MD Student to Finance

Graduated in 2006 from a top 25 in finance.

Had no career plan, took a job as a realtor, did well but recession hit hard.

Did a terminal MA during the recession, couple pubs, got a great job offer in consulting in 2011.

Got hired away by a well known RE firm in 2013, made ridiculous money, went full Kenny Powers. Made a 200 IQ move by hitting/quitting boss' secretary, got canned a few weeks later, had a bunch of interviews since but soft side of reputation ruined.

While doing light contract consulting in down time (which wasn't bad, averaged about 125k), did a lot of very anima-possessed "soul-searching" and determined I wanted to "help people" by becoming a doctor...at 34.

Got into perhaps the worst MD program in the country at 36. Went to MD program, its actually a social justice indoctrination program with a little medicine sprinkled in. My motivation for coming was all wrong...I can't imagine not earning again until late 40s...I don't like the program...I'm going to leave.

I realize I have a ton of issues relative to someone fresh out of college, but anyone think there are doors possibly open in anywhere in conventional finance - eg health care equity research, CFP-track positions, even commission-driven sales?

 
Honeybadger5386:

Got into perhaps the worst MD program in the country at 36. Went to MD program, its actually a social justice indoctrination program with a little medicine sprinkled in.

San Juan Bautista School of Medicine?

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 
Most Helpful
Honeybadger5386:
did a lot of

"soul-searching" and

determined I wanted to "help people" by becoming a doctor...at 34.

I went through a very similar phase, but the desire to become an MD has never really left me. Part of it is being hindered by not making money in school and for 8 years having a lack of independence/freedom to do entrepreneurial things.

I hit some other roadblocks though with courses and was going to have to at least do a refresh / update on pre-reqs. I'm still interested in an MD (psychiatry), but maybe later in life.

How did you get past the pre-req courses and the MCAT? I found the MCAT to be a large pain in the ass and had the Kaplan books, Kaplan course, and Berkeley review books, but ended up not taking the exam (yet). Maybe I won't have to in the future if I do a post-bacc program with linkages.

Didn't you have to do hospital research as well? I don't quite understand how you developed such an interest for medicine and why/how your reasons changed to back out of it. I spent nearly a year in this process, studying, doing research, and I took some 700 level neuroscience courses during that period as well.

What specialty did you want to do in medicine?

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 
Isaiah_53_5:
I went through a very similar phase, but the desire to become an MD has never really left me. Part of it is being hindered by not making money in school and for 8 years having a lack of independence/freedom to do entrepreneurial things.

Correct. I mean I can cover the cost of med school with savings, but I could also realistically retire in the midwest or something on the same timeline, or start a business.

How did you get past the pre-req courses and the MCAT? I found the MCAT to be a large pain in the ass and had the Kaplan books, Kaplan course, and Berkeley review books, but ended up not taking the exam (yet). Maybe I won't have to in the future if I do a post-bacc program with linkages.

I took all of the courses at night at a regional university that offers courses on open-enrollment. My contract consulting was flexible enough that it permitted that with a little moxy and a lot of hours.

The MCAT isn't that malleable. I spent about 200 hours with berkeley review bio and upped my score by about 2 points. By contrast CARS and psych I didn't prep for and scored 99th and 90th percentile.

You don't have to have research (I had interviews at a top 50 and 6 others lower half), but you do need shadowing, which is a bigger pain in the ass than research.

I don't quite understand how you developed such an interest for medicine and why/how your reasons changed to back out of it.

What specialty did you want to do in medicine?

I was originally thinking surgery, but, realistically, I'm 47 or 48 when I'm done, and I don't know that it'll be obtainable...I've always been one of the smartest guys in the room, now I'm maybe 50th percentile. Practically, I'm not sure surgery will be an option.

My girlfriend bailed when I started this, and there are no single women over 30 in my program (or even over 25 I believe) and the program is rural in a conservative state where most people get married by mid 20s. Is starting a family in early-mid 40s with a 45k or late 40s with a 300k per year income as a man realistic? I don't know, but it'll certainly be limiting.

I knew coming in that this wasn't the best program, but its a joke - professors (without clinical duties) no show for lectures all the time, the lecture quality is horrible, professionalism of faculty is laughable, the tests are riddled with spelling errors and things not covered in lecture, etc.

I am also profoundly mismatched to the culture of my school, which is full-blast "social justice warrior" - and this wastes enormous amounts of time and has generated some friction for sure.

 
Honeybadger5386:
Isaiah_53_5:
I went through a very similar phase, but the desire to become an MD has never really left me. Part of it is being hindered by not making money in school and for 8 years having a lack of independence/freedom to do entrepreneurial things.

Correct. I mean I can cover the cost of med school with savings, but I could also realistically retire in the midwest or something on the same timeline, or start a business.

How did you get past the pre-req courses and the MCAT? I found the MCAT to be a large pain in the ass and had the Kaplan books, Kaplan course, and Berkeley review books, but ended up not taking the exam (yet). Maybe I won't have to in the future if I do a post-bacc program with linkages.

I took all of the courses at night at a regional university that offers courses on open-enrollment. My contract consulting was flexible enough that it permitted that with a little moxy and a lot of hours.

The MCAT isn't that malleable. I spent about 200 hours with berkeley review bio and upped my score by about 2 points. By contrast CARS and psych I didn't prep for and scored 99th and 90th percentile.

You don't have to have research (I had interviews at a top 50 and 6 others lower half), but you do need shadowing, which is a bigger pain in the ass than research.

I don't quite understand how you developed such an interest for medicine and why/how your reasons changed to back out of it.

What specialty did you want to do in medicine?

I was originally thinking surgery, but, realistically, I'm 47 or 48 when I'm done, and I don't know that it'll be obtainable...I've always been one of the smartest guys in the room, now I'm maybe 50th percentile. Practically, I'm not sure surgery will be an option.

My girlfriend bailed when I started this, and there are no single women over 30 in my program (or even over 25 I believe) and the program is rural in a conservative state where most people get married by mid 20s. Is starting a family in early-mid 40s with a 45k or late 40s with a 300k per year income as a man realistic? I don't know, but it'll certainly be limiting.

I knew coming in that this wasn't the best program, but its a joke - professors (without clinical duties) no show for lectures all the time, the lecture quality is horrible, professionalism of faculty is laughable, the tests are riddled with spelling errors and things not covered in lecture, etc.

I am also profoundly mismatched to the culture of my school, which is full-blast "social justice warrior" - and this wastes enormous amounts of time and has generated some friction for sure.

Oh - sounds like a really weird school. If their curriculum and structure is so loose, they must not have good residency placements right?

Surgery is crazy bro! Damn. That a lot of schooling, man. Props though for at least getting this far. Maybe you could transfer into another school?

You're also in the late range (age range) for getting an MBA if you wanted to transfer directly to start next fall. Applications are still open, I think. That would be like a party compared to your current program. But, could open doors if that is what you're seeking. You seem like the type who could get a 740+ or something on the GMAT which may negate your age and add to the diversity factor.

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

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