Chemical engineer pursing MD

[CapybaraBerry]

Hi guys,

I'm a chemical engineer who have been working in the industry for almost one year now. Although the pay is good, I still feel the lack of fulfillment in my job, so I want to pursue medical school. I felt like my chances are too low so I'm looking for advices.

Little bit of background, I used to be a pre-med student but I struggle a lot throughout years, mainly because of the lack of understanding my own desire and learning a new language (my family was immigrants to the US). After around 2 years of premed, I moved to Texas and changed my major to chemical engineering to push myself to be more academically serious. However, due to many overlapped courses between 2 majors, a lot of semesters I can only take are 2-3 courses maximum. But I do work outside (around 20-30 hrs/week depends, mainly due to restriction as I have to attending courses during days) as MA, join some clubs in those semesters or just volunteer in different clinics around the city. I'm the main taker of the house (cooking, cleaning, taking care of my siblings, etc.) since both my parents work long hours and days as workers. It takes me 4 years to finish the degree, but it allows me to help my parents in many financial difficulties and sharing the responsibilities.

Even after graduating, I still miss the interactions and the job I used to have as MA. I miss listening to patients about their difficulties, the struggles in their health, and the genuine relief when they see their health improve. I admire the work and the (aggressive) caring of the cardiologist I work with. I still work as MA in weekends even after graduating because I enjoy the job a lot. I'm looking for more volunteer experience in hospital settings to know more about the different departments.

My GPA was 3.2-3.3 during undergraduate (thermodynamics and heat transfer class still give me nightmares).
I have completed the pre-reqs (2 years as premed), although I have good grades but those classes are properly 5-6 years old now.
Both majors combined total approximately to 120 credit hours.
Haven't taken MCAT.

I'm unsure what I should do know. Either:
1. Doing post-bacc for a year to improve my GPA while studying for MCAT. Apply med school. I feel like it's not feasible since I've already completed pre-reqs and my grades in pre-reqs were good.
2. Doing a full time SMP for a year, spend the following months to study for MCAT (or vice versa depends on SMP). Apply med school.

TL;DR: Chemical engineer finished pre-reqs during undergraduate. Did not feel competitive enough for med school since not full-time student and full-time job. What way should I go to have the best chance? Post-bacc or SMP?

Thank you.

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[Faha]

You could do a post-bacc for a year and take undergraduate level science courses you have not taken previously in order to increase your sGPA. Do not take so many courses that it would interfere with your studying for the MCAT. Take the MCAT when your practice scores are consistently 505+
As long as your MCAT is 505+ you should receive interviews at DO schools as long as you apply broadly. Post your MCAT score here in the future.

 

[CapybaraBerry]

You could do a post-bacc for a year and take undergraduate level science courses you have not taken previously in order to increase your sGPA. Do not take so many courses that it would interfere with your studying for the MCAT. Take the MCAT when your practice scores are consistently 505+
As long as your MCAT is 505+ you should receive interviews at DO schools as long as you apply broadly. Post your MCAT score here in the future.

During my pre-med years I have mostly finished those courses. The flexibility in my engineer program also filled in the remaining courses I needed, so basically I'm done with all the pre-reqs. My low sGPA is due to engineer courses in my junior+senior years, they were notorious for tanking students' GPA.

Since I have already finished my pre-reqs years ago, going for post-bacc is basically retaking those courses again (and those courses I have really good grades with mostly As and very few Bs). The only missing course is an advanced bio class for some other schools in my state, but if Biochem counted as advanced bio class then I've truly finished my pre-reqs.

I feel like my undergrad years were too relax compared to other people on here? Since most of semesters I wasn't a full-time student and I'm not truly working full time either, so I felt a little inferior. And I did not have any grand researches, my ECs were mainly working as MA (>4000hrs) and volunteering in hospital settings, I haven't had a time to properly shadow a physician.

Right now I'm just studying for MCAT while working full time. I'll post my grades once I take the MCAT to let people know. I prefer MD so hope to get >510 to be more competitive, but I'm content with just a DO.

 

[Approach]

During my pre-med years I have mostly finished those courses. The flexibility in my engineer program also filled in the remaining courses I needed, so basically I'm done with all the pre-reqs. My low sGPA is due to engineer courses in my junior+senior years, they were notorious for tanking students' GPA.

Since I have already finished my pre-reqs years ago, going for post-bacc is basically retaking those courses again (and those courses I have really good grades with mostly As and very few Bs). The only missing course is an advanced bio class for some other schools in my state, but if Biochem counted as advanced bio class then I've truly finished my pre-reqs.

It sounds like Faha was suggesting upper level STEMM courses that wouldn't be ones you have already taken as pre reqs. These would be 400 level courses that wouldn't be covered by the standard premedical students checklist. I wasn't chemical engineering so idk how many of the below you have taken, but just off the top of my head:

Immunology? Neuroscience classes? Biochem 2? Physical biochemistry?Bioinformatics?

 

[CapybaraBerry]

Immunology? Neuroscience classes? Biochem 2? Physical biochemistry?Bioinformatics?

I didn't include the courses I've taken in my original post, I apologize for my oversight.

I've taken Bio(1+2), GChem(1+2), OChem(1+2), Calculus(1+2+3), Phys(1+2), IntroPsycho, Biochem1, P&Biochem (this course was included in my engineer degree so I do not know if it was any more different than the course Bio major take). All of them have good grades but I wasn't a full-time student when I was taking those courses (took me 7 years to graduate since I changed major +1 year off Covid).

 

[Stuaccount]

Give yourself 2 years. In the first year, do the weekend MA job+a few upper level Bio courses. Doesn’t matter much which ones you take. Look into which classes are offered at the schools which are most convenient for you (close by, cheap, flexible) and take those. In the second year, continue your weekend MA job+study for MCAT. Distribute your volunteering and shadowing over the 2 years.

Or if you take a couple of classes over the coming summer and fall, you can study for the mcat over spring 2025 and apply by June 2025. But I think that would be too rushed especially if you plan to keep your job for the duration of your preparation, which I’d recommend.

Don’t rush to take the mcat. Take it after you are wholly clear on your plan, for eg about whether you will take more classes or not.