Experienced engineer jumping to medicine (sorta)

[Engr2Doctor]

Hello everyone! I'm having a bit of a tough time and wanted to reach out for a little insight. I'm an engineer with 5 years of experience and, with my prerequisites already acquired, have decided that I want to go in to medicine. I've been looking for a job for awhile and now have two opportunities who have made me an offer: an engineering job that seems to have ample growth available, and a research opportunity at a medical school. The research opportunity doesn't currently pay anything, but when it does, it likely won't even pay half of what the engineering job will.

Now, I'm very interested in both of these offers, but I'm curious how necessary the research experience is to improving my med school application. I don't think I'm a stellar candidate - my MCAT score is a 506 and my GPA/sGPA is 3.0/3.4. I have volunteering and scribe experience (a few months of each) and I'm also considering DOs. Will the research experience make a significant impact on my application? Or should I just apply with what I currently have and focus on the engineering job in the interim - the finances could come in handy for while I'm a student (if that happens).

I appreciate any and all help. I'm really torn between the financial help and the potential application boost, if present.

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[curbsideconsult]

My opinion is to take the real job and put some green in your bank account. I don't think you have a good chance at MDs so the research wouldn't help anyway. Your sGPA and 506 are decent for DO schools, though this is more of a question for MSAR and Faha. I'm pretty certain DO schools don't care that much for research. But DO schools (MDs too) do care about serving the needy so hopefully your volunteering experience covers that.

 

[workaholic181]

If you apply mainly to DO schools and are open to going to a newer or rural program id apply this year. Nit saying you cant get into a very good DO program with yiur background but i do think MD is a reach given your low core gpa and lower mcat.

 

[Engr2Doctor]

My opinion is to take the real job and put some green in your bank account. I don't think you have a good chance at MDs so the research wouldn't help anyway. Your sGPA and 506 are decent for DO schools, though this is more of a question for MSAR and Faha. I'm pretty certain DO schools don't care that much for research. But DO schools (MDs too) do care about serving the needy so hopefully your volunteering experience covers that.

That's good to know. Thank you for your help.

 

[Engr2Doctor]

If you apply mainly to DO schools and are open to going to a newer or rural program id apply this year. Nit saying you cant get into a very good DO program with yiur background but i do think MD is a reach given your low core gpa and lower mcat.

Yeah, I'm thinking I'll apply this year for sure. Hopefully it's enough...

 

[NuttyEngDude]

Now, I'm very interested in both of these offers, but I'm curious how necessary the research experience is to improving my med school application. I don't think I'm a stellar candidate - my MCAT score is a 506 and my GPA/sGPA is 3.0/3.4. I have volunteering and scribe experience (a few months of each) and I'm also considering DOs. Will the research experience make a significant impact on my application? Or should I just apply with what I currently have and focus on the engineering job in the interim - the finances could come in handy for while I'm a student (if that happens).

Go for the money while you take classes and get clinical experience in your offtime. Research experience didn't matter for much for DO and I had plenty from the engineering. The clinical experience and scribing will not only help you articulate why medicine in general but why from engineering. This was asked of me at every interview for medical school and for residency. Also, throughout the whole process, I had continual emails and phone calls from headhunters offering me engineering jobs. If you are leaving the field be certain it is what you want because when you're up to your elbows in stress, poop and board studies, an easy $100-$150k job offer can be enticing.

 

[redfish955]

If you cut your expenses as though your in medical school and residency you could likely pay off a practical home and square away your retirement over the next ten years. Then you could become a math teacher or something else that helps people and interacts with people on a daily basis. 55k a year goes a long ways if your house is paid for and you have a healthy 401k built already.