Good evening all,
Forgive me if I'm a bit long-winded but I have a lot to explain. Long story short I was a business major at Gonzaga (Spokane, WA) and I have decided to pursue a career in medicine. Since college I've floated around ID, MT, WA, and AK. This part of the country is where my heart's at and where I want to live. Furthermore, I'd like to live in a smaller town, and I know there's a big push to get more medical care in rural areas. So I feel that my desires and ambitions are very much in line with University of Washington's WWAMI program, and it is where I want to go if possible.
Now the problem--I don't have residency in any of these states. I didn't establish residency in WA when I was in college, and I have floated around too much afterwards to have established residency in any of these states. For those of you familiar with the program, it is ONLY for residents of the states served.
So I have a couple options:
1) I could stay in one place while I finish my prerequisites and establish residency, then shoot for the WWAMI program.
If I went through Montana State's post-bac program it would take me 2 years to establish residency since full-time students cannot gain residency. Basically I'd have to either draw out the prerequisites for 2 years and not be a full-time student, or I would have to do the program and then stick around and work for another year before becoming a resident and applying. Seems like a long process and big gamble because it would all be for the purpose of getting into a single program.
Best case scenario I do MSU's post bac program, then work for one year in Montana to establish residency, and get accepted to the WWAMI program in 2 years time.
Worst case scenario I bust my ass at MSU, work for a year to establish residency, then find out the WWAMI program is too competitive for me and either spend 3-4 year trying to get into med school there or 2 years to get into a private school somewhere else when I could have saved a year or more by taking the other option
2) Or I could go to a structured post-bac program like Columbia, Goucher, Bryn Mawr, etc. (assuming I get in).
I feel like this is a more prudent move if my sole priority is getting into medical school ASAP but I would likely have to give up on the idea of going to school out west.
Best case scenario I get into a good program then get into a linked med school in just one year which is the fastest possible route.
Worst case scenario I pay for the structured program, live somewhere I don't want to live in (and thus lose any chance at all at getting into the WWAMI program), don't get into a linked program, and end up spending 2+ years to get into a private med school anywhere.
What I'm wondering is this: Is the WWAMI program so competitive that I shouldn't even bother putting all my eggs in that basket? If I do go through a structured post-bac program just how probable is it that I could go straight through and be accepted to a med school in just one year? I know the latter is very subjective but assume I perform well just for the sake of this question.
Basically I see it as a gamble either way--option 1 I am gambling that WWAMI is within my range and can get into it in one or two tries. Option 2 I'm gambling that if I get into a good post-bac program I can utilize the linkages and get into a med school in one year.
Again, I apologize for how long and confusing my situation is but if anyone has any experience with the WWAMI program or any of the structured post-bac programs (wrong forum, I know), or just any insight into my dilemma at all, I'd love to hear your opinion.
Thank you all for your time.
Matt
Forgive me if I'm a bit long-winded but I have a lot to explain. Long story short I was a business major at Gonzaga (Spokane, WA) and I have decided to pursue a career in medicine. Since college I've floated around ID, MT, WA, and AK. This part of the country is where my heart's at and where I want to live. Furthermore, I'd like to live in a smaller town, and I know there's a big push to get more medical care in rural areas. So I feel that my desires and ambitions are very much in line with University of Washington's WWAMI program, and it is where I want to go if possible.
Now the problem--I don't have residency in any of these states. I didn't establish residency in WA when I was in college, and I have floated around too much afterwards to have established residency in any of these states. For those of you familiar with the program, it is ONLY for residents of the states served.
So I have a couple options:
1) I could stay in one place while I finish my prerequisites and establish residency, then shoot for the WWAMI program.
If I went through Montana State's post-bac program it would take me 2 years to establish residency since full-time students cannot gain residency. Basically I'd have to either draw out the prerequisites for 2 years and not be a full-time student, or I would have to do the program and then stick around and work for another year before becoming a resident and applying. Seems like a long process and big gamble because it would all be for the purpose of getting into a single program.
Best case scenario I do MSU's post bac program, then work for one year in Montana to establish residency, and get accepted to the WWAMI program in 2 years time.
Worst case scenario I bust my ass at MSU, work for a year to establish residency, then find out the WWAMI program is too competitive for me and either spend 3-4 year trying to get into med school there or 2 years to get into a private school somewhere else when I could have saved a year or more by taking the other option
2) Or I could go to a structured post-bac program like Columbia, Goucher, Bryn Mawr, etc. (assuming I get in).
I feel like this is a more prudent move if my sole priority is getting into medical school ASAP but I would likely have to give up on the idea of going to school out west.
Best case scenario I get into a good program then get into a linked med school in just one year which is the fastest possible route.
Worst case scenario I pay for the structured program, live somewhere I don't want to live in (and thus lose any chance at all at getting into the WWAMI program), don't get into a linked program, and end up spending 2+ years to get into a private med school anywhere.
What I'm wondering is this: Is the WWAMI program so competitive that I shouldn't even bother putting all my eggs in that basket? If I do go through a structured post-bac program just how probable is it that I could go straight through and be accepted to a med school in just one year? I know the latter is very subjective but assume I perform well just for the sake of this question.
Basically I see it as a gamble either way--option 1 I am gambling that WWAMI is within my range and can get into it in one or two tries. Option 2 I'm gambling that if I get into a good post-bac program I can utilize the linkages and get into a med school in one year.
Again, I apologize for how long and confusing my situation is but if anyone has any experience with the WWAMI program or any of the structured post-bac programs (wrong forum, I know), or just any insight into my dilemma at all, I'd love to hear your opinion.
Thank you all for your time.
Matt
