To include a graduate transcript or not??

[PD187540]

---

Members don't see this ad.

That is the question...

Last year, I was accepted into a Ph.D. program, then dropped out because I discovered that a life behind a research bench wasn't for me. Then, I went into an online master's program (from the same university) for teaching, immediately after withdrawing from the Ph.D. I did this just for the sake of keeping busy with my life, and I withdrew from the Master's after the first semester. So I technically have a graduate transcript with withdrawals for grades listed under the Ph.D., and As for the first semester in the master's.

Should I include that transcript in my applications, or should I just dismiss the whole thing? If I include it, I don't want med schools to think that I can't commit to something and follow through with it, because that's not the case at all. I could use that situation and turn it around by saying that medical school was the underlying, unconscious motivation that led me to withdraw, and I finally discovered my true heart's desire.

When I put it like that, I think that's a great explanation for my withdrawals from those programs (which is true). I just don't want them to see it as non-committal.

So what should I do? Include the transcripts while mentioning my reasons for withdrawing in a personal essay, or just not even send them or mention that I attended grad school? I'm leaning towards dismissing the whole thing...

 

[apumic]

You have no choice. You must submit it.

 

[getright]

You actually have to send all of your post-secondary transcripts to amcas. Definitely explain the withdrawals in your PS.

 

[Sammich117]

You have no choice. You must submit it.

This. You don't get to pick and choose what AMCAS gets.

 

[gettheleadout]

And don't think about not submitting it and hoping they won't find it; they will.

 

[Ride Big Sky]

you could get screwed over if you dont submit ALL transcripts

 

[rHinO1]

In addition to having to submit the transcripts, I think your fear of being perceived as a flake is a real concern. You say your not, but in fact your actions show you are, twice. I think schools will be concerned you will quit on them too. Hopefully, you have a long history of shadowing, volunteering, or clinically relevant work to demonstrate your interest in medicine, and that this isn't another one of your passing fancies.

 

[0919mmk]

In addition to having to submit the transcripts, I think your fear of being perceived as a flake is a real concern. You say your not, but in fact your actions show you are, twice. I think schools will be concerned you will quit on them too. Hopefully, you have a long history of shadowing, volunteering, or clinically relevant work to demonstrate your interest in medicine, and that this isn't another one of your passing fancies.

THIS! Your biggest obstacle in getting an acceptance is not going to be your grades/age/withdraws/anything else. It's going to be proving that you are not a flake, and frankly, that's going to be a tough sell. You need to show them many hours of med volunteering and shadowing for them to believe that you are sure that his is your "true heart's desire". Normally I would say shadowing is not important in the med application (my gf got 11 interviews/4 accepts without any shadowing), but in your case, you'll need both shadowing and a lot (100-200+) hours of med volunteering.

If I were you, I'd get on this right away, mostly to see if this is indeed what you want to do or if you will get bored of it. I'm not trying to be facetious, just making the point that you need to be 100% sure that this is what you want to do with your life (i.e. much surer than you were about the PhD or Masters). Right now, you can't possibly be 100% sure (unless you already have done 200+ hours of med volunteering, in which case I retract my last statement).

 

[0919mmk]

When I put it like that, I think that's a great explanation for my withdrawals from those programs (which is true). I just don't want them to see it as non-committal.

I actually disagree that this is a "great explanation" - I dont think people will buy it.

Honestly, if I were in your position, I'd own up and admit that you had no direction in your life, THEN you did 200+ hours of med volunteering, and THEN decided that medicine is for you. The whole "I had an epiphany and I knew that i had to be a doctor" reads as "I couldn't do what I was doing, so I thought medicine seems like a good backup" to an adcom. Which is bad. Rethink this, and good luck.

 

[PD187540]

I actually disagree that this is a "great explanation" - I dont think people will buy it.

Honestly, if I were in your position, I'd own up and admit that you had no direction in your life, THEN you did 200+ hours of med volunteering, and THEN decided that medicine is for you. The whole "I had an epiphany and I knew that i had to be a doctor" reads as "I couldn't do what I was doing, so I thought medicine seems like a good backup" to an adcom. Which is bad. Rethink this, and good luck.

