Chicago Hopeless Posted January 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 This is my first year applying, so I haven't gotten in anywhere yet, but I actually did what I did partly on the advice of a friend who was in a very similar situation. She chose to get letters from people who knew her better than her PhD supervisor did, and she got into several schools on her first try. That's quite encouraging to hear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloh Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 You said committees would raise their eyebrows, but do you think they'd reject me outright because of my decision to leave the PhD? I won't be able to get support from anyone from my grad career, at least not the kind of support that I believe is needed to submit a strong application. I would be relying on my strong undergraduate record, and some very crucial life experiences to make up for this deficiency. You said I might be alright if I cover my bases. Could you be more specific? Assuming I cannot get a letter from anyone related to my grad career, and I was left to justify my situation through my ABS or personal statement, would I be doomed from the outset? Should I save my money and not bother applying? I don't think they will reject you because of it. All of this is irrelevant if you are exceptional in other areas (GPA, ECs), but lets face it, if you are average/below-average in the other areas, this may make them think twice. There are literally hundreds of applicants on the edge of acceptance, separated by mere one hundredths of a percentage point so if you're on the fence, you really need everything you can get. Why risk the baggage when the next person in line is just as qualified? Are you a quitter? Have you become difficult to get along with since undergraduate school? Are you going to medical school just because academe is a dead end and this is the only viable alternative? Will you really be happy in medicine? It's why residency program directors usually prefer people they've worked with. An average applicant with no baggage seems so much better than an exceptional black box. I sympathize with you and understand your plight although I'm having some trouble relating 100% with you. I was also heading towards a PhD program but chose to end it quickly and not go through candidacy when I realized I was getting old. At 21, you think you have all the time in the world but as soon as your friends start getting married, pumping out kids and you're barely through your PhD with a long medical journey ahead, things change. My supervisor was 100% behind me but so were all the committee members (who also wrote on my behalf). I can understand your supervisor getting on your butt because of it (especially if you've never expressed plans for med school previously) but there's no reason why committee members should feel the same. Is that your hunch or have you sat down and talked with them? You may be surprised... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicago Hopeless Posted January 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 Thanks for your insight bloh. I don't think they will reject you because of it. All of this is irrelevant if you are exceptional in other areas (GPA, ECs), but lets face it, if you are average/below-average in the other areas, this may make them think twice. In your estimation, what constitutes an average applicant? I know it probably differs depending on the school in question. I've perused the "Accepted/Rejected/Waitlisted" threads for the various schools I'm interested in (mainly McGill, Ottawa, Queen's, Western, Mac, Dal) to see what kind of stats people have, but it's hard to make a definitive assessment of competitiveness because the info, especially on things like ECs, is typically very fragmentary. Nevertheless, I think I'd at least be competitive in terms of GPA and ECs. Are you a quitter? Have you become difficult to get along with since undergraduate school? Are you going to medical school just because academe is a dead end and this is the only viable alternative? Will you really be happy in medicine? I don't feel like a quitter. I feel like I'm finally making the right decision. I feel like I have to take one step back so that I can take two steps forward. I just don't like walking backwards... I certainly haven't become a jerk or anything like that. But I do not fit in well in my program. It's just a bad situation, but there's no hostility. I think what's happened is that I've basically shut off over the last year, and I must wear my (lack of) enthusiasm on my sleeve. My interactions with faculty have always been pleasant, but never friendly. It's a very neutral kind of feeling. I'm a realist when it comes to academia. I knew that there were no jobs at the end of the road, but I never started university to get a job. I just studied whatever interested me most, and followed my heart. It's just that after having a bunch of success early on in my undergrad, I kind of got focused on my current field of study and rode the wave all the way into a PhD. I'm not a person who always wanted to be a doctor. It's been a fairly recent epiphany, and it came more from my experiences outside of school, working with different organizations, and from a deep interest in science. I learned a bit about what being a doctor entails, and I felt compelled to pursue it. I don't typically change my mind once it's set, and the tipping point for me wanting to pursue this seems to have passed about a year ago. I've been mulling this current situation since then... As to whether I will really be happy in medicine, I only hope I will get the chance to find out from first hand experience. I've come to understand one thing about myself, and it's that what I do is not the source of my happiness, but how I do it. I think I could make a good doctor, but I also think I'd make a good janitor too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloh Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 Those questions were hypothetical and are reasonable questions adcoms may ask if you go in with an abandoned PhD with no recent reference. It's hard to say what an average applicant is but as an example for UofA, the average of accepted was 3.86. That doesn't leave a big spread in GPA. You can see that if you're hovering around 3.7, you're going to need a lot of help in other areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 He will tell his story in the essay, have excellent references and be fully prepared in the interview. Next? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicago Hopeless Posted January 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Thanks again to everyone who replied. There have been a few developments with my advisor, and it looks like I may finish the PhD. In the interim, I will be taking my prereqs and building up my ECs in order to become a stronger candidate. I'm hoping to finish in the next two years, which is longer than I'd like, but I could use the time to grow up a bit, not to mention get the support of my graduate committee. I'm still going to pursue medicine, but it may take a little longer than I was hoping. I will remain active on the forum and continue to learn about the med school process. Hopefully, one day, I can return the favor and share my own insight to those in similar situations. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 so glad you found resolution, and quickly - best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benge88 Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Good luck! I'm sure you will persevere and do just fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lost__in__space Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 I'm glad things got better....grad school can be hairy sometimes at best. Sometimes things take a little longer than expected and it might be frustrating but to each their own path. Don't make comparisons to others, it'll get you down. Just keep chugging along and one day it'll work out if you put in the effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicago Hopeless Posted January 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 I'm glad things got better....grad school can be hairy sometimes at best. Sometimes things take a little longer than expected and it might be frustrating but to each their own path. Don't make comparisons to others, it'll get you down. Just keep chugging along and one day it'll work out if you put in the effort. Thanks lost_in_space. That's some good advice right there. If I could go back in time, I'd have done things a little differently. But, I'm going to stick it out and finish what I started. Hopefully that makes me stronger in the end! Med School will still be there when I'm finished...right?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 Med School will still be there when I'm finished...right?? ..... Right! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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