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  • July 4, 2004 at 12:55 am #21936
    merilahna
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    Hi-

    I have an MS in Computer Science from a top 10 university and am working on my Ph D also in computer science. However, recently I decided to realize my dream of going to medical school (previously I couldn’t afford it, but my CS career has changed that), and have decided to start working on the pre-med requirements, take the MCAT, etc . My question is if I should finish my Ph D before applying to medical school or stop in the middle and start focusing on specific classes for pre-med. Friends of mine that are MDs have suggested that having a Ph D in computer science might go against me in the application process because I would be finishing up a degree that I really don’t plan to use and wasting time that I should be spending studying in medical classes. However, my parents think that I will look like a “quitter” if I don’t finish up my Ph D and that will look bad to the admissions committee. Who is right?

    Thanks for your help!

    Gina

    July 4, 2004 at 11:22 am #27455
    y82benji
    Participant

    I think that situation is tough because it introduces a variable in one of the three important questions:
    1. Can you handle medical school?
    2. Will you be a good doctor (more than just learning)?
    3. Do you want to be a doctor?
    A PhD answers the first question. If you can earn a PhD and you do well in those premed sciences you can handle the schooling. However, it makes the third question more important to answer. If you have a PhD in something, why would you want to go back and go to school for four more years and then complete a two to seven year residency at a low wage and tons of hours? I would personally guess that you are better off finishing up the PhD (not like you get that opportunity very often in life…) because you have already gone so far down that career path that you will need to answer #3 extra well regardless. You will have to take special care to really explain why you want to be a doctor both in your application and in any interviews you might get.

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