What was your previous profession?

[Glys]

Graduated in '05 with a BS in Optical Science and Engineering.
During college, a lot of work with defense companies and national labs.
After college, 4 years in the contact lens industry until I got downsized, then 2.5 years in ophthalmic VC funded start-up company. Have slowly worked towards more and more medical products and more clinical contact. I've reached the max for my current profession and want to do more. Applying for Med School 2012.

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[lateat32]

I am 32, majored in Finance, worked in construction since graduation,
now finally realizing who I am and that I want medicine.

Is there anyone with this story? What careers have they changed from?

 

[NoTownPreMed]

I'm 23 and I've been a registered nurse for about a year and a half and I'm taking the one year fast track route on getting my BSN then will be starting my pre-reqs.

 

[phillypd]

first... if you are 26 and under, your not considered a non-traditional student. Most students who enter grad school (medical or otherwise) are between 22 -27. Non traditionals are usually those over 30 who have spouses and children, and have worked in a profession for 10years or longer. They are usually folks who went to college in the evenings and worked during the day.
But on a lighter note, I used to be a cop for 10 years.... now i'm a 3rd year medical student...
Beware of what you wish for...... med school will shed a few years off your life...and put some extra gray hairs on ur head.

 

[NoTownPreMed]

I never knew that. I thought it was folks who graduated, worked in thr profession, and then had an epiphany towards medicine regardless of the time invested. I am married for 3 years and have a 1 year old, which makes me the junior non-trad . By the time I finish my BSN and pre-reqs I will be in my late 20's. I shouldn't have to worry at all about gray hair, believe it or not I already have them, lots of them . It could be hereditary, but then again I shave my head every month.

 

[mauberley]

My nearly eight-year career as a software engineer in the medical devices industry just came to an end yesterday. D:

 

[xfiretampa]

Internal Auditor, fun fun. This job will be coming to an end in 22days!!!

 

[LCSULLA]

Wow. There is a ton of diversity on this thread!

3 yrs accounting and business analyst
7 yrs public sector consultant
6 yrs waiter (Did that through undergrad and grad school and about to jump on that band wagon again for my pre-reqs)
5 yr various other jobs (book keeper, retail, host, installing security systems)

 

[kraskadva]

first... if you are 26 and under, your not considered a non-traditional student. Most students who enter grad school (medical or otherwise) are between 22 -27. Non traditionals are usually those over 30 who have spouses and children, and have worked in a profession for 10years or longer. They are usually folks who went to college in the evenings and worked during the day.

Oh, be nice You're right about the "usually" but not about the all encompassing statement.
I think, at least for the purposes of this forum, a non-trad is anyone who didn't go direct HS to college to med school. It may not be the same detour you took, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a detour.

 

[DoctorRock25]

The pay sucked as a high schooler? Wait till you start college!

Only after college, it's the total opposite

 

[Deanwvu]

I've spent the last 11 years or so as a professional euphonium player.




I'll give anyone a cookie who knows what that is without Googling it.

 

[laj85]

Apparently I'm not "really" non-trad, since I'm 26, but it sure feels like I've been out of the academic world for a while....

I graduated in 07, and then worked for four summer seasons as an Outward Bound instructor, leading 2-3 week courses with teenage students, teaching them to rock-climb, canoe, and backpack throughout the rural northeast.

I taught snowboarding and worked various restaurant jobs in a small mountain town for one winter.

I started my own online crafts-based business a few years ago, which I still manage, with the help of my partner.

I now work in the outdoor industry (sales), and at a small women's health clinic. And for now I spend every free moment filling out secondaries....

 

[trins]

I've spent the last 11 years or so as a professional euphonium player.




I'll give anyone a cookie who knows what that is without Googling it.

May I have a cookie anyways???

 

[km17]

first... if you are 26 and under, your not considered a non-traditional student. Most students who enter grad school (medical or otherwise) are between 22 -27. Non traditionals are usually those over 30 who have spouses and children, and have worked in a profession for 10years or longer. They are usually folks who went to college in the evenings and worked during the day.
But on a lighter note, I used to be a cop for 10 years.... now i'm a 3rd year medical student...
Beware of what you wish for...... med school will shed a few years off your life...and put some extra gray hairs on ur head.

