To Finish or Not To Finish Masters Degree

[daysaway]

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So I've been accepted to my top choice med school and I start in early august. I'm currently enrolled in a one year masters program (which has cost upwards of $30,000). My last test in my program is the first week of august, less than a week before I'm supposed to start first year orientation. In this last class that I need to graduate I'm gonna have to work my butt off to get a passing grade and thus get my MS.

But I have a dilemma. The med school I was accepted to said that they don't mind if I finish my masters degree or not. Now ideally I would have some time between the end of my program and the beginning of first year in order to relax before I have to start the grind of med school. I'm not sure though if dropping the program is a good idea though. Will the MS do anything for me in the future? It was one of those programs that is designed to help you get into med school. I would hate to have put in a year of work only to leave the program with one class unfinished on my transcript, but at the same time I'm worried that not having a break will cause me to burn out during my first year. Does anyone have any experience with this? Is there any real reason, besides the money, that I should finish the masters degree?

 

[aspiring20]

So I've been accepted to my top choice med school and I start in early august. I'm currently enrolled in a one year masters program (which has cost upwards of $30,000). My last test in my program is the first week of august, less than a week before I'm supposed to start first year orientation. In this last class that I need to graduate I'm gonna have to work my butt off to get a passing grade and thus get my MS.

But I have a dilemma. The med school I was accepted to said that they don't mind if I finish my masters degree or not. Now ideally I would have some time between the end of my program and the beginning of first year in order to relax before I have to start the grind of med school. I'm not sure though if dropping the program is a good idea though. Will the MS do anything for me in the future? It was one of those programs that is designed to help you get into med school. I would hate to have put in a year of work only to leave the program with one class unfinished on my transcript, but at the same time I'm worried that not having a break will cause me to burn out during my first year. Does anyone have any experience with this? Is there any real reason, besides the money, that I should finish the masters degree?

Quit the masters.

 

[bollywoodlover]

Seems like any decision you make will be fine. Just do what you want to do since the med school is fine with any decision you make. I'd prob take the last test and finish the degree..but that's because I care about getting my return on an investment and could not fathom spending thousands and not getting the degree. I probably wouldn't work hard for an A though...just try to get what I need to pass the masters.

 

[DrHa]

So I've been accepted to my top choice med school and I start in early august. I'm currently enrolled in a one year masters program (which has cost upwards of $30,000). My last test in my program is the first week of august, less than a week before I'm supposed to start first year orientation. In this last class that I need to graduate I'm gonna have to work my butt off to get a passing grade and thus get my MS.

But I have a dilemma. The med school I was accepted to said that they don't mind if I finish my masters degree or not. Now ideally I would have some time between the end of my program and the beginning of first year in order to relax before I have to start the grind of med school. I'm not sure though if dropping the program is a good idea though. Will the MS do anything for me in the future? It was one of those programs that is designed to help you get into med school. I would hate to have put in a year of work only to leave the program with one class unfinished on my transcript, but at the same time I'm worried that not having a break will cause me to burn out during my first year. Does anyone have any experience with this? Is there any real reason, besides the money, that I should finish the masters degree?

I'd finish it, you already paid for it and are so close. Plus then you can say you have a masters, 2 more months for something that stays with you forever so why not?

 

[Narmerguy]

Finish what you've started. It isn't always about doing only what is obligated of you, but rather doing what you owe to yourself. For the most part, I've found that it doesn't really take that long of a break to prepare to jump back into school mode so I wouldn't worry about burnout as a result of finishing your masters.

 

[Cardiothoracic]

I'd finish it.

 

[SN12357]

But I have a dilemma. The med school I was accepted to said that they don't mind if I finish my masters degree or not. Now ideally I would have some time between the end of my program and the beginning of first year in order to relax before I have to start the grind of med school. I'm not sure though if dropping the program is a good idea though. Will the MS do anything for me in the future? It was one of those programs that is designed to help you get into med school. I would hate to have put in a year of work only to leave the program with one class unfinished on my transcript, but at the same time I'm worried that not having a break will cause me to burn out during my first year. Does anyone have any experience with this? Is there any real reason, besides the money, that I should finish the masters degree?

Do you plan on pursuing research as a career? Degree inflation has definitely reached academic medicine and more and more physician researchers have at least a masters in addition to their MD. There is some value to it there.

On the other hand if you want to be a straight clinician I doubt it would matter, although I have no direct experience to back that up.

 

[survivordo]

Finish it. If you don't you are guaranteed to need it somewhere down there line. You don't want to have a "man if I had just taken that one last test" moment. At least you'll have something to show for your 30k

Survivor DO