Hi all---post-bac here, did anyone else do/or are doing their pre-reqs while working full-time? If so how long did it take and what credit load do you think is feasible? what courses can be paired together?
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Full-time work and pre-req advice
- Thread starter Vince411
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I did half-time knocking out a couple of prereqs and finishing my degree while working full-time. It's all up to how flexible your schedule is, what your university offers, and what courses you need.
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I work full-time, and I can only fit in taking courses at a half-time schedule. Goro has mentioned one time or another that med schools want to see multiple science courses in a semester (over multiple semesters). With the new MCAT accounted for, I'm currently projected to finish pre-req's around end of 2016/ beginning of 2017. Bio I/II don't need to be taken consecutively, while CHM I/II should be taken consecutively; the latter also applies to Orgo. I'm not entirely sure regarding Physics, so someone else will need to chime in. I think I've seen that besides Biochem, Psych & Soc are also included in the 2015 MCAT, so those must also be factored in.
In terms of pace, this concept is not rigid. The common belief here is to start off slow (1 course/semester) & develop strong study habits/fortitude, then slowly increase the amount of credits taken per semester until your perceived limit is reached (i.e. you no longer achieve straight A's).
In terms of pace, this concept is not rigid. The common belief here is to start off slow (1 course/semester) & develop strong study habits/fortitude, then slowly increase the amount of credits taken per semester until your perceived limit is reached (i.e. you no longer achieve straight A's).
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I work full time and I plan to do school PT. I would suggest starting out PT because you do not want to screw yourself and drop your GPA by taking on too much at once
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Same as mentioned above. I worked more than full time but only did courses part time. I usually did 2-3 courses per semester/quarter, including re-takes for DO. Unless you are strong with math, I do not suggest taking chemistry and physics at the same time. It sucks.
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I'm currently working full-time and I intend to continue doing so while taking the pre-reqs starting this coming Fall. My plan is to not go beyond two science + lab courses a semester. The real challenge is trying to find evening sessions for these classes...
Dam..I'm actually aiming to take both Chem 1 and Physics 1 in the Fall...did you really have a lot of trouble? Any tips? ...
Dam..I'm actually aiming to take both Chem 1 and Physics 1 in the Fall...did you really have a lot of trouble? Any tips? ...
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I didn't mean to scare you about that but my math proficiency going into those courses was not up to par. Chem 1 wasn't a ton of math so you should be fairly safe there but physics requires a lot of mathematical problem solving as well as conceptual understanding. I took chem 2 and physics 1 at the same time and my life was miserable. Just make sure you do some algebra and trig prep prior to entering those courses if you think you will struggle with the math.
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I worked part-time & I knew almost all of the other post-bacs in my program and not a single one of them worked full-time. In fact, many post-bacs I knew didn't work at all because most free time was spent working on things like clinical volunteering or on research etc. to buff up EC hours and have a well rounded app.
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Oh no!! I'm registered for organic chem 1 and physics 1 for fall!!! Are they really hard!?
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Well I would say that all of the pre-reqs are generally going to be hard with the exception of the evolutionary biology segment of gen bio and maybe gen chem 1. But then again it varies from one student to the next. The general concensus is that o chem is going to be hard regardless of where you take it and it may be even more difficult if you are taking another fairly difficult pre-req at the same time, such as phsyics. I didn't do o chem and physics at the same time (took gen chem 2 and physics 1 same semester) but be prepared to have no life, especially if you will be working full time or even part time. I highly suggest the supplement book "organic chemistry as a second language". You can probably find it on amazon cheap and it really helped dumb down the subject and make it more understandable.
what about career-changers? has anyone done pre-reqs with ECs while working full time and then transition from full-time work into med school?
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I work full-time and just finished a year of gen chem + lab. I had registered for both chem and physics + lab in the fall, but had to drop physics. I would say it is possible to do both classes, but there is very little room for error (i.e. getting sick, staying late at work, missing office hours for work). I think I could have made it work, but my professor was very unavailable and we had 4 substitutes in 4 weeks and I struggled to stay afloat in physics. I did not have a social life, AT ALL while in both classes. Be prepared to accept this if you want to take both. I feel much better about my progress this year after dropping down to just chem (which I was able to do well in). I built up the necessary study habits over the course of the year to take on more next year. So if your study habits are not already at the top of their game, consider starting off slower.
tl;dr: it is possible, if you have the dedication and study habits.
tl;dr: it is possible, if you have the dedication and study habits.
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I'm sure it's been done. Definitely need to sacrifice a good part of your social life when trying to balance classes plus work plus ECs. I'm hoping I can find a decent volunteering position after I get adjusted to the new schedule...
