The unOFFICIAL thread for non-trads, who have famlies,work full-time, etc....

SDN Members don't see this ad. (About Ads)

Hello everyone. If you are like me, You work full time, have a family, go to school and try to find some time to fit in some clinical experience... We all want (eventually) to be Dr.'s... what are you guys doing to get there?

Stories welcome.

As for me, 24 year old... I work full time (50+ hrs a week) I am married, with a soon-to-be baby girl. I volunteer on weekends at a hospital, and I am taking my prereq courses at night.

I graduated from a State University with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Child and Adolescent development.

28, work full time in Animal Health industry, wife in Nursing School...No kids, just 3 cats, 2 dogs, saltwater aquarium and a 4BR, 2BA house on 1/2 acre to tend to...

Go to work during the day, try to work out, do homework for my online class from about 8-11 after cooking dinner and cleaning it up, etc...bed...repeat.

Hoping to be able to take my "lunch hour" to take the Chem lecture this fall and take vacation for lab.

Night classes in the sciences around here are VERY, VERY rare.

Taking a week off to shadow in July...applying for volunteer work at Hospital tomorrow.

27, currently going through a separation, work 38 hours a week, studying for MCAT, trying to apply to DO and MD(show me the money ), workout (kids spending time with grandparents this summer ), trying to find time to volunteer at local hospital and trying to find shawdowing experience and in between all this find time to relax (reading and crocheting)

Nearly 30 years old. Married with 4 boys boys ages 10, 7, 5 and 3. House in the suburbs, work 40+ hrs at OHSU as a biomedical engineering tech, and just wrapped up my science pre-reqs (post bacc, graduated 2001, major: healthcare administration).

Applying to dental school!!

Originally Posted by chan

Hello everyone. If you are like me, You work full time, have a family, go to school and try to find some time to fit in some clinical experience... We all want (eventually) to be Dr.'s... what are you guys doing to get there?

31 here. Starting a divorce.
In my case, it's a little different, since my career (graphics and software/web related stuff) more or less dried up and blew away. So I was back in school anyway trying to figure my life out. Now I'm going to be getting trained as a phlebotomist over the summer, and getting my EMT license in the fall, while in school doing the rest of my GEs. The idea? Instead of trying to fit my clinical experience in with my job, I get a job that gives me clinical experience. I was unemployed, needed retraining in *something*, and have to make a living anyway... I may as well "kill two birds with one stone". So I'm going into health care to make my living.

I'm 29 years old, working 50 hours a week as a pharmaceutical rep and have been working on my prereqs for the past year and a half. I have a bachelors and masters degree in business but no science credits and so I had to start from scratch. I have a wife that works as a nurse, 2 dogs and a cat, no kids.

It has been tough trying to take 12+ credit hours per semester and working full-time. I have absolutely NO social life and I hardly ever get to watch TV or indulge in any of my hobbies. I feel like I have been living in a time capsule for the past 18 months! I make it to the gym maybe a few times a week normally and only once or twice during exams. I take my classes after work and get home at around 9pm. I study till midnight-1am and do it all over again every day. I also volunteer on weekends at my local hospital at the Pedi ER and Escort Services. It will be all worth it though the day I receive my acceptance letters!! Good Luck to everyone!

I'm 27, originally a computer programmer, graduated in 2002 in MIS. I decided to finish my pre-reqs and have been working about 30 hrs a week web programming for a hospital after deciding to leave a pretty good 5 year career(I also worked full-time through school). I've volunteered at the ER on the weekends, and shadowed a physician who is a friend of mine, also do some phlobotomy when I can. I'm married and have no other life besides work and school and extracirruculars when I can fit them in. I am waiting for my MCAT scores as I write this.....that will pretty much dictate my future and that's my story and I'm sticking to it

I was thirty when I applied to med school. I was practicing as a vet during the day, taking MCAT prep course, and trying to spend as much time with my two kids as I could. I look back on that time as being harder than anything I have experienced during my first two years of med school.

