California Nontrad Path?

[Thespian666]

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Hello...again.

I guess I wrote a vague, perhaps ill-titled thread earlier this week.

If any of you guys are from Southern California, or any part of CA at this point, and have entered medical school here (DO or MD,) I'd like to know what/how your experience was from the the pre-req to matriculation???

I'm 30, with a non-science Bachelor's and live in Socal and I'd like to think it is possible to attend local-ish med-schools. Or, if not, did you finish your pre-reqs here. Where?

Thanks all.

 

[DrMidlife]

If you want to get into a UC school, then you need to be a STELLAR applicant. Meaning you'd better have GPAs above 3.7 and take your prereqs at a UC or private university. In-state preference at UC med schools buys you nothing.

USC is actually less competitive than the UCs, but I can't speak to its strengths or weaknesses.

If you love the lord then Loma Linda might love you, with a bit lower standards than the UCs, but still very competitive.

And you have Western, a very good DO school in Pomona with a moderate in-state bias.

In your shoes I'd be trying to take my prereqs as an admitted student at UCLA or UCSD. Any UC or CSU is fine, in theory, if you can get some research experience there. I would not be looking at community colleges, even killer CCs like Pasadena City College across from Cal Tech. I'm also not crazy about Scripps' postbac, but it's worth a look.

Best of luck to you. Caveat emptor: I left California in 1993.

 

[Nasrudin]

If you love the lord then Loma Linda might love you, with a bit lower standards than the UCs, but still very competitive.

Of course, in Loma Linda's case it is particularly useful to love the lord with some adventist(?) specificity. I'm not sure they love lovers of Allah or the Buddha. Otherwise your advice is on target as usual. But as a former Bible Belter I feel my obligation to help you left coasters interpret the Jesus folks.

 

[notdeadyet]

If you want to get into a UC school, then you need to be a STELLAR applicant. Meaning you'd better have GPAs above 3.7 and take your prereqs at a UC or private university.

You need to be a very strong applicant, but UCs value the non-trad background, if you've done something with your life. I had a ho-hum MCAT (30, with an 8 in Bio) and an okay 3.7 GPA. I took some of my prereqs at a community college shortly before applying and got interviewed at UCSF.

UCs are competitive, but they aren't the number ****** that you'll find at some places. They are sincere in their drive for diversity.

In-state preference at UC med schools buys you nothing.

Not sure what you mean by this? UCLA and UCSF do not have in-state preference, but UCI and UCD are pretty much closed to only in state residents.

 

[notdeadyet]

In your shoes I'd be trying to take my prereqs as an admitted student at UCLA or UCSD.

Way overkill. Are you really recommending that the OP go back and do a second bachelor's? I'm not even sure that UCLA or UCSD allow this. Many UCs do not.

Any UC or CSU is fine, in theory, if you can get some research experience there. I would not be looking at community colleges, even killer CCs like Pasadena City College across from Cal Tech.

I'd recommend the OP do one year of chemistry part-time at a community college, to make sure that he has some sort of science aptitude.

After that, I'd look at a postbac. DO NOT doe a second bachelors. It's not practial and not necessary. USC has a very good postbac if you live in LA. So does Scripps, if you live in SD. I'm sure that there are others, but I didn't research SoCal too closely. Check out the postbac forum.

OP- Keep in mind that the horror stories of getting in to med school as a Californian are over-rated. Californians have an above average acceptance rate to medical school. Getting in to medical school in California is harder, but folks make it sound like it's near impossible. Not true. 2/3rds of California applicants who get in to medical school end up at a California medical school. Lower than lots of other states, but not as dire as some would have you think.

And the UCs really do look for diversity. I had interviews that I would not have gotten if I were a 22 year old Bio major. best of luck with the process...

 

[DrMidlife]

Oh good, it worked. Posting my 15-years-out-of-date opinions lured current correct information to the thread. 😉

 

[notdeadyet]

Oh good, it worked. Posting my 15-years-out-of-date opinions lured current correct information to the thread. 😉

Didn't mean to sound harsh. But when I went throught the application process, folks on SDN had half convinced me that it wasn't worth applying UC unless you had a stellar degree and a kick a$$ MCAT. It's just not the case.

