is how medical admissions will feel about my situation and my desire to essentially relinquish an opportunity at a PhD (I do not plan to finish my PhD because I feel it will hold no true value for me in terms of the type of career I want to pursue). Is it an automatic red flag and they'll assume I'm a spineless quitter or will I have an opportunity to explain myself fully at interviews and such if my stats are decent?

Thanks for everyone that can give me advice and I hope to be an asset to the non-trad board in the future. 👍

 

[fahimaz7]

Take the Master's option and run with it. I did the same thing a few years ago.

 

[lolwhat]

Hey Fahimaz7,

Thanks for the advice!

I actually had considered doing so but I wasn't quite sure if there was any meaning to it. There was also the issue of having to sign another apartment lease and the continuing cost to finish a Master's. I had initially planned to move back home and find work to pay off some of my other student loans that have accumulated and the additional fees that will accumulate from the entire application process. I would not mind biting the bullet and finishing up the Master's if you all believe it is absolutely necessary/would be detrimental if I did not, but there are obviously some other issues that I felt would arise.

As someone that has been there before, could you offer a bit more of your thoughts and experiences? I think it might be helpful.

I'd appreciate any other input from other people!

 

[J ROD]

Schools like to see you finish things. So, I would get the Master and then go after med school.

Not finishing would raise concerns. Plus, you might need the PhD if the MCAT does not go well.

 

[Looking Glass]

Hey Fahimaz7,

Thanks for the advice!

I actually had considered doing so but I wasn't quite sure if there was any meaning to it. There was also the issue of having to sign another apartment lease and the continuing cost to finish a Master's. I had initially planned to move back home and find work to pay off some of my other student loans that have accumulated and the additional fees that will accumulate from the entire application process. I would not mind biting the bullet and finishing up the Master's if you all believe it is absolutely necessary/would be detrimental if I did not, but there are obviously some other issues that I felt would arise.

As someone that has been there before, could you offer a bit more of your thoughts and experiences? I think it might be helpful.

I'd appreciate any other input from other people!

I am in a graduate program right now and applying to medical schools as well and I will say that not finishing your graduate degree will raise some red flags. Many of the schools asks you to send in a letter of good standing from your graduate program directors. Some of them even go further to say that you should complete your graduate training before matriculating. The requirements might be different if you drop out first and then apply to medical school. But the bottom line is that dropping out would not reflect positively on your application.

That being said, for Ph.D. programs, I think it's acceptable for you to get a Master's instead. Many schools know that Ph.D. take 5-7 years to complete and in the amount of time that it would take you to "stay the course" and finish your Ph.D., you could be applying to medical school and be done with your internship PGY-1 if you switch over to a Master's. So I think it's acceptable for you to do a Master's rather than a Ph.D.

About the worst thing that you can do is to totally drop out of the program: not only would it raise concerns among medical schools about your willingness to continue your education, but you will also be unable to get a recommendation letter from your current graduate program. As for cost, the amount of the students loans and rent will be nothing compared to what it would cost in the long run if you don't get into medical school. All that debt will accumulate and you will have to pay it off at some point. If you get into medical school, you have a pretty good chance of paying it off. However, if you don't get in or if you have to reapply again, then you will not be able to defer all that debt.

 

[lolwhat]

Thanks a lot for all your advice, guys.

What I think you are all ultimately confused about is me dropping out of the program completely. I obviously do not plan to do so-- and I certainly plan to get a letter from my graduate adviser for medical school and tell him of my current career plans. I do not plan to burn bridges or to leave a negative impression.

What I was saying is that I was going to take academic leave and apply for medical school after this academic year and work with my year off to pay off some debts I've incurred. If I get into medical school all is well and I'll withdraw from my PhD program (they auto-withdraw you if you don't return after the leave). If I do not get in I'll apply again next cycle and finish up my master's, but now hopefully with sufficient funds to finish everything without needing to borrow any more money.

I guess more specifically I wanted to ask which option seems to be better:
1) Stay in the PhD program but on academic leave, apply for medical school. If I do not get in, return as a master's student the following year. This is my current plan and it offers me a chance to start paying off loans with any sort of random job I can get my hands on. However, I do not know how medical schools will take it.
2) Change to a master's student after this academic year, apply for medical school, keep chugging along and finish the master's while hopefully snagging some interviews.

Again, thank you all for sharing your advice and wisdom.

 

[J ROD]

Master.

I would not like to see the "leave" as an ad com.

 

[DucoNonducor]

I would switch to a Master's program and finish that.
A friend of mine did that, she saw that the PhD was not what she wanted but at the same time didn't want to drop out of her program.
Instead she ended up getting her Masters.

 

[lolwhat]

Thank you all for the advice. 👍

So when I apply for medical school, should I be applying as a master's student or as a PhD student and state my intentions that I will try and leave with a master's? I heard there's a "when you matriculate will you have completed your degree" type thing on the application so I wasn't sure how I should approach this thing overall.

It's great to hear other people's experiences, it makes me feel better to know that I'm not alone. Sometimes I get very anxious and nervous about my situation, to the point it affects my day-to-day life. I definitely needed this.

 

[DucoNonducor]

Thank you all for the advice. 👍

So when I apply for medical school, should I be applying as a master's student or as a PhD student and state my intentions that I will try and leave with a master's? I heard there's a "when you matriculate will you have completed your degree" type thing on the application so I wasn't sure how I should approach this thing overall.

It's great to hear other people's experiences, it makes me feel better to know that I'm not alone. Sometimes I get very anxious and nervous about my situation, to the point it affects my day-to-day life. I definitely needed this.

If I were you I'd go through your graduate office and check with them on the procedure to change from PhD to a Master's. I would list that you are a Master's program instead of a PhD and that you will be done with your degree by the time of matriculation.
I'll check with my friend and let you know how she was able to switch from PhD to Master's and I'll let you know.