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Hey guys,

Anyone have advice for someone thinking about switching from medicine to law?

Thanks in advance for your input

Sidd.

You are certainly going to have questions that need answering.

You're going to have to be more specific in your questions than that. I can't imagine it's going to mean a whole lot, though. High GPA + high LSAT = your ticket to a good school.

Okay, let me elaborate a bit on my train of thought... I do want to be absolutely in alignment with law school prior to attending. With med, it was something I had "decided" senior year in high school without much reconsideration. Overall I do not regret anything. I guess I'm just worrying myself over what an Admissions Committee would think. I will be very honest about it and state what I have learned. I appreciate the richness of experiences I gained through pursuing medicine... and I wouldn't be the person I am if it weren't for the experiences that I have lived.

If I do score well on the LSAT (168+), it would be nice if at least one T14 school would accept me. I feel a bit like an "odd ball" compared to those who have been on the law school path since undergrad. I just feel apprehensive regarding how I would be admitted over a pre-law student fresh out of undergrad with the same scores.... Guess my medical background does add a unique touch and perhaps I add a different perspective to the incoming class.

I've shadowed doctors before... do lawyers let you shadow them? hang out with them for a day?

So long as you don't view law school as a shopping mall for potential cadavers, you'll be treated as any other applicant.

If u play it right it can be a minor plus for diversty reasons. However ur gpa os prob low bec of pre-med classes. If u get a 168, law school becomes an acceptable bet.

thanks all

What's your LSAC GPA? If it's under 3.5, you're going to need 170+ to crack the T14.

You may want to address in your personal statement or in an addendum why you dropped out of med school to pursue law school. Other than that, you won't really be at an advantage or disadvantage compared to other applicants because of your med school background. You might get a small boost for having a science-heavy GPA. People come from all kinds of backgrounds, so don't feel like you're an oddball because you're not a pre-law K-JD. If anything, I think it will work in your favor.

Samara wrote: You may want to address in your personal statement or in an addendum why you dropped out of med school to pursue law school.

This is definitely something worth repeating, because it's the question every admissions officer is going to ask when looking at your background. It's something you definitely can answer (I went to school with several ex-med students), but still, make sure you take the time to do so in your application.

bp shinners wrote:

Samara wrote: You may want to address in your personal statement or in an addendum why you dropped out of med school to pursue law school.

This is definitely something worth repeating, because it's the question every admissions officer is going to ask when looking at your background. It's something you definitely can answer (I went to school with several ex-med students), but still, make sure you take the time to do so in your application.

What they said. Might also want to work it into your PS. Something like "It wasn't until the only class I enjoyed was medical ethics that I knew I had made a mistake...." or some other crap like that. Only written better.

For what its worth,...a friend of mine quit medical school in his first year, was still accepted and attended Harvard Law sometime later.

Don't go. Try to go back to med school. Family med docs in Utah do far better than 99% of lawyers.

"do lawyers let you shadow them? hang out with them for a day?"

Follow a biglaw lawyers, a solo, a gov't lawyer, and a doc reviewer if you can. This should give you a good feeling for how bad things are. Plus, I bet the doc reviewer and the solo can tell you where the best soup kitchens in town are.

I was in the same boat. went to med school for 2.5 years. had a change of heart. applied to law school this year. got into 8. waitlisted at 3. haven't decided yet where i'm going to go. from everything i heard from admissions offices and counselors, the med to law switch was in no way a negative. it was a positive that actually works in your favor as long as you explain why you switched. i focused my personal statement on the switch.