New guy...super anxious about all this.

[NervousGuy88]

Hi everyone, I've been reading a lot on this forum to try and get myself prepared. Here's a little about me. I am 22 years old, I'm a Pharmacy Technician for Miami Children's Hospital and I just became a certified EMT as well. I am married, and my dream is to become a pediatrician. I have never been to college and now I am thinking about pursuing my dream. I want to attend my community college to get my AA in biology and later transfer to FIU to get my bachelor's. All this is super scary because I need to pay the bills and I am thinking about Medical School and how expensive it is... Anyway I was just wondering about a couple things:

1) when is the best time to start shadowing doctors, should I wait until I get my AA first?

2) how hard is it to get into med school? I am a good student but I wonder sometimes if I am not "aggressive" enough for medical school...

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated as well.

Thanks everyone I hope to hear something soon.

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[deleted393595]

Hi everyone, I've been reading a lot on this forum to try and get myself prepared. Here's a little about me. I am 22 years old, I'm a Pharmacy Technician for Miami Children's Hospital and I just became a certified EMT as well. I am married, and my dream is to become a pediatrician. I have never been to college and now I am thinking about pursuing my dream. I want to attend my community college to get my AA in biology and later transfer to FIU to get my bachelor's. All this is super scary because I need to pay the bills and I am thinking about Medical School and how expensive it is... Anyway I was just wondering about a couple things:

1) when is the best time to start shadowing doctors, should I wait until I get my AA first?

2) how hard is it to get into med school? I am a good student but I wonder sometimes if I am not "aggressive" enough for medical school...

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated as well.

Thanks everyone I hope to hear something soon.

I think you're on the wrong section, but:

1. The sooner the better. It gives you more time to rack up more hours and get a better feel for medicine.

2. As hard as you want. If you're willing to sacrifice the next few years and eat and breathe nothing but Pre-Med, you'll have a good shot at getting in.

By the way, what is an AA?

 

[I'm No Superman]

I think you're on the wrong section, but:

1. The sooner the better. It gives you more time to rack up more hours and get a better feel for medicine.

2. As hard as you want. If you're willing to sacrifice the next few years and eat and breathe nothing but Pre-Med, you'll have a good shot at getting in.

By the way, what is an AA?

Associates Degree.

 

[NervousGuy88]

I'm in the wrong place? I'm sorry, which would be a better thread?

So really? I could try shadowing even before I get my Associates? Great

What about all these extra curriculars I keep hearing about and volunteer hours and all that? All that is neccessary for med school as well?

What about a residency, I don't want anything super competitive what I want is to be a GP or Pediatrician and have a private practice. Is residency 3 years?

 

[HH Holmes]

I'm in the wrong place? I'm sorry, which would be a better thread?

So really? I could try shadowing even before I get my Associates? Great

What about all these extra curriculars I keep hearing about and volunteer hours and all that? All that is neccessary for med school as well?

What about a residency, I don't want anything super competitive what I want is to be a GP or Pediatrician and have a private practice. Is residency 3 years?

Don't worry - you're new. I am sure a moderator will move you to a new sub forum if needed.

See what fits your schedule the best... Since you're married, need to pay bills and have a job, balance what you can. Since you work in a hospital, you have good connections to shadowing and clinical experience. If you have time, before you start school, see if you can shadow a physician at your hospital before or after your shift starts.

I would say go get your AA in biology, shadow a few hours per week and see how your routine plans out. After the two years of getting your associates, you will then know how you work as a student, which will lead you to a more comfortable experience at a university.

With regards to residency, family practice (GP) is one of the easier spots to match into. Peds is a little bit harder, but is not nearly as competitive as most surgical spots, radiology, ophthalmology and dermatology. Pediatrics and family medicine are on the lower end of the "competitiveness", but you do not need to worry about any of this until medical school.

 

[I'm No Superman]

I just wanted to say that it's pretty cool that your going back to college and med school to follow your dream. My uncle went back to college after becoming an architect, and is now an anesthesiologist. Good luck.

 

[DrYoda]

1) when is the best time to start shadowing doctors, should I wait until I get my AA first?

The earlier the better.

2) how hard is it to get into med school? I am a good student but I wonder sometimes if I am not "aggressive" enough for medical school...

It's pretty competitive. The average GPA of people who get in is around 3.6-3.7 for MD schools.

As for not being aggressive, medicine does tend to pull a fairly outgoing and type A crowd, but you'll find all types. Being more outgoing is something you can always work on if you feel it's a weakness of yours.

What about all these extra curriculars I keep hearing about and volunteer hours and all that? All that is neccessary for med school as well?

"clinical experience" (work or volunteering in a clinical setting) is the only EC that's basically required. Other than that you can just do whatever activities it is that you like to do. Research is something that many schools like to see as well, but it's not de facto required like clinical experience is.

