A late start on reinvention

[holtzmann]

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Hi! You can call me Holtzmann! I've wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember, but I haven't had the courage to pursue it until now.

I'm a 26-year-old non-traditional hopeful MD applicant and probably won't apply until the 2021-2022 cycle at the earliest. I have a B.A. in sociology, and I'm going back for a B.S. in biology (the molecular and cell biology track) starting this spring. I chose to do a second bachelor's degree at a state school rather than a formal post-bacc program because all the post-bacc programs in my area only have classes during the day, and I can't get financial aid for a DIY post-bacc.

Here are some things I need to work on:

• My GPA for my first degree is 3.1. I also have two F's, two D's, and a whole semester of W's on my transcript due to poor mental health.
• I haven't taken any science courses since high school, but I'm currently taking A&P I as a non-matriculated student and I have an A.
• I don't have any volunteer hours or community involvement, clinical or not.
• My only research experience is in sociology.
• I have 700 hours of paid clinical experience after a few months at my current job.

Here is how I am planning to start working on these things:

• I'm taking at least 48 credits to get my B.S., which gives me the opportunity to raise my GPA.
• My B.S. program will allow me to take some advanced bio courses that I wouldn't get a chance to take if I were doing a post-bacc.
• I befriended an endocrinologist at work who says I can shadow her once she starts working on my day off.
• I've applied to volunteer at the local children's hospital and LGBTQ youth center, and I'm learning to knit so I can make hats and scarves for the hospice in my town.
• I'm continuing to gain 40 hours of clinical experience through work every week.
• Once I've taken the necessary courses, I'm planning to cut down to part-time at work to devote more time to studying for the MCAT.

This seems like a lot to take on at once, but I'm eager to get started. Is there anything else I can do to become a worthy MD applicant?

Thanks in advance for your help.

-Holtzmann

 

[BluMist]

Start with Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention if you haven't already.
You seem to have a solid plan in place. Focus on raising your GPA and acing the MCAT.

 

[holtzmann]

Start with Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention if you haven't already.
You seem to have a solid plan in place. Focus on raising your GPA and acing the MCAT.

Thank you responding. Goro's post is really helpful.

 

[precisiongraphic]

1. This is not a late start to reinvention. There are med school entrants in their 40s even 50s. Be positive and work your plan - you'll get there.
2. Knitting for hospice is volunteering but not clinical as you are not being exposed to patients.
3. Your 2nd bacc degree plan sounds fantastic, as does your timeline and MCAT plans.

Good luck!

Hi! You can call me Holtzmann! I've wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember, but I haven't had the courage to pursue it until now.

I'm a 26-year-old non-traditional hopeful MD applicant and probably won't apply until the 2021-2022 cycle at the earliest. I have a B.A. in sociology, and I'm going back for a B.S. in biology (the molecular and cell biology track) starting this spring. I chose to do a second bachelor's degree at a state school rather than a formal post-bacc program because all the post-bacc programs in my area only have classes during the day, and I can't get financial aid for a DIY post-bacc.

Here are some things I need to work on:

• My GPA for my first degree is 3.1. I also have two F's, two D's, and a whole semester of W's on my transcript due to poor mental health.
• I haven't taken any science courses since high school, but I'm currently taking A&P I as a non-matriculated student and I have an A.
• I don't have any volunteer hours or community involvement, clinical or not.
• My only research experience is in sociology.
• I have 700 hours of paid clinical experience after a few months at my current job.

Here is how I am planning to start working on these things:

• I'm taking at least 48 credits to get my B.S., which gives me the opportunity to raise my GPA.
• My B.S. program will allow me to take some advanced bio courses that I wouldn't get a chance to take if I were doing a post-bacc.
• I befriended an endocrinologist at work who says I can shadow her once she starts working on my day off.
• I've applied to volunteer at the local children's hospital and LGBTQ youth center, and I'm learning to knit so I can make hats and scarves for the hospice in my town.
• I'm continuing to gain 40 hours of clinical experience through work every week.
• Once I've taken the necessary courses, I'm planning to cut down to part-time at work to devote more time to studying for the MCAT.

