Advice for a Non-Traditional Overseas

[Mewskin]

Not sure if this is allowed but I've posted this on the Post-bacc forum already. I'm hoping to get more advice from the Nontraditional forum as well:

Hello! I've been reading the forums on here for a while and I must say they've been incredibly useful, so I'm hoping to receive some advice for my slightly unique situation!

I'm currently living in South America and will be returning to the US next year to start my medical career. There are a couple of paths I'm considering and I want to start planning as soon as possible in order to make the best decision.

Here's my background:
-US Permanent Resident
-Holds a non-science undergraduate degree from the UK
-Has 2 years worth of undergraduate coursework (in business) from a US university with GPA 3.75 (I couldn't get into a UK university straight from a US high school which is why I have attended a US university)
-Has 3 years of work experience in finance in the UK
-Has been working for a start-up in Asia and South America for the past 3 years
-Has a number of volunteering experience (only 1 medically related) in different countries

In order to have a chance at med school, I know I desperately need some clinical experience. I plan on getting that as soon as I get back to the US but I'm not sure whether I should start doing my pre-reqs next year (2015) or wait another year (2016) to apply to a formal post-bacc program once I have some clinical experience. If I do my pre-reqs next year, I plan on doing them at Harvard Extension (easy to get in, can get clinical experience over the course of 2 years, but I do worry about the lack of advising, structure, which I might need). If I wait till 2016, would I have a shot at some of the top post-bacc programs?

What do you guys suggest?

Any advice is appreciated! Thank you!

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[broski123]

H

 

[Mewskin]

It's great to hear that, broski123! That might be a good idea for me as I do want to get started as soon as possible. As it is an extension program, I've somehow always assumed that it wouldn't have any advising, which I think I would really benefit from considering I have a foreign undergrad and a career changer with no prior medical experience. Are there people in the program in my kind of situation? Not necessarily the foreign undergrad part but the no medical experience at all before starting the Harvard classes.

Despite having lots of hospitals, is medical experience easy to obtain in the Boston area? I've read some of the threads on here where people say it's difficult to shadow, do research or even volunteer. I don't have any connections or contacts in Boston but I can be very persistent!

I haven't lived in the US for almost 10 years now so I'm just trying to get as prepared as possible before I embark on this whole med school journey!

Thank you!

 

[broski123]

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