What about a residency, I don't want anything super competitive what I want is to be a GP or Pediatrician and have a private practice. Is residency 3 years?

Peds, family medicine and internal medicine residencies are all three years and they're some of the easier residencies to get into.

 

[NervousGuy88]

Don't worry - you're new. I am sure a moderator will move you to a new sub forum if needed.

See what fits your schedule the best... Since you're married, need to pay bills and have a job, balance what you can. Since you work in a hospital, you have good connections to shadowing and clinical experience. If you have time, before you start school, see if you can shadow a physician at your hospital before or after your shift starts.

I would say go get your AA in biology, shadow a few hours per week and see how your routine plans out. After the two years of getting your associates, you will then know how you work as a student, which will lead you to a more comfortable experience at a university.

With regards to residency, family practice (GP) is one of the easier spots to match into. Peds is a little bit harder, but is not nearly as competitive as most surgical spots, radiology, ophthalmology and dermatology. Pediatrics and family medicine are on the lower end of the "competitiveness", but you do not need to worry about any of this until medical school.

Thanks that sounds like a great plan I'm just so nervous about all of this. And I keep hearing about the debt, sooooo much debt, and that pediatricians make about $150,000/yr that is GREAT GREAT GREAT money but how would I pay off a massive debt of about $200,000(which is what I hear is the average ammount). Sorry...my mind is just everywhere right now thinking about all the negatives so I don't do anything that I will regret later.

I just wanted to say that it's pretty cool that your going back to college and med school to follow your dream. My uncle went back to college after becoming an architect, and is now an anesthesiologist. Good luck.

Thanks Gamma Knife I really appreciate that, it's so overwhelming though trying to make the right decisions and understanding everything.

The earlier the better.

It's pretty competitive. The average GPA of people who get in is around 3.6-3.7 for MD schools.

As for not being aggressive, medicine does tend to pull a fairly outgoing and type A crowd, but you'll find all types. Being more outgoing is something you can always work on if you feel it's a weakness of yours.


"clinical experience" (work or volunteering in a clinical setting) is the only EC that's basically required. Other than that you can just do whatever activities it is that you like to do. Research is something that many schools like to see as well, but it's not de facto required like clinical experience is.


Peds, family medicine and internal medicine residencies are all three years and they're some of the easier residencies to get into.

I don't really consider myself Type A at all, I'm quiet and pensive and not competitive which is why sometimes I think that being a doctor wouldn't be for me That and all the time I hear you spend away from your family, my wife means the world to me and if I do decide to start medical school we will only have a baby after I graduate of course but I want to be a good dad, present in their life... SOOOOOO MUCH TO THINK ABOUT. I have a tendency to over think things as I'm sure is quite obvious by now

 

[senorsquishie]

You don't need to be in your face competitive. Let your grades and hard work speak for itself

 

[Velocity]

1) when is the best time to start shadowing doctors, should I wait until I get my AA first?

2) how hard is it to get into med school? I am a good student but I wonder sometimes if I am not "aggressive" enough for medical school...

It wouldn't hurt to start shadowing now, if you can. You may make some connections that way, you can get more information about the training involved in becoming a doctor, and most importantly, you can get a sense of the job and its lifestyle to see if it's really what you want. (Bear in mind, of course, that the exact job functions and lifestyle vary from region to region, hospital to hospital, and doctor to doctor.)

It is difficult to get into medical school. Your chances are better if you have high numbers (MCAT and GPA), but even those are not 100% guarantees. You will have two potential advantages going for you over the standard pre-med: you'll already have experience working in healthcare, and you'll be older (more mature, likely to handle interviews better). Those factors will also help you to stand out. You seem thoughtful, and as long as you can develop a drive and confidence (and get the high numbers) I'd predict that you would make it in.

I don't really consider myself Type A at all, I'm quiet and pensive and not competitive which is why sometimes I think that being a doctor wouldn't be for me That and all the time I hear you spend away from your family, my wife means the world to me and if I do decide to start medical school we will only have a baby after I graduate of course but I want to be a good dad, present in their life... SOOOOOO MUCH TO THINK ABOUT. I have a tendency to over think things as I'm sure is quite obvious by now

Quiet, pensive, and not competitive - I sincerely hope that you get into medical school, because the medical field could use more people like you.

The family aspect (and the debt) is a challenge. It's easier on some relationships, and harder on others. You can expect to have much less time to spend with your wife during medical school and residency, and you can expect to be more stressed. If you have a low-stress personality to begin with, if you know what to expect, and if your wife also knows what to expect and is supportive, then things will be easier on you. People like to claim that relationships, whether dating or marriage, do not survive medical school. It seems to me that the reason these relationships fail is because one or both partners are not prepared for the difficulties that medical school (and medicine) impose, and they forget that the relationship needs time, effort, and work, as well. (For what it's worth, I'll be heading to medical school this autumn, and my wife is finishing up her third year as a medical student. There are real challenges, but they're far from impossible to overcome.)

