Figuring out what path to take?

[babymedic]

I am currently trying to figure out what path I am going to take to get to medical school. I'm seeking advice as to what the best route will be.

Background info:

- I'm 19 and I know I want to go to medical school and subsequently become a doctor.
- Got into a university to attend just after high school
- Decided to defer my attendance to the university in order to take a paramedic class
- The program is run jointly with the university. You can take it just through the school or you can take it as a university student. The only difference being cost. I decided to go through the paramedic school rather than the university.
- I talked to my university advisor about this and he approved. He told me that I could defer for a year, especially since I was still taking classes that will
count on my transcript in the long run.
- I graduated my paramedic class and I am now a nationally registered medic and I'm working full-time (at least for now, might change if school demands)
- Starting in January of this year I started talking with the University about getting set up for this full. I was told that the university did not allow students to defer admissions and that by not attending I lost my spot. I paid $300 to hold my spot and have a letter that says I was allowed to defer, however the university is not honoring the letter.
- I reapplied and was was sent to committee because of a class on my transcript that I took in high school was never paid by my high school.
- The bill from the university went to collections and the first time I even knew it existed was in May.
- It's taken me every bit of the last two months to figure out the whole disaster, my parents are willing to just pay for the class if it will solve my problems and allow me to attend the university.

Here's my current dilemma for which I'm seeking advice ...

I need to remain a full-time student in order to keep my parents health insurance. (It's way better than anything my job offers.) I've come up with a few "plans" and would like some insight.

Plan A: Go to a CC for two years and get all of my pre-req's while working full-time as a paramedic. (I really love my job.) When I have all of my pre-req's reapply to the university that I was originally accepted into. The university will honor the year long paramedic course so I will be going straight into my senior year. I would complete that and graduate with a degree in emergency medicine.

Plan B: Go to a CC for the next semester and knock out the "easy" non-science pre-reqs. I would be working as a medic full-time during my time at the CC. Reapply to the university for the January session and then start knocking out pre-reqs. However when I go to the university I won't be able to work as full-time paramedic because of the scheduling conflict.

Plan C: Go to a CC take things like basket weaving and how to cook in the microwave. Apply to other universities / 4 year colleges and see my luck with that.

I really want to continue to work as a full-time paramedic. The experience is invaluable and I really love my job. By going to a CC for two years I'll also be able to keep my school loan debt low, which is helpful in the long run. I wish it would be possible for me to work full-time while attending the university, however the schedule as the university is non-conducive with my work schedule. I wondering if taking the CC route and working as a full-time paramedic will be sufficient enough to get in my top medical schools. Right now I'm really interested in UNC-Medical school at Chapel Hill, Baylor, University of Pittsburgh and Wake Forest.


Any insight / advice would be greattttly appreciated! Thank you for taking the time to read all of this, I appreciate it.

-babymedic

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[Hyperstudyosis]

I would advise against taking all your pre-reqs at the community college. It is a great way to knock out the ged ed stuff though. What about taking gen eds at the community college and meanwhile re-applying to the school you already applied to plus applying to some other schools? Ultimately, it's up to you, but I just wouldn't take all the med school pre-reqs at CC.

 

[2010houston]

You're looking at some upper tier schools, and I've been told that they frown on CC classes. I'm interested in Baylor, and my premed advisor specifically told me NOT to take any prereqs at CC. So I would be wary about taking more than a couple that way! Like it or not, they seem to be more biased towards full time students towards full time employees, but that's definitely not to say you couldn't get in that way.

That's awful that your university screwed you. So sorry.

 

[Rendar5]

Have you spoken with a lawyer for advice on how to proceed and if the university is required by law to abide by that letter you have? You don't want to rock the boat by suing or anything, but you also don't want to bend over and take it up the ass from this school. So it might be best to explore these options before reapplying or going CC.
I wouldn't go the CC route at all, honestly, if you can help it. Even if you need to defer a year and reapply, it's better to go to a 4year program for your bachelor's. The fact that you took time off before college to be a paramedic and to work as a paramedic while reapplying to college is going to work in your favor if you can stick with it.

It also might not be a bad idea to talk with the adcoms at those schools to see what their perception of things is.

The last point I'd like to make is that there is nothing wrong with looking at all your options outside med school, or outside medicine or taking an extra couple years before and after college before applying.