Advice needed DIY or Formal program

[Kace123]

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Okay so first, I have searched the forums before asking this question.

I'm about to be a senior at a small, all women's college in Massachusetts, and will graduate with a double major in poli sci and medical anthropology. I've wanted to be a doctor since I was about ten, but for various reasons tried to push that idea aside once I was in college. The problem I'm facing is I'm realizing there really is no other career that appeals to me as of yet.

I haven't formally volunteered in medical settings since high school (did summers in the outpatient surgery recovery at a suburban hospital, school years at a nursing home) mainly because I spent free time when I was home from school assisting with my grandfather (he had a stroke, was paralyzed, my grandmother was his primary caregiver and I learned everything I could to help her - moving him out of bed, feeding, etc) and my main involvement at school has been tutoring refugees in ESL and leadership positions in my residence and in a mental health advocacy club. Obviously regardless of all this I plan on getting more experience, have some shadowing and hospital volunteering lined up for the year already.

My GPA is a 3.6, haven't taken any science/math classes (beyond a couple medical anthro classes that get a science designation in addition to social science). My SAT was a 2100 (don't remember subject scores, but verbal was my highest somewhere around 740-ish) ACT was a 30

I plan on doing a post bacc. Now, I know DIY post bacc is cheaper. But if I move back home, my nearest school to do DIY would be SUNY Buffalo. Which is a huge school, and that worries me because I attended a small catholic high school and then went on to attend a very small liberal arts school.

I guess my questions are, given the size of SUNY Buffalo, I'm not sure how likely it'd be to complete pre-reqs in a year, which I'd really prefer, so if anyone on here has specifically done DIY at UB it'd be nice to hear from you. Then, would I even have a shot at a formal program? Does a formal program make sense for someone just graduating with their bachelors? Would there be a way to get a committee letter from a school I did a post bacc at, or would I have to go back to my old school? Would that look bad? I'm feeling very lost and the pre med advisor I was talking to just went on maternity leave and i don't really have relationships with the other advisors yet.

 

[Kace123]

Also, my apologies for how disjointed/rambling this post sounds, my computer is currently broken and I can be really terrible at making sense when I type long things on my phone.

 

[ChrisMack390]

If you haven't done any of the prereqs, there is no chance you can do them in just 1 year. You are required to take 4 or 5 sequential semesters of chemistry alone (Gen 1, Gen 2, Orgo 1, Orgo 2, Biochem recommended).

2 years is a more reasonable goal.

Probably doesn't matter if its formal or informal, though the formal ones offer the opportunity to get a committee letter. Committee letters are really necessary for nontrad types though, you can just piece together your own 4-5 letters.

 

[Kace123]

I know there's a couple formals that let you finish in a year by doing both gen chems in the summer, and something else in a second summer, so I guess I mean "calendar year with really intense schedule"

I know my undergrad says they'll write committee letters for people even years after they graduate if they do post baccs, though I'm not sure what that letter would look like since I wouldn't have taken any sciences at the school)

(For what it's worth, I will be getting in calc and possibly a singular science depending on scheduling and how many first years/sophomores sign up for intro sciences because they get preference)