California still has some of the toughest entry requirements for a state school, but we have the advantage of a state that has strong commitment to diversity (which helps we nontrads) and multiple campuses. I got no love from UCLA or UCI but lotsa love from UCSF and UCD. If you have a less than admirable application, multiple campuses is a very nice thing.

Best of luck to all applying in this cycle, UC or otherwise...

 

[Thespian666]

I appreciate the motivational feedback.

I was fully planning on completing my pre-reqs at the local CC as I had taken A&P and Micro this past year there (back when I thought being an RN was "enough.") That being said, I'm also applying to CSUN Post-Bacc. I realize neither of these options is particularily prestigious but my idea was not to spend a large sum of $$$ unless required to (before spending a ridiculous sum on my med education.)

Yes, Loma Linda does in fact = we lovem some Jesus.

Western was on my short list and as I hope to rock-out on the MCAT, UCSF, UCD, and UCSD are hopefuls too. In sooth, I put my all into completely right-minded (if you adhere to hemispherical learning theory) endeavors during my undergrad; so Philosophy, Religion, Drama and Sketch Comedy aren't exactly as sexy as OChem. Thus my cum GPA to date will have to be married with solid A's and A- in my future pre-reqs to achieve the 3.7 benchmark.

If this doesn't happen, I'm taking Spanish anyway. I'll apply to UPR as I was actually born and lived in PR back in the day.

Thanks again my fellow Californians.

 

[DrMidlife]

...If this doesn't happen, I'm taking Spanish anyway. I'll apply to UPR as I was actually born and lived in PR back in the day.
Thanks again my fellow Californians.

PR has 4 LCME-accredited schools now. UPR might require residency - they take no "out-of-state" students. There is some info on PR schools hidden in the Carrib forum.

 

[Vytorin77]

You can also look into taking premed classes through UC Extension. I know people who did this at both UCLA and Berkeley and had good experiences.

 

[notdeadyet]

You can also look into taking premed classes through UC Extension. I know people who did this at both UCLA and Berkeley and had good experiences.

Actually, I'd be very careful with Extension. They can be incredibly spotty. Berkeley's program is very sketchy.

OP- check out the PostBac forums. They have a lot of great info about the different postbacs. Especially check them out for the Extension offerings. I'd be very cautious about doing Cal's extension program. Lot of current unhappy campers in postbac.

 

[Thespian666]

Actually, I'd be very careful with Extension. They can be incredibly spotty. Berkeley's program is very sketchy.

OP- check out the PostBac forums. They have a lot of great info about the different postbacs. Especially check them out for the Extension offerings. I'd be very cautious about doing Cal's extension program. Lot of current unhappy campers in postbac.

Thanks for the info. I'm trying to avoid the structured aspect of typical post-baccs so as to provide more flexibility in my scheduling. I'm calling CSUN tomorrow as well as some of the admissions offices of the med-schools we've all mentioned. I don't believe I'll need to take ANY kind of bio (I took the equiv of gen. bio undergrad, as well as Micro and A&P) with the exception of upper level Biochem, and even that only after I've taken Ochem and Phys (which I still am debating taking at College of the Canyons.) If I'm consistent about my reasoning being cost, if I can attain A's in all these, and rock the MCAT with something like 32+, I believe the CC cred's will be understandible. Understand that I totally realize the need to not exactly "stick out" in my applications, save really good numbers.

UPR does not require residency if you have "strong ties" to the Island. I kinda do in that I'm technically Puerto Rican, but that's a stretch as I haven't lived there full time since the early 80's. Ponce Med. School is "ahite" but, from what I hear, not better or worse than the bottomish rung here in the Upper 48. I think the Spanish is only a value-added bonus; especially considering the patient demographic here in Socal.

Anyhoo, thanks again folks.