A little guidance needed please

[RN4now]

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Ok. I have learned a lot of things from this forum in the past few days but I am wondering if someone could help point me in the right direction as far as what to do next.

I am 24 years old. I have been an RN/BSN since December 2005. I have been working in a Medical/Surgical/Neuro ICU for almost 2 years now. I took some science classes for Nursing pre-reqs but I am still lacking some of the pre-med science classes. I got my BSN from Northern Illinois University. These are some of the science classes I had to take for nursing pre-reqs:

General Chemistry (no lab) A
General Biology (with lab) B
Intro to Organic Chemistry B
Intro Bacteriology B
Anatomy & Physiology (with lab) A

I'm almost positive that the Intro to Organic and Intro to Bacteriology are not going to cut it for med school pre-reqs. I definitely regret taking "Intro" classes, but I didn't know any better. That was what my advisors told me to take for nursing school.

I also took a Basic Statistics class and got an A.

My grades during the actual Nursing program are average.

Am I someone who should look into a post-bac program or should I just pick and choose the classes that I'm lacking and take them at the local university (or community college)? Do post-bac programs require the MCAT? How can you take the MCAT based on information from classes you haven't taken yet?

I guess I would benefit from talking to someone who has been through this. I feel like I have a long way to go and I can't exactly follow the timelines that I see online (since they are geared toward people who are still in their undergraduate program).

😕

 

[gman33]

The prereqs you need are 2 semesters of each of the following with labs:
general chem, bio, organic chem and physics.

Are the chem and bio classes you took geared towards bio or chem majors? If not, then the classes you took don't meet the prereq requirements and you would need to take the appropriate class.

Whether you take classes in a formal post-bacc or just in a "do it yourself" program doesn't really matter. The advantage of a formal program is that there is more structure, better access to advising, and it may be easier to get classes scheduled. These programs tend to cost more, and there may not be one that will work with your schedule or location. I would not recommend taking classes at a CC unless that is your only option.

 

[DrMidlife]

gman's answer was right on.

Do post-bac programs require the MCAT? How can you take the MCAT based on information from classes you haven't taken yet?

No, you don't need an MCAT score to get into a premed postbac program. There are some pimped out postbacs (Goucher, Bryn Mawr) that give you everything, soup to nuts, but they're competitive and without a great GPA you probably won't want to go after them.

As you probably know by now, your entire undergrad GPA is looked at, not just your postbac. So if you are thinking you'll 4.0 your postbac and slide on in, that's flawed in a number of ways.

Bottom line you want to get great grades and great med school prep. Wherever you can do that is the best program for you. "Great med school prep" and "great MCAT prep" are NOT the same thing - MCAT prep is best done separately from and supplemental to premed coursework.

Best of luck to you.

 

[vtucci]

What city are you located in? There are some great, cheaper programs than the ones mentioned.

 

[RN4now]

I'm in the Chicago suburbs.

 

[Asclepion75]

Am I someone who should look into a post-bac program or should I just pick and choose the classes that I'm lacking and take them at the local university (or community college)? Do post-bac programs require the MCAT? How can you take the MCAT based on information from classes you haven't taken yet?

I guess I would benefit from talking to someone who has been through this. I feel like I have a long way to go and I can't exactly follow the timelines that I see online (since they are geared toward people who are still in their undergraduate program).

😕

Believe it or not you’re in a great position. First working as a nurse gives you a solid understanding of clinical dynamics in terms of pathology, patient interaction, and working with ancillary services. Next, you have a marketable skill that is in high demand which will allow you to moonlight while in school and improve your nursing practice as you continue to expand your knowledge base. Finally, you are still relatively young at 24 so don’t fret.

Since my track is similar to yours, I have a few suggestions. You have to take the pre-reqs; there is no way around them. Besides, you’ll be a better nurse as you matriculate through the pre-reqs. For instance after taking physics and mastering vector analysis, ECG strips will mean a lot more to you. In addition, after taking organic you’ll notice and understand similarities in the drugs you administer, like the beta-blockers metoprolol, labetalol, and propranolol (notice the “ol”). Taking Bio-Chem I and II w/ labs is not a bad idea either, many programs favor applicants with Bio-Chem. I can’t speak to the post-bac portion because I didn’t go that route.

For the MCAT, if I were you, I would start early getting an idea of what is expected. Meaning, go to AAMC.org and download a list of what will be tested and as you go through you pre-reqs make sure that you master the topics that will be tested. This will make studying for the MCAT more of a review versus trying to learn unfamiliar material. For the Verbal Reasoning section, I strongly suggest taking a course in Argumentation and Debate. Once you learn how to break down an author’s argument you’ll just have to get your timing down as you go through the passages. Of course you should definitely consider Kaplan, Exam Krackers, or Princeton Review but this is the cart before the mule, knock out the pre-reqs first.

I hope that this helps.

Oh Yeah, check out this book it was a great read for me.

Becoming a Doctor: A Journey of Initiation in MedicalSchoolby Melvin Konner, M.D.