AAAH! Advice?

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
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DRPL

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Sorry I know this area is plauged with "what would you do"s, but I really would appreciate any suggestions. Okay here goes...

I am by now considered a non-trad. since I am 27. I have successfully completed a post-bac. I've done volunteer work, good ecs, shadowed surgeons, DOs, FPs, etc. I applied to only a couple schools two years in a row. This was mostly b/c my school had an agreement with a DO school....that did not work out for me due to MCAT scores (at the last second). Each time I heard REALLY late....took the next test late....applied late, you get it. I also applied to a NP program at my state school, just in case- waitlisted and never taken off.

Last July, getting ready to take the MCAT again (for 3rd time in August), I witnessed 2 of my best friends get hit by a car while we were walking. They survived, but it has been a difficult thing to deal with and needless to say I was in no shape to retest in August. I began searching for alternatives as time seemed to slip away, out of the application cycle for a year. I decided an accelerated NP program was the way to go.

I applied to 2 schools, my state school and another in Boston. I was rejected by state (probably bc I only submitted mcat scores again/not gres), waitlisted by boston's. This year I took Anatomy/Phys I & II at the community college- A and A+. (While it wasn't cadaver based, I work in a morgue so I know where things are...) So.....deflated but not scathed by my mounting rejections- I decided to study for the MCAT AGAIN. I was going to become a doctor....as planned. I retook on May11th. I felt better than ever before..... What arrives 3 days later? Acceptance off waitlist.

So now, I have an acceptance (bird in hand) to become a NP......but I just studied my tush off for the MCAT. I would ideally love to go to my state school for md- great school, better tuition, have a home, friends, bf, etc (2 in the tree). I was all set to also apply DO and Carib. if neccessary.

But what if nothing happens for me again! I will be pissed if I had given up the chance to be a NP.....

If I do attend this NP program....and then decide I want to still go to med school.....won't adcoms look down upon "quitting a program"?

AHHHHHH..............help.
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VT. They favor in-state....but you need a 7 in each cat. for consideration. I took orgo the same time as the 1st mcat- 21Q (5p9v7b):eek:. The next time, my advisor/mentor was killed the week before - 23P (6p8v9b) :eek:. My GPA undergrad- 3.0, post bac...around a 3.6 I think. I am a female & minority. My practice scores were in the high 20s, occasional low 30s. I really needed to focus on the PS part....which I did. My anat/phys. classes helped a lot with raising BS. And verbal is always strong for me (except freaking out during the actual exam).....usually score 11. I felt really good during that section this time.

NP- 1st check needed by 5/25......need to start a $1,200 class on Tues., and then $900 more in classes by June 11th start!
 
DRPL said:
VT. They favor in-state....but you need a 7 in each cat. for consideration. I took orgo the same time as the 1st mcat- 21Q (5p9v7b):eek:. The next time, my advisor/mentor was killed the week before - 23P (6p8v9b) :eek:. My GPA undergrad- 3.0, post bac...around a 3.6 I think. I am a female & minority. My practice scores were in the high 20s, occasional low 30s. I really needed to focus on the PS part....which I did. My anat/phys. classes helped a lot with raising BS. And verbal is always strong for me (except freaking out during the actual exam).....usually score 11. I felt really good during that section this time.

NP- 1st check needed by 5/25......need to start a $1,200 class on Tues., and then $900 more in classes by June 11th start!
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BIG mistake to settle for NP if MD/DO is your desire. The med schools won't know about the NP acceptance, and you really don't even have to mention it. However, if you matricualte to the NP school and then do not complete it, THAT looks bad.

When you say minority, do you mean African American or Hispanic? If yes to either, no WAY settle for an NP when you really want a medical degree!Retake the MCAT, kick butt, and then reapply. Apply to a lot of programs (as many as you can afford to). If you can get double digit scores in all MCAT sections, trust me they will be beating down your door to get you to interview.