Kudos to all of you non-trads chasing the dream. I was in your shoes not too long ago. All of your stories hit so close to home.

It took me an extra year beyond what I had planned, but I start in 6 weeks at 38. My advice: keep plugging, don't let anyone or anything stop you. Obstacles will come up. Just consider them smashed bugs on the windshield. Turn on the wipers, spray some water, clear you path and don't stop.

That and apply to at least 15-20 schools. My mistake was only applying to 8 the first year. This process has a large component of randomness, you never know what aspect of your application will catch some adcom members attention.

Do not allow your current grades to suffer due to overloading your schedule. Your most recent work is the most important. Improving trends are critical, especially those (me!) with less than stellar ugrad GPA's. Prove your knowledge on the MCAT.

You can do it

I'm 25, working evening shift as a registered nurse (about 25 hrs/week), studying for the MCAT, and taking post-bac classes during the day. I'm engaged (we're getting married in July, 2006), and if I'm accepted, I hope to be starting medical school in 2007. It's so nice to hear about other people in similar situations--I wish everyone the best of luck in their own journey towards being a doctor!!

I'm 34 (almost 35), with almost all of the pre-reqs to take. I haven't taken a science class since 1988! Things sure have changed. I have a BA in Economics and an MBA. I work in a job that a detest, but it pays really well. I plan on leaving it and going to school full time in August. I also have a 3 1/2 year old daughter and a divorce in process.

I'm 29, married w/ three kids (5, 3, 6 months). Returned to College in 2003 after a career in the telecom industry. I own a small sporting goods business and work part time as a ER tech. Took MCAT's for the second time after taking a TPR course and only improved by 1 pt (28P). Last time I just studied on my own for six weeks. I know I want to specialize (ortho or ENT) and so am only applying to MD programs next week. Good Luck to all you Non-trad.

Originally Posted by btg138

I'm 34 (almost 35), with almost all of the pre-reqs to take. I haven't taken a science class since 1988! Things sure have changed. I have a BA in Economics and an MBA. I work in a job that a detest, but it pays really well. I plan on leaving it and going to school full time in August. I also have a 3 1/2 year old daughter and a divorce in process.

Hey btg138

I live and work in Mesa, it is nice to see someone else from he valley.

I'm 26 married with a one year old and #2 on the way. I'm a full time mom and my son has 2 rare genetic disorders so my time is consumed with dr. appts, mri's, and most of all: arguing with the insurance company! i'm currently reviewing for the april mcat (it's been 7 years since i took bio and chem) and i'll be taking physics at night in the fall. i am due in november and am planning on goin right back to class after delivery; that should be fun. i am hoping to apply next summer. i study after my son goes to bed anywhere from 9-11pm and stay up til 1 or 2am. i volunteer at the cancer center on weekends. the exhaustion of the first half of my pregnancy killed me but i am doing better now, if only my practice mcats were going so well!

God, I'm so glad that I finally found this forum!!!! I was starting to get a bit stressed by reading all the posts from the undergrads! Oh, if only I could go back.....

Anyway, I'm 26, not married but live with my girlfriend. Work 40hrs a week as a development coordinator at a private elementary school. Got my BA in 2001 in Human Bio but never took orgo or physics. Just finished with both this past may (finally) and I just got my MCAT scores back (22Q...BOOO!). I was planning on applying for 2006 but now I'm not too sure. I don't know if I can realistically raise my score in the next 2 months so I might take it next April.

Are most of y'all trying to specialize or just planning on general practice (family med, peds, etc)? I'm thinking ortho surg but that's a long haul to be starting at 28...

I'm 32. I've been doing my prereqs piecemeal for a few years. I have 2 kids (4 and 7). I work in radiology full time in the evenings and this year my wife has been going to school for radiation therapy and working weekends. I only have physics left to take this year but am going to try to squeeze in some bio chem this fall in preparation for the MCAT and to meet some of the new school prereqs that have been added or will be added soon.