Well, I had over 2000 hours of relevant clinical experience and two years of work experience before applying to TWO Ph.D. programs. The first one I had to withdraw from because I got sick (I was literally confined in bed for four months), and the second one was voluntary. Bottom line is that I was avoiding doing what I was meant to do for the rest of my life due to irrational fear, which I overcame. As an undergrad, I never took physics or orgo II (wasn't required for my medically-oriented major...why, I don't know, and I'm still angry at my college for not making those courses part of the curriculum), and I started working fresh out of college. I didn't want to go through with the extra coursework at that time and I wasn't ready at all for the MCAT obviously, so I applied to grad school since I had an interest in research (still do to an extent) and I had the coursework and GRE score for it.

End result being was that my heart just wasn't in a full-time research/teaching career, and medical school is IT. Heck, as an M.D., you can also engage in teaching and research! Best of everything. You know, I'm shelling out a few thousand dollars out of pocket now to complete three pre-requisite courses, I'm NOT working so I can devote full-time study to completing those courses AND studying for the MCAT, and I'm going to be doing some heavy volunteer work from this summer on. Talk about SACRIFICE......Don't tell ME that this indicates that I'm a flake! PLEASE...and after reading this, any medical school that would think I'm a flake should be ashamed of itself. I'm completely devoted, and there's no turning back.

Come to think of it, I should have paid closer attention to the illness that caused me to withdraw from the FIRST Ph.D. program. That illness was the sign that was telling me to pursue medical school rather than a Ph.D., and I was completely oblivious to it then. The very fact that I was suddenly struck with a debilitating illness (and health/disease-curing of the patient being a main goal of every physician) was "the sign." (and yes, I do believe in intuition and the cosmos sending out signals).

As far as my essay(s) go, I obviously have plenty to write about (and good material, too). The only problem is that AMCAS only requires a one-page main essay. Obviously, that's an extremely limited amount of space, so I will try to be as blunt and assertive as possible (a writing strength of mine). Secondary apps should supplement what I have to say nicely as well, and I won't hesitate to give a little plug about granting me an interview to further discuss this in person.

 

[PD187540]

If I were you, I'd get on this right away, mostly to see if this is indeed what you want to do or if you will get bored of it.

And as for being bored, there's no way that would happen. My ultimate goal is to become a pathologist, and my work and clinical experience directly involves work in pathology. The very nature of the work has TONS of variety, which would keep me busy and interested to no end. Granted, medical school will also give me the opportunity to explore other branches of medicine. And who knows...I actually may not go into pathology after all once medical school broadens my horizons, but it's good to have some sort of initial interest and DIRECTION (har-har).

 

[Captain Fantastic]

Make it work for you. It's not really that much different from anyone else trying to decide what they want to be when they grow up. Some people knew they wanted to be a doc since elementary school. Some of us took a little longer to figure it out.

I left a graduate degree in engineering unfinished...just walked away with the classes under my belt and a year's worth of thesis research invested. Somewhere in there I started and withdrew from an MBA program, too. Then I went back to school for a premed post-bacc and applied to medical school. Sure looked like I was searching for the right fit. I just had to convince them that I was certain I found it this time.

Obviously, my app looked different than your app will and I interview differently than you do so your outcome might be different, but don't let a little indecision/regret in your earlier life hold you back from the M.D. if that's what you really want.

And to answer your question, send in ALL your transcripts. Schools look down on people trying to skirt the rules a lot more than they do non-traditional students.

 

[PD187540]

Make it work for you. It's not really that much different from anyone else trying to decide what they want to be when they grow up. Some people knew they wanted to be a doc since elementary school. Some of us took a little longer to figure it out.

I left a graduate degree in engineering unfinished...just walked away with the classes under my belt and a year's worth of thesis research invested. Somewhere in there I started and withdrew from an MBA program, too. Then I went back to school for a premed post-bacc and applied to medical school. Sure looked like I was searching for the right fit. I just had to convince them that I was certain I found it this time.

Obviously, my app looked different than your app will and I interview differently than you do so your outcome might be different, but don't let a little indecision/regret in your earlier life hold you back from the M.D. if that's what you really want.

And to answer your question, send in ALL your transcripts. Schools look down on people trying to skirt the rules a lot more than they do non-traditional students.

Duly noted, Cap'n! Thanks for your input 👍 You're totally right about making it work for you. What would seem like a handicap on the surface could easily be turned around in your favor. I strongly believe in that, and it's all in how you come off, how you describe it, etc.