Should I get my CPA

[mjjdm1985]

Hey everyone,

I am currently working as an accountant while I continue to get ready for medical school. I have the opportunity to get my CPA pretty much for free over the next year before I apply. What are the opinions on whether it would be worth it to do this or not? I have no idea how beneficial it would be to have the CPA after going to medical school, but all I would sacrifice is several months of studying. If I did get it, would it make medical schools think I was not committed to being a doctor?

I would appreciate any opinions. I am totally open to the possibility that it would be a complete waste of time, as well as detrimental to my medical school application, to pursue this. Thanks!

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[FrkyBgStok]

i am not an accountant, however my wife has her MAcc and contemplated getting her CPA. we had kids, we decided she was going to stay home to raise the kids and decided against the CPA. the reason why is she mentioned that taking the test without getting the required public accounting experience is worthless as you don't actually have your CPA until the experience is completed. I believe it is 2-3 public accounting experience (generally in one of the big 4 firms), so if all of this is true, if you plan on applying to medical school within the next 2-3 years it seems worthless or if you are not planning on working.

all of this information is what i THINK i remember from conversations with her a few years ago. I may be wrong or things may have changed.

 

[Alanna]

Haha! I am currently in Macc program and pursuing my CPA (2nd part - Regulation - this coming Monday) while I'm contemplating on perhaps switching to pre-health???

 

[mjjdm1985]

I am applying for med school next summer and if I get in, by the time I leave work, I will actually have 2.5 years of accounting experience. This is governmental auditing, however, as opposed to public so I don't know how that affects things. I definitely want to be a doctor, but I can see myself much later in my career switching to practice part-time and trying to have some impact on healthcare policy.

Good luck on the test Alanna! Have you thought about how you might be able to use your business acumen and CPA in the healthcare field?

Thanks for the responses 🙂

 

[Alanna]

I think it's always great to have a business background, no matter what the profession is. Every practice need to make profit to survive. And one day, I can do my own books, ha, that's as far as I got so far 😛
Thanks!

 

[FrkyBgStok]

So alanna may know more about the current rules regarding the CPA process. I know you need a certain number of credits to sit for the exam (which is why a lot of people just get their masters) and I think after you pass the multiple parts you become CPA eligible. But I think it needs to be in public accouting.

Another reason my wife decided against is kind of related to alanna's point. Considering prehealth is different because if he/she decides not to, no loss. But my wife mentioned that if she got her CPA now and didn't work as a public accountant for 5-10 years, accounting regulations change so much it wouldn't help her at all and she would need to retake it.

So if this information is true, it seems like a waste of time to get your CPA tests done now. However you should look into this more on your own as I am a stupid truck driver and listen to my wife much less than I should.

 

[Alanna]

You do need 150 credits, with certain amount in accounting and business classes, as defined by standards for each state. Most do require experience (and each state tells you what kind is acceptable) to get license, some/few will give it to you if you have Master's (like Colorado), that's what I'm doing, then I can transfer later if I want. I am currently getting some experience, but didn't have any when I started CPA process. Once you pass CPA exam and get licensed, you don't have to re-take it, but you have to do CPE every couple of years, to keep current. Like I said, it's not really a waste, in case other things won't work out. I have to pay for my classes and exam. But at the end, I have no clue how the adcom would see this.