Hi.

28, single (though engaged...), 7-year old daughter. Work full time as research assistant at big University (MY job is not so big though )

B.A. Biology in 2000. Have been taking upper science courses (+some smaller pre-reqs such as psych and econ for favored schools) while working. I am getting all A's. (wish my undergrad hadn't been so abysmal...)

I volunteer in the ER of a hospital near-by. I volunteer at an underserved clinic. I have shadowed a few different docs (several times each), one regularly at the underserved clinic.

I sure have come a long way from the shell of a woman that I was even two years ago. I thought that after my daughter was born (sophmore year in college), my dream of med school was gone. I barely had time to sleep, letalone study, letalone get good grades! No excuses being made, just the circumstances.

I finally realized what had been unsettled within me for so long... it's a little thing I like to call POTENTIAL

I decided that if I didn't do this with every ounce of my soul now, I would forever live with the regret of what I might have been...

2 years ago, I was afraid to tell anybody that I even dreamed of going to med school, now I talk about it as though I am already in. I frequently use matter-of-fact phrases such as, "well, after med school, we hope to get a residency in X hospital..."

Confidence. That is what each and every one of us has to have in order to accept the challenges that lie ahead. We have s/o's, children, careers, irons in the fire... We must be confident in our abilities and know that real docs are not trained, they are born

I'm 25, engaged, and run a small company (2 full-time employees besides me, and ~45 independent contractors). I squished my pre-reqs into one tough year, and worked part-time, using loans to pay for the majority of my bills.

I don't have any kids, but I do hope to have a few before the odds of my baby being born with a problem become too high. I just have to figure out exactly when I'll be able to do that, if I enter med school at 26, start residency at 30, and am not done until 35.

I graduated in 2002 with a B.S. in Psychology with a Math emphasis, and at that point had no clue what I wanted to do in life. Although my grades were still good, they were nowhere near what they would have been if I'd known they would count so much. That's one of my biggest regrets in this whole process.

On the plus side, I'm done with the MCAT, done with my application, and now get to sit and wait for the secondaries to come.

wow, this forum (and thread) is great!

i'm 29, and enjoying the married life. we have a 10 month old baby girl that i am completely and madly in love with
right now, i am a stay at home mom, as i was laid off at the end of january! woo hoo!!!! i do have to go back to work soon, and i will also be starting school in order to finish up my undergraduate. i am contemplating a degree in nutrition at the moment. i still have a couple of years before i even get to apply to med school, so i guess i'll be an old fart by then! but its ok, better late than never!!!

good luck to everyone, whatever stage you're at! nice to meet you all...

susanna

26 married with 3 kids (4, 2, and 5mo) I work 24hr/week and am in Summer school and studying for the August MCAT. I took the April exam but had a terrible time with the VR. Started school doing International Economics. I hated with a passion. I am applying this cycle for '06. Good Everyone!!

27 y/o. Work full-time as a firefighter/paramedic on a rotating 24-hour shift schedule. Father of 2 boys, 6y/o and 10m/o baby. Happily married! Wife is stay at home mom. Plan on having it all ready for application in 2006 to hopefully start in 2007. Also plan on somehow keeping my job while in school. 24 shift work almost makes it possible and somewhat feasable. Having people ride my day shifts and me only working night shifts, 8-9 days a month. Sounds too good to be true but I'm staying optimistic!!!

Anyone else who was previous FULLTIME paramedic or firefighter?

Almost 24 yo Full time system analyst,engaged but not sure if I want to merry this guy...no kids...I have BA in computer sci and MS in information systems. Came to US almost 5 years ago,took August 2004 and April 2005 MCAT ended up with 24P...applying now lets see what happens. Probably will retake it in April 2006...

Biggest dream to be a general surgeon....

engaged but not sure if I want to merry this guy

How does this happen?

