Clinical experience as a non trad

[nontradapp1]

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Hi everyone,

I'm 26, considering a "career" change to medical school, out of college 3 years now. My undergrad is in engineering from a decently known school, 3.68 GPA. First in my family to ever attend college, let alone get a degree, including extended family like aunts, uncles, grandparents etc. Grew up in what most in America consider "poor". Never homeless, but my father is legally blind, has had this his whole life and could never have a driver's license and my mom worked but not in any sort of high wage job. Was lucky to do well in school and get good financial support for a college degree and graduate without debt. I had always had an interest in biology and the life sciences but when selecting my path in college a medical degree seemed like I path I couldn't complete. I had never really interacted with people who had an education before I went to college beside high school teachers and I just assumed most doctors were people who were much smarter than me with more support and I could never pull off getting into a medical school so I dropped it and picked the easiest route I saw to a good career. Since college I've worked in a job in defense for the past 3 years working on pretty well known and important projects at one of the largest companies.

Being out of college and seeing the world I understand no one is really superior to anyone and really anyone can pull anything off if they want it hard enough. With the classes I took for my degree I could get the academic pre reqs in about a total of 12 credit hours (4 bio, 8 ochem). This wouldn't be hard at a CC taking like 1 course a semester at night. My main concern is physician shadowing, how do working adults get this exposure? Is there a place I can sign up? Also, aren't the physicians are working at the same time I am?

 

[Goro]

Scribing can give:

a) a job
b) shadowing experience
c) patient contact experience

Taking only one class a semester will not convince Adcoms that you can handle the rigors of med school.

Suggest continuing working, save up the money, and then get into a post-bac program. OR, do a DIY post-bac.

 

[petomed]

Hi everyone,

I'm 26, considering a "career" change to medical school, out of college 3 years now. My undergrad is in engineering from a decently known school, 3.68 GPA. First in my family to ever attend college, let alone get a degree, including extended family like aunts, uncles, grandparents etc. Grew up in what most in America consider "poor". Never homeless, but my father is legally blind, has had this his whole life and could never have a driver's license and my mom worked but not in any sort of high wage job. Was lucky to do well in school and get good financial support for a college degree and graduate without debt. I had always had an interest in biology and the life sciences but when selecting my path in college a medical degree seemed like I path I couldn't complete. I had never really interacted with people who had an education before I went to college beside high school teachers and I just assumed most doctors were people who were much smarter than me with more support and I could never pull off getting into a medical school so I dropped it and picked the easiest route I saw to a good career. Since college I've worked in a job in defense for the past 3 years working on pretty well known and important projects at one of the largest companies.

Being out of college and seeing the world I understand no one is really superior to anyone and really anyone can pull anything off if they want it hard enough. With the classes I took for my degree I could get the academic pre reqs in about a total of 12 credit hours (4 bio, 8 ochem). This wouldn't be hard at a CC taking like 1 course a semester at night. My main concern is physician shadowing, how do working adults get this exposure? Is there a place I can sign up? Also, aren't the physicians are working at the same time I am?

Fellow engineer here, your path doesn't sound very dissimilar from mine. I can't advise you on what will work for you, but I've been accepted at three schools so far with the nontraditional path I took.

I too had zero contacts in healthcare, no family, no friends. No one. I cold-called / emailed hospital volunteer coordinators until I found one that was willing to let me shadow an ER physician, even though I wasn't affiliated with any school (being 28 at the time and working fulltime as an engineer). That experience motivated me to start my journey, however that may not be the case for everyone. I highly recommend shadowing before making any big moves. I found another local hospital that was willing to let me volunteer in their ER during odd evening and weekend hours, which is exactly what I needed to remain fulltime as an engineer.

I then began taking online coursework through UNE. Every one of their courses is regionally accredited. I'm even taking another one right now, Anatomy, to be better prepared when I begin medical school next year. Beware, online will blacklist you at certain schools who still won't accept those credits. You mentioned taking classes at a community college. If this works for you then do it.

