Get into Med School With Online Degree

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Jay19960328

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Has anybody here got into med school with an online undergrad degree? I'm not talking Devry or Phoenix, I'm talking accredited schools. As of right now, because of work, family and the nearest school being 50 miles away, my only choice for getting my undergrad degree is through online classes. Has anybody here done this? And please spare me the lectures on how a lot of schools do not accept online coursework. I am well aware. Thanks!

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I would think that the lack of Lab in your coursework might be an issue. All medical schools I glanced at had Lab credits as a requirement
 
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As of right now, my only choice for getting my undergrad degree is through online classes.

Why is this? I don't think any school would consider an applicant with 100% of their educational history online.
 
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you need labs for some of the prereqs
 
Has anybody here got into med school with an online undergrad degree? I'm not talking Devry or Phoenix, I'm talking accredited schools. As of right now, because of work, family and the nearest school being 50 miles away, my only choice for getting my undergrad degree is through online classes. Has anybody here done this? And please spare me the lectures on how a lot of schools do not accept online coursework. I am well aware. Thanks!
You have to contact your schools of interest and see what they say. Some schools say they wont accept undergraduate online degrees even from accredited colleges. Some say they will accept but science prerequisites have to be taken on campus and some won't care much. You have to ask.

You could get your bachelors online and then go to campus for like a year to get physics and inorganic/organic chemistry done with labs.
 
This will most likely be school dependent if you try to do this. Most likley I doubt most schools will accept a totally online degree.
 
This will most likely be school dependent if you try to do this. Most likley I doubt most schools will accept a totally online degree.
Online degrees from accredited colleges have no indication if it was online or not.
 
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There's a lot more to this than being "allowed." Maybe I'm naive to how robust online programs are these days but I just can't imagine establishing an adequate knowledge base for medical school by essentially just doing homework for a few years.
 
There's a lot more to this than being "allowed." Maybe I'm naive to how robust online programs are these days but I just can't imagine establishing an adequate knowledge base for medical school by essentially just doing homework for a few years.
For non-science classes there is no difference if it is online or on campus. In fact, online classes can require you to be more involved.

More and more established and accredited universities add online course options into their course catalog. You are taught online by the same professor who teaches on campus. The book is the same, contents is the same, exams are the same.

Let's be honest. Most non-science classes and some science classes have less than 50% lecture attendance. People just show up for 3-5 exams. They study on their own wherever they want. My biochemistry course at large state university was pure Power Point Slides and 4 exams. Attendance was less than 30-40%. People just came for an exam and left.

Mu buddy did better than me in Calculus Physics by never showing up in class besides Lab meetings.

I have taken some online classes and they are the same as on campus. You study on your own and just show up for an exam.

I wouldn't reccomend taking online any science courses that have lab component. I just cannot imagine how you can do Organic Lab at home with a kit. My organic Lab was very intense and 4-hour lab twice a week with a new lab every time. There is no way you could do that at home.
 
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is there a community college near by to take all lab related work?
 
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How would you get the required LOR from professors? I would not recommend taking all your classes online.
 
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That is incorrect.

1) Some schools/universities may have additional info on official transcripts about online courses or sections

2) AMCAS uses the National Student Clearing House (NSCH) database of college course catalog descriptions and registrar course/section info as the first automated step in the verification process. I would say that full information from at least half of the schools in the country exist in this database with lesser amounts of data for the rest. So your section number can give you up in seconds

3) At individual schools, coursework is not typically checked for fulfillment until after you have taken up an offer of acceptance during prematriculation. Here schools may perform indepth due diligence that may include contacting school registrar and/or requiring verification from other sources. This indepth due diligence is becoming more common as medical schools fall under the umbrella or association of large hospital systems.

4) the LCME will conduct audits for re-accreditation that will include reviewing select / random admissions application and files. As such schools will conducts audits prior to this to make sure their files hold no suprises. Since school are accreditited based in part on admssions policies approved and adherence to those policies, schools and parent health systems do not want bad publicity that will affect their brand and marketing if the LCME dings them

5) By the time you start medical school, you will agreed at least 3 times (primary, secondary, matriculation agreement) that you have provided accurate info and have followed all applicable requirements and policies. If you are ever found out, it would be an ethical violation and likely dismissal

6) As such, all acceptees and matriculants are subject to having acceptances rescinded up through until the degree is conferred on the student. While this exceedingly rare, the federal courts upheld schools right to do so.