Originally Posted by MJB

How does this happen?

well...with time i just came to understanding that we are very different people...he is very nice guy,but still i keep thinking more and more that we are different people. Maybe i just cannot let go past ( he used to be very selfish and self-centered)...well i dont know, but sometimes i think that this is not a man who i supposed to merry...or maybe i am afraid of getting married because my mom went through very nasty divorce...still i dont know...

That really sucks, and i'm sorry you're having to deal with that.

I will just say that my wife told me that she had second thoughts while walking down the aisle of her first marriage (she thought she could change the guy)....and ended up divorced 2 years later.

Luckily, we've made it almost 3 years of marriage and have been living together for 5 (wow, can't believe it's been that long!). We've been through more stuff together than most couples 20 years older than us, I would have to say...and still making it!

I wish you luck!

Originally Posted by MJB

That really sucks, and i'm sorry you're having to deal with that.

I will just say that my wife told me that she had second thoughts while walking down the aisle of her first marriage (she thought she could change the guy)....and ended up divorced 2 years later.

Luckily, we've made it almost 3 years of marriage and have been living together for 5 (wow, can't believe it's been that long!). We've been through more stuff together than most couples 20 years older than us, I would have to say...and still making it!

I wish you luck!

thank you, i think i just need to wait and see what happens

-29 yo
-single, no kids, mortgage,etc.
-full time (+) biomedical imaging/schizophrenia research
-graduate work in biostatistics underway
-graduated in '01 after playing college/pro baseball
-currently studying for aug MCAT with hopes of applying to MSTP prgrams starting in '06.


good luck to all of ya...

New to this forum as of tonight and so glad there are others out there attempting to do what I'm doing.
36 years old
2 children, boys age 6 and 9
JD degree
spent 4 years doing science prerequistes part time at night while home full time with kids
Working glass artist to support my family
Decided later in life that medicine is my place
Accepted off waitlist to Creighton June 23, for 2005 entrance

Glad to know there are people out there chasing a dream later in life, at least by medical school standards. Good luck to all.

32 year old, married, no children, graduated with a PhD 4 months ago, currently work full time (almost 60 hours) in a clinical pathology lab. I'm taking the prereqs, one at a time. I'm done with Physics and I'm taking English right now. I should finish my prereqs by Spring 2007 and I intend to take MCAT in April 2007. But, I have other issues to deal with in the mean time.
Good luck to everyone in this process.
Cheers!

30, single, no kids
MSW degree, out of school x7+ years. Was premed when I started college way back when, changed to SW by end of freshman year, and last fall (12 years later?) realized med school is where my heart has always been.
I recently lost my job, which has given me the opportunity to try to grow my "very part-time" private practice into full-time. It's slow going, but I'm getting there- so far the mortgage has gotten paid every month, but I had to put my student loans on forbearance for now.
Other than the financial issues this has brought up, it's actually kind of a blessing as now that I'm my own boss, I set my own hours and can flex around school schedules, etc. I'm at our local state university to do the prereqs-took Bio I this spring to test the waters, make sure I really want to pursue this. While working for my former employer, I was really frustrated with the evening class schedule- this fall, the school is offering Bio II, Chem I and Physics I all in the evening- and all on the exact same days at the exact same time. So being able to take some day classes will help me belt out the prereqs a lot faster.
Hoping to take the April '07 MCAT.

to everyone!!!!!!!

32, no children, have a great BF!

I've worked as a stockbroker, CSR, hotel maid, waitress, phlebotomist, ER tech, fastfood workeretc, but at the present I work as a travelling Surgical Technologist and I love my job.

I have many degrees, but started college as pre-med. I never finished so I take post-bacc classes a-la-carte.

I am 2-1/2 semesters way from becoming an RN. I started this before I realized I wanted back into the premed way of life! I will finish it and use the clinical experience to my advantage. The money will come in handy too.

