MD 23 y.o. Career-Changer - early suggestions?

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Silky Cerberus

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Hi all (sorry in advance for this brick of a post!),

First post on this network, which has already provided me with excellent perspective well before I officially signed up yesterday! Short background: I am a 23 year-old working as a medical scribe for the University of Michigan Health System and waiting on my upcoming promotion to chief scribe. I graduated last year from Notre Dame with a degree in their Great Books program and a Business Economics minor. I love literature, philosophy, theology etc, but throughout my undergrad career, I was always considering medicine, reflected in some interspersed pre-med classes (elaborated below). After a good deal of discernment, one year after undergrad, I am recommitted to going the pre-med route, but this is an early stage in the road for me, as I still have 4 pre-reqs to finish, the MCAT to take, and experience to rack up. In addition, as seen below, my sGPA is less than impressive, so I may want to consider a post bac or retaking classes locally as needed. I do have legitimate circumstances that I believe were partially responsible for the lower-than-ideal GPA (family member passed away, was placed on medication for GAD for a semester). I am still questioning whether MD or DO is a better route, but early on, I am leaning towards MD.

In summary: any feedback on my current status and stated goals (bottom of post) are welcome and encouraged. I am very grateful and appreciative to those of you willing to take the time!

GPA: 3.36c, ~2.90s (including Gen Chem I, Orgo I, Bio I and II, Physiology, Microbiology, Calculus and Stats. Psych doesn't count as science GPA, right?) The science GPA is primarily sunk by Cs in Calc and Orgo.
PLAN: Either a one-year post-bac (if there are any career-changer programs that will take me with all of these classes under my belt...), or else taking the remaining pre-reqs and additional bio electives at a local university to finish my requirements and use them and the advanced bios to raise my sGPA (I am much stronger in biological sciences than physical).

MCAT: not taken, though diagnostic exams for all sections except Physical Sciences returned with scaled 9s using the old scoring system, and I'm very happy with that as a baseline, as I haven't taken any pre-med coursework in over two years.
PLAN: Begin studying material and test strategy now and take the MCAT in 1.5 to 2 years. Target goal 33 (not positive what the new score equivalent is) or higher.

WORK: I consulted for Epic (yes, the EMR you all hate so passionately or will grow to hate soon) for 7 months after graduation before leaving of my own volition to take my scribe job. I was miserable there, but hopefully being hired by Epic serves as some sort of indication of my professional capability (even though I left after a short tenure). I also tutor for about 7-10 hours/week on the side (science, math and English).
PLAN: Gain 1.5-2 years of Chief Scribe experience (my promotion should kick in in about one month). While I've been thinking it would be nice to gain experience as an EMT as well (for ED experience to supplement my outpatient exposure), I think this is probably sufficient, as it is a full-time job in health care with a leadership role component. If there are any former chief scribes out there, please let me know how your experience helped you during med school applications!

VOLUNTEERING: Other than a few small, isolated, non-medical experiences in undergrad, I have no serious experience here. I've definitely been selfish with my time. However, I have served as a part-time caretaker to my little brother for the majority of my life. He has severe autism.
PLAN: I want to work with people in Hospice or Home Health care, as my Epic experience was as a consultant/project manager for their home health suite of software. I think this would be a nice contrast to my consulting experience and after reading Atul Gawande's Being Mortal, I think that being a part of Hospice care would be extremely meaningful, as the aforementioned relative passed away while in Hospice care, and their personnel were excellent and inspirational.

RESEARCH: None, unless my undergrad senior thesis on urban modernism counts! It was a research project...
PLAN: As I don't possess a hard science degree or attend a research university at the moment, I think I'd have a hard time getting involved in research at the moment. I know that that's defeatist, but I'm not sure what I can do at this time.

POSSIBLE TARGET SCHOOLS: U-M (huge reach unless I 4.0 a post-bac), Michigan State COHM (more reasonable, I think they strongly prefer in-state residents), Indiana U (South Bend Campus!!), Brown Alpert (reach, my best friend is a first-year there), Rush, Oakland William-Beaumont

Let me know what you guys think! Any and all feedback is appreciated!

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Do not study for the MCAT for 2 years. Kind of pointless trying to come up with a school list 3 years prior to matriculation.

The second I posted, I already felt like I was overplanning and overthinking things. Also, there's no way this is the right forum for a post like this - there's no real analysis of my "chances" at this stage anyway, I suppose.
 
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