Advice on Timing

[zestfest]

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Hi all,

I’m fresh out of an honors BS biology degree from UT – Austin. My undergrad GPA was a 3.87.

I was premed for a lot of undergrad but got burned out/had lots of family issues and decided not to take the MCAT or the second semester of physics (stupid, stupid choice.) Anyway, I got a job doing healthcare consulting that I am really excited about, but I have decided I definitely want to go to med school and am working toward that.

Here’s my tentative schedule:
9/24-12/18: Physics 2 at community college. 5:00PM – 10:30PM on Fridays.
12/18-3/26: MCAT Prep and MCAT in late March.
6/8: Apply for 2013 matriculation.

Do you think this will be doable on top of working full-time? Adding to the chaos, my consulting job requires me to travel Monday – Thursday of every week. I am trying to give myself enough time, but I would really like to enter medical school in 2013.

I will still have to take the lab for the second semester of physics and am thinking of doing that in the summer of 2013. Does anyone have experience with having to take a final prereq lab after being admitted?

I was fortunate enough to do a lot of amazing stuff in undergrad – studying public health in Kenya for a semester, studying in Australia for a semester (dissecting a kangaroo! &#9786😉, writing a thesis in a neurobiology lab, and working in an allergy clinic one summer. So I am not super worried about extracurriculars. Do you think admission committees will want to see me still volunteering/shadowing over the next year? I am afraid that will be impossible with working full-time and MCAT and physics. But my job is in a hospital setting, so hopefully this will be to my advantage.

Lastly, how should I go about getting letters of recommendation? Should I request them now since I will still be relatively fresh in my professors’ minds?

Just looking for advice and tips about this crazy plan o mine.

Thanks guys!

 

[FrkyBgStok]

i see a couple things with the plan. First, are you sure that the CC Physics doesn't have an incorporated lab? every CC class I have seen does, but I haven't seen all.

second, it is your call on the timing, but being that you cannot actually submit until early june, you can take the MCAT all the way up to late april and still have the same effect, so being that you are working full time, you could spread it out a little more if you want to score better.

yes adcoms want to see you to continue shadowing and volunteering. doesn't have to be a lot, but they still want it. 2 hours a week average for each. and if you have good relations with your professors now, ask now.

good luck and other than those things, you shouldn't have any problems at all.

 

[zestfest]

Thanks Fry!

Since I'll already be in a hospital 8-5, it shouldn't be too difficult to sneak in 2 hours a week of volunteering. It will be a nice way to give back to the hospitals I'll be working in, too. I will definitely look into that.

I was thinking of taking the MCAT in March in case I need to retake it. You would recommend taking it only once but later in the game, though? I'm shooting for a 33.

About the physics lab, they are all scheduled during the workweek, so it won't be possible for me to take it this semester, I don't think. It looks like you have to register for it separately, despite it being listed together in the course catalog. I'm taking it at Houston Community College, if that clears anything up.

With regards to which physics to take, I figured I should take the most advanced one offered by the community college ("University Physics") vs. "College Physics," is that correct? Here are the listings for both:

University Physics: Credit: 3 (3 lecture, 1 lab), Continuation of calculus based physics. Course designed specifically for chemistry, physics, and engineering majors. Includes principles of electricity and magnetism, optics, electromagnetic waves, relativity, kinetic theory, introduction to quantum theory, thermal physics, and other physics topics.

College Physics: PCredit: 4 (3 lecture, 3 lab), Continuation of non-Calculus based physics for medical related majors, architecture majors, technology majors and other non-engineering and non-science majors. Topics include wave motion, electricity, magnetism, electromagnetic waves, optics, and topics in modern physics. Laboratory exercises include selected related experiments on these topics. Core Curriculum Course

Kind of confused...

 

[pkwraith]

Looking at your timeline, it should be fairly doable. The important part is how good you are with physics. If you're pretty good at physics, the first part should be a breeze. if you're horrible at physics, it can be tight? I guess you will have to base that on your previous physics experience.

With MCAT, that is also doable. Speaking from personal experience, you'll just need a lot of discipline. Studying on the plane instead of sleeping. Studying in the hotel, eating room service, instead of winding down.

As far as taking pre-requisates go, taking it in the summer is cutting it close. Many schools have time limits on when a prereq needs to be finished, the most popular one seems to be Spring before matriculation. I actually quit my job to take a Orgo 2 prereq in Spring.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

if College Physics works better for your schedule, take that one. you don't need anything more than trig based physics.

 

[zestfest]

The calculus-based one would look more rigorous, though, especially since it's at a community college, right?

 

[zestfest]

Thank you for your advice, Pkwraith. I was thinking I will be able to study a lot in airports, etc. I am OK with not having a social life for a year. The more delicate issue is how to not reveal my medical school ambitions to my colleagues...

 

[PTWOB02]

The calculus-based one would look more rigorous, though, especially since it's at a community college, right?

I agree with FrkyBgStok. You only need a non-Calculus based Physics for Med School admission. Could you challenge yourself by taking Calculus-based Physics? Sure, but it's not necessary. I talked about this specific issue with my pre-med adviser at my state university and he recommended to take the one I was more comfortable with.

 

[NightGod]

The calculus-based one would look more rigorous, though, especially since it's at a community college, right?

A B in calc-based physics is going to look worse than an A in trig-based physics, no matter how you spin it. If you are not 100% sure you will be getting the same grad in calc as you would in trig, take the trig based. If you're confident in your math and physics abilities, by all means take the calc, it can only help you to have the more rigorous course on your transcript.

 

[zestfest]

Interesting perspectives. I took calculus-based physics and got an A in the first semester, but man did it suck. If I take the trigonometry-based class, the lab is bundled in with it, which would be great. Thanks for your help!