doing med school part-time....

[doc227]

....just wondering if this was possible. Is there any such thing as taking night classes, etc.

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[Brewster]

Nope, sorry.

Med schools are pretty standardized. Everyone takes classes together (during the day) for the first two years. The second two years are kind of like a job with respect to the time invested in the hospital.

Some schools will let you stretch the first two years across 3 years, but you will still be required to take classes when they are offered, ie during the day, you just take fewer of them at a time.

 

[medicine2006]

Med school is not like ITT tech or DeVry where you can take classes at your leisure or over the internet. You gotta go all out, full time.

 

[Asclepius]

I think that Dr. Nick from the Simpsons took this route...

 

[phar]

part-time in medical school? Are you kidding me? Do you think putting a life in your hands can come from a part-time?

 

[group_theory]

Before we all accuse doc227 of asking such a stupid question (and laugh) ...

It is possible to get a law degree (JD) by attending night classes
It is possible to get a MBA by taking nights/weekend classes (or meet once a week for EMBA)
It is possible to get a college degree by taking night classes (depending on the school)
It is possible to get a GED by taking night classes (and passing the GED exam)

Is it not reasonable to ask, "well, if you can get a GED, BA, JD, MBA, can you also get a MD part-time?"

And the answer is : NO

The first 2 years is already compacted enough (compare to other countries) - and the last 2 years is like a full time job - only it requires more time (60-120 hrs/week, depending on rotation)

There are some schools that offer an MD in 5 years (GWU) but it is still a full-time load.

Group_theory
PCOM Class of 2007

 

[Fenrezz]

Originally posted by doc227
Is there any such thing as taking night classes, etc.

I'm sorry, but.....

 

[DoubleL]

Sorry guys, you are all wrong! 😛

Ohio State has an "independent study" program:

http://medicine.osu.edu/isp/

LL

 

[Zoobaby]

Originally posted by Asclepius
I think that Dr. Nick from the Simpsons took this route...

Yeup - He went to Hollywood Upstairs Medical College

 

[DrMom]

Originally posted by DoubleL
Sorry guys, you are all wrong! 😛

Ohio State has an "independent study" program:

http://medicine.osu.edu/isp/

LL

I seriously doubt that you could do this program part-time, even thought it is independent study.

They only give you a choice of a 4 or 5 year program, so at most you can do the first 2 years part time (keep in mind this is med school part time, not real world part time), then 3 years full time.

 

[md_student10021]

Originally posted by group_theory

Is it not reasonable to ask, "well, if you can get a GED, BA, JD, MBA, can you also get a MD part-time?"

Are you implying the the MD is on par with the GED? Or the BA, JD, or MBA?

The answer: certainly not.

 

[surge]

Originally posted by md_student10021
Are you implying the the MD is on par with the GED? Or the BA, JD, or MBA?

The answer: certainly not.

That's precisely what group_therapy was saying.

 

[MichiMO]

I really hope you all learn to tone down the belittling, arrogant attitude before you actually become doctors!
During your career you will have hundreds of people ask you questions that seem ridiculous given your personal knowledge. However, it is precisely because of your knowledge that people will be asking you these questions. It is terrible to mock people just because something seems obvious to you. Not everyone on this sight has all your privelaged pre-med. information. That is why they come to this sight, to get information!

Sorry for the tangent... the attitudes revealed in these posts just really got on my nerves.

 

[DrMom]

Are you actually upset because people are saying that law and other degrees are not the same as medical degrees? They aren't, that is simply fact...doesn't mean that we are being arrogant.

 

[Angeliqua]

I agree with MichiMO.

The first person to reply to this thread answered the question WITHOUT being sarcastic. He did not feel the need to belittle someone for asking a simple question. Why do other people feel the need to spew sarcastic flames/comments at someone for asking a question? As MichiMO said, not everyone on this site is a "premed expert."

The inevitable lashing out at people for posting naive/"dumb" questions on this board is getting tiresome. C'mon, if you are annoyed by a post...JUST DON"T READ IT.

 

[Moskeeto]

Originally posted by Angeliqua
The inevitable lashing out at people for posting naive/"dumb" questions on this board is getting tiresome.

word

 

[bennet]

Originally posted by Angeliqua
I agree with MichiMO.

The first person to reply to this thread answered the question WITHOUT being sarcastic. He did not feel the need to belittle someone for asking a simple question. Why do other people feel the need to spew sarcastic flames/comments at someone for asking a question? As MichiMO said, not everyone on this site is a "premed expert."

The inevitable lashing out at people for posting naive/"dumb" questions on this board is getting tiresome. C'mon, if you are annoyed by a post...JUST DON"T READ IT.

I totally agree. Whenever i see rude responses, i just pray that i never get stuck in a med school class with people like that. That would be a hellish experience. 🙄

 

[lola]

i *think* ucsf has allowed students to attend part time if there is a good reason (e.g. having a baby).

 

[agent]

Originally posted by Angeliqua

The inevitable lashing out at people for posting naive/"dumb" questions on this board is getting tiresome. C'mon, if you are annoyed by a post...JUST DON"T READ IT.

ditto 😉

 

[adude]

Once you are in a medical school they are actually quite flexible about scheduling and such. The most common things that people seem to do are to make the first year last 2 years, or to do 4th year over 2 years, or you can even take a year off in some cases. This allowed people in my school to do all kinds of other things including having kids, running a small business, continuing a part-time law practice, etc. However at some point you do have to forget other things and be a full time med student (esp. 3rd year). Personally, I think you should just forget everything else and get it over with, but there are options.

