Timeline for a non-trad post-bacc -- seeking guidance

[Marsh86]

To all those who have gone before and can offer advice, your time and insight is much appreciated. I've posted before and received great feedback regarding optimal MCAT test dates -- hopefully those same smart people can help me out again.

I'm currently in the Marine Corps with just over a year and a half left of active duty. I was a Political Science major (decent GPA, 3.5), so I need the 4 major pre-reqs (chem, bio, physics, o-chem). My new time-line is as follows:

Fall semester 2011:
- daily work schedule (10 hrs/day)
- take general chem 2 nights a week (UNC-Wilmington)
- volunteer at local hospital 2 nights a week

Spring semester 2012:
- daily work schedule (10 hrs/day)
- take general chem 2 nights a week (UNC-Wilmington)
- volunteer at local hospital 2 nights a week

May 2012:
- daily work schedule (10 hrs/day)
- complete general chem
- continue volunteer work
- shadow various physicians (clinic that is open nights/weekends)

Fall semester 2012:
- end active duty (move back to Georgia)
- take physics, bio, and o-chem (GA Tech or GA State)
- research
- continue volunteer work (albeit more sparingly)

Spring semester 2013:
- take physics, bio, and o-chem (GA Tech or GA State)
- research
- continue volunteer work (albeit more sparingly)

May 2013:
- complete pre-reqs
- full-time study for MCAT

June (or July?) 2013:
- take MCAT
- complete applications for fall 2014 med school matriculation
- continue volunteer/research
- do something that makes a little bit of $

August 2014:
- begin med school! (crosses fingers)

I'll appreciate any and all thoughts concerning this timeline.


Specifically, I have some questions...

1. I will take general chem at a different school (UNC-Wilmington) than the rest of my pre-reqs (GA Tech or GA State). My undergrad degree is from the University of Georgia. Will having these classes spread out among different schools raise any red flags or concerns to adcoms?
2. Are there many success stories out there with only a month (or none) of dedicated MCAT study time? I plan on buying MCAT prep material before I enroll in pre-reqs and studying as I go along.
3. I really don't want to give adcoms the impression that I am merely "checking the boxes" with volunteering, research, and shadowing. But then again...they want to see a dedication to the above activities. I assume this can be done in a quality PS and be spoken to during interviews?

I foresee the responses to this thread being something like "difficult, but doable" (at least, that's what I'm hoping). More specific comments and/or suggestions would be great. I always like to get sanity checks! Essentially, I want to be in med school as soon as (smartly?) possible -- let me know if I'm too much of an eager beaver and shoot me back down to earth (on top of all this, I have a wife and a newborn).

This forum is incredible -- so glad there are folks out there who take time to help out those that seek to follow in their footsteps. Anyone else out there feel as excited as I am when they have a dream, and then start to put the dominoes in place to make that dream a reality?

Thanks,
Marsh

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[EdLongshanks]

I foresee the responses to this thread being something like "difficult, but doable" (at least, that's what I'm hoping). More specific comments and/or suggestions would be great. I always like to get sanity checks! Essentially, I want to be in med school as soon as (smartly?) possible -- let me know if I'm too much of an eager beaver and shoot me back down to earth (on top of all this, I have a wife and a newborn).

Actually, its not overly ambitious, looks pretty reasonable to me.

There's a couple of things that you might consider. It looks like you are planning to use your GI bill for a couple of semesters of undergrad. This may be a strategic error, since the GI bill is more valuable during medical school (or so I read from other vets).

Also, although your class schedule isn't too ambitious, there are some optional classes that you might want to take that will extend the plan a little. A few schools require biochemistry and almost all of them like it. Also many schools suggest a few upper-level biology courses from a list of courses like genetics, cell bio, physiology... Also, these courses are useful for MCAT prep.

I know that no one wants to extend their timeline, but it doesn't appear that you are that old, and a little bit more time may improve your application.

 

[Marsh86]

Thanks for the quick reply shanks!

There's a couple of things that you might consider. It looks like you are planning to use your GI bill for a couple of semesters of undergrad. This may be a strategic error, since the GI bill is more valuable during medical school (or so I read from other vets).

I'm definitely NOT using it for my pre-reqs -- as of last month, the post-9/11 GI Bill covers 100% of tuition for public graduate programs (amazing!).

As for extending my timeline -- you're right, I don't want to do it! I see it as one more year that stands between me and my ultimate goal. That said, I realize there are some more courses I could take prior to med school that would increase my chances of admission. An intense cost/benefit analysis is needed...

Also, Emory and MCG (my top 2 choices) do not require Biochem or any other pre-req that I don't already have other than the 4 courses already mentioned.

 

[EdLongshanks]

Thanks for the quick reply shanks!



I'm definitely NOT using it for my pre-reqs -- as of last month, the post-9/11 GI Bill covers 100% of tuition for public graduate programs (amazing!).

As for extending my timeline -- you're right, I don't want to do it! I see it as one more year that stands between me and my ultimate goal. That said, I realize there are some more courses I could take prior to med school that would increase my chances of admission. An intense cost/benefit analysis is needed...