I see people settling all the time. One guy I know is getting a PT because he doesn't want to put in the time for MD. He talks about it all the time. He is actually quite smart. In his future, I see regret big time.

I would try to defer the NP program. If they are unwilling to defer, I would find something else to do while I wait to reapply. In my withdrawal letter, I would write something like, "Due to unforseen circumstances, I am unable to matriculate at this time." I'd take the chance on being able to explain it at a later date if I did not get into MD/DO school despite my best efforts. Either that or I would apply to a different school (and not mention that I got an acceptance for NP somewhere else).

I know it's easy to for me to say the above from where I am sitting. Whatever you decide, good luck!
 
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DRPL said:
VT. They favor in-state....but you need a 7 in each cat. for consideration. I took orgo the same time as the 1st mcat- 21Q (5p9v7b):eek:. The next time, my advisor/mentor was killed the week before - 23P (6p8v9b) :eek:. My GPA undergrad- 3.0, post bac...around a 3.6 I think. I am a female & minority. My practice scores were in the high 20s, occasional low 30s. I really needed to focus on the PS part....which I did. My anat/phys. classes helped a lot with raising BS. And verbal is always strong for me (except freaking out during the actual exam).....usually score 11. I felt really good during that section this time.

NP- 1st check needed by 5/25......need to start a $1,200 class on Tues., and then $900 more in classes by June 11th start!
Click to expand...

I agree with the previous poster. Don't settle for being a NP if you really want to be a MD/DO. Reappy to medical school and if you don't get in within 2 or 3 attempts then either consider going to the Caribbean, going into a different part of health care, or changing careers.
 
In today's world, NP =/= "less than" MD or DO, so don't think anyone's "settling." All of the people involved in a patient's care are team members. Docs get a lot of decision-making ability, and so they get responsibility and malpractice claims. NPs also get a lot of responsibility, and they may get more time with the patients, all without as much risk as a doc takes on. Heck, PAs can get better money than docs for less debt, school, risk, and in less time per week than most docs will put in. No team member is less than another - they are all different and do different jobs.

This decision is really about what the OP wants in life, not what other people (on a generally pro-MD board) feel about the OP's possibilities.
 
First, of course this is a supportive premed community but you are the only one who can make important decisions for your own life. Best of luck with that.

Now since I'm someone who prefers honesty rather than the keeping up of appearances I will respond as I would expect someone to level with me.

Your MCAT's can not be dismissed completely by the circumstances you indicate. If someone you love is injured or killed that's tough and could certainly detract from optimal experience to a significant degree but you prepare for this thing over months and months and so that if you have set backs its ok you go in there and forget about everything for 6 hours and you take the d@mn test like your future depends on it.

So you have different sets of considerations. Is this or that career right for me? And can I buckle down and get this or that set of tasks accomplished? Take some quiet time and reflect and see if you can answer your questions or have them answered as it were. But when your done thinking about it. Make up your mind. Set your intention. Then take the bull by the horns and get after it. Sorry if that sounds insensitive but I'm just trying to present my interpretation of the reality of the way your application will be looked at and not to be patronizing about it. That is to say--21 and 24 blows and a personal statement cannot go on justifying this lack of success, especially if it happens again so pony up if you want medical school. Or take what you've got and go with it and be happy.
 
RxnMan said:
In today's world, NP =/= "less than" MD or DO, so don't think anyone's "settling." All of the people involved in a patient's care are team members. Docs get a lot of decision-making ability, and so they get responsibility and malpractice claims. NPs also get a lot of responsibility, and they may get more time with the patients, all without as much risk as a doc takes on. Heck, PAs can get better money than docs for less debt, school, risk, and in less time per week than most docs will put in. No team member is less than another - they are all different and do different jobs.