7) if you are dismissed, the DOE and banks may demand loans to be repaid via civil suit. If there is evidence of gross violations federal criminal fraud charges could be brought against you

So with all these checks within the system, is it really worth any risk, no matter how small, to have your entire medical career over before it begins
I did not and would not suggest hiding anything. I am for full disclosure. Like I said above, it is best to contact specific schools. I have done it before and found out that some MD schools and even more DO schools are fine with accredited online courses. I am not saying a full online degree. Pretty much all schools I have contacted, said that they either highly recommend or will require all science prerequisites to be done on campus.
 
50 miles isn't that far when we're talking about something that will help decide the rest of your life
 
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Depending on the size of the university that's 50 miles away, you may be able to get by with classes only 2 or 3 days a week most if not all semesters for your whole degree. 50 mile commute is not that bad a few times a week
 
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I have commuted 60 miles to downtown where state university was for 1 year. On average it was 1.5-2 hours each way. There was no parking close by so I had to park on the streets and then bicycle for another 15-20 minutes in rain, snow and cold weather.
 
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I have commuted 60 miles to downtown where state university was for 1 year. On average it was 1.5-2 hours each way. There was no parking close by so I had to park on the streets and then bicycle for another 15-20 minutes in rain, snow and cold weather.

My husband commutes 127 miles/2 hours/mostly interstate each way for his allied health program because there isn’t an accredited one for that degree in the area of the state where I’m going to medical school.

My PRN job I work now is 40 miles from my apartment.

50 miles isn’t really an insurmountable deal-breaker.
 
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My husband commutes 127 miles/2 hours/mostly interstate each way for his allied health program because there isn’t an accredited one for that degree in the area of the state where I’m going to medical school.

My PRN job I work now is 40 miles from my apartment.

50 miles isn’t really an insurmountable deal-breaker.

I don't think we can know about @Jay19960328 's situation-maybe he's the primary caregiver for a kid or three, maybe he works a 70+ work week to support his family, etc.
All we can say is that it is unlikely for medical schools to accept a degree only completed online and that he would have to change his situation if he is dead-set on applying to medical school.
 
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I don't think we can know about @Jay19960328 's situation-maybe he's the primary caregiver for a kid or three, maybe he works a 70+ work week to support his family, etc.
All we can say is that it is unlikely for medical schools to accept a degree only completed online and that he would have to change his situation if he is dead-set on applying to medical school.
Agreed. We don't know the whole situation so without more info the only recommendation is to try if at all possible to figure out a way to do the degree in person
 
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I don't think we can know about @Jay19960328 's situation-maybe he's the primary caregiver for a kid or three, maybe he works a 70+ work week to support his family, etc.
All we can say is that it is unlikely for medical schools to accept a degree only completed online and that he would have to change his situation if he is dead-set on applying to medical school.

I really appreciate everybody's input. The 50 mile commute isn't the problem, I work 7am - 8pm 6 days a week so I just wouldn't be able to be there on time. It sucks but that's just the way it is for me right now. I'm just going to try my best to change my current situation and give it another go next year.
 
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I really appreciate everybody's input. The 50 mile commute isn't the problem, I work 7am - 8pm 6 days a week so I just wouldn't be able to be there on time. It sucks but that's just the way it is for me right now. I'm just going to try my best to change my current situation and give it another go next year.

I know it doesn't mean anything coming from a stranger on the internet but this is the best mindset you could have about this. As all our adcom friends here say-it's a marathon not a sprint. You will succeed if you put yourself in the best position to succeed and right now that means planning and preparing rather than jumping in headfirst.
 
I really appreciate everybody's input. The 50 mile commute isn't the problem, I work 7am - 8pm 6 days a week so I just wouldn't be able to be there on time. It sucks but that's just the way it is for me right now. I'm just going to try my best to change my current situation and give it another go next year.
This is the most mature post I've seen on sdn in a LONG time.
 
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I would take non degree seeking courses that count towards your degree like the liberal arts requirements. When you’re ready to be on campus, take those prerequisites that you need and the upper level stuff. You’ll save time and hopefully money since non degree seekers pay less in most cases. Check UND enroll anytime, they have cool classes online and you can take 9 months to finish them.


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