Goro mentioned proving you can handle the workload of a med student. I worked my 40+ hr/wk engineering job, volunteered 6+ hr/wk, and took one class at a time--until my pre-req's were complete. I can't say whether this was enough to check that box or not, but again, I've been accepted at 3 schools and interview season is only just beginning to heat up.

As for additional physician shadowing, ask your PCP. Mine was happy to let me shadow. After that, the onus is on you to grow your network. As for me, I married a nurse.

 

[nontradapp1]

Scribing can give:

a) a job
b) shadowing experience
c) patient contact experience

Taking only one class a semester will not convince Adcoms that you can handle the rigors of med school.

Suggest continuing working, save up the money, and then get into a post-bac program. OR, do a DIY post-bac.

Goro, thanks for the free advice from a faculty member. I've been considering post bacs vs taking classes myself.

What is a compelling DIY post-bacc for you, what kind of classes/activities are in that if you are able to elaborate?

Fellow engineer here, your path doesn't sound very dissimilar from mine. I can't advise you on what will work for you, but I've been accepted at three schools so far with the nontraditional path I took.

I too had zero contacts in healthcare, no family, no friends. No one. I cold-called / emailed hospital volunteer coordinators until I found one that was willing to let me shadow an ER physician, even though I wasn't affiliated with any school (being 28 at the time and working fulltime as an engineer). That experience motivated me to start my journey, however that may not be the case for everyone. I highly recommend shadowing before making any big moves. I found another local hospital that was willing to let me volunteer in their ER during odd evening and weekend hours, which is exactly what I needed to remain fulltime as an engineer.

I then began taking online coursework through UNE. Every one of their courses is regionally accredited. I'm even taking another one right now, Anatomy, to be better prepared when I begin medical school next year. Beware, online will blacklist you at certain schools who still won't accept those credits. You mentioned taking classes at a community college. If this works for you then do it.

Goro mentioned proving you can handle the workload of a med student. I worked my 40+ hr/wk engineering job, volunteered 6+ hr/wk, and took one class at a time--until my pre-req's were complete. I can't say whether this was enough to check that box or not, but again, I've been accepted at 3 schools and interview season is only just beginning to heat up.

As for additional physician shadowing, ask your PCP. Mine was happy to let me shadow. After that, the onus is on you to grow your network. As for me, I married a nurse.

Thanks for the input. I can look into finding an ED doc near by and spend some time with him or speak to my PCP. My PCP is a DO and I would prefer the DO route so thats a good enlightenment. Did not the admission pre req classes you needed require a lab? Or did you somehow get this done with a lab? I wouldn't look down on online coursework vs CC but the organic chem coursework and the bio class both must have a lab for nearly every school I've see.

 

[petomed]

Goro, thanks for the free advice from a faculty member. I've been considering post bacs vs taking classes myself.

What is a compelling DIY post-bacc for you, what kind of classes/activities are in that if you are able to elaborate?


Thanks for the input. I can look into finding an ED doc near by and spend some time with him or speak to my PCP. My PCP is a DO and I would prefer the DO route so thats a good enlightenment. Did not the admission pre req classes you needed require a lab? Or did you somehow get this done with a lab? I wouldn't look down on online coursework vs CC but the organic chem coursework and the bio class both must have a lab for nearly every school I've see.

Sure thing. All my labs were either fully virtual or performed at my house with a lab kit I received in the mail. Again, check the schools you're truly interested in to see if they will accept online classes. I've found nearly all DO schools accept online coursework, even labs. These are not rubber-stamp online courses. All your exams will be proctored. It's worth repeating though, not all schools will accept online classes.

Edit:
VCOM (one of the largest DO schools) specifically directed me to UNE Online to fulfill an extra pre-req. They literally sent me a link straight to their website. Plus, UNE has their own DO school. So if all else fails, you can apply there.

 

[Goro]

Goro, thanks for the free advice from a faculty member. I've been considering post bacs vs taking classes myself.

What is a compelling DIY post-bacc for you, what kind of classes/activities are in that if you are able to elaborate?

Doing well in med school-like courses, or at least the pre-reqs and Biochem, cell and/or molecular biology and/or genetics. GPA should be 3.5+ for DO and 3.7+ for MD