The last 3 years were the most challenging for me. I worked full-time, pregnant, and attended physiology and anatomy class with lab in the evening. I relocated due to husband's new position and gave birth in a completely strange environment without any friends or family close by. I went back to school full-time while nursing my child; I pumped during school breaks to relieve engorgement. My husband watched our child after work while I attended classes. My mother had lung cancer. My parents divorced and my father remarried. I had to relocate my mother from another state to be close to me when she went through chemotherapy. I volunteered at hospital pharmacy and bio research lab to learn and also to breathe fresh air. I got accepted to a pharmacy school in the middle of all on Christmas Eve. It was the best gift my husband and I ever received.

I learned from my experience that a well-planned, in-focused schedule and a positive attitude will help overcome any ostacle. I got a lot of help from people along the way, people that I just met. The key is to speak out your goals, associate with people in the field you are trying to get into, research, read, and stay open-minded. ALWAYS FOCUS ON THE SOLUTIONS and don't dwell on the problems. After all, "you can if you think you can."

Good luck!

Wow - You all have incredible and interesting stories and experiences. I wish you all good luck!

I am 26 yrs old, graduated in 2001 with bachelor's in journalism/business. I work full-time at a job that I dislike that barely pays my bills, but my boss is flexible with my hours most of the time. I also go to school full-time, taking the pre-reqs for medical school. I finished up the first year (gen chem/bio/physics I), and I'm finishing the rest (organic/physics II) this next year. I plan on starting the application process next summer, which means I would (hopefully) start med school in fall of 2007.
I am not married, but I do live with my BF of 5 years. He has been very supportive of me, and I know I couldn't have gotten through the last year without him. We, too, wonder when we will work children into the equation, since we both want kids and don't want to wait until it's too late.

I agree with the others who said that you should always keep the big picture in mind and don't dwell on the problems. A positive attitude is everything.

I'm 24 and just graduated with a BS in neuroscience in 2004, on the surface it would seem that I am a traditional applicant and so I'm nervous that adcoms will view me this way. I have been on my own since I was 17 (deceased father and mother with severe psych issues), and I married at 19. I finished high school and applied to college on my own, and recieved a generous scholarship that allowed me to attend a prestigious private institution. I struggled in my first year at college, unsure how to balance my studies with running a household, . . also faced alot of financial stress that year, its amazing how distracting an empty cabinet can be . I have a strong upward trend for the rest of my undergrad, good research though no publications and a 32Q on my MCAT. I've taken 2 years off before med school for financial reasons and am working as a clinical research coordinator so I have more patient contact and clinical experience than I know what to do with. What terrifies me is that I have no "collegiate" extracurriculars, I paint and draw, do ballet, snowboard, read constantly and enjoy gourmet cooking, so I'm well rounded, but I'm scared that adcoms will compare me to more traditional students who didn't have a husband to come home to and a household to run. Oh well, only time will tell, good luck to all applicants for 2006!

I'm 39, married, 2 kids, 3 months away from my MD. Studying in Europe. I did NOT make a 30 on my MCAT. There are some great stories on here, but if you can't make 30 or higher on MCAT, they won't look at your application. I thought I was the primo non-traditional student with interesting prior careers in DC, NY, SF...During application I was working 50+ hours a week in a top 20 med school ER. Excellent LOR's. I had one interview and was rejected the next week. The appl process for allopathic med school is BS. You must seriously consider DO route (very good one) and IMG (carib or Europe, also good) Consider all options. After your hired in residency, nobody cares where you went to school as long as you take good care of your patients. Hate to be a buzzkill, but be prepared to make some big life changes, if being a doc is your dream. GL

Looks like I missed this thread big time...

Live in Socal.

25
Wife
Two kids
Almost no undergrad, a whopping 18 units to my name
(at a C/C) Did I mention that school is ridiculously cheap in CA?
work full time, 40~50/week as an EMT x 6 years
EMT skills instructor part time ~10/week - pays well
(at the same C/C)
10-15 units a semester (usually)
Try to work out/TaeKwonDo 5~8/hr a week (really I try)

My story: screwed around in HS, thought I had it a figured out (I wanna work on computers) did that for a while, thought I wanted to be a paramedic so I went to EMT school, decided I'd be insane to goto paramedic school (compensation really sucks 11/hr ).

