A few questions

[josegomez219]

Hello, i am 23 years old in the military working as a lab tech at a major hospital in Europe (Landsthul regional medical center). I have my associates as a lab tech and my certification (4.0 GPA). Due to me being away from the states i can't really finish a degree on campus, and wont be back in the states for another 17months. Should i get a BS in psychology online as to not waste my time while being here, then take a post baccalaureate premedical program when i get back to the states? Or should i just wait till i get back to the states to finish my degree and include all the premed requirements i need into a general health science degree? Or should i just take a few courses here and there that they offer on-site here while i wait to go back to the states?

Will having basically half my BS online count against me when applying to med school? Even after taking all the premed courses on campus?

I am very determined to become a doctor, specially after working in a hospital for the last 18months. I am not worried about expenses, if i get into the med school the army will pay for it, as well they will pay for my BS degree. I have until the age of 30 (roughly) though for the army to fully pay my medical school cost.

I always wanted to be a doctor. Things happened, ended up in the army, and though my dream was dead until i found these forums. I was gonna settle for P.A. (the army has a great program that i already qualify to apply to). But i want to at least try my hand at becoming a doctor. I feel that if i don't at least try i will regret it for the rest of my life.


I basically just want a road map that i could follow to maximize my chances at getting into med school.

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[DrMidlife]

Every rule has an exception. The rule is that online coursework isn't appropriate for premed preparation. The exception is military stationed overseas.

I say do whatever keeps that 4.0 a 4.0. In particular, if you get a 4.0 in your online degree and then get a 4.0 in your postbac, then nobody can argue with you much.

Two points to start thinking about immediately:
1. Faculty recommendations. Assume you need 4, and you can only use one from your online degree (because it's non-science). So you'll need faculty to know you and love you during your postbac. Note that if you do a structured formal postbac with a committee letter (like Goucher or Bryn Mawr), you're set. Also, all 4 letters don't necessarily have to be from faculty, but plan to have 4 faculty letters.
2. Believe your own story. Start writing your personal statement for med school admissions. You'll find that having a draft of this, so you can turn to it when schoolwork gets stressful, and offer it to folks who want to advise you, is very worth the effort of writing it early.

Best of luck to you.

 

[DitchDoc73]

Have you already completed your pre-reqs in your AA? (Bio 1/2, Gen Chem 1/2, Physics 1/2, Org Chem 1/2?) If so, then completing your BS online would not be that big of a deal. Also you may want to try and talk to a professor or advisor at USUHS. They may be able to help you out with advice that is specifically geared to the military. Just my 2 cents! Best of luck!

 

[DrMidlife]

Have you already completed your pre-reqs in your AA? (Bio 1/2, Gen Chem 1/2, Physics 1/2, Org Chem 1/2?)

FYI, doing prereqs at a community college is not generally recommended. An individual CC might be outstanding at preparing students for the MCAT and for med school coursework. Figuring out if your CC is outstanding, and betting that a med school admissions committee will recognize your CC as outstanding, are the tricky parts.

If so, then completing your BS online would not be that big of a deal.

Note that online coursework is even more stigmatized than community college coursework, and more problematic. If another option exists, take the other option. In the OP's situation, completion of an online BS followed by bricks-and-mortar postbac coursework is quite practical, given overseas military deployment and existing strong GPA.

Also you may want to try and talk to a professor or advisor at USUHS. They may be able to help you out with advice that is specifically geared to the military.

While it's possible that the OP, who is completing a military enlistment, wants to take on another military commitment, which is what USUHS entails, it's not likely. The OP has a GI bill, which means that there's no financial incentive to take on another military commitment.

 

[josegomez219]

I don't really care what road i take to become a doctor even if i have to sell my soul again to the army.

These are the credits i have

Chemistry and Urinalysis (14)

Hematology (7)

Clinical Microbiology and Immunoserology (12)

Immunohematology (7)

Clinical Laboratory Rotation I - II (10-10)

English (2 semesters -6 credits)

History (1 semester - 3 credits)


I was reading into the Columbia post baccalaureate premedical program, because after i leave the army i can just go live at home while i finish it. It's pretty expensive, so i plan to start saving for it now.

I plan on taking calculus 1 and 2 online.

The only problem i see with this is that ill probably be finishing a psychology degree before i leave Germany. Then i will have another 18months in the army. It seems the best way for me to have the highest chances of getting into med school would be a post baccalaureate

Should i take that time and just study on my own for the MCATS or my post baccalaureate courses (both)? So that way i can breaze through the course work? The reason i hessitate to continue taking classes after i get my degree is that Columbia will only accept me into their pragram if i only taken 1 or 2 of premed requriements.

 

[Schemp]

My recommendation would be do as much at an online college that you can, and do a post-bacc when you get back to the states. It might even be a good idea to not finish your BS online and finish your last few quarters/semesters at a US university. I have no idea whether this is the case or not, but it seems like it would be easier to transition to the post-bacc work, both logistically and mentally. Whatever you choose, there's no reason to wait and do nothing while you wait to finish your commitment to the military.

 

[seelee]

Another suggestion would be to pose these questions to the admit departments at a few schools of interest. Get their two cents worth.

 

[7starmantis]

Another suggestion would be to pose these questions to the admit departments at a few schools of interest. Get their two cents worth.

Absolutely agree 100%

I also cannot agree with DrMidlife about CC or online courses. I think too many online courses without a proper explanation (like the OP's) might raise flags especially when looking at the pre-reqs (labs, etc). However I have a vast majority of my pre-reqs at CC and even have a few online courses. Its more about doing what you can and making your own path than trying to do what you think will wow the adcoms.

Call and ask them for their own individual responses.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

Hello, i am 23 years old in the military working as a lab tech at a major hospital in Europe (Landsthul regional medical center). I have my associates as a lab tech and my certification (4.0 GPA). Due to me being away from the states i can't really finish a degree on campus, and wont be back in the states for another 17months. Should i get a BS in psychology online as to not waste my time while being here, then take a post baccalaureate premedical program when i get back to the states? Or should i just wait till i get back to the states to finish my degree and include all the premed requirements i need into a general health science degree? Or should i just take a few courses here and there that they offer on-site here while i wait to go back to the states?

Will having basically half my BS online count against me when applying to med school? Even after taking all the premed courses on campus?

I am very determined to become a doctor, specially after working in a hospital for the last 18months. I am not worried about expenses, if i get into the med school the army will pay for it, as well they will pay for my BS degree. I have until the age of 30 (roughly) though for the army to fully pay my medical school cost.

I always wanted to be a doctor. Things happened, ended up in the army, and though my dream was dead until i found these forums. I was gonna settle for P.A. (the army has a great program that i already qualify to apply to). But i want to at least try my hand at becoming a doctor. I feel that if i don't at least try i will regret it for the rest of my life.


I basically just want a road map that i could follow to maximize my chances at getting into med school.

Would this help you out any?

http://www.uams.edu/chrp/medtech/distant_learning.asp