This decision is really about what the OP wants in life, not what other people (on a generally pro-MD board) feel about the OP's possibilities.
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Dude, chill. No one is disrespecting NPs (if I did that, my cousin would thrash me since she is an NP and a great person). However, the OP states a desire to become a physician. That IS settling, not because there is something bad about being an NP, but because that is not what the OP stated he/she wanted. If I misinterpreted the OPs post (and maybe the OP can post another message to clarify it), then I do truly apologize.
 
Thank you all who posted.... I have been leaning on going to the NP program. But I may have the option to defer- they decide on a case by case basis. I had the feeling that once I am in a program....even if it turns out to not be right for me...this is frowned upon by med schools (thanks for the confirmation). So.. I am still confused. I know that it is my choice ultimately. But I just don't want to have regrets..... I have been working towards becoming a doctor for a long time now. I know in my heart that I have what it takes to go through the work to be a doctor. But I am 27. I want to have a family some day. So I feel that I can't prolong this whole thing much longer...Being able to at least be a nurse in 1 year is appealing. I guess I'll wait to see that MCAT score.
 
DRPL said:
Thank you all who posted.... I have been leaning on going to the NP program. But I may have the option to defer- they decide on a case by case basis. I had the feeling that once I am in a program....even if it turns out to not be right for me...this is frowned upon by med schools (thanks for the confirmation). So.. I am still confused. I know that it is my choice ultimately. But I just don't want to have regrets..... I have been working towards becoming a doctor for a long time now. I know in my heart that I have what it takes to go through the work to be a doctor. But I am 27. I want to have a family some day. So I feel that I can't prolong this whole thing much longer...Being able to at least be a nurse in 1 year is appealing. I guess I'll wait to see that MCAT score.
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I just turned 29, I'm going to apply next summer. I know what you're feeling about the family thing, but you're kidding yourself if you don't think in this day and age you can't still have a family at 34 or 5.
I'm a guy, however, so with a little help I can have babies in my 40's.
Not that I'm particularly keen on the idea.

I'd concretize for yourself what academic and other aspirations you have. Is doctors without borders important to you? Do you want to teach medicine to future physicians? Etc. etc. That being said, NP is an exciting field. Nurses are the frontline, and that's no joke. Nursing teachers will be in high demand for years to come. My girlfriend is a cardiac nurse and administrator in training. Its a very dynamic field.
NP's will have an ever increasing salary and workload.

For me, its not so much the status of being a physician, its the residency and the influence on my field I can potentially make, for the betterment of all.
 
Similar situation:

I got accepted to PharmD school right before I started studying for the MCAT. I applied basically to see if I would get in and a possible backup. My practice MCAT scores were not where I wanted them and I figured I would do better with the new CBT version so I waited to take the test until this August.

I decided to go ahead and start the PharmD program because I figured if I waited I could have half it completed by the time I got even close to a MD acceptance. Plus, as I thought about it more, I liked the idea of having two doctorates. I would get to know all the medicine and the drugs. Basically, when you see a doctor, they diagnosis you and then prescribe you a drug. So, I liked the idea of knowing both. BTW, I am 27 too so I know the pressure of father time but lucky for me I am a guy and want to marry younger.

To summarize, I would not waste the opportunity of the FNP. I would do it and have it in my basket in case you do not get into a MD program. You can work on the MD on the side until you get in or "know" you never will. For me, I could not give up the financial security that the PharmD would give me. I knew I had that but the MD was still a "big" maybe. I usually am a risk taker and would go for it but I know I would regret it if I ended up with nothing so I took the safe route.

Sometimes a par is as good as a birdie. (golf reference for those that get it!)

BTW, I have a MBA as well so I know the business side of the risk. Never risk financial security!
 
I'm in the same boat - I'm 36, and I'm re-applying for the second time (in Canada) next year. I finally had to make the hard decision between school or children (and I'm not even married!).
Realistically, I understand that I can't possibly complete medical school, residency AND have children - just not enough time! Tough decision, but I already made it.
 
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