Then I thought about PA, researched that out and finally decided I wanted to be a physician. My thing is that I really lacked the motivation for anything until my family came along.

My wife wants to become an RN, so in order to make end meet I have decided that I would have to back off from school for awhile until she finishes. Regardless I still take at least one class a semester, generaly math.

Although I am considered a traditional student, I live the non traditional lifestyle! I am 20 yrs old and the mother of two (3,2 yrs old) feel married, work part-time and go to school full-time. I am transferring this fall to a four year university which is exciting and scary all at the same time. I am working on a bs in Bio and hope that I can do it all with a family. It is really inspirational to hear that so many people are living out their dreams and working on getting in to medical school! When I found out I was pregnant at the age of 16 I thought that my dreams of medical school would never happen, but now I know that it can happen I just have to let it. Best of luck to all of you and keep on working on your dreams!

28 y/o was a chiropractor for 3 years. Decided I wanted more for me and my patients. Found out about what being an Osteopath was all about and loved the idea. God or fate decided to open a DO school in my backyard. Accepted and starting in 8 days!

One piece of advice for you non-traditional applicants:

Please!! Apply to DO schools. If you don't know what it is or have never even heard of it, do a search on this forum or Yahoo right now. The schools will cater to non-traditional appliacants and you may be able to get in with somewhat (I stress somewhat) lower MCAT and GPA because they look at the whole experience of one's life (much like their philosophy).

Despite what certain people will say on this forum, An osteopathic physician can enter any specialty an M.D. can including, Neuro, Ortho and General Surgery (that's right even Surgery). They do tend to cater to Primary Care but that is your choice. Trust me do the research.

Thats all I got. You guys are truly motivated individuals. Good Luck

BMW-

Originally Posted by DrCLazos

Although I am considered a traditional student, I live the non traditional lifestyle! I am 20 yrs old and the mother of two (3,2 yrs old) feel married, work part-time and go to school full-time. I am transferring this fall to a four year university which is exciting and scary all at the same time. I am working on a bs in Bio and hope that I can do it all with a family. It is really inspirational to hear that so many people are living out their dreams and working on getting in to medical school! When I found out I was pregnant at the age of 16 I thought that my dreams of medical school would never happen, but now I know that it can happen I just have to let it. Best of luck to all of you and keep on working on your dreams!

38 year old mother of 5 children going to school full time and shadowing and volunteering whenever and wherever I can. I have 8 years of clinical experience, caring for a quad. I have shadowed an OB/Gyn a few times (Great experience). I differ than many of you because I am getting my first degree now(biology). I am a junior this fall and taking OChem I along with physics II, Abnorm Pshych, and Fundamentals of Music. I will take OChem II in the spring and take the mcat in April 06 (hopefully), and apply to med school in June (again, hopefully). I will only take mcat and apply if I am getting 30+ on practice tests. I have started looking at ExamKrackers a little bit, but will start taking practice tests in the fall. Any sugesstions??
Marcia

26 year old Single Mom of a 3yr old

BS in Infor Systems 04'

Work full-time , not the greatest job but pays the bills.

start pre-reqs in August ( night classes)

really wishing i could go to school full-time, but not seeing that as an option.

Volunteer every other friday at a hospital down the highway. Have one shadow experiance , but praying more will come along in the not so distant future.

Good luck to you all.

Originally Posted by mdille2

38 year old mother of 5 children going to school full time and shadowing and volunteering whenever and wherever I can. I have 8 years of clinical experience, caring for a quad. I have shadowed an OB/Gyn a few times (Great experience). I differ than many of you because I am getting my first degree now(biology). I am a junior this fall and taking OChem I along with physics II, Abnorm Pshych, and Fundamentals of Music. I will take OChem II in the spring and take the mcat in April 06 (hopefully), and apply to med school in June (again, hopefully). I will only take mcat and apply if I am getting 30+ on practice tests. I have started looking at ExamKrackers a little bit, but will start taking practice tests in the fall. Any sugesstions??
Marcia

I used EK self study and I think if I could do it over again, I would attend a prep class..either TPR, EK, etc. I did not make 30+...however, it doesn't really matter now since I am already accepted. You CAN get in sub 30, so don't let others story fool you.

