Incomplete previous education on nursing resume?

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Hello All,

I'm a New Grad RN applying for jobs. I scored an amazing interview, but here's my problem:

I have an incomplete Medical Degree (3 years of med school in another country that I didn't complete due to financial problems); credits from that experience allowed me to get into Nursing School as Advanced standing here. The hospital I'm interviewing with requested background check prior to the interview.

Should I tell them about this previous education or should I omit it? I listed it as Bachelor of Health Sciences on my resume, but now I would have to explain it to the interviewers. My previous education definitely helped me through studying (high GPA), but now I'm afraid it'll decrease my chances in getting the dream ICU job! :confused:

Any ideas about the situation and how to deal with it during an interview?

All suggestions would be greatly appreciated!:)

Thank you.

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You should not have listed it as you say you did. Incomplete education should be listed something like this: Univ of So and So, 1999-2001, majored in premedical studies It is easy to address in the interview, you simply state the truth, but your resume or a job application should not imply that a degree was awarded.

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Caliotter3,

thank you for your reply! Unfortunately, I will have to deal with "wrong" degree being listed, I'll bring an updated resume with all supporting docs as they requested. I guess its not a very good start, but I'll try to explain things during an interview. I just didn't realize they'll ask for background check of previous non-nursing education!

Let it be my lesson!:(

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Specializes in Home Health, Foster Care.

Hi,

I have 2 years of medical school from the caribbean and I put it on my resume because I was a nurse first but did not finish because of family problems. My situation was that I had to include it because I have a two year gap in my work history and I have to explain that gap. I have gone on interviews and it has not stopped me in obtaining employment. I just got hired for a job two weeks ago and because the job was not what the job description said ( I was doing social work in stead of nursing case management, I quit.) This was not explained to me during the interview and it was other issues that were not to my satisfaction and found out after I got hired. I thought I was going to be only doing nursing case management and I could not take it. I stayed for two weeks and quit. I then found another job in which I start June 6th and they just asked me about medical school as well but I got the job. The only thing that I would think about is that since you have 3 years of med school under your belt and you say that you left due to financial problems, will your potential employer think you will leave to finish medical school since you will be making money now. I have been asked the same question, but I tell them that I am pursuing nurse practitioner because it fit my family lifestyle because my children need me to be home with them not on call and gone all the time. The two places that hired me accepted that answer because I got hired :) .

I am not too sure if disclosing it will affect you because it depends on how the person interviewing you take the answer. I think if you do disclose it, I would just tell them that you found it was not for you and decided to go the nursing route not that you had financial problems because then they might think that you will leave your job to finish medical school.

And as Caliotter3 stated, I did put on my resume my school and next to it 2008-2010.

Good Luck in whatever you decide.

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Trendz80,

thanks for replying! I have no intention in completing medical education, I would rather study for NP in the future, due to various reasons. I'm happy to be a critical care nurse! I only had to list these years of study to explain advanced entry into nursing school on my resume, but I guess I listed it wrong and now facing consequences...

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We should sleep overnight on our efforts on our resumes. I made a recent mistake on one of mine and it was thrown back in my face as if I had been deliberately trying to misrepresent the entry. I should have proofread it when I was not tired. Talk about embarassing.

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lying on your original resume is "material misrepresentation". some employers may let you get away with that, but not many. claiming to have a degree and backing down on the claim when asked to present proof is evidence of deceptive character. I'm not sure what country you are from, but this kind of behaviuour does not fly in USA. I hope you didn't lie on your immigration documents. lies detected after admission can be cause for deportation and rescinding of US residency, or even adjusted citizenship.

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Caliotter3,

this is very encouraging reply :), but thanks for sharing! Definitely "good" example to remember for the future!

I recently had another interview and was asked so many questions about my educational history, I never thought they would be more interested to know my life story rather than ask about my abilities to be a good nurse!

So, I decided to go to upcoming dream job interview well-prepared, with "updated" resume and damn good explanation (which I yet have to find) of listing wrong degree.... :(

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Bring a corrected resume and if the subject is even brought up, present it. Or you can bring up the subject yourself (I would wait until the end of the hiring process and say you want a correct document in your file). Just say you did not know how to list it. That is true. If I was working on a nursing degree, I would probably put the name of that degree too, it is the qualifier that we don't see too often, because most people are lucky enough to have graduated. Get a book on resumes and you can see an example. I got a healthcare occupations resume book that only cost $16.95, I am pretty certain it shows examples of not graduating. Also the resume computer programs probably have a template entry for the same. Good luck on your interview!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.
Unfortunately, I will have to deal with "wrong" degree being listed, I'll bring an updated resume with all supporting docs as they requested. I guess its not a very good start, but I'll try to explain things during an interview. I just didn't realize they'll ask for background check of previous non-nursing education!

Let it be my lesson!:(

Are you saying you do not have a Bachelor's in Health Sciences, but you listed that you earned the degree on your resume?

If so, change your resume now before you send another one that clearly falsifies your education. I'm not sure why you would do that in the first place...

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Caliotter3,

Thank you for valuable recommendations!

Dudette10:

Bachelor of Health Sciences was closest I could think

of to 3 years of med school, especially in another

country's educational system.

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Another tip for future resume writing... I ALWAYS have at least one other person read it. I try to choose people who know me well and are professionals who read resumes often. My mom is my main go to person but I also have friends, teachers, etc. that I will ask to read it before I submit it anywhere. If you have 2 or 3 people read it you have a good chance of it not only being accurate and not misleading but if you have someone who reads resumes on a regular basis you have a chance of being able to have your resume stand out from all of the others!

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