Statement of Purpose - should I mention a change in career plans?

[DanTheMan907]

Of course once I finalized my SOP I got some feedback which made me re-think my approach. I had a change of interest that I choose to mention in my SOP. Prior to writing my SOP I was told that I should include this, because it's honest. And if I tried to claim that I've always wanted to be a researcher it would come across as fake (because it is!)

However just yesterday, one of my professors who I think very highly of said I should not include this, because it could raise red flags.

Below is the excerpt of my SOP that mentions my career change.

" When I finished my bachelor’s degree in biological sciences my goal was to attend medical school and become a heart surgeon. I had always been interested in research, but as the first person in my family to attend college I had to work full time during school to support myself, which left little time for volunteering in a lab. When an unforeseen family issue arose that meant I would have to postpone medical school for two years, I used that time to finally get some research experience by pursuing a master’s degree. The experiences I gained in the master’s program helped me realize that pursuing a Ph.D. would be a much better fit for me than the MD route; that I would be happiest in a career as a research faculty member where I could combine human interaction (teaching) with scientific research."

 

Does anyone have any advise on whether or not to include this? Thanks in advance.

Edited November 25, 2015 by DanTheMan907