I'd like to respectfully point out that the definition of non-trad for this forum is by no means as strict as outlined above (and I am not trying to imply that every medical school will consider you non-traditional if you're a "more traditional" SDN non-trad) but please see myth #2:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=782695

 

[Dayzie]

I've spent the last 11 years or so as a professional euphonium player.




I'll give anyone a cookie who knows what that is without Googling it.

I like sugar cookies. I was in band, and totally know what it is.

 

[Deanwvu]

I like sugar cookies. I was in band, and totally know what it is.

Welp, next time you are in DC, I'll bring you a sugar cookie

 

[Dayzie]

Just flew through there back at the end of June on my way to Charleston, WV. Sorry I missed out.

 

[Gaborik10]

I'm 24 and I'm coming from a TV/Radio Background. I was a field logger on a reality TV show. I was also a producer at a few different radio stations. I'm actually starting a job soon working with NHL GameCenter.

 

[FocusedMD]

ex-Military (Honorable discharge), then I was in the construction industry, then taught high school in New York city for 2 years, full time Church pastor for 4 years.

 

[doctor712]

I'm 24 and I'm coming from a TV/Radio Background. I was a field logger on a reality TV show. I was also a producer at a few different radio stations. I'm actually starting a job soon working with NHL GameCenter.

My saturday nights watching don cherry, from south Florida, on NHL gamecenter THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

 

[Gaborik10]

My saturday nights watching don cherry, from south Florida, on NHL gamecenter THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

HAHA! Gamecenter is so awesome.

 

[JKinSC]

My saturday nights watching don cherry, from south Florida, on NHL gamecenter THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Seconded. Though, from South Carolina here.

 

[MVP2026]

Started off thinking I wanted a PhD, got 4 years into that route before leaving with a masters (want to go to med school but didn't think I'd get in). Then I managed a mol genetics lab for a while, sold confocal scopes for a year then jumped into energy and currently manage a team of 20 employees in the accounting department.

 

[Naos]

Another "not really" non-trad here; I'll be 27 this year. I graduated with a B.Arch from a Canadian university in 2006 and I've been working in a small architectural firm in Colorado ever since. I was lucky enough to survive the massive layoffs when the market crashed but that's probably because I make less than most waiters do. That isn't a hit on serving staff by the way, I paid my way through university that way, I just work insane hours for less money than they do. I can't wait to hand in my notice in December and head back to school in January.

 

[FightinUruKai]

Law Office Secretary
Nanny
Tour Guide
EMT-B
Front Desk at a Colonics/Naturopathy Spa (for two months)
Administrative Assistant at a hedge fund

The colonics place makes for the best story

 

[Eyez0n]

Air Traffic Controller turned UAV Pilot turned Military Officer ... Now working on getting back to school to go pre-med... Wish I would have taken some science classes the first time around.

 

[Rya]

1. 82nd Airborne - 1/325 AIR
2. Waiter - was horrible
3. ED tech community hospital - eye opening
4. ED tech at a children's hospital - hard on my ears
5. Firefighter/Paramedic for last twelve years in busy city
6. Also work part-time in the Cardiac Cath Lab

 

[aviendhae]

Let's see, in terms of roles I was a:
College Dropout
Wife
Mother
Single Mother
Separated
Unemployed
Girlfriend
Divorcee
Student (current role)

Employment consisted of working as an executive assistant and a bookkeeper. I even started my own bookkeeping business last year and that is what fueled me to go back to school - for accounting.

Then I took a math class, dropped it, and fell in love (again) with medicine.

 

[AnotherGasMan]

student -> photo assistant.

I help make pretty pictures of pretty ladies in pretty dresses....

 

[80123]

BA in Chemistry > financial analyst for 2 yrs > quit and played minor pro hockey for 2 seasons > bike messenger > independent commodities trader for 13 yrs > present...student. oh yeah, i'm 40 and have two boys age 3 and 1.