 

[paean]

When I interviewed at OSU, I was told that a handful of exceptional students in the independant study track every year do full time research as well, and there was one guy who held a full time job outside the university. So if you are really efficient and don't need to sleep that much, it is possible.

UCSF used to allow students to split the 2nd year over 2 (as do many other schools if you have a compelling reason), but we have a new block curriculum where you are either full time, or taking time entirely off. If you want to spend 5 years, you would need to go to a school that advertises the possibility (there are several) and then find out what circumstances it is allowed under. If you are concerned about economics, and you are supporting a family, it's a real issue, but if you are single, the loans available are sufficient to cover all your expenses. There are 4 families at UCSF this year with one med student and one stay at home parent, and they are getting by in various ways, but it's tough.

If you are interested in the health sciences, but not 100% set on being a MD or DO, you might also want to look at Physician's Assistant and Nursing Master's programs and see if they would work better for you.

 

[Adcadet]

if you run into academic problems, I would assume most schools would be accomodating....which might mean an extra year. I believe some schools make you repeat an entire year if you fail more than one course. But I don't think this is what was being asked.

 

[HessExpress]

I think that Dr. Nick from the Simpsons took this route...

Dr. Nick is my hero...I got accepted to Hollywood Upstairs Med for next year. Anyone else get an interview yet?

 

[nobody2000]

Sorry to revive this thread, but I'm not sure why everyone had to be a jerk about this question. "Part Time" doesn't mean "ohh I'm going to put in the least amount of effort." Part time means that you have a busy life, so you need to spread out your credits over the course of more than the traditional number of terms.

Of course the answer is no, but it's a legitimate question. Many professional degrees that come from great schools have a part time option (because people have to...y'know...work), so OP was curious about med school.

The answer is no, and the major reason is because it's simply not offered. The other reason is that after the academic/classroom portion, the years of intense clinical training requires a significant time commitment that cannot be performed part-time due to the hours (often going into late/all night), and coursework, in addition to preparing for boards.

So there - this is a question that can be answered without everyone laughing at and belittling someone who had the gall to ask such a question.

 

[PaulineStay]

i kinda think that would be difficult with the 18 hours you spend per day studying haha

 

[Spinach Dip]

Sorry to revive this thread, but I'm not sure why everyone had to be a jerk about this question. "Part Time" doesn't mean "ohh I'm going to put in the least amount of effort." Part time means that you have a busy life, so you need to spread out your credits over the course of more than the traditional number of terms.

Of course the answer is no, but it's a legitimate question. Many professional degrees that come from great schools have a part time option (because people have to...y'know...work), so OP was curious about med school.

The answer is no, and the major reason is because it's simply not offered. The other reason is that after the academic/classroom portion, the years of intense clinical training requires a significant time commitment that cannot be performed part-time due to the hours (often going into late/all night), and coursework, in addition to preparing for boards.

So there - this is a question that can be answered without everyone laughing at and belittling someone who had the gall to ask such a question.

God-tier necrobump.

 

[virtuos locust]

part-time in medical school? Are you kidding me? Do you think putting a life in your hands can come from a part-time?

This was probably the funniest comment that I've read in a while on SDN until it all hit me and I realized that this thread was from 2003.

 

[Psai]

Sorry to revive this thread, but I'm not sure why everyone had to be a jerk about this question. "Part Time" doesn't mean "ohh I'm going to put in the least amount of effort." Part time means that you have a busy life, so you need to spread out your credits over the course of more than the traditional number of terms.

Of course the answer is no, but it's a legitimate question. Many professional degrees that come from great schools have a part time option (because people have to...y'know...work), so OP was curious about med school.

The answer is no, and the major reason is because it's simply not offered. The other reason is that after the academic/classroom portion, the years of intense clinical training requires a significant time commitment that cannot be performed part-time due to the hours (often going into late/all night), and coursework, in addition to preparing for boards.

So there - this is a question that can be answered without everyone laughing at and belittling someone who had the gall to ask such a question.

A lot of people have busy lives.

 

[Catalystik]

The answer is no, and the major reason is because it's simply not offered.

Actually, during Academic Year 2001–2002 (close to the timeframe of the original post), the LCME reported that 47 schools employed an Extended Time or Decompressed Program to assist poor performers per Annual Medical School Questionnaire. Liaison Committee on Medical Education 2001.

 

[Glandzburg]

Sorry to revive this thread, but I'm not sure why everyone had to be a jerk about this question. "Part Time" doesn't mean "ohh I'm going to put in the least amount of effort." Part time means that you have a busy life, so you need to spread out your credits over the course of more than the traditional number of terms.

Of course the answer is no, but it's a legitimate question. Many professional degrees that come from great schools have a part time option (because people have to...y'know...work), so OP was curious about med school.

The answer is no, and the major reason is because it's simply not offered. The other reason is that after the academic/classroom portion, the years of intense clinical training requires a significant time commitment that cannot be performed part-time due to the hours (often going into late/all night), and coursework, in addition to preparing for boards.

So there - this is a question that can be answered without everyone laughing at and belittling someone who had the gall to ask such a question.

You really showed those jerks from 13 years ago.