DPT to MD/DO? Am I NUTS?

[DocBallerina]

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Hi all,
I'm an older non traditional student (31) who is in her first year of PT school. It took me 3 years to get in (pre-reqs/family/job). I have an amazingly supportive family and boyfriend of 6 years who have been nothing short of incredible. I just completed a 2 week clinical at a hospital, and upon returning to the first day of class, I realized...I want to go to med school. All through my clinical I just wanted to be where the doctors were and reading their notes. I always wanted to be a doctor but had some deviations in the path and decided on the DPT. I love movement science as I am a dancer and I love the "medical" aspect of it. To be honest, I think I chose it because I didn't think I could get into med school and this was the closest I could get to being a doctor. But...I'm doing just fine in a competitive DPT program and I feel like I sold myself short. My issues are:
1. I'm only in my first year
2. I never took O-Chem or biochem
3. I am afraid I will push my luck with my family
4. What if I give this up and I can't get in?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for humoring the crazy lady.🙂

 

[startoverat40]

since you're a younger non-trad (compared to me and many others 🙂 ) you have plenty of time. But maybe you should finish your PT program (how long is it?) and then try for med. med admins might not like it if you left things unfinished, and also if you didn't get into med, you could still get a job in PT. (do you have a good undergrad GPA?)

do more doctor shadowing, 2 weeks isn't enough. get a better idea of medicine first, and consider the lifestyle and your family. you'd have to show more than 2 weeks for your med application anyway.

biochem isn't required by most med schools, but organic with lab is. can you take those along with your PT studies? can you study for MCAT in parallel? If you take MCAT this year and apply, you could start in 2013, and finish residency by 2020(?) consider the timeline with your family.

 

[DocBallerina]

Thanks for the reply! I actually did a fair amount of doctor shadowing when I was younger before I convinced myself to go into another field. I like that you pointed out that the med schools may not like me not finishing my degree...that's a good point that I didn't think of. My undergrad GPA wasn't the greatest, but since returning to school as an "adult", it's a lot better.

 

[CardiologyJosh]

There are two schools of thought. EVERYTHING COUNTS, or What really count's is what you've done lately. I subscribe to the latter, but perhaps I am biased, because I have made mistakes and deviations in the past as well, which is why I am now on a very circuitous path to medical school.

Anyway, I would make the recommendation to get more shadowing experience now. I think for a non-trad reporting a sudden crystallizing moment in which they realized they wanted to go to medical school, medical schools are going to want to see evidence of your re-inspiration (ie, more clinical volunteer-work, more shadowing, etc.)

Good Luck with it 🙂

 

[TriagePreMed]

I would stick to DPT if I were you. You're barely starting the program and don't know how you'll enjoy actually working as a DPT. Sure, you like the doctors notes and think you sold yourself short, but this is not confirmation that medicine is the right path. Grass is always greener on the other side. Go back and re-examine why you fell in love with PT.

 

[startoverat40]

also go back and re-examine the factors that convinced you before that medicine wasn't for you. have those factors changed? Have you as a person changed?

 

[sandstone]

I am 30 with a family and will be starting DO school this summer. I started on the PT path and realized during undergrad that I wanted to be a doctor. I am psyched to start, but as a non-trad with a family, it can be very daunting!! If I were you, I'd finish the DPT program, then go to med school if you still want to. At least then if you don't get in, you'll have a great fall back. And if you do get in and after a year of it you realize it's not for you, you'll have a great fall back and a way to pay back that year of med school.

 

[princekc]

Hi all,
I'm an older non traditional student (31) who is in her first year of PT school. It took me 3 years to get in (pre-reqs/family/job). I have an amazingly supportive family and boyfriend of 6 years who have been nothing short of incredible. I just completed a 2 week clinical at a hospital, and upon returning to the first day of class, I realized...I want to go to med school. All through my clinical I just wanted to be where the doctors were and reading their notes. I always wanted to be a doctor but had some deviations in the path and decided on the DPT. I love movement science as I am a dancer and I love the "medical" aspect of it. To be honest, I think I chose it because I didn't think I could get into med school and this was the closest I could get to being a doctor. But...I'm doing just fine in a competitive DPT program and I feel like I sold myself short. My issues are:
1. I'm only in my first year
2. I never took O-Chem or biochem
3. I am afraid I will push my luck with my family
4. What if I give this up and I can't get in?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for humoring the crazy lady.🙂

PA-C here. Know many PT; many I referred patient to, some currently attending MD/DO school. As per the BOLD above; you should pursue a medical doctorate degree. Good luck!

 

[DocBallerina]

Thanks, all! I very much appreciate the comments and suggestions!

 

[I like pie]

I have a DPT in my MD class. I was just browsing the forum and came across this. He actually realized later than you that he wanted to purse a medical doctorate degree. He applied in his third year of medical school. I will say that it definitely has helped him in school as he had a lot of experience, however, my guess is he would just apply straight into MD. His reasoning for change was he wanted the full practice, and he developed an interest in performing orthopedic surgery not just rehabilitative (PM&R is the one field he's certain he does not want to go in to). It is definitely feasible to do. I would try taking it in small chunks that way it's not overwhelming. Good Luck and I say pursue what you love!

 

[drgioiadds]

You are young! I'm starting DO this summer/fall at 36.

 

[MakesSense]

You are young! I'm starting DO this summer/fall at 36.

I started DO school last fall at 51. Your age has nothing to do with it.

 

[S6MD]

OP, I did one semester of PT school two yrs ago, left & applied to MD... will be starting in the fall 🙂

I felt just like you did - like I sold myself short.

 

[SPTtoMD]

OP, I am in a similar situation. I started PT school fresh out of undergrad after spending most of it undecided about what career in patient care I wanted. I ultimately chose PT because I had more volunteering and employment experience in the field. I gave PT classes a chance, but movement science is not something I'm passionate about. Medicine, on the other hand, YES.

I've done the research and know what med school entails, and know I still need to get shadowing and the MCAT in. The "how" and "when" is the big issue.

Thanks for posting this, OP. I'm glad I'm not the only student currently in a graduate program who is facing this situation. 🙂

 

[beethousand]

I've been working in rehab for 2 years now and I felt myself experiencing the same thing, I am always spending extra time reading physician notes, labs, etc. I'm just a rehab aide though. It might be a good idea to finish the DPT and perhaps work in inpatient while you're finishing prereqs and applying? You might make some nice connections with some MDs you work with and plus that clinical experience will help you shine. That will give you more time to reflect on what you want, and who knows there might be an aspect of PT you really like. I do alot if work in the ICU and the PT I work with has an impressive knowledge of cardiac and pulmonary physiology as well as pharmacology. All of these things are incorporated into the treatment plan. It doesn't all have to be manual therapy and ther ex. 🙂

 

[ChemMed]

Go with your heart and your passion......but know the price because there is a steep price you pay to become a physician in time, family and previously loved activities. Its not just a few months or even a few years. Your looking at about a decade of training. Shadow more and do some deep soul searching. I sold myself short 6 years ago and I still ended up in med school because that desire never left. If its your passion and you really want it, then do it. Good luck.

 

[gettheleadout]

also go back and re-examine the factors that convinced you before that medicine wasn't for you. have those factors changed? Have you as a person changed?

I think this post is worth repeating here, OP.