Am I Enough?

[GuestyGuestGuest]

It's hard to explain my situation without a bunch of words (like, 100, at least). You could just read above the line and answer one question. Thank You.

Basic background: I graduated in May with a 3.93 in Economics from Wayne State. I have no science GPA because the required classes--bio 1, chem 1--were fulfilled with AP credit. I developed depression* while in college, and was anxious about driving until recently (and in Michigan, no less). Thus, I have no consistent volunteering or extracurricular experience. I am starting a full-time sales job next week that should pay about 24K/year after taxes. I am considering med school to become a psychiatrist. Location and prestige do not matter (at least, I think it doesn't).

Question 1: Since I applied for FAFSA late in the year, I could get only 5500 in loans. Is it worthwhile to take physics 1, orgo 1, and microbiology at a community college this fall, then go back to university in the winter when I'll have the money for biochemistry, orgo 2, etc?

Question 2: Even if I took the required prereqs and could finish them in a year (while also working full-time), would I be a competitive applicant? I could find time to shadow, but volunteering hours might be light/not directly related to mental health.
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*My family is Muslim/follows a certain culture, and I'm an atheist who wants a normal, Western life. Since I went to a commuter school nearby, I was afraid that they might follow or harass me if I tried to live on campus. My family also claimed it would stress out my sort-of-sick mother if I "abandoned" her. So, there was plenty of fear and guilt--be it from them, or possibly exaggerated by my mind--to keep me from moving out. That's why I majored in something I didn't like; it let me graduate a year early, and was supposed to be good for jobs.

Question 3: Given my personal issues, however mild the are, does that give me a good background to go into psychiatry?

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[md-2020]

So you'd essentially be building an application from scratch (all pre-reqs, MCAT, ECs, etc). It seems like you're hurting for money/employment potential at the moment, so I'm not sure embarking on this lengthy process would be a good idea. A general idea of the costs involved:
$10k+ for all courses
$10k+ for MCAT/prep/app/II fees
up to $300k+ tuition/costs during med school; only then do you enter residency.
Many lost years of career.

If you are sure these are worthwhile, you're as competitive as any other pre-med starting the path.

It is way too early to be thinking about any specific medical field.

 

[gothicfoxes]

Consider taking a gap year to work and save money for your post-bacc work. You won't be able to make nearly enough what you'll spend (as md-2020 outlined), but it might help cut your loans by a few thousand dollars.

 

[Goro]

You have a lot of issues to work out before you can be a successful candidate for med school.

It's hard to explain my situation without a bunch of words (like, 100, at least). You could just read above the line and answer one question. Thank You.

Basic background: I graduated in May with a 3.93 in Economics from Wayne State. I have no science GPA because the required classes--bio 1, chem 1--were fulfilled with AP credit. I developed depression* while in college, and was anxious about driving until recently (and in Michigan, no less). Thus, I have no consistent volunteering or extracurricular experience. I am starting a full-time sales job next week that should pay about 24K/year after taxes. I am considering med school to become a psychiatrist. Location and prestige do not matter (at least, I think it doesn't).

Question 1: Since I applied for FAFSA late in the year, I could get only 5500 in loans. Is it worthwhile to take physics 1, orgo 1, and microbiology at a community college this fall, then go back to university in the winter when I'll have the money for biochemistry, orgo 2, etc?

Question 2: Even if I took the required prereqs and could finish them in a year (while also working full-time), would I be a competitive applicant? I could find time to shadow, but volunteering hours might be light/not directly related to mental health.
__________________________________________________________________

*My family is Muslim/follows a certain culture, and I'm an atheist who wants a normal, Western life. Since I went to a commuter school nearby, I was afraid that they might follow or harass me if I tried to live on campus. My family also claimed it would stress out my sort-of-sick mother if I "abandoned" her. So, there was plenty of fear and guilt--be it from them, or possibly exaggerated by my mind--to keep me from moving out. That's why I majored in something I didn't like; it let me graduate a year early, and was supposed to be good for jobs.

Question 3: Given my personal issues, however mild the are, does that give me a good background to go into psychiatry?