additional prerequisites

[LemonHead1989]

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Hello. I am a PA who wishes to go the MD/DO group. At this point, I am certain that I would need to return to a university and take additional Pre-req classses but there are a few classes I am not sure of. To get into PA School I took BIO and CHEM courses but I am not sure if they are the ones needed for Med School. My question is where/who can I speak to that would look at my transcript and tell me exactly what pre-reqs I would need? Is there pre-med advisers at medical schools who may be willing to help or am I better off going to a University and trying to find help there? thanks

 

[hizziaips]

Hello. I am a PA who wishes to go the MD/DO group. At this point, I am certain that I would need to return to a university and take additional Pre-req classses but there are a few classes I am not sure of. To get into PA School I took BIO and CHEM courses but I am not sure if they are the ones needed for Med School. My question is where/who can I speak to that would look at my transcript and tell me exactly what pre-reqs I would need? Is there pre-med advisers at medical schools who may be willing to help or am I better off going to a University and trying to find help there? thanks

Generally, medical schools require a year of biology, a year of general chemistry, a year of organic chemistry, and a year of general physics. Labs are also required, across the board. Additional course requirements vary by school and may include a year of English, an additional semester or two of biology, and biochemistry.

Your best bet at this point is to contact a pre-med advisor at the school where you would finish your prereqs. Such a person should be able to help you figure out which courses to take.

 

[DrMidlife]

First thing to do is find the premed advising website at the school where you took your chem & bio. Unless there was a curriculum change, you'll see whether you took what the premeds are supposed to take.

Second thing to do is pick a public med school in your state and read through the requirements and FAQ. And then pick another school and keep going and then maybe pick up an MSAR and the DO prospectus. I think UWash is a great example of full disclosure of requirements and likelihoods - such as their GPA/MCAT breakdown.

You have to own this. I suggest it would be preferable to educate yourself generally about the process before you go look for individual advising. Advisers are rarely qualified to deal with nontrads, particularly if there's any GPA damage.

Best of luck to you.

 

[dsoz]

I am not trying to advertise for any one school, but LECOM has a 3 year track for PA to DO. At least I think it was only 3 years. I was just skimming it a couple of nights ago because even though it did not apply to me, it still interested me.

I am sure that you could look up LECOM and find their required classes. Oh, heck, it is just a google away. From the page http://lecom.edu/entrance-requirements.php it states that:

Applicants must meet the following specific course requirements*:

• Biology: A minimum of eight semester hours, including two semester hours of laboratory work. These eight hours may consist of general biology or zoology, or a combination of biology, zoology and botany.
• Inorganic Chemistry: A minimum of eight semester hours, including two semester hours of laboratory work.
• Organic Chemistry: A minimum of eight semester hours, including two semester hours of laboratory work.
• Physics: A minimum of eight semester hours, including two hours of laboratory work.
• English: A minimum of six semester hours of composition and literature.
• Behavioral Sciences: A minimum of six semester hours of courses in the behavioral sciences; i.e., psychology, sociology, anthropology, medical ethics, or philosophy.
• LECOM recommends that prospective students consider taking advanced coursework, such as biochemistry, physiology, microbiology and/or anatomy, if at all possible.

* must have a C or better in these classes. Retake if grade is C- or less.

more information about PA to DO here: http://lecom.edu/college-medicine.php/Accelerated-Physician-Assistant-Pathway-APAP/49/2205/612/2395

Good luck with your choice. Do you mind my asking why you wish to change? You will need a really good answer because you WILL get asked that question a lot by schools.

dsoz

 

[LemonHead1989]

Thanks for the quick replies. I sent an email out to the pre-medical adviser at the school where I did all my undergrad work. That's probably the best place to start. Unfortunately I think I may end up having to take all the pre-reqs. I took bio 1 and 2 but with no lab. I did take Microbio and Biochem, both with labs, im not sure how this factors in. Also took AnP 1 and 2 with labs. I took 3 semesters of combined orgo and gen chem, all with labs. It seems like they sort of purposely made it so we get none of the pre-med reqs but I will see. I am prepared for the worst.
With regards to the bridge program, the only thing that scares me is the mandatory primary care seats, as well as the limited amount of seats in general. I will probably try to speak to someone there, I will get more info.
As to why I am now going the MD route- I am 22 years old, have been a PA for about a year. I feel like a first year resident, but I am already feeling like a lifelong resident and I think eventually that will bother me. I have now truly seen what being a doctor consists of, I have met hundreds of doctors, have worked with and for doctors. I made thedecision to be a PA right out of high-school. I am a different person now. The idea of many more years of school kind of scared me back then, now I embrace it and cant wait to go back. I want the challenge. Really the only reason to not go back to school would be financial, but I figure everyone pretty much loans it so thats a poor reason to hold me back.

 

[DrMidlife]

Thanks for the quick replies. I sent an email out to the pre-medical adviser at the school where I did all my undergrad work. That's probably the best place to start. Unfortunately I think I may end up having to take all the pre-reqs. I took bio 1 and 2 but with no lab. I did take Microbio and Biochem, both with labs, im not sure how this factors in. Also took AnP 1 and 2 with labs. I took 3 semesters of combined orgo and gen chem, all with labs. It seems like they sort of purposely made it so we get none of the pre-med reqs but I will see. I am prepared for the worst.

All that coursework sounds exactly like the pre-health (nursing, PT, PA, OT etc) science track.

"They" didn't "purposely" make it so you didn't get premed prereqs - you chose the non-premed track. Lots of schools separate premed/predent from the other prehealth tracks. It's normal. These are different tracks because the nursing/PT/PA/OT/etc students mutinize and bitch to high heaven when there's no choice to avoid the premed track, which too many otherwise worthy students can't get through successfully.

If your undergrad GPA is good (3.6+), then you can look into a formal structured premed postbac. If your undergrad GPA isn't good, then you have much more work to do to get into med school than just getting the prereqs done. The postbac forum has excruciating detail on this.

Things to stockpile now:
1. money
2. time with various types of physicians asking ed/career questions and listening to their input

Best of luck to you.