CPA to MD

[PittGrad2014]

Hello all,

I have read numerous threads in the Nontraditional Students Forum as well as the Post Bac Forum, and have decided to take the plunge and become a member in order to post my own question.

About myself:

• Graduated from Pitt in December of 2014 with a degree in Finance (3.74 GPA)
• Graduate from Katz Business School(Pitt)with a Master's in Accounting in December of 2015 (3.7GPA)
• Have a job lined up at an accounting firm in the DC area that starts in January
• Soon to be EMT, 100+ hours volunteering in ED, 40 hours shadowing
• No Science background, however very confident I would be able to get A's in the coursework

This past summer I decided to volunteer at UPMC Presby ED, just as something to put on my resume. During my time at the hospital however, I realized that I would much rather go into medicine than sit behind a desk and do taxes. Afraid that this decision was premature, I enrolled in an EMT-B Class to try to make sense of whether or not this is something I should really pursue after obtaining 150 business credits and taking the CPA Exam. Additionally I shadowed a few doctors at my local hospital, and even got to observe some surgeries. These experiences have done nothing but reaffirm my thinking that medicine is what's right for me.

My current plan is to start work full time in January, and start volunteering as an EMT on the weekends. After a few months either start SIE at the University of Maryland for an informal Do-It Yourself or apply to a formal program with a linkage, quit work and once again be a full-time student.

I'm posting this looking for advice on what SDN thinks is the best route for me to take. Also if the consensus is a formal program, what the odds are that I would be able to get into a top program with great linkages.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[GreenDuck12]

I would be very surprised if you get a consensus one way or the other. With some formal programs you will have small courses and can get through the standard pre med curriculum in one year but at a considerable cost. One other thing to bear in mind is that while a program may have linkages, they are extremely competitive. With informal programs, you take classes a la carte at your own pace while juggling other things (working). In an informal program you can complete pre-med coursework in the same timeframe as a formal program. From reading the forums, it seems that many non-traditional applicants pick the informal route for a variety of reasons: cost, location, ability to work while taking classes, family, etc. You really have to evaluate your own situation to make the best decision for yourself. Focus on where you can take classes and earn the highest grades/learn the most.

Hello all,

I have read numerous threads in the Nontraditional Students Forum as well as the Post Bac Forum, and have decided to take the plunge and become a member in order to post my own question.

About myself:

• Graduated from Pitt in December of 2014 with a degree in Finance (3.74 GPA)
• Graduate from Katz Business School(Pitt)with a Master's in Accounting in December of 2015 (3.7GPA)
• Have a job lined up at an accounting firm in the DC area that starts in January
• Soon to be EMT, 100+ hours volunteering in ED, 40 hours shadowing
• No Science background, however very confident I would be able to get A's in the coursework

This past summer I decided to volunteer at UPMC Presby ED, just as something to put on my resume. During my time at the hospital however, I realized that I would much rather go into medicine than sit behind a desk and do taxes. Afraid that this decision was premature, I enrolled in an EMT-B Class to try to make sense of whether or not this is something I should really pursue after obtaining 150 business credits and taking the CPA Exam. Additionally I shadowed a few doctors at my local hospital, and even got to observe some surgeries. These experiences have done nothing but reaffirm my thinking that medicine is what's right for me.

My current plan is to start work full time in January, and start volunteering as an EMT on the weekends. After a few months either start SIE at the University of Maryland for an informal Do-It Yourself or apply to a formal program with a linkage, quit work and once again be a full-time student.

I'm posting this looking for advice on what SDN thinks is the best route for me to take. Also if the consensus is a formal program, what the odds are that I would be able to get into a top program with great linkages.