This seems like a lot to take on at once, but I'm eager to get started. Is there anything else I can do to become a worthy MD applicant?

Thanks in advance for your help.

-Holtzmann

 

[DarklingThrush]

I will be applying in spring 2019 for 2020 matriculation and I am 26 as well. It also appears that you are part of the LGBTQ+ community based on your username, as am I. I definitely recommend following Goro's advice in the link that was provided to you. Doing the informal post bacc is the way to go IMO. You don't need to finish out the degree, and it won't help you gain admission. You need to take your pre reqs and some upper level courses and do well. I applied to my local state school as a second degree seeking student without the intention of ever finishing the degree, but I needed priority enrollment and approval to take upper level science courses. The most important thing you can do with a past academic history like yours is to make all A's if you can... Or at least have the majority of your courses be A's. For reference, I took 19 classes during my post bacc time with 14 A's and 5 B's. It wasn't exactly what I wanted, but I still finished with a 3.7 post bacc GPA. My cGPA wasn't as low as yours and I didn't have D's, F's and W's, so getting A's will be even more important for you (Not to raise your GPA, but to show you can handle the coursework). Do not underestimate the difficulty of working full time and taking a full course load of science classes. I got my B.A. in English and had never taken a science course either... It wasn't too bad, but I was a full time student.

Definitely start focused volunteering now. What I mean by that is don't volunteer at 5 different places a few hours each, or do random events just for hours. My volunteering is very focused around my "brand." One of the most important things about me and my story is being LGBTQ+, so I chose to volunteer with LGBTQ+ youth. I will have done 300+ hours with them when I apply with hopes of reaching 500+ before I matriculate. One of the strengths of non trads is the fact that they likely have a well developed "story" and life experience. I really try to make all of my activities match this so that my app is cohesive. I also helped start the only LGBTQ+ STEM organization in our area. If you're passionate about the LGBTQ+ community and it's part of your story, I think you should definitely do as much as you can with it.

Lastly, don't stress too much on shadowing. I don't know what your clinical job is, but as a scribe, I get enough shadowing. Scribing, clinical volunteering and shadowing pretty much fall into the same category as I've understood on here... Someone can correct me if I am wrong.

Good luck!

Hi! You can call me Holtzmann! I've wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember, but I haven't had the courage to pursue it until now.

I'm a 26-year-old non-traditional hopeful MD applicant and probably won't apply until the 2021-2022 cycle at the earliest. I have a B.A. in sociology, and I'm going back for a B.S. in biology (the molecular and cell biology track) starting this spring. I chose to do a second bachelor's degree at a state school rather than a formal post-bacc program because all the post-bacc programs in my area only have classes during the day, and I can't get financial aid for a DIY post-bacc.

Here are some things I need to work on:

• My GPA for my first degree is 3.1. I also have two F's, two D's, and a whole semester of W's on my transcript due to poor mental health.
• I haven't taken any science courses since high school, but I'm currently taking A&P I as a non-matriculated student and I have an A.
• I don't have any volunteer hours or community involvement, clinical or not.
• My only research experience is in sociology.
• I have 700 hours of paid clinical experience after a few months at my current job.

Here is how I am planning to start working on these things:

• I'm taking at least 48 credits to get my B.S., which gives me the opportunity to raise my GPA.
• My B.S. program will allow me to take some advanced bio courses that I wouldn't get a chance to take if I were doing a post-bacc.
• I befriended an endocrinologist at work who says I can shadow her once she starts working on my day off.
• I've applied to volunteer at the local children's hospital and LGBTQ youth center, and I'm learning to knit so I can make hats and scarves for the hospice in my town.
• I'm continuing to gain 40 hours of clinical experience through work every week.
• Once I've taken the necessary courses, I'm planning to cut down to part-time at work to devote more time to studying for the MCAT.

