Quitting Job before applying. Need help!

[Labrat07]

I'm applying this summer for med school. Currently, I'm considering quitting my job due to new management not supporting my dream and making it difficult. I'm worried this move will affect my application. I've been working here for 10 years. Can anyone give me some insight or thoughts? I'd be appreciated.

thank you so much.

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[daivimarga]

Why will it affect your application? Ten years in the position is a great run. It's okay to move on.

 

[Labrat07]

It's just that I don't want admission to see me quitting at anything. It might look bad. Silly, I know but I just want to be assurance.

 

[kamakazi5]

I could be wrong but I don't believe your employment, or lack thereof, will matter in the slightest. Especially if you've already been accepted.

 

[daivimarga]

@Labrat07 that is very very silly.

 

[futuremdforme]

It's just that I don't want admission to see me quitting at anything. It might look bad. Silly, I know but I just want to be assurance.

What are you going to do with your time? If you're just sitting on your bum all day, you're probably going to seem a bit lazy.

I also don't really see why they SHOULD be supportive of your dream. It's your dream, not theirs. Lots of people got through med school applications and interviews without quitting their jobs, without letting their jobs know about the plans. If they are interfering by not letting you take time off, etc, go ahead and quit, but just be prepared to talk about why. (And also be prepared financially - what if you don't get in?)

 

[italiancowgirl]

Some people seem to have lots of extra opinions around here, only you can evaluate if the job environment is good for you or not. Consider the money, experience, commitment and alternatives. Med schools don't care if you left something as long as you had a good reason (for example I decided to spend more time volunteering and shadowing to make sure I knew what I was getting into, or I had to focus on my education, or I had this other opportunity which I thought would help me grow). Make sure you have a reason and not just, well I got bored. GL

 

[DrMikeP]

Agree with others med schools don't care, UNLESS you do something unethical, illegal, immoral, etc. Getting fired probably isn't the most wise. So if you can afford it, understanding that applying and med school interviews are expensive, and quit just do it on good terms as it can be amazing as to who knows whom and it's just not worth the potential hassle that can be easily avoided.

If you don't bring it up likely the med adcoms won't. If it does come up have a legit reason for quitting as icg above stated.

As an adcom I'd look favorably on someone who quit to spend a year volunteering or working in a med setting.

Good luck

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[Labrat07]

Uh no one is going to care if you quit.

But don't. Since they've been unfair, clown it up and get canned. Severance, unemployment, Obama stuff.

In the more generous states - CA, MA, NY - unemployment benefits are worth around 30k, and typically they offer some form of severance in exchange for a release. If they initiate separation you collect pretty much 100% of the time.



"Hey I read somewhere that the Santa Fe reservoir is down 2 full inches. We need that water!"

As an aside, tell no in your work environment about your plans to apply. People in an office setting can often be insecure, spiteful, petty little bitches, and you are best giving them absolutely nothing to be petty with.

If they were being honest, fair minded people more concerned with the quality of your work than feeling like they are superior to you (the latter being so!!!! important to so many "business professionals"), then this would be unfair. But they're being nasty and underhanded, so being a little straussian isn't unethical.

What are you going to do with your time? If you're just sitting on your bum all day, you're probably going to seem a bit lazy.

I also don't really see why they SHOULD be supportive of your dream. It's your dream, not theirs. Lots of people got through med school applications and interviews without quitting their jobs, without letting their jobs know about the plans. If they are interfering by not letting you take time off, etc, go ahead and quit, but just be prepared to talk about why. (And also be prepared financially - what if you don't get in?)

I made this mistake of letting them know. It was really naive of me. For any future premed, listen to above advice. TELL NO ONE. You never know. To be fair though, I got a lot of opportunities from work to help me in the past.

Here's the gist of the story:
I work full time nights so I can study. I go to school/volunteer/hobbies during the days. For 4 years, I've been doing that. They knew about it all along. Suddenly, it became a big deal because one new employee has a big mouth and back stab us. Management called me in for a meeting and say " no more studying" which is logical I guess.

After some thinking and watch this threads for advices, I decided to put my foot down and told them " I did my job well more than other. If you force me to pick my dream and my job, I'll pick my dream. This is my 2 weeks notice if I cannot study." I was about to walk out and just focus in my school. They backed down and Ok with me studying. Certainly, they had to flex their muscle a bit to appeal that complainer.

To be honest, I don't want to deal with that person (the type that being nice to you in the face and back stab people all the time). I save enough and really don't need to work but half a year to a year is nothing. I have other coworker I really like and I really like working. I'll just ignore her.

Thank you everyone for insights. It helped me a lot.

 

[Ad2b]

The color of envy is never pretty on anyone and it sounds like your co-worker wears it even worse.