My story:

34 y/o father of 4 (including twin infants)
BBA Computer Information Systems 12/04 (did all night classes while working full-time during the day, so it took me over 10 years to complete)
Worked 10 years as Systems Analyst/Manager
Worked 3 years in Medical Equipment Sales
Prior Military
Volunteered at Hospital for about a year
Volunteered at church for many years
Applied last year and accepted fairly quickly
I start in a couple weeks!

Originally Posted by smelendez

27 y/o. Work full-time as a firefighter/paramedic on a rotating 24-hour shift schedule. Father of 2 boys, 6y/o and 10m/o baby. Happily married! Wife is stay at home mom. Plan on having it all ready for application in 2006 to hopefully start in 2007. Also plan on somehow keeping my job while in school. 24 shift work almost makes it possible and somewhat feasable. Having people ride my day shifts and me only working night shifts, 8-9 days a month. Sounds too good to be true but I'm staying optimistic!!!

Anyone else who was previous FULLTIME paramedic or firefighter?

I am a paramedic, have been for almost 10 yrs....hubby is a ff paramedic too....just wanted to say hi since you were asking!

Wow, I was feeling a little overwhelmed, and this thread has put things into perspective for me. I'm female, 27, engaged (can you say 'blech' to wedding planning?), working 50+ hrs/week as a software architect/consultant. I received my SB in '98 in Brain and Cog Sci. I'm just starting my pre-reqs - I have to repeat almost all of them because my credits have expired. I took physics 1 earlier this summer, and am just wrapping up physics 2...it feels endless. The cycle of work, workout, class, study never seems to stop, and the class isn't even that hard, just time consuming. At least I'm getting A's. My poor fiance is feeling neglected. In a week or two I'll be volunteering at one of the local hospitals on the weekend, and starting my fall classses (bio and chem).

It's good to see that other folks out there seem to be juggling even more responsibilities with aplomb. I would love to just take a year and do these pre-reqs full-time to get them out of the way, but it's not in the financial cards.

I have a question for the other people who do not have kids yet...fiance and I have been talking, and we figure that since I'll be 30 when I start med school, waiting till after my residency to start a family is not feasible. Any thoughts on the next best option? We are thinking 1 during the glide year, and another during MS1 or MS4...my fiance may be going to get his masters as well, so that's a consideration. He's a software guy, so the plan is for him to work from home.

You are all an inspiration, keep doin' what you're doin'!

-27 years of age
-BS environmental science/MHS Biomedical science
-worked 3 years at Yale in psychiatry/gyn oncology as research assistant
-recently moved to Boston to complete pre-reqs at HES over 2 years
-working at MGH as research associate in gyn oncology

Good luck everyone!

Hi all!

I'm 28, in the middle of a career in the military. Married, looking at starting a family early next year. Majored in bio in college, got most of my prereqs there-- need to make up one class and then get some more English for the requirements of some schools. I work 50-60 hours a week and am stationed overseas, so I've gotten delayed a little. Working on a transfer to Maryland so that I can do the UofM Science in the Evening program (GREAT availability of classes and scheduled for real working people!) MCAT in August 06, baby! Hoping to apply in 2007 to enter in 2008.

BUT.... panicking because people keep mentioning expired credits. I graduated with a BS in Biology in 1999. Never considered the prereqs wouldn't be valid anymore-- I just cracked open my old books and started reviewing when I realized it's not to late to be a doctor like I've always wanted. What are the rules on this?

