A Point in the Right Direction

[FrobesDoc87]

First of all thank you very much for taking the time to read my story and steer me in the right direction. I graduated from SUNY University at Albany in 2011 with a Bachelors of Arts degree in English with a minor in Psychology. During college I had the opportunity to partake in many events around the community, shadowing/volunteering at the local hospital, and this is where my passion for medicine began. I have been a medical assistant for the past 8 years in various fields of medicine such as urgent care, primary care, urology, and now orthopaedics. I currently work as a medical assistant at Raleigh Orthopaedic Clinic. However, I was not able to complete all of my pre-reqs medical school while in college. I took about half of them with mixed results. My goal is to not only retake and finish taking the rest of the pre-reqs but also partake in upper level science classes to prove to med school committees that I have learned from my mistakes and have matured as not only a student, but as a person as a whole. Since, graduation I have been working to pay off some of my school loan debt. I am fully aware of what it takes to get accepted into medical school but unfortunately it seems that I do not have the funds to enroll in what you would call a Postbac Program. I also do not know if I would be approved for a loan for such programs. I trying to find ways to pay for my classes out of pocket, attend classes, and still work fulltime. I would love to do some more research but have not yet found a research lab down here in the triangle area that would take me on and allow me to have a flexible schedule in order to attend classes. My passion and my thirst for becoming a doctor grows stronger everyday. I am a very determined and resilient individual who will stop at nothing until my dream is achieved. This is not a matter of motivation or ability, but now a matter of finances unfortunately at this point. The question I ask myself everyday is how do I attend classes to finish my pre-reqs and take upper level science classes, while still working fulltime in order to pay for my day-to-day bills. My resolve to become a physician is stronger than ever after the experiences I have gone through and the continued patient interaction that I experience everyday while as a medical assistant. Still, I am looking for the best strategy to achieve my goal of being a physician.

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[MeltingIceCube]

First of all thank you very much for taking the time to read my story and steer me in the right direction. I graduated from SUNY University at Albany in 2011 with a Bachelors of Arts degree in English with a minor in Psychology. During college I had the opportunity to partake in many events around the community, shadowing/volunteering at the local hospital, and this is where my passion for medicine began. I have been a medical assistant for the past 8 years in various fields of medicine such as urgent care, primary care, urology, and now orthopaedics. I currently work as a medical assistant at Raleigh Orthopaedic Clinic. However, I was not able to complete all of my pre-reqs medical school while in college. I took about half of them with mixed results. My goal is to not only retake and finish taking the rest of the pre-reqs but also partake in upper level science classes to prove to med school committees that I have learned from my mistakes and have matured as not only a student, but as a person as a whole. Since, graduation I have been working to pay off some of my school loan debt. I am fully aware of what it takes to get accepted into medical school but unfortunately it seems that I do not have the funds to enroll in what you would call a Postbac Program. I also do not know if I would be approved for a loan for such programs. I trying to find ways to pay for my classes out of pocket, attend classes, and still work fulltime. I would love to do some more research but have not yet found a research lab down here in the triangle area that would take me on and allow me to have a flexible schedule in order to attend classes. My passion and my thirst for becoming a doctor grows stronger everyday. I am a very determined and resilient individual who will stop at nothing until my dream is achieved. This is not a matter of motivation or ability, but now a matter of finances unfortunately at this point. The question I ask myself everyday is how do I attend classes to finish my pre-reqs and take upper level science classes, while still working fulltime in order to pay for my day-to-day bills. My resolve to become a physician is stronger than ever after the experiences I have gone through and the continued patient interaction that I experience everyday while as a medical assistant. Still, I am looking for the best strategy to achieve my goal of being a physician.

In my opinion, postbac programs are a waste of money unless you are well-off. For what you pay going to a formal postbac, you could earn an MS or PhD for a tenth of the cost while simultaneously earning invaluable teaching experience (teaching experience that pays $$$...well, more like $).

If you don't want the grad degree, enroll in a self-guided postbac at a local community college. Class schedules are flexible, allowing you to live your 'normal' life. More importantly, tuition is dirt-cheap. I know there is a (false) belief that CC credits look 'bad', however, a decent MCAT score will alleviate any possible questions. Plus, since it seems that you come from a "blue collar" background, I doubt the majority of schools would have the audacity to question why you chose $5,000 over $60,000+ (and if they do, it's not a school worth attending). At my former CC, most of the classes were taught by professors from my university and I felt that I actually learned much more in a smaller environment. I even took a couple pre-requisites at my CC during graduate school, as I too am limited by finances (so far, no one has batted an eyelash).

Stop paying off your school debt (since you want to attend medical school, such attempts are futile) and start putting that money towards your CC education (your loans will go into deferment as a part/full-time student). You should be able to finish in 3-4 semesters if you bust your tail.

I personally know several students who have taken this path who now attend MD and DO. If you want more information or if you have any questions, PM me. Don't fall for the "if you pay more money you will have more success" trap. It's BS. In life, you don't need nearly as much as you think to succeed:

(one of my favorite examples).

Best of luck and keep pursuing your passion (medicine needs more people with passion). And just know that your struggles will make you a better person and physician in the future.

 

[Goro]

Read this book:

Amazon product

And in the future, try using the "Enter" function on your keyboard and make some paragraphs, so we don't have to read a Niagara of text.

First of all thank you very much for taking the time to read my story and steer me in the right direction. I graduated from SUNY University at Albany in 2011 with a Bachelors of Arts degree in English with a minor in Psychology. During college I had the opportunity to partake in many events around the community, shadowing/volunteering at the local hospital, and this is where my passion for medicine began. I have been a medical assistant for the past 8 years in various fields of medicine such as urgent care, primary care, urology, and now orthopaedics. I currently work as a medical assistant at Raleigh Orthopaedic Clinic. However, I was not able to complete all of my pre-reqs medical school while in college. I took about half of them with mixed results. My goal is to not only retake and finish taking the rest of the pre-reqs but also partake in upper level science classes to prove to med school committees that I have learned from my mistakes and have matured as not only a student, but as a person as a whole. Since, graduation I have been working to pay off some of my school loan debt. I am fully aware of what it takes to get accepted into medical school but unfortunately it seems that I do not have the funds to enroll in what you would call a Postbac Program. I also do not know if I would be approved for a loan for such programs. I trying to find ways to pay for my classes out of pocket, attend classes, and still work fulltime. I would love to do some more research but have not yet found a research lab down here in the triangle area that would take me on and allow me to have a flexible schedule in order to attend classes. My passion and my thirst for becoming a doctor grows stronger everyday. I am a very determined and resilient individual who will stop at nothing until my dream is achieved. This is not a matter of motivation or ability, but now a matter of finances unfortunately at this point. The question I ask myself everyday is how do I attend classes to finish my pre-reqs and take upper level science classes, while still working fulltime in order to pay for my day-to-day bills. My resolve to become a physician is stronger than ever after the experiences I have gone through and the continued patient interaction that I experience everyday while as a medical assistant. Still, I am looking for the best strategy to achieve my goal of being a physician.