DIY Post-Bacc SLOWLY?

[MrsBookworm]

Thanks for taking the time to read my message. I couldn't find another topic that already discussed this exact situation.

I went to Bryn Mawr College, had my daughter (insert joke here about getting pregnant while at a women's college) and then finished my undergrad at Chapman University. I got a degree in political science with a 3.9 overall GPA. I currently work in sales training in the medical device field.

My daughter is now finishing sixth grade, and I want to go to medical school... but not until she goes to college. She is the only child I will ever have, and I want to cherish these last few years that she is at home. However, I would like to get my prereqs out of the way so I am ready to start medical school in 2020. All of this long explanation to say: will a program like UCI look down on an otherwise strong applicant who took 4-5 years to complete prereqs, and who did them DIY? A traditional postbacc program will take more time away from my family than I am willing to give right now. I am a strong student and a very strong test taker (1420 SAT back when it was a 1600 scale) so I expect to do well in these courses and on the MCAT when the time comes.

I'm not at all adverse to hard work for its own sake - I did get that 3.9 while raising my daughter alone and working full time. I just want to take the next few years slowly. Thanks SO MUCH for any advice you can give!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Napoletana1007]

I did a dyi post bac over 3yrs, but I had almost all my prereqs, so 4-5 yrs to me seems very reasonable with a full time job and children. I think that it's important to take tough,high-quality classes once you take your basic sciences. If you make a 31+ mcat and a 3.7+ in your post bac I'm sure you'll have no problem.

 

[DrMidlife]

I think you can take a lot of liberties with the usual premed advice in your situation.

My suggestion is to make a "shopping list" of classes, activities, MCAT, maybe some research, maybe some community work, etc. All the stuff that looks interesting to you that is useful for getting into med school. Can you use your connections to get a side gig in clinical research, and get a paper out? Can you serve as a volunteer with a community organization, and work your way up to the board? Would it be interesting to do a traditional masters degree in a bioscience, or an MPH?

It would be preferable to have completed a full time year of hard science with a very high GPA before you apply to med school. You need to give the admissions committee confidence that you will thrive in the first two years of med school, which are nothing but science in the classroom. You can't predict how you'll be reviewed, but generally you need to be the best applicant for the job in a pile of 5000+ apps.

So: map out what you want and need to do into a schedule that has you ready to apply in June of the year before you want to start med school (presumably June 2019).

For Irvine, you have to make friends with the idea that UC admissions are insane. INSANE. Getting in on a first try has no formula, because the competition is so out of control. It's fine to have Irvine as your first choice, but don't put all your eggs in that basket.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Goro]

Here's the problem you might face. Raising a child and taking an underrgrad curriculum and ten one pore-req course at a time is NOT the same as taking a medical school curriculum. We've wait-listed people who did exaclty as you did, alas. Suggest contacting the Admissions Dean and seeing if they consider you competitive. That 3.9 has to count for something!

Thanks for taking the time to read my message. I couldn't find another topic that already discussed this exact situation.

I went to Bryn Mawr College, had my daughter (insert joke here about getting pregnant while at a women's college) and then finished my undergrad at Chapman University. I got a degree in political science with a 3.9 overall GPA. I currently work in sales training in the medical device field.

My daughter is now finishing sixth grade, and I want to go to medical school... but not until she goes to college. She is the only child I will ever have, and I want to cherish these last few years that she is at home. However, I would like to get my prereqs out of the way so I am ready to start medical school in 2020. All of this long explanation to say: will a program like UCI look down on an otherwise strong applicant who took 4-5 years to complete prereqs, and who did them DIY? A traditional postbacc program will take more time away from my family than I am willing to give right now. I am a strong student and a very strong test taker (1420 SAT back when it was a 1600 scale) so I expect to do well in these courses and on the MCAT when the time comes.

I'm not at all adverse to hard work for its own sake - I did get that 3.9 while raising my daughter alone and working full time. I just want to take the next few years slowly. Thanks SO MUCH for any advice you can give!

 

[MrsBookworm]

I want to sincerely thank everyone who took the time to read and respond to my post. I have a lot of great ideas to think about.

I already took the suggestion to make "shopping list" of what I can do over the next several years to get ready: prereqs and some math review for the post-bacc program at CSU Fullerton, volunteer work, using my contacts at work to get more clinical experience and possibly even some research, etc. This is a great start. I do feel fortunate to be in a consulting role that is very flexible and will allow me to fit these things in my schedule, and to work in a related industry.

Thanks, too, for the reality check about UCI. I know I shouldn't put all of my eggs in that basket, but I own a home here in Irvine, and my husband has a great job (read: well enough paying to support me through med school) here as well, so I don't want to venture too far if I don't have to. I just need to do everything I can to become a star applicant and have a few backup plans as well.

I will take the advice to contact UCI and ask them what they think about all of this.

Thanks, again, everyone - your time and thoughts are so very much appreciated.

 

[squat]

I want to sincerely thank everyone who took the time to read and respond to my post. I have a lot of great ideas to think about.

I already took the suggestion to make "shopping list" of what I can do over the next several years to get ready: prereqs and some math review for the post-bacc program at CSU Fullerton, volunteer work, using my contacts at work to get more clinical experience and possibly even some research, etc. This is a great start. I do feel fortunate to be in a consulting role that is very flexible and will allow me to fit these things in my schedule, and to work in a related industry.

Thanks, too, for the reality check about UCI. I know I shouldn't put all of my eggs in that basket, but I own a home here in Irvine, and my husband has a great job (read: well enough paying to support me through med school) here as well, so I don't want to venture too far if I don't have to. I just need to do everything I can to become a star applicant and have a few backup plans as well.

I will take the advice to contact UCI and ask them what they think about all of this.

Thanks, again, everyone - your time and thoughts are so very much appreciated.

Just throwing my mom-opinions around...Come to grips with the fact that you will most likely need to move in order to go to medical school. In an effort to assauge the inevitable guilt of up-rooting your children (and I have lots of them), try to get your classes done ASAP so that you can start when you daughter starts high school. It might not seem a big deal with her in 6th grade, but as she gets older...

(You can TOTALLY diy on the post-bacc.)