Many are NOT envious of the med school path, just envious that we are pursuing our passion. Pity them.

I told my new client, before I started, that there was this 'little thing' I'm pursuing but it wouldn't interfere much. She asked what it was, told her; I came into my first day, with a sign on my office door, "Welcome Future Dr. X" -

I said, "well that's a little presumptuous...I don't know if I'll get in..."

Her response? "We believe in you." That's how an employer/client should react. Anything less is selfish on their part (unless the employee is slacking greatly)

 

[futuremdforme]

This is highly field-dependent I think.

My current field is in a state of general decline. The winners are winning (big), averages are getting busted pay, anything below-average is getting shown the door in one fashion or another.

If you let it slip you'd be canned within a month.

My old field is thriving, but you'd still be canned for letting it slip (at least if you were in any managerial position, or they were investing in your development.)

@Miami_Postbac whenever I had doubts about changing careers, it's moments like what you described that made me decide that medicine is a better choice. The job security is really important.

 

[atomi]

It should be common sense that you should not tell your employer or anybody you work with (no matter how close you are) that you are thinking about quitting/leaving until you are actually ready to do so. It doesn't matter if you're leaving for a new job, school, whatever, even retirement. The first time your boss finds out you are thinking about leaving your job should be when you hand him your resignation letter.

 

[GreenDuck12]

Preferably after having your next step already lined up... I made this mistake once in the past and it won't happen again.

The first time your boss finds out you are thinking about leaving your job should be when you hand him your resignation letter.

 

[Ad2b]

It should be common sense that you should not tell your employer or anybody you work with (no matter how close you are) that you are thinking about quitting/leaving until you are actually ready to do so.

depends on the field... I'm in consulting (self-owned, S corp)... I'm paid to fix things so, if someone wants me bad enough, it behooves them to support my end goal. To date, the only place that had an issue with it, incidentally, was a MN company. No one else has.

 

[Labrat07]

It's kinda terrifying to know there's no such thing as loyalty/doing what right in a work place. I've seen many people got laid off/force to quit even if they've been here for 30 years. Then the next month, they hire a brand new employee fresh out of school. And I work in healthcare :0. Suppose one of the safest job security. How the hell do they expect people to find different job when they put the best years in already?? You guys are wiser than me. Over the years though, I started to learn this harsh truth. It's still hard to digest.

Do what you think is right so you can sleep at night. To the double face, drama queen, bottom line people = **** them all 🙂. Let them deal with their own problem.

 

[atomi]

Preferably after having your next step already lined up... I made this mistake once in the past and it won't happen again.

Yep, when you give him that letter and your 2 weeks notice, you need to be fully prepared for him to say "well, that's kind of you, but that's really not necessary, we can get someone else to start tomorrow, so go ahead and clear your desk out now."

 

[DrMikeP]

I told my university and my hospital I was applying to med schools and even applied to a competing school. Worse case they could do little other than fire me, but that would have hurt them more. Once accepted I nicely turned in my notice and couldn't be happier.

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[DrMikeP]

Here you've highlighted important cultural differences between the business world and academia/medicine.

In the business world, most companies run primarily on hierarchies and feelings, and pay little if any attention to meritocratic factors and rules.

Applying to medical school - to any kind of school - upsets hierarchies and makes idiots feel insecure. These are extremely serious subjective offenses. Job loss typically follows regardless of your marginal productivity to the firm.

Depends on the business as well. Having also been an engineer and in management I found some companies had people happy for you and some escorted you to the door.

One major corp told me if I told anyone where I was leaving to they would let me go early, I asked if that was with my 2 weeks pay. They said yes, so I walked out the office and announced to everyone where I was going. Nice vacation between jobs. One company when I was leaving to get my doctorate had a going away party.

I do agree though it is often better to play one's cards close to the vest unless you are good with whatever the consequences.

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[Petrichor1]

Depends on the business as well. Having also been an engineer and in management I found some companies had people happy for you and some escorted you to the door.

One major corp told me if I told anyone where I was leaving to they would let me go early, I asked if that was with my 2 weeks pay. They said yes, so I walked out the office and announced to everyone where I was going. Nice vacation between jobs. One company when I was leaving to get my doctorate had a going away party.

I do agree though it is often better to play one's cards close to the vest unless you are good with whatever the consequences.

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awww, man your work place seems like really sweet bunches of people.

 

[DrMikeP]

awww, man your work place seems like really sweet bunches of people.

My hospital was awesome and other than telling me I was nuts for doing med school everyone was supportive. I was the one they called when things went to crap to make everyone feel better. My university was ummm interesting and other places had some jerks to say the least, but no use in letting others get in your way.

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