2nd Bachelors

[xerux]

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I'm tracking there's about a million of these questions out there, but I have not found one similar to mine. If you know of one direct me to its link.

I have already completed all the pre med req's and I am looking to attend medical school. My GPA is not bad, I think somewhere along the 3.6 range. Mostly A's in the med school pre-reqs (Thats with grade replacement, I had to bail 3 weeks before a semester ended due to work conflict and ended up with all B's and C's without taking finals, I retook the whole semester for A's later on).

Problem is I have not taken a science course in about 15 years, I have been an Infantryman in the Army since I graduated college and couldn't even tell you the basic cell structure anymore. I literally remember almost nothing from the med school pre req courses. I would be lucky to even bang out a 16 on the MCAT right now. I have thought about a DIY type post bacc, however the VA has strict requirements for the funding of those. For instance with the Harvard extension program I have to take a minimum of 18 units a semester to qualify for 100% GI bill benefits. I feel that 18 units would be too intense right out of the gate for someone who has been out of college as long as I have. Also I am worried about doing an SMP or any other course work that involves upper level bio at this point.

Even though I'm stationed back east, I am a Cali resident still and there are plenty of opportunities there for a second bachelors degree which will be 100% covered under the post 9/11 GI bill.

Question 1:
From what I'm tracking I will only have to do two years to get my second bachelors, is this true?

Question 2:
Is this a legitimate game plan for either MD or DO school? I am completely open to both as my ultimate goal is to be an Army doc.

Question 3:
Will this negatively effect my chances of receiving HPSP scholarship.

Question 4:
Does anyone have any better suggestions for me?

Also I would be starting 2nd bachelors at the age of 35 if that plays into anything.

 

[Goro]

First off, many thanks for your service to our country.

You're going to have to start at some point, so why not now? How about a semester of 12 semester hrs, of, say, Anatomy and Physiology with lab, and Biochem? OR, since post-bac programs are a dime-a-dozen, do your homework and find one that isn't as rigorous as Harvard's.

At some point though, you will have to show us that you can handle a medical school curriculum.

It seems that since all of your pre-reqs were taken so long ago, that you're going to need to retake them to do well on the MCAT. Maybe not all of them, at least, since the test is changing. But maybe an MCAT prep course might suffice.

Problem is I have not taken a science course in about 15 years, I have been an Infantryman in the Army since I graduated college and couldn't even tell you the basic cell structure anymore. I literally remember almost nothing from the med school pre req courses. I would be lucky to even bang out a 16 on the MCAT right now. I have thought about a DIY type post bacc, however the VA has strict requirements for the funding of those. For instance with the Harvard extension program I have to take a minimum of 18 units a semester to qualify for 100% GI bill benefits. I feel that 18 units would be too intense right out of the gate for someone who has been out of college as long as I have. Also I am worried about doing an SMP or any other course work that involves upper level bio at this point.


I don't that you need to get a 2nd UG degree.
Question 1:
From what I'm tracking I will only have to do two years to get my second bachelors, is this true?

Yes.
Question 2:
Is this a legitimate game plan for either MD or DO school? I am completely open to both as my ultimate goal is to be an Army doc.

Doubt it.
Question 3:
Will this negatively effect my chances of receiving HPSP scholarship.


Some of my all time best students have been in thier 30s and 40s, and I just graduated one at 50.
Also I would be starting 2nd bachelors at the age of 35 if that plays into anything.

 

[xerux]

Ah, just figured out how to reply to people. New to SDN

 

[Doctor Bob]

Question 3:
Will this negatively effect my chances of receiving HPSP scholarship.

No. Your competitiveness for HPSP will depend on how your final med school application score packet looks.
There are 2 ways to go about getting an HPSP scholarship.
1) Apply before hearing from med schools. If you get the scholarship, you then let them know when you get an acceptance. These are harder to get as they are offering you a scholarship without knowing if you'll get an acceptance. So they tend to go to people with exemplary scores.
2) Apply after hearing from schools. These are much easier to get because the approval board already knows you've gotten in somewhere so you're less of a risk.
Generally people apply prior to getting approval from the board, and then keep them updated as the season goes on.

There's also USUHS.

As for whether HPSP/USUHS is a good idea with your circumstances... well... that's not a question that was asked so I'll keep my opinion to myself.

