24 y.o. Civil Engineer Apply to Med School. Looking for feedback!

[engr2md]

Hi SDN!

I'm a 24 year old 3+ years out of school working as a civil engineering and looking to make a career change to medicine. I work full time and have been taking pre-req course at UCLA Extension for the past year in preparation for the MCAT. I've done well in all courses (no Bs or Cs so far) and my aim is to take the MCAT in early 2020 and apply for the next immediate cycle. The following is my prep so far, am I on the right track? Given I get a relatively high MCAT score, is applying next cycle a realistic and if so, what can I do now to increase odds of success?
Degrees

• Civil Engineer B.S. (3.5 CC GPA, 3.8 University GPA)
• Civil Engineer M.S. (3.8 GPA)

Pre-reqs, as I've understood them:

• Physics (1 year, with labs) - Taken during undergrad (CC). Also several years of mechanics-based engineering courses.
• General biology (1 year, with labs) - Two quarters complete at UCLA Extension, still need to take 1 quarter of lecture and 1 quarter of lab
• General chemistry (1 year, with labs) - 1 semester completed during undergrad in 2014 w/lab. 1 quarter (Gen Chem II) completed at UCLA Extension.
• Organic chemistry (1 year, with labs) - 2 quarters taken at UCLA Extension, still need to take lab.
• Biochemistry (1 semester) - 1 quarter taken at UCLA Extension.
• Statistics or calculus (1 semester) - Taken during undergrad (stats for engineers course).
• English (1 semester) - Taken during undergrad (CC) in 2011 (2 semesters).

Volunteering/Clinical Experience
I have no clinical experience and have only volunteered with my company non-profit.

• Underprivileged Youth Mentor
• Teaching Gardens Elementary School Program
• STEM Day Planning

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[curbsideconsult]

You need clinical experience.

As I understand it, 1 quarter =/= 1 semester. Maybe I'm wrong.

 

[petomed]

I’m a mechanical engineer switching into medicine. Can’t speak in quarters or trimesters, but the prereq’s most medical schools require today are as follows:

Physics - 2 semesters lecture, 2 semesters lab
Biology - 2 semesters lecture, 2 semesters lab
Gen Chem - 2 semesters lecture, 2 semesters lab
Organic Chem - 2 semesters lecture, 2 semesters lab
Biochemistry - 1 semester lecture

Often times biochemistry either isn’t required or you can ditch the second semester of organic chem for the one semester of biochem. I’d plan on taking everything listed as a minimum just to be safe.

Understand that about half of MD schools will not accept any online coursework. I took classes online as well (at UNE) understanding fully that many MD schools will not take me.

Become familiar now with the two types of medical degrees: MD and DO. They are apples and oranges to some folks but both allow you to practice medicine anywhere in the US. Also, there will be a unified residency system by the time both you and I apply, further blurring the line between MD and DO.

Begin gaining clinical experience now. My recommendation is to reach out to your local hospitals about volunteering opportunities. I found success with both my local hospital emergency departments. I’ve been taking vitals in triage for about 2 years now and the experience has been personally invaluable and a necessity for my application.

Shadow doctors as soon as possible. Make sure this is the right choice for you. Engineers make a very good living, be sure you’re not just in a rut looking for purpose.

 

[bluerock]

Honestly, knowing what I do now, I would get a full-time scribe job for a year and volunteer with an underserved population on the weekends during that time. If you're MCAT is 511+, you'll be set. A lot of schools want shadowing too, try to get at least 50 hours in. Then, when you get interviews, have a really good/cohesive story for why you're changing fields.

 

[hungrydoc710]

You'll likely need 40+ hrs shadowing, 3-5 letters, 200+ volunteer hours.

No behavioral science classes? Lots of schools are starting to require.