This seems like a lot to take on at once, but I'm eager to get started. Is there anything else I can do to become a worthy MD applicant?

Thanks in advance for your help.

-Holtzmann

 

[SlythenClaw]

Hi! You can call me Holtzmann! I've wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember, but I haven't had the courage to pursue it until now.

I'm a 26-year-old non-traditional hopeful MD applicant and probably won't apply until the 2021-2022 cycle at the earliest. I have a B.A. in sociology, and I'm going back for a B.S. in biology (the molecular and cell biology track) starting this spring. I chose to do a second bachelor's degree at a state school rather than a formal post-bacc program because all the post-bacc programs in my area only have classes during the day, and I can't get financial aid for a DIY post-bacc.

Here are some things I need to work on:

• My GPA for my first degree is 3.1. I also have two F's, two D's, and a whole semester of W's on my transcript due to poor mental health.
• I haven't taken any science courses since high school, but I'm currently taking A&P I as a non-matriculated student and I have an A.
• I don't have any volunteer hours or community involvement, clinical or not.
• My only research experience is in sociology.
• I have 700 hours of paid clinical experience after a few months at my current job.

Here is how I am planning to start working on these things:

• I'm taking at least 48 credits to get my B.S., which gives me the opportunity to raise my GPA.
• My B.S. program will allow me to take some advanced bio courses that I wouldn't get a chance to take if I were doing a post-bacc.
• I befriended an endocrinologist at work who says I can shadow her once she starts working on my day off.
• I've applied to volunteer at the local children's hospital and LGBTQ youth center, and I'm learning to knit so I can make hats and scarves for the hospice in my town.
• I'm continuing to gain 40 hours of clinical experience through work every week.
• Once I've taken the necessary courses, I'm planning to cut down to part-time at work to devote more time to studying for the MCAT.

This seems like a lot to take on at once, but I'm eager to get started. Is there anything else I can do to become a worthy MD applicant?

Thanks in advance for your help.

-Holtzmann

Hi there! Non-traditional MD/PhD applicant here in the middle of interview season here!

So, I struggled with seeing myself as a "worthy applicant." First things first: you need to appreciate your journey and realize that you ARE a worthy applicant. I say this not only to improve your mental health during this extensive process but also because you're going to need A LOT of confidence when you are writing your primary and your secondary essays. While I wrote mine, I struggled with the idea of "trying to convince" my schools that I was worth their time and having that perspective was mentally and emotionally draining.

I too have gaps and withdrawals in my transcripts due to health. Address them in your primary and secondary essays in a calm, objective manner that neither highlights nor dismisses your illness and brings attention to the fact that you persevered despite this challenge. You don't have to say that it was mental illness if you don't want to. You can just say that your health declined.

For the MCAT: Take a course! Do not do an "online course." you will likely fall behind and skip a session every now and then. Study for at least 6 months, but if you can study for longer, definitely do. Use Anki Flashcards!! They pair actual learning psychology with a flashcard deck, and it works. Take as many practice exams as you can. Seriously, I think I took like 6 or 7 and I would have taken more if I wasn't working full time.

Apply early and apply broadly! I mean it, and start saving your money because it is expensive. As in several thousand dollars. I applied somewhere in the middle with my secondaries trickling in between September and October and I wish I would have gotten them in earlier. "Non-traditionals" have a MUCH better chance if you apply early.

That being said, despite all the hurdles, you will get interviews! (I have 9! and an early acceptance!)

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions!


Edit: I am also an older applicant. I will be 30 when I matriculate so don't worry about that either! I have gotten so many compliments from my interviewers about my maturity and certainty in my decision. Making a big decision later in life shows courage and determination - don't forget it!

 

[AliBabaMD]

I would have gone for a master's degree, not undergrad again. Also, have a coach through the process either on here or paid. Regardless, be proud of your accomplishments. You have a lot to be proud of and this process is tough, so just take it one day at a time. PM me with any questions.