Beyond medical school and residency, it's tricky to say how it may be. It will depend on your field and where you're working. My parents are both doctors, and they often came home from work late when I was young (they were completing residency). They were very rarely able to make it to my sports games. I never took it hard as a kid, but I know it was hard on them - they felt like their jobs were preventing them from being the parents that they wanted to be. I hope that my wife and I won't have a similar scenario when we're done with school and have children, but it's a possibility that I'm aware of and am knowingly going into. As long as you're aware and prepared for that potential sacrifice, I think you'll be OK.

The process is a long and hard one. Even people who loved the idea of medicine before medical school and who love being doctors now go through a period where they consider quitting, because parts of the school and training are so demanding. That self-doubt may be even harder for you, because you are a non-traditional student and will be walking your own path. Don't rush into anything: talk it over with your wife, talk to other doctors and shadow where you can (but don't be put off by the unhappy ones), and research as much as you can about the process. Knowing what you're getting into (and making sure that your wife knows and is on board) will make a big difference. Knowing that you really will love what you're doing, and that you'll feel fulfilled by it, will help to get you through those dark moments.

If it's what you decide to do, then know that I'm rooting for you.

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

How long does it take to get the AA and then the Bachelors? If you can transfer and get your bachelors in 4 yrs, then go for it...otherwise I'd go straight for the BA/BS since that's what you'll need for med school. As you'll see, a lot of pre-meds and med students don't really know what an AA is.

Anyway, don't think too much about the debt and all that just yet. It's payable, otherwise nobody would become a pediatrician, family practitioner, etc. Chances are, after going through med school, you'll end up in a totally different field anyway.

It's a long journey ahead, but it goes by real fast. In the vast majority of cases, if you're dedicated enough, you can totally do it. So it's really all up to you - don't forget it. Good luck

 

[Starlightembers]

Hi everyone, I've been reading a lot on this forum to try and get myself prepared. Here's a little about me. I am 22 years old, I'm a Pharmacy Technician for Miami Children's Hospital and I just became a certified EMT as well. I am married, and my dream is to become a pediatrician. I have never been to college and now I am thinking about pursuing my dream. I want to attend my community college to get my AA in biology and later transfer to FIU to get my bachelor's. All this is super scary because I need to pay the bills and I am thinking about Medical School and how expensive it is...

I think it's incredible that you're planning to go back and pursue your dream of becoming a pediatrician. Truly.

Anyway I was just wondering about a couple things:

1) when is the best time to start shadowing doctors, should I wait until I get my AA first?

As others have said, start as soon as possible. Make sure to look into volunteer and research opportunities, as well. That is important.

2) how hard is it to get into med school? I am a good student but I wonder sometimes if I am not "aggressive" enough for medical school...

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated as well.

Thanks everyone I hope to hear something soon.

On average, there is a 50% acceptance rate for those applying to medical school. So, yes, it is competitive. You do not, however, have to be an Ivy League graduate with a 4.0 GPA, perfect MCAT scores, multiple abroad experiences and your name on 20 research papers. This is a chart of average GPA and MCAT scores of those who applied, and of those who actually matriculated (from 1999 - 2010); these are the average GPAs and MCAT scores for 2010 by major. Hopefully, that will give you an idea of what you need to aim for.

Oh, and if you didn't already know, do not take any of the prerequisite classes in community college. Especially the science ones. Most medical schools will not take them if you do.

Zoom-Zoom: An AA takes two years to complete, at which point many students transfer to a four year university. It takes two more years after that to get a BA/BS. It ends up being four years, either way.

 

[LazyMooch]

Thanks that sounds like a great plan I'm just so nervous about all of this. And I keep hearing about the debt, sooooo much debt, and that pediatricians make about $150,000/yr that is GREAT GREAT GREAT money but how would I pay off a massive debt of about $200,000(which is what I hear is the average ammount). Sorry...my mind is just everywhere right now thinking about all the negatives so I don't do anything that I will regret later...That and all the time I hear you spend away from your family, my wife means the world to me and if I do decide to start medical school we will only have a baby after I graduate of course but I want to be a good dad, present in their life... SOOOOOO MUCH TO THINK ABOUT. I have a tendency to over think things as I'm sure is quite obvious by now

If you haven't already, consider pharmacy. Much better hours and a great pay (less than a doctor's, but high enough to provide your family more than many many professions allow) make the field great for having a family. The pharmacist who works at my CVS works a total of 3 to 4 days a week in a low-volume rural area and loves it because of all the time he has to spend with his kids/wife.

Of course, there are many negative to the field (as there are for any profession). You could check the pharm boards for more info. However, seeing as how you mentioned being a pharm tech, I imagine that you already know the score.

In the end, it's up to you. Best of luck.

Also, name your kid after me.

This grammar is atrocious (I worked the 2am to 11am shift this morning)