Advice for pursuing Medicine

[natechappell]

Hello!

I graduated in May 2010 from a small private liberal arts college with a degree in Business Admin/Finance with a 3.448 GPA and 4.0 science GPA (only one Bio class). I was heavily involved (fraternity, sports, etc..) but once I quit all the partying, my senior year I had a 3.9 both semesters.

I have been accepted to two post-bacc pre-med degrees but due to timing issues (not hearing back for a bit) and financial issues (parents refuse to co-sign any loans) I accepted a full-time position with a large bank and am currently in a 12 month acceleration training program.

So, right now I'm making some decent income, am traveling for the rest of the year, and am 70k in debt from my undergrad. However, my desires are not in banking. I was thinking of taking night classes at a local university, starting in January since I won't be traveling then, but wanted to know what the best path is to pursue? I am somewhat intimidated by a post-bacc since they require being a full-time student and am planning at least taking a very hard class before enrolling to confirm my desire to pursue this field.

In my situation, is a post-bacc better than a do-it-yourself pre-reqs? This decision weighs on me everyday, especially knowing that I passed on two post-bacc acceptances...

Nate

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[katiemaude]

I've seen enough posts by successful non-trads who did their own informal post baccs to know a formal post bacc isn't the only way to go. In fact, it seems like a formal post bacc can really screw you if you're not ready for a heavy science curriculum right away.

Since you are already so far in debt from undergrad, it couldn't hurt to do this bank program for a year or two, live frugally and save up. The money you save will come in handy for med school apps, any MCAT prep course you take, and paying for classes and books out of pocket instead of taking out more loans or charging up your credit cards. While you're working at the bank, volunteer a couple nights a week or on weekends at a hospital ER or a local clinic. Sign up for gen chem (make sure you are good at algebra first) next semester. Take gen chem II in the summer. If they both go well, you could quit and go full time in the fall (bio, physics, orgo) or keep taking one night class at a time and earning money (say, orgo I and II next academic year, bio I and II over the summer of 2012 and physics in fall 2012 and spring 2013).

With the slow route, you'd be done with classes by spring 2013, in time to apply for the class the starts in the fall of 2014.

Sound like too long of a road? You might be better off reapplying for a post bacc with a linkage program or doing it yourself. Full-time, you could knock out these classes in a little over a year (or more realistically, two years).

 

[drimpossible]

I think the secret post-bacc programs is that they are pretty liberal with their acceptances, esp. at some high profile universities, as they are decent money makers for the school. If you've been accepted once, I don't see why they would reject your candidacy down the road.

I've mentioned in other threads - I was in a formal (read: expensive) post-bacc program for a semester before transferring to my local state school for finishing my pre-reqs. As long as the school is half-way decent, I would highly recommend knocking out your pre-reqs at a public university over a private post-bacc at $1,000/credit.

 

[natechappell]

Katiemaude & Drimpossible,

Thank you very much for your responses, it's much appreciated to get some guidance.

Katie, that is pretty much my current plan.. Due to traveling and house-sitting my parents house, I am able to save a lot of money right now.

Also, luckily for me, the wife of my fraternity advisor is an MD at Geisinger and offered to get me involved with volunteer programs.. What type of volunteering do you recommend? Just shadowing or is there more I could do? I use to volunteer for 'play-time' at the oncology ward of a childrens hospital, but I don't know if that would really help a med school app.

Thanks for the class suggestions. I just hope that Gen chem is available for a night class.

Drimpossible, thanks for the heads up.. the one post bacc was a private, the other at Penn State University (half the price of private), but of course this was for full time.

As of right now I guess my next step is to look at the nearby schools.. Should all of my pre-reqs be from the same university? There are 4-5 universities within 20 miles of my current location (most private)... and I just want to know that if i start at one university if I am stuck with them.

One last question... the pre-req GPA is merged with my undergrad GPA, right?

Thank you very much!

Nathan

 

[drimpossible]

I don't know that getting all of your pre-reqs from the same institution is that important to adcoms. They mainly want to see that you've done relatively well in your classes while maintaining a sizable course load. Penn State is more than good enough. I personally know someone who finished her post-bacc at Penn State and she has received some interview invites already this cycle.

Adcoms want to see both volunteering and shadowing. I would say that these are non-negotiable if you want an acceptance your first application cycle.

In terms of volunteering gigs, it can vary. Many hospitals offer volunteering opportunities in various departments, with equally varying responsibilities. Talk to your local hospital's volunteer coordinator about getting set up in a position that is heavy on clinical exposure. You would ideally be placed somewhere where you can get some patient interaction, preferably while getting to see doctors working at the same time. In my experience, my interactions with doctors have been fairly limited while volunteering at a hospital. The patient interactions are important though, so you want to avoid placements that will have you stuck in a windowless office filing medical records all day.

Shadowing is generally different. You will be literally joined at the hip of a doctor for their entire shift or multiple shifts. Your involvement will vary based on the doctor, hospital, your comfort level, etc. Shadowing can offer you exposure to cool and interesting cases, and give you a taste of particular specialties.

Good luck figuring out the first steps! Sounds like you're well on your way.

 

[montessori2md]

See other post-bacc threads, I agree w/ above. As someone who read a big pile of PS's:

You need to use volunteer/shadowing experiences to figure out what you want to be when you grow up. So choose them accordingly. Don't make choices based on what you think the admissions committee wants.

You graduated. You figured out you didn't want to be a banker. Mom and Dad quit paying the bills. Now it's time to figure out the rest -that way, in the interviews, and your personal statement, you'll sound like a mature adult who is ready to face a lengthy education and training process, as well as some major debt, because you know exactly what you are getting into as an MD and want it.