I have yet to hear of any schools that don't count old pre-reqs. My hubby's were all at least 15 years old and no one questioned him. Of course, there is probably some school(s) that have a limit on pre-req age...but you'd probably not want to go to that one anyway! Mine pre-reqs range from 6-10 years old and I haven't gotten any comments on them.

Somehow I missed this thread. Here's my situation, for anyone who's curious:

27 years old, married, expecting our first girl in November. (We got a 4D yesterday...unbelievable) I graduated with a B.A. degree in computer science from a top university in '99, then worked as an IT consultant for five years. I learned that I hated it about three weeks into those five years, but what can I say -- the money was great and I was certain that medicine wasn't in the cards for me at that time. I quit my job last year after a lot of soul-searching, arguing, and planning. The next twelve months were spent full-time in a postbac program to retake my prereqs, and I took the MCAT last April. I shadowed a doctor at the cancer center affiliated with my postbac university hospital during the spring semester as well, which led me to a job as a clinical research assistant. I plan to work full-time this year (and beyond if necessary); I didn't register for any classes this fall, but I plan to unofficially audit a biochem course, then see what options I have in the spring.

I'm alternately confident and really nervous about my chances this round. Things have gone well for me so far, but the really important stuff is still coming up.

Originally Posted by mev

Hi all!

BUT.... panicking because people keep mentioning expired credits. I graduated with a BS in Biology in 1999. Never considered the prereqs wouldn't be valid anymore-- I just cracked open my old books and started reviewing when I realized it's not to late to be a doctor like I've always wanted. What are the rules on this?

It varies by school and what you've been doing since school. There is one school in particular that I'm very interested in, and they told me that since I've been out of school for 7 years (OMG BTW), and haven't been working in a biological sciences field, I'd need to retake all the "hard science" pre-reqs, which for them means 1yr bio, 1 yr phys, 1 yr chem, 1 yr orgo...I don't have to redo calc or english. For that particular school, the pre-reqs expire 5 years after you've TAKEN them, which means the ones I took as a freshman expired a year out of college. If I'd been working as an RA or a CRA or something in the sciences, it would have been different. Other schools seem to take 7 years out of college as a general rule for expirations.

I will say, I'm not all that distressed to be taking the classes again. I was at first, but I've rationalized it now. I'd need to relearn it for the MCAT anyway, and it gives me a study structure for the material. Plus, depending on your undergrad GPA, retaking them can solidify your application by proving you know the material (though the MCAT could do that as well). It just depends on the school and how you've spent your time.

Originally Posted by breeak

I have a question for the other people who do not have kids yet...fiance and I have been talking, and we figure that since I'll be 30 when I start med school, waiting till after my residency to start a family is not feasible. Any thoughts on the next best option? We are thinking 1 during the glide year, and another during MS1 or MS4...my fiance may be going to get his masters as well, so that's a consideration. He's a software guy, so the plan is for him to work from home.

There's another thread on this forum that discusses the best time for babies. I'm of the opinion MS1, to deal with morning sickness and everything else associated with the needs and temperamental whimpers of a pregnant woman. That's my opinion based on observations of others. Other moms speak from experience, so go take a look.

It's definitely a bonus that your husband is in software. Employers in that industry are generally very accomodating and flexible with hours and work from home.

I think you're on a roll. Sorry you had to redo your classes. Do look around and inquire for an exemption. The prereqs is a long road and even though it's just basic science (pushing electrons around, floating blocks and dissecting fetal pigs), I'm happy about what I've gained in school in the past year.

Keep it up and Good luck!

I'm 27, married, and my wife is pregnant with our fourth child. I graduated with a BS in Clinical Lab Science, and am currently managing a small lab that does labwork for 6 urgent care facilities. I have been working closely with the doctors in the office I'm located in, they have really encouraged and supported me. I did well on the MCAt in April, and have three interviews set up so far. I'm pretty excited about everything, but I really hope I get into KCOM--because that is where my wife is from and then her family can help her with the kids while I'm in school.