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It's not easy to work FT and do PT coursework. But it depends on the type of work you do and the courses you're on. I am planning to do FT work with PT pre-req. However, my situation is different. Some time in the late 90s, I had already done my pre-med courses (with the exception of Genetics & Anatomy) except since they were foreign coursework, none of them are eligible for my application today. So I find myself having to do repeat many of them. I also happen to have a desk job as an engineer and no commute (I work from home mostly). My plan is to place out of the Bio I/II, Chem I/II and Physics I/II by examination. Even then I might go full time and finish up the remainder of my coursework. Or else I run the risk of doing a bad job at the job and at coursework. That's a loss-loss situation that I wouldn't enjoy. Also going full time will give me more time to focus on my MCAT and prepare for med school application along with volunteering/shadowing that is necessary for a well rounded application. Don't get me wrong. I'll squeeze the job for as long as it does not affect my coursework.
No, it's definitely do-able. I took these two concurrently my first semester of my post-bacc (7 years removed from grad school) while volunteering on weekends and working full time in a job that had me traveling often; that was the challenge. You will definitely sacrifice social life and fun, but the work load is certainly manageable. Plan out your week and practice good time management; take advantage of the little breaks throughout the day to get work done.
similar to my situation re work---very flexible desk job/independent. I can manipulate/flex my hours however I want as long as I get the work done so I'm planning on doing that for as long as possible until my wife is done with her schooling when she can then pay the mortgage while I go back to school---at least that's the plan anyway. It's just the delay that gets me, I want to jump full-bore into it but need to pace myself. we'll see.
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Cool...yeah, I would probably have to model a schedule similar to yours. Pretty much gave up a decent amount of social life and fun when I started my MS program last year lol
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I'm working full time and doing part time school as well, found 10 credits/2 classes at a time is manageable, but I know trying to take 3 would be too much at least for me to stay on top of.
This cannot be stressed enough. It can be done but you have to make sacrifices in order to accomplish it. The specifics of what worked for me, and others, will not necessarily apply to you. You have to figure this out on your own. I was not enrolled in a traditional post-bac program but I took 7-9 credits at a four year school while employed full time. None of the courses were online. Full time employment for me was 56 hours per week, not 40. I worked for a fire department and my schedule consisted of a tour of three 24 hour shifts, followed by a four day break. So I would work Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (off Tuesday/Thursday) then begin a break Saturday-Tuesday, and restart the crazy process again by Wednesday. My shift started at 0700 but you were considered "late" by your peers if you were not showered, in uniform, and beginning your equipment/gear checks by 0600. I woke up at 0420 to go to work each morning. I wasn't at a slow station either. While on the medic unit we would run 8-10 calls per day. The fire truck was similarly busy. I rarely started schoolwork until after dinner because my job performance could not suffer. I rarely went to bed before 0100 either. My second year of prereqs I was enrolled in chemistry and physics, both with labs. It is possible, but it requires absolute focus. I wouldn't suggest trying this plan your first semester though. I graduated in 2007 and started the prereqs in the fall of 2010 so I doubted that I could do it too. As I have posted elsewhere, I had to surmount a terrible undergraduate gpa. I operated under the principle of "anything less than an A and I'm not going to medical school." My science gpa is a 3.52 and my cumulative over these 48 hours is a 3.43. Obviously, not straight A's.
The point I am trying to make here is that there are two completely different ways to look at it. My second year (physics/chem) was pure hell. But it was also the definitive proof I needed to quiet the most vocal Doubting Thomas out there: me. Before I started this whole adventure my biggest fear was that I couldn't do it. Failure would have proved that my undergrad performance wasn't a fluke and I was little more than a bit chlorine in the gene pool. Hyperbole? Yes. Honesty? That too.
This is probably already longer than you cared to read, but here is what helped me survive the last four years and kick ass (personal bias) in the process. Don't forget KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid. Your t-shirt says "I'm with Stupid" and the arrow points directly at me.
1)Break it down into manageable pieces. I essentially needed to take every single prereq. This is intimidating for traditional students, let alone nontraditional students like us. I wouldn't have made it beyond the first semester if I focused on everything at once.
2)Plan. This was the most difficult part for me. Perhaps the greatest benefit of taking these courses at a large university is that there are multiple sections of the intro level classes. Since I worked 24 hour shifts I had to look at my work schedule for the entire semester and break it down into days of the week I was scheduled to work. Then I had to see what grouping of days I worked the least and how that class was offered (MWF, T/R, MW etc) by the university. I was going to miss lectures, this was unavoidable. I had to work twice as hard for those days so as not to fall behind. I could not miss labs, and I wouldn't have wanted to either because they boosted my grade for every single class.