Best,
AB

 

[precisiongraphic]

I would have gone for a master's degree, not undergrad again. Also, have a coach through the process either on here or paid. Regardless, be proud of your accomplishments. You have a lot to be proud of and this process is tough, so just take it one day at a time. PM me with any questions.

Best,
AB

I’d ignore this advice -graduate programs won’t repair under grad low GPA. Unless it’s an SMP. But OP didn’t ask about that.

 

[AliBabaMD]

I’d ignore this advice -graduate programs won’t repair under grad low GPA. Unless it’s an SMP. But OP didn’t ask about that.

Your comments are uneducated and frankly you had no reason to rain on my post. Having said that, since you don't seem to have something better to do, I think the advice I gave is very good. OP would benefit more from a masters than going back to a rigorous science based undergrad curriculum as a non-traditional student.

Please get your facts straight in the future before dumping on a fellow SDNer.

AB

 

[DarklingThrush]

Your comments are uneducated and frankly you had no reason to rain on my post. Having said that, since you don't seem to have something better to do, I think the advice I gave is very good. OP would benefit more from a masters than going back to a rigorous science based undergrad curriculum as a non-traditional student.

Please get your facts straight in the future before dumping on a fellow SDNer.

AB

Actually @precisiongraphic is correct. A simple search on here will show that a masters, unless it is a SMP, is useless for GPA repair.

 

[AliBabaMD]

Actually @precisiongraphic is correct. A simple search on here will show that a masters, unless it is a SMP, is useless for GPA repair.

There is no such thing as GPA repair. It's not like a second BS degree will wipe out the scores to the first one. The best way to move forward is to build on that experience with a graduate degree that shows ability in that level of coursework.

 

[DarklingThrush]

There is no such thing as GPA repair. It's not like a second BS degree will wipe out the scores to the first one. The best way to move forward is to build on that experience with a graduate degree that shows ability in that level of coursework.

Alright, I’ll leave this to people like @Goro to explain to you since you seem to be ignorant on this matter and are now giving incorrect advice to others

 

[AliBabaMD]

Alright, I’ll leave this to people like @Goro to explain to you since you seem to be ignorant on this matter and are now giving incorrect advice to others

Are you a school dean? A guru on admissions? I'm not claiming my approach is 100% right. I suggested that there are multiple ways to distinguish oneself, through high scores and other avenues...why so much hating!? I never judged your posts and sure as heck there is a lot of material there.

 

[Goro]

There is no such thing as GPA repair. It's not like a second BS degree will wipe out the scores to the first one. The best way to move forward is to build on that experience with a graduate degree that shows ability in that level of coursework.

Alright, I’ll leave this to people like @Goro to explain to you since you seem to be ignorant on this matter and are now giving incorrect advice to others

I'd say that there are multiple shades of grey in Ali's post. GPA repair can occur, but it has to occur early on. Some GPAs can't be salvaged, and as such, need to be reinvented. And that's where an SMP or post-bac work comes in.

But as a reminder, MD schools do not consider research MS GPAs, but DO schools do. MPH's do not hold much heft with Adcoms

 

[AliBabaMD]

Goro - Exactly

 

[holtzmann]

Actually @precisiongraphic is correct. A simple search on here will show that a masters, unless it is a SMP, is useless for GPA repair.

Regardless of whether an MS is better than a BS, I don’t have the prerequisites for the MS because I haven’t taken a science course since high school.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[AliBabaMD]

OP - Even then, I would recommend taking your pre-reqs at a JC as standalone, and then getting a masters...just my two cents. Best wishes whatever path you choose.

 

[precisiongraphic]

There is no such thing as GPA repair. It's not like a second BS degree will wipe out the scores to the first one. The best way to move forward is to build on that experience with a graduate degree that shows ability in that level of coursework.

Removed. That was a quick one-day SDN career.