Career Transition with Non-Traditional Background and DIY PostBacc (Business/MBA/Firefighter & EMT)

[Blackjack204]

TLDR: Currently 28, would matriculate at 30. Looking to transition out of a corporate career into MD Program. Interested in Emergency Medicine, and Trauma. Stretch would be Cardiothoracic. Goal would be a T100 MD program.

Educational Background:

A.S. in Criminal Justice from Community College - 2016 - 3.221 cGPA
BS in Business, Supply Chain from Big 10 State School - 2019 - 3.22 cGPA
MBA from T20 Program, Online Version. Class of 22. (Grad School Grading Scale is Pass/Fail. Live Virtual/In Person Classes. Taken During COVID)

Career:
I've worked full time since the age of 18 and attended school at the same time.

Age 20: Analyst in Supply Chain for a Recognizable Luxury Name Brand.
Age 21: Promoted to Senior Analyst. Supervised a small team of Analysts. Earned my bachelors degree at night.
Age 22/23: Worked as a Senior Consultant for a Big 4 Consulting Firm.
Age 24: Moved to a Fortune 10 Healthcare Company as a Sr. Manager and was promoted to Director after 2 years. Attended Grad School at the same time.
Age 27/28: Laid Off. Moved to a Fortune 500 Consumer Health Manufacturer as a Director. I plan to stay here for the next 2-3 years.

Extensive background in leading large multi-geographically dispersed teams, both domestically and internationally. Have had 3-5 direct reports while a Sr. Manager and Director. Not that it should really matter, but I am highly compensated ($300k+/Yr), reflective of extensive career impact and maturity.

Extracurriculars:
Volunteer Firefighter since the age of 17. NREMT as well.
Agency #1 - Volunteer Firefighter 2014-2016
Agency #2 - 2021-Current

Agency 2 is a large combination department bordering a major city. Annual volumes of 1700 Fire/4000+ EMS.
Served as the volunteer fire company Board President in 2023. (80+ volunteer members and $500k annual budget)
Fire Lieutenant from December 2023 onwards.
Attendance Award - 2022
Attendance Award - 2023
Chief Award - 2023
Chief Award - 2024
Extensive Prehospital Care and Patient Contacts as a non-transporting Quick Response Service.

Extensive Firefighter/Technical Rescue Education:
Proboard Firefighter 2, Fire Officer 2, NREMT, Technician Level Certs in Vehicle, Rope, Water, and Confined Space Rescue.

Current Shadowing:
8 Hours ED Physician
8 Hours Ortho

Forward Path from Here:
With a cGPA of 3.2 and minimal sGPA courses - 5 total classes from AS and BS (sGPA 3.48). Plan would be to go to local community college and do a DIY Post Bacc of 32-40 credits consisting of:

Chem 1 and 2 w/Lab
Bio 1 and 2 w/Lab
Physics 1 and 2 w/Lab
Organic Chem 1 and 2 w/Lab
Possibly a Biochem and a Anatomy Course.

I believe with a successful track record of a DIY Post Bacc, I could raise my overall cGPA to 3.4+ and sGPA to 3.8+.

If I polish up my story and double down on going back for my prereqs, how does my candidacy look as a non-trad application for a Top 100 MD program?

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[Dral]

You absolutely need to fill out your volunteering and other hours. You have done little to nothing to prove you want to be a physician. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but you have to convince a medical school you have the desire to be a physician as a baseline.

You'll need another 40 or so hours of shadowing. Ideally a good chunk should be in primary care.
You'll need some clinical work. Firefighting looks good, but it's not really clinical. Clinical volunteering works here. You just need the patient exposure.
A good 150 hours or so of volunteering that ideally puts you in a place out of a comfort zone. Soup kitchen, homeless shelter, etc.

The rest depends on how you do in your science classes and on the MCAT as well as letters/writing/narrative.

As a non-trad, you don't really need to do the research checkbox.

 

[Blackjack204]

You absolutely need to fill out your volunteering and other hours. You have done little to nothing to prove you want to be a physician. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but you have to convince a medical school you have the desire to be a physician as a baseline.

You'll need another 40 or so hours of shadowing. Ideally a good chunk should be in primary care.
You'll need some clinical work. Firefighting looks good, but it's not really clinical. Clinical volunteering works here. You just need the patient exposure.
A good 150 hours or so of volunteering that ideally puts you in a place out of a comfort zone. Soup kitchen, homeless shelter, etc.

The rest depends on how you do in your science classes and on the MCAT as well as letters/writing/narrative.

As a non-trad, you don't really need to do the research checkbox.

Thanks for the feedback. Not harsh, wasn't expecting sunshine and rainbows. Would I be better suited to leave the corproate world and pursue a full time postbacc and gain clininal hours alongside?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I will give more credit to your history of firefighting and being a first-responder for service orientation. You have a lot of training being under control in uncomfortable situations and places. I'm impressed you are still doing it while working in a consulting firm and earning serious bank.

But you need to show your pivot to medicine better. More clinical exposure, especially observing doctors (shadowing) in a hospital setting. Pick specialties that are known for not being so "urgent" or "emergent."

Talk to program directors about career-changing postbacs. There are a few that could accommodate a full-time first-shift job (classes in the evening or hybrid like Evening Post-baccalaureate Pre-medical - College of Medicine ).

 

[Dral]

Thanks for the feedback. Not harsh, wasn't expecting sunshine and rainbows. Would I be better suited to leave the corproate world and pursue a full time postbacc and gain clininal hours alongside?

I don't think you need to do that. However, you do need to prove that you are interested in becoming a physician by shadowing (at least somewhat knowing what you are getting into) and volunteering/clinical work (interested in helping people in the setting of healthcare).

I'm sure you are busy, but hopefully you can find time to do those things.