Also, Emory and MCG (my top 2 choices) do not require Biochem or any other pre-req that I don't already have other than the 4 courses already mentioned.

I understand your impatience. If you tried an application cycle without these courses, and didn't get in, then you could take a few of them during your application year, and have them ready for the next round. The only negative effect would be that you take the MCAT without the help that these courses give you. This might cost you a few points in the BS section, but your PS score might be higher because of the recent chemistry and physics - so this might even out.

Also, if the first application year doesn't work for you, you haven't significantly damaged yourself for a second round.

I originally thought that you were using your GI Bill and that was why you were going full time for a year for pre-reqs, that was my main reason for suggesting stretching it out a bit. But if you can do the full-time schooling for a year without using the GI bill, then this will probably work for you. It's a good plan and it's modifiable without damage - which makes it doubly good.

Good luck.

 

[phltz]

I did a one-year post-bacc program, finished in the spring, and then took the MCAT at the end of May. I only had a few weeks to devote full time to studying and did well. Others in my class took the MCAT in the mid to late summer, and still struggled to get scores they were happy with. Without knowing more about you, it's impossible to predict how it will go for you, but it is possible. You should start studying in January while you are still taking classes. Take a full length practice test every month or so at first, and then step up the pace as you approach your date. The earlier practice tests will be a bit rougher, as you won't yet have finished the material in class, but they'll give you an idea of where you stand. Don't be afraid to push back your plans if the practice tests are going poorly.

Having classes from a bunch of different schools is fine. I had to send in transcripts from 4 schools, and no one seemed concerned about it.

As far as the rest of your schedule goes, you're right - it looks tough but mostly doable. If you haven't already looked into this, you should check to be sure that all of the classes you want to take are available (with labs!) when you want to take them. Especially the gen-chem evening class may be hard to find with a lab, so try to figure that out ahead of time.

What kind of research are you envisioning getting involved in? There are coordinator positions for clinical research that don't involve any specific skills, but these are usually full time positions. My advice would be not to worry too much about having research checked off your list. Between the science classes with three labs, volunteering, and (hopefully) spending time with your wife and kid at home, I think it'd be really hard to squeeze in a meaningful research project. And as a non-trad with a (presumably) rich and varied set of experiences, I think it's largely dispensable.

As non-trads, I think it's often more to our advantage to really work our own unique stories and backgrounds than to work to become an older version of some idealized undergrad applicant. You aren't a 21 year old straight out of college, and there's no point in pretending that you are. You'll be a veteran and a father when you apply. You'll be older and wiser. You'll be long comfortable with serious responsibility. I assume you'll have a variety of stories to tell. Would adding a few hours of entry-level grunt-work for a research study really add to this? Would updating an excel spreadsheet with the details of when a patient signed a consent form contribute to the narrative you'll want to tell to the admissions committees? If you don't think it will add, I'd recommend you not bother with it.

 

[Marsh86]

If you haven't already looked into this, you should check to be sure that all of the classes you want to take are available (with labs!) when you want to take them. Especially the gen-chem evening class may be hard to find with a lab, so try to figure that out ahead of time.

Yes, I have looked into this and there is exactly 1 lab at night...ha. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure I get enrolled into that lab.

As for your other points regarding research, thank you. You put it into context when I was more-so worried about hitting all the wickets. Thanks for the input!

 

[Marsh86]

After receiving approval from my wife to apply to out-of-state schools , I've adjusted my top choices and a few of them require Biochem.


If I stay on my current plan, I'll take MCAT in late May and enroll in Biochem for the summer June-Aug session.

1. Will the schools that require biochem not even touch my application until they can verify that I have biochem complete? If so, that means they won't review my app until Sept-Oct timeframe, which would in turn negatively impact my chance of admission and make me re-consider my timeline for completing my pre-reqs (i.e., taking 2 years as opposed to 1).
2. Or should I just indicate on AMCAS that I am enrolled in the summer session course, have my transcript verified without Biochem, and then send an update letter to the schools that show interest (this is assuming they will review my app without Biochem complete)?

Thanks for any input.

 

[EdLongshanks]

After receiving approval from my wife to apply to out-of-state schools , I've adjusted my top choices and a few of them require Biochem.


If I stay on my current plan, I'll take MCAT in late May and enroll in Biochem for the summer June-Aug session.

1. Will the schools that require biochem not even touch my application until they can verify that I have biochem complete? If so, that means they won't review my app until Sept-Oct timeframe, which would in turn negatively impact my chance of admission and make me re-consider my timeline for completing my pre-reqs (i.e., taking 2 years as opposed to 1).
2. Or should I just indicate on AMCAS that I am enrolled in the summer session course, have my transcript verified without Biochem, and then send an update letter to the schools that show interest (this is assuming they will review my app without Biochem complete)?

Thanks for any input.

Pre-reqs are not required until actual matriculation. Yes they will review your application without BioChem complete. A few of them might send you an email verifying when you plan to take it.