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I am a non-traditional student and so I really don't have access to premed advising. I earned my undergraduate degree at a university that does have a premed advising committee but they are located far away and thus my phone advising sessions have been very generic. The university where I have been doing my post-bac work referred me to my original institution since they no longer write committee letters. The short: am I competitive?
According to an osteopathic GPA spreadsheet I calculated my GPA's accordingly: Cumulative 3.0/Science 3.6/Non-Science 2.85. My last 120 credit hours it Cumulative 3.26/Science 3.61/Non-Science 3.10. I haven't taken my MCAT but my most recent practice was 8/12/8. I plan to take it June 5 and apply as soon as my results are available. Allopathic is something else entirely and somewhere in the range of 3.0 for both cumulative and BCPM.
Here's the scoop:
BA in political science; graduated in 2007. Thought I was going to work as a firefighter my whole career so I didn't care about my performance. Only that I got a degree. I now understand how damaging apathy can be with the benefit of hindsight.
The last semester of my undergrad, I was dual-enrolled at a community college working on my paramedic certification. Finished this in December of 2007 and I began applying to fire departments. I never got the paramedic degree because I already had my bachelor's degree. No sense in spending the extra money to satisfy/transfer ancillary degree requirements (computer class/fine arts etc). A total of 40 hours. Only 3 hours count as a "science" class-advanced pathophysiology. I got an A in that class, fortunately. This professor is also writing me a letter of recommendation. She now teaches the anatomy class for Georgetown's Medical School. I am probably thinking that provides more influence than it does.
Post-bac prerequisites: Once I finish this semester, I will have completed 49 credit hours. I have done this over 3 years, taking 7-9 credits per semester because I work full time. All but 3 hours are BCPM. My GPA is currently a 3.43. I earned A+ in Physics II lab and Organic I lab. A's in Bio I/II, Chem I, and Physics I lab and Physics II lecture. A- in Physics I lecture, Cell Bio. B+ in Stats, B- in Chem II, C+ in Organic I lecture and C in Calculus. Currently enrolled in Organic II lecture, Organic II lab, and Psychology. I need to take two more classes at 300 level or above, probably genetics and micro. Haven't decided which though.
Here's my work history:
Volunteer Firefighter starting at 16. Continued through undergrad. Stopped volunteering once I was hired as a career firefighter.
Private ambulance service from 2005-2008. Worked at home for one company during the summers/winter breaks of college. 48 hours/week here. While in college I worked for a different company from 2006-2008. 24 hours per week here. Bad move=grades suffered.
Career Firefighter/Paramedic from Feb 2008- June 2013. My schedule was rotating 24 hour shifts and HR classified it as a 56 hour work week. I started my post-back work in the fall of 2011. I worked for a busy fire dept in Northern Virginia. Took promotional exam and finished 3rd overall on the list for lieutenant. I wrote a lot of protocols and taught a lot of classes for our department. I coordinated the education for all the BLS providers for our department as well. I also developed a very strong relationship with both of our medical directors. One of which is writing LOR.
Neonatal/Pediatric Transport Paramedic from 2010-2012. I worked 24 hours a week( 12 hour shifts twice a week) here from January 2010-December 2011. After my first semester of prereqs I cut back to 12 hours every 2 weeks because it was impossible to maintain at my current schedule and actually have non-work time occupied by anything other than school. Basically, one shift every two weeks until December of 2012.
Yes, for one semester I was actually working an "average" of 80 hours per week while also taking prereqs. I got married and more serious about medical school. Part time work had to go.
Flight paramedic from 2013-present. In June of 2013 I quit the fire department to satisfy one last "dream" before applying/going to medical school. My schedule is 48 hours/week here. Grades suffered though, got a C+ in Organic and C in Calculus. Here I am the base education coordinator. I am also one of two paramedics on the national protocol committee. A lot of research involved in this task and it easily occupies 4 hours a week. I am given a protocol to either create or modify, perform the research and submit it for consideration by the medical directors. The air medical group has something like 3000 employees.
I have received a bunch of awards for work but the only one that I plan on listing is prehospital provider of the year for Northern Virginia.
I teach actively in EMS, both at a local level and at state conferences. I have also taught for girl scout troops (first aid merit badges), gone to career days, and am involved in outreach health education for our base. This is mainly our company's PR for national campaigns such as breast cancer/heart disease/drunk driving/distracted driving etc. This involves presentations in the community at high schools, community meetings etc.
I have one manuscript on prehospital pain management that has been accepted for publication in the Journal of EMS...now undergoing the insanely long review process. I have another one on the prehospital management of cyanide toxicity and smoke inhalation that I will probably submit as well.
Played rec league softball for the capital alumni network...team was too serious so now I am in a co-ed beer league with my wife. Gotta have some fun...
LORs from cell bio prof, pathophys prof, one of my medical directors, and my mentor from the fire department that is in charge of the EMS program.
That's pretty much it. I basically assume I can't compete at allopathic schools due to the way GPA is calculated. My best shot appears to be osteopathic, although that is slim too most likely. I also plan on applying to "med masters" programs at the same time in the event I don't get in anywhere.