3)Semper Gumby. You have to persevere. Life does not change because you are reformed in your academic ways. Friends and family still become sick and die (sorry), you will still get sick, and you will never have enough time or money. You're still going to fail tests. (I threw that one in there to make myself feel better, maybe you won't.)
4)Surround yourself with good people. Maybe you can do it on your own. I know I couldn't.
5)Ask for help. Be honest with yourself and the material. Not what you think you know or what you learned in the past. Why did you get a C and not an A? Test anxiety occurs because you haven't mastered the material. Cramming before the test and pulling off a good grade will bite you in the ass for the next exam, the final, the following semester, and the MCAT.
6)Ask for help. You have to use your resources. My wife was a TA in grad school and her biggest complaint was that students would come to her with a big, sappy story (or sometimes not) and expect to be accommodated without providing a realistic solution. Don't forget that professors are incredibly busy with their own lives, education, and work schedules as well. My experience has been that they will always work with you if you are proactive. This means identifying the issue as soon as it arises and solving it yourself. I never asked to be provided with an answer but rather sought approval for a specific alternative that I had already prepared. Be reasonable and suggest the one that least inconveniences them so all they need to do is say "yes." Then keep your word, no matter what. I would have vomited all over their desk or missed my own wedding before sending an email saying I couldn't adhere to our agreement.
7)Take care of yourself physically and mentally. Exercise, eat well, and find a healthy outlet for your stress. You're going to be stressed. I work on a medevac helicopter now and so my full time job comes with its own set of tests each day. If I didn't have one hell of a wife for support and an outlet for stress, the combination of work and school would eat me alive.
I haven't gotten in...yet. So this could all be for nothing. Somehow, I doubt it.
Good luck.
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+1 it can be done. I did two post bacc years while working part time in medical imaging and other ECs. Two very busy years of my life.
Year 1 consisted of work every weekend, M-F in class. Covering all holiday shifts. I took General Chem, Biology, and A&P with their respective labs
For summer term, I took the entire sequence of Organic Chemistry. When I wasn't in class, I was working or on call.
For year 2, I took Biochem sequence, genetics, and physics. I also assisted with undergrad biology lab teaching and tutored math at a high school. During this time, I also studied for the MCAT which I took shortly after spring term finals. Oh yeah, I shadowed physicians too. I worked a lot of weekends and took a lot of call. I just chalked it up to good preparation for medical school.
I have to say I was tired when I was filling out secondaries and I know I could have performed better on the MCAT.
It all paid off as I'm matriculating at OHSU this August.
In retrospect, I wish I would have dropped work altogether during the second post bacc year so I could have focused more on the MCAT and applications. I never quit though. Summer came and just as I was hoping to have more time to study for the MCAT, my employer wanted me to work more often to cover vacations.
FWIW, this busy schedule worked for me. I'm 27, no kids, no SO though. If you have a partner, kids, family, or other obligations it may not work as well for you.
Year 1 consisted of work every weekend, M-F in class. Covering all holiday shifts. I took General Chem, Biology, and A&P with their respective labs
For summer term, I took the entire sequence of Organic Chemistry. When I wasn't in class, I was working or on call.
For year 2, I took Biochem sequence, genetics, and physics. I also assisted with undergrad biology lab teaching and tutored math at a high school. During this time, I also studied for the MCAT which I took shortly after spring term finals. Oh yeah, I shadowed physicians too. I worked a lot of weekends and took a lot of call. I just chalked it up to good preparation for medical school.
I have to say I was tired when I was filling out secondaries and I know I could have performed better on the MCAT.
It all paid off as I'm matriculating at OHSU this August.
In retrospect, I wish I would have dropped work altogether during the second post bacc year so I could have focused more on the MCAT and applications. I never quit though. Summer came and just as I was hoping to have more time to study for the MCAT, my employer wanted me to work more often to cover vacations.
FWIW, this busy schedule worked for me. I'm 27, no kids, no SO though. If you have a partner, kids, family, or other obligations it may not work as well for you.
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Thank you for taking the time to respond, I really appreciate it! You've been an encouragement, my work load and othe responsibilities are nothing compared to yours! keep pressing and you'll get accepted, thanks again!
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This is very very well written. As a mother if 2 very busy pre-teens, a spouse who owns his own business but just a few years past the horrible start of phase, so crazy crazy busy with that, and personally working full time in healthcare plus owning a personal training business with hours of operation from 5-7 am, 4:00-8:00 pm and Saturdays 8-12, it is crazy busy to go back to finish up pre-reqs (Thankfully I just had 4) but it can be done. My personal health (daily workouts) which is very very near and dear to me had to go in order to make sure kids got meals and rides to their games and practices, but in the long run, it will be worth it. Nicely written!
