Pros and Cons of Getting a Master's Degree Before Medical School

There is no distinct route that leads a person to a successful career, and this is true in any line of work. This can be frustrating for some and empowering for others, but regardless of how your emotions are tangled up in this fact, options are generally never a bad thing. Hence, there is no justification in either direction to dictate if you should or should not pursue a master's degree before applying to medical school. This extremely personal choice can be made by breaking down the pros and cons and determining how they apply to your life and your goals for the future. 

Pros

Funding must be at the top of every prospecting students list of deciding factors. Sure, you want this degree, but how are you going to pay for it. The need to take out student loans from a private lender in order to pay for your graduate medical degree can be a pro though. Having control over which lender you select to borrow money from is certainly an advantage. Placing grad school before medical school also gives you a chance to go through the experience of the private loan process and learn about how to navigate that so when it comes time to inevitably borrow for more funding for med school you have real life evidence of what does and does not suit you regarding loans. 

If your interests are heavily research based, a master's degree is a huge pro, the advantages for aspiring physicians are great because this additional exposure to practical education will not only quench your thirst for knowledge but it will also pad your resume with proven exposure to data in a specific field. Medical school is going to require highly developed research skills and placing a master's program between undergrad and med school gives you a chance to develop and perfect those skills. Having a proven successful set of scholastic habits already established is going to decrease the shock value for you once you officially enter the stage of med school. 

Cons

Assuming that this step is a need, an absolute must, is probably the biggest misconception. You do not need a master's degree in order to apply for medical school and be considered an attractive candidate. While it is true that your grad program can raise your GPA, which does make your med school application stand out from competitors, if you have a strong enough resume without it, you are still a horse in the race. A second con is taking this step without a clear and concise vision as to how this course of study will facilitate your career goals. If you are still in the space of figuring out exactly where you want to land professionally inside the medical community then do not waste the time and money by earning a master's degree which could potentially qualify you in an area that you are not only not personally interested in, but not planning to make a professional investment in as well.