 

[xerux]

No. Your competitiveness for HPSP will depend on how your final med school application score packet looks.
There are 2 ways to go about getting an HPSP scholarship.
1) Apply before hearing from med schools. If you get the scholarship, you then let them know when you get an acceptance. These are harder to get as they are offering you a scholarship without knowing if you'll get an acceptance. So they tend to go to people with exemplary scores.
2) Apply after hearing from schools. These are much easier to get because the approval board already knows you've gotten in somewhere so you're less of a risk.
Generally people apply prior to getting approval from the board, and then keep them updated as the season goes on.

There's also USUHS.

As for whether HPSP/USUHS is a good idea with your circumstances... well... that's not a question that was asked so I'll keep my opinion to myself.

Dr Bob,

I am definitely curious to hear your thoughts on HPSP and USUHS, I don't know anybody that's gone through either of those programs. Looking through the Army reg it looks like I can get an age waiver for prior service, also I'm tracking that I'll have to take a demotion to butter bar but I'll be able to keep my current pay?

 

[Doctor Bob]

Dr Bob,

I am definitely curious to hear your thoughts on HPSP and USUHS, I don't know anybody that's gone through either of those programs. Looking through the Army reg it looks like I can get an age waiver for prior service, also I'm tracking that I'll have to take a demotion to butter bar but I'll be able to keep my current pay?

There's a lot more information available over in the military forum, so I'll keep this brief.

You're 35 (ish). + 1-2 years for ramping up to apply, 1 year for applying, 4 years for med school. So that's got you starting internship/residency at 42. That's not old at all for medicine. But it is for starting in military medicine.

 

[xerux]

There's a lot more information available over in the military forum, so I'll keep this brief.

You're 35 (ish). + 1-2 years for ramping up to apply, 1 year for applying, 4 years for med school. So that's got you starting internship/residency at 42. That's not old at all for medicine. But it is for starting in military medicine.

Dr. Bob,

Thanks for the heads up, I definitely know what you're talking about. I was prior service enlisted that went to OCS so must of the guys in my cohort are 8+ years younger than me already. I'll check out the military forum.

 

[xerux]

First off, many thanks for your service to our country.

You're going to have to start at some point, so why not now? How about a semester of 12 semester hrs, of, say, Anatomy and Physiology with lab, and Biochem? OR, since post-bac programs are a dime-a-dozen, do your homework and find one that isn't as rigorous as Harvard's.

At some point though, you will have to show us that you can handle a medical school curriculum.

It seems that since all of your pre-reqs were taken so long ago, that you're going to need to retake them to do well on the MCAT. Maybe not all of them, at least, since the test is changing. But maybe an MCAT prep course might suffice.

Problem is I have not taken a science course in about 15 years, I have been an Infantryman in the Army since I graduated college and couldn't even tell you the basic cell structure anymore. I literally remember almost nothing from the med school pre req courses. I would be lucky to even bang out a 16 on the MCAT right now. I have thought about a DIY type post bacc, however the VA has strict requirements for the funding of those. For instance with the Harvard extension program I have to take a minimum of 18 units a semester to qualify for 100% GI bill benefits. I feel that 18 units would be too intense right out of the gate for someone who has been out of college as long as I have. Also I am worried about doing an SMP or any other course work that involves upper level bio at this point.


I don't that you need to get a 2nd UG degree.
Question 1:
From what I'm tracking I will only have to do two years to get my second bachelors, is this true?

Yes.
Question 2:
Is this a legitimate game plan for either MD or DO school? I am completely open to both as my ultimate goal is to be an Army doc.

Doubt it.
Question 3:
Will this negatively effect my chances of receiving HPSP scholarship.


Some of my all time best students have been in thier 30s and 40s, and I just graduated one at 50.
Also I would be starting 2nd bachelors at the age of 35 if that plays into anything.

Goro,
Thanks for the quick response, it's good to hear that you've seen a lot of success with older students. As far as starting off with 12 hours of some science courses, where would suggest taking the classes. Should I just start off with community college classes, or would you suggest extension classes like they have at UCLA and Cal.

 

[Goro]

Either one will be fine. CCs, naturally, are cheaper!

Should I just start off with community college classes, or would you suggest extension classes like they have at UCLA and Cal.[/QUOTE]