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881105
Hi everyone,
I am a 29-year old lawyer who has not completed any med school prerequisites and is looking for advice from people on this forum regarding whether my particular plan for transitioning from law to medicine is realistic and feasible. My community is one of the ones impacted by the current travel ban. While we seem to have relatively good legal resources and non-profits assisting us, there is a clear deficit in mental health professionals that can provide true empathetic care for the significant levels of anxiety and depression that many in the community are facing. For example, some are openly talking about the possibility that our community could "die out" in the United States. I want to do something to directly help, and after months of soul searching I have come to the decision that psychiatry would provide me the best options for being able to directly help with this issue versus a psychologist or psych NP role. I understand that by the time I finish my residency the political situation could be significantly different, but that does not remove the possibility that people could have lingering mental health issues due to their experiences during this time. For many second-generation members of this community, this is the first time they have felt like they do not belong in this country.
Anyway, here is some background on me. I graduated 7 years ago with over a 3.9 from a B.S. in Political Science. Two years ago, I graduated from a Top 10 law school and worked for a year at a BigLaw firm. I then transitioned to leading a governmental unit where I have less than 10 employees but we oversee over $1 billion in programs. My other work experience includes clerking for a federal agency, and helping the DoJ combat Medicare/Medicaid fraud. My grandfather was a physician who did his medical residency here then returned to practice in the country we are from. When I was younger, I would travel there in the summers and regularly shadowed him.
I went to an info session last night on a relatively new Post-Bacc program in my area. It is not well known or selective, but I could potentially take accelerated Chemistry, Org, and Physics courses (meaning I would take Chem I and II in one semester, etc.) while keeping my job in some capacity. I would not take more than one accelerated course per semester. I have talked to my boss about this possibility and she's very supportive and has said she's willing to provide whatever flexibility I need including flex time, remote working, or reduced hours so I can take courses. I am also in a long-term relationship with an engineer who is supportive of me trying. He has taken most of these courses so he has said he could help tutor me for them and for portions of the MCAT. I am currently looking to volunteer at some of the psychiatric wards at local hospitals.
The major negatives are the usual for nontrads. In the most optimistic scenario I would not be a med student until 2021 or 2022, when I would be 33 or 34. There are also the costs and time commitments associated with trying. By that time the political environment could be very different, but the shortage of psychiatrists in my community (especially LGBT ones) likely will not be alleviated.
If you have any tips, suggestions, or blunt advice I would appreciate it. Thanks!
I am a 29-year old lawyer who has not completed any med school prerequisites and is looking for advice from people on this forum regarding whether my particular plan for transitioning from law to medicine is realistic and feasible. My community is one of the ones impacted by the current travel ban. While we seem to have relatively good legal resources and non-profits assisting us, there is a clear deficit in mental health professionals that can provide true empathetic care for the significant levels of anxiety and depression that many in the community are facing. For example, some are openly talking about the possibility that our community could "die out" in the United States. I want to do something to directly help, and after months of soul searching I have come to the decision that psychiatry would provide me the best options for being able to directly help with this issue versus a psychologist or psych NP role. I understand that by the time I finish my residency the political situation could be significantly different, but that does not remove the possibility that people could have lingering mental health issues due to their experiences during this time. For many second-generation members of this community, this is the first time they have felt like they do not belong in this country.
Anyway, here is some background on me. I graduated 7 years ago with over a 3.9 from a B.S. in Political Science. Two years ago, I graduated from a Top 10 law school and worked for a year at a BigLaw firm. I then transitioned to leading a governmental unit where I have less than 10 employees but we oversee over $1 billion in programs. My other work experience includes clerking for a federal agency, and helping the DoJ combat Medicare/Medicaid fraud. My grandfather was a physician who did his medical residency here then returned to practice in the country we are from. When I was younger, I would travel there in the summers and regularly shadowed him.
I went to an info session last night on a relatively new Post-Bacc program in my area. It is not well known or selective, but I could potentially take accelerated Chemistry, Org, and Physics courses (meaning I would take Chem I and II in one semester, etc.) while keeping my job in some capacity. I would not take more than one accelerated course per semester. I have talked to my boss about this possibility and she's very supportive and has said she's willing to provide whatever flexibility I need including flex time, remote working, or reduced hours so I can take courses. I am also in a long-term relationship with an engineer who is supportive of me trying. He has taken most of these courses so he has said he could help tutor me for them and for portions of the MCAT. I am currently looking to volunteer at some of the psychiatric wards at local hospitals.
The major negatives are the usual for nontrads. In the most optimistic scenario I would not be a med student until 2021 or 2022, when I would be 33 or 34. There are also the costs and time commitments associated with trying. By that time the political environment could be very different, but the shortage of psychiatrists in my community (especially LGBT ones) likely will not be alleviated.
If you have any tips, suggestions, or blunt advice I would appreciate it. Thanks!
