Is med school an option?

[plainusername]

I'm entering my third year of undergrad this fall with a major in Molecular Bioscience and Biotechnology, and I'm planning on minoring in German and Chemistry. Until now, the plan has been to get a MPH in epidemiology/infectious disease/tropical medicine and then possibly a PhD. I obviously want to work in ID but lately I've been thinking that for what I want to do I would need an MD, but I feel like this late in the game it's no longer an option for me.

I have a 3.7-something GPA. I've never gotten anything lower than a B, though I have a few of them. Because of the APs I took in high school I didn't have to take any general education classes except a writing seminar and philosophy 101. I've been told that med schools won't take AP credit, but they also want you to have a background in the humanities. I have credit for Bio, physics B, Euro, psych, and Lit. Though I've taken plenty of bio and chem, I don't have any college level English or physics, and I don't know if I'll have room in my schedule to take a full year of both before I graduate. I also don't really have any extracurriculars, though I'm starting research with a professor this fall, and I expect to do a study abroad program next summer in Africa, with a lot of clinical work. I do have quite a few volunteer hours at the hospital from when I was in high school. I'm assuming that there's basically no chance that I'll get into med school.

Should I apply anyways? If I go onto an MPH would I be able to go to med school afterwards? How would having just an MPH or a PhD or MD change my career outlook? I'd like to be working on outbreaks and emerging diseases around the world, on the "front lines" so to speak.

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[LupaCupcake]

Simple answer. It is always an option if you are willing to work for it.

 

[NPI]

Take extra time to start volunteering and shadowing whenever possible. Look into continuing medical education conferences or seminars where you can meet important folks and network with them. Where there's a will, there's a way.

 

[nozart87]

you have a great gpa so of course it is an option.

after you finish undergrad you could start your masters in public health. as you do your mph, take the per-requisites for medical school that you may not have completed at your university:

2 semesters of general bio
2 semesters of general chemistry
2 semesters or organic chemistry
2 semesters of general physics
2 semesters of physics
2 semesters of calculus

also, while working on your mph and per-requisites, do some research, clinical experience and shadowing done.

you could also skip the mph and do a special masters program or post-bacc for medical school instead. depending on the program you select, it may help you take the
per-requisites you missed, prepare for the mcat, and possibly link you to a medical school after graduation.