Top school is VCOM. I live in Virginia so I will also apply to VCU, UVA, EVMS, and VT. I will apply to GW and University of Maryland out of state.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
According to an osteopathic GPA spreadsheet I calculated my GPA's accordingly: Cumulative 3.0/Science 3.6/Non-Science 2.85. My last 120 credit hours it Cumulative 3.26/Science 3.61/Non-Science 3.10. I haven't taken my MCAT but my most recent practice was 8/12/8. I plan to take it June 5 and apply as soon as my results are available. Allopathic is something else entirely and somewhere in the range of 3.0 for both cumulative and BCPM.
Here's the scoop:
BA in political science; graduated in 2007. Thought I was going to work as a firefighter my whole career so I didn't care about my performance. Only that I got a degree. I now understand how damaging apathy can be with the benefit of hindsight.
The last semester of my undergrad, I was dual-enrolled at a community college working on my paramedic certification. Finished this in December of 2007 and I began applying to fire departments. I never got the paramedic degree because I already had my bachelor's degree. No sense in spending the extra money to satisfy/transfer ancillary degree requirements (computer class/fine arts etc). A total of 40 hours. Only 3 hours count as a "science" class-advanced pathophysiology. I got an A in that class, fortunately. This professor is also writing me a letter of recommendation. She now teaches the anatomy class for Georgetown's Medical School. I am probably thinking that provides more influence than it does.
Post-bac prerequisites: Once I finish this semester, I will have completed 49 credit hours. I have done this over 3 years, taking 7-9 credits per semester because I work full time. All but 3 hours are BCPM. My GPA is currently a 3.43. I earned A+ in Physics II lab and Organic I lab. A's in Bio I/II, Chem I, and Physics I lab and Physics II lecture. A- in Physics I lecture, Cell Bio. B+ in Stats, B- in Chem II, C+ in Organic I lecture and C in Calculus. Currently enrolled in Organic II lecture, Organic II lab, and Psychology. I need to take two more classes at 300 level or above, probably genetics and micro. Haven't decided which though.
Here's my work history:
Volunteer Firefighter starting at 16. Continued through undergrad. Stopped volunteering once I was hired as a career firefighter.
Private ambulance service from 2005-2008. Worked at home for one company during the summers/winter breaks of college. 48 hours/week here. While in college I worked for a different company from 2006-2008. 24 hours per week here. Bad move=grades suffered.
Career Firefighter/Paramedic from Feb 2008- June 2013. My schedule was rotating 24 hour shifts and HR classified it as a 56 hour work week. I started my post-back work in the fall of 2011. I worked for a busy fire dept in Northern Virginia. Took promotional exam and finished 3rd overall on the list for lieutenant. I wrote a lot of protocols and taught a lot of classes for our department. I coordinated the education for all the BLS providers for our department as well. I also developed a very strong relationship with both of our medical directors. One of which is writing LOR.
Neonatal/Pediatric Transport Paramedic from 2010-2012. I worked 24 hours a week( 12 hour shifts twice a week) here from January 2010-December 2011. After my first semester of prereqs I cut back to 12 hours every 2 weeks because it was impossible to maintain at my current schedule and actually have non-work time occupied by anything other than school. Basically, one shift every two weeks until December of 2012.
Yes, for one semester I was actually working an "average" of 80 hours per week while also taking prereqs. I got married and more serious about medical school. Part time work had to go.
Flight paramedic from 2013-present. In June of 2013 I quit the fire department to satisfy one last "dream" before applying/going to medical school. My schedule is 48 hours/week here. Grades suffered though, got a C+ in Organic and C in Calculus. Here I am the base education coordinator. I am also one of two paramedics on the national protocol committee. A lot of research involved in this task and it easily occupies 4 hours a week. I am given a protocol to either create or modify, perform the research and submit it for consideration by the medical directors. The air medical group has something like 3000 employees.
I have received a bunch of awards for work but the only one that I plan on listing is prehospital provider of the year for Northern Virginia.
I teach actively in EMS, both at a local level and at state conferences. I have also taught for girl scout troops (first aid merit badges), gone to career days, and am involved in outreach health education for our base. This is mainly our company's PR for national campaigns such as breast cancer/heart disease/drunk driving/distracted driving etc. This involves presentations in the community at high schools, community meetings etc.
I have one manuscript on prehospital pain management that has been accepted for publication in the Journal of EMS...now undergoing the insanely long review process. I have another one on the prehospital management of cyanide toxicity and smoke inhalation that I will probably submit as well.
Played rec league softball for the capital alumni network...team was too serious so now I am in a co-ed beer league with my wife. Gotta have some fun...
LORs from cell bio prof, pathophys prof, one of my medical directors, and my mentor from the fire department that is in charge of the EMS program.
That's pretty much it. I basically assume I can't compete at allopathic schools due to the way GPA is calculated. My best shot appears to be osteopathic, although that is slim too most likely. I also plan on applying to "med masters" programs at the same time in the event I don't get in anywhere.
Top school is VCOM. I live in Virginia so I will also apply to VCU, UVA, EVMS, and VT. I will apply to GW and University of Maryland out of state.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
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