Guidance please...

[MDAponte75]

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I am graduating this May w/a BA in psychology/social science. When I began college I was well out of my element, 31 years old, and holding a GED. I had only attended school up to the 7th grade, but was always motivated to be better, so I studied and read books all the time--self educated. Also, when I started I thought I would never make it this far and yet here I am 4 years later and graduating. I am really proud of how far I have come and decided that I could possibly G2 medical school. However, I am faced with the dilemma of not knowing what to do, exactly. I have a GPA of 3.33 and the only med school in my area is UCF.
I have children and am not sure how this whole thing works. Do I need to consider moving for med school or is there a great chance of me attending the only med school here? I have already registered with the AAMC and have taken the steps necessary to take my MCATs. I know that because I never took premed classes I need to do a Post Bacc. for my premed or is there another way to take the courses I need for med school?

Any suggestions and guidance will be greatly appreciated. 😕
Thanks

 

[NTF]

First off, congratulations on your upcoming graduation! It's an amazing accomplishment.

Here's my quick thoughts:

1)Acquaint yourself with what a DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) is and make them a part of your application process.
2)YOU ABSOLUTELY CANNOT depend on getting into one particular medical school so definitely prepare for the possibility of having to move. There are so many more applicants than spots available that many qualified applicants get turned away. Noone (and I mean noone) can bank on getting into ONE PARTICULAR SCHOOL. There's always an element of uncertainty. If getting into your local school is a high-priority I'd look into EDP and all the associated risks and benefits.
3)Take your time with your post-bacc. Your GPA isn't bad but is on the low side for med school applications. Shoot for all A's. There's no need to do a formal post-bacc though many enjoy the bells and whistles of formal programs. An informal post-bacc where you just take the prereqs is fine.
4)Make yourself known to your professors in your prereqs. You'll likely need at least one(preferably 2) recommendations from science professors.
5)Don't take the MCAT until you're consistently scoring 30+ on TIMED PRACTICE TESTS
6)Build your ECs. Volunteer. Get face time with patients and doctors. Shadow.
7)Apply early and broadly. Early means primaries should be submitted on day 1. Shoot for application completion (secondaries, LORs, etc) no later than the end of August.

None of my advice is etched in stone, but I do think it generally maximizes your chances of becoming a doctor.

You have a great story to tell. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[MDAponte75]

Nontradfogie,

Thank you, and thanks for your quick response and advice. I will check into the EDP because my daughter will be graduating from High School and I don't want to uproot her or my other children for that matter. If all else fails...I guess I'll have to settle for a Masters in Psychology. 🙄

I will keep you posted. Thanks again! 🙂

 

[TGibson81]

Congrats to you!
Might I recommend USF a well? I live in orlando, but I applied to UCF and was denied admission because I have a bachelors- they suggested i apply for a masters?
Anyway, I am not commuting (yes its kind of a long commute) to USF in Tampa. I LOVE the campus and the courses Im taking (premed prereqs) and they also have a med school.

BEst of luck!

 

[MDAponte75]

TGibson81,

Thanks for the info.!🙂 I will most def. check into that. That's not too bad of a commute if I could get in. I'm looking into the EDP...sounds like a good plan.

Are you already taking your premed classes?

 

[TGibson81]

Yes, I am taking the prereqs now. Apparently I couldnt type last night, yes I am commuting to USF now. This semester I am taking a class in Tampa and one in ST Pete and I really enjoy them both.

It couldnt hurt to apply. Btw, what is an EDP?

 

[HanginInThere]

I have already registered with the AAMC and have taken the steps necessary to take my MCATs. I know that because I never took premed classes I need to do a Post Bacc. for my premed or is there another way to take the courses I need for med school?

Just to clarify, you haven't taken the undergrad science classes yet? The MCAT depends on information you learn in college Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Organic Chem. You'll need to take those BEFORE the MCAT, not after.

Preparing to apply for med school is a long process, probably 2-4 years if you're starting without the prereqs. (To apply, you'll need: 8 semesters of science prereqs; volunteer/shadowing/etc experiences that show you know what you're getting into; the MCAT; letters of recommendation; a "personal statement" essay telling who you are and what you're doing.) There are lots of hoops to jump through, and it's going to take you a while to get everything in place for your application.

I'm saying this not to discourage you (it is hard but possible, even for older students with kids - lots of us have done it), but to make sure you have an idea of what's involved.

A good start might be to go to a library/bookstore and look at some books about applying to med school. "Med School Confidential" and Barron's "Essays that will get you into Medical School" were both pretty helpful for me when I decided to start the process.

Good luck!

 

[MDAponte75]

TGibson81,

lol. That's great. Good for you. I wish you the best of luck. I'm going to try...it's important for me to give myself the chance toward my life goal. If it weren't for the circumstances I went through when I was a younger, I would have made it to this point much sooner, but life happens and we need to keep on trucken.

EDP stands for "Early Decision Program"...
To apply through the Early Decision Program (EDP), applicants must follow these guidelines:

1. Apply to only one U.S. medical school by the stated deadline date (August 1 for schools that participate in AMCAS);
2. Provide the school with all required supplemental information by the stated deadline date (August 1 for those schools that participate in AMCAS); and
3. Attend only this school if offered a place under the EDP.

If these guidelines are met, applicants will be notified of the school's admission decision by October 1.
If not accepted under the EDP, applicants will automatically be placed in the regular applicant pool by the school and may then apply to additional schools. EDP regulations apply to both AMCAS and non-AMCAS participating schools.
For the 2010 entering class, 79 medical schools will offer admission through the Early Decision Program. Since most participating schools only admit a small portion of their entering class through the program, only applicants with an excellent chance of admission to a particular school should apply under this program.
Before submitting an EDP application, students are strongly urged to refer to the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR&#8482😉. The MSAR provides specific admission criteria for each medical school in the United States and Canada including participation in the EDP. For those schools which have an EDP, the MSAR lists not only the deadline dates, but also any specific residency requirements. (Some schools will consider only in-state residents through the EDP; others will consider out-of-state residents only if they apply as Early Decision applicants.)

 

[MDAponte75]

HanginInThere,

I was told all I needed was 2 semesters of college Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Organic Chemistry. But in any case I will try and do the best I can. I have always wanted to be a Doctor and I know that I'm already 34 with a family but I'm not going to let that stop me. I'm glad to hear that it's not impossible, becuase I'm a firm believer in "if you work hard enough for what you want there is no stopping you from acquiring it"
Thank you for the advice and book referrals...already in the process of purchasing them. I noticed your a Medical Student. Congrats! Are you almost done? I really can't wait to begin the whole process. I love challenges and this is one for me to most def. overcome.

Thanks again.

 

[HanginInThere]

HanginInThere,

I was told all I needed was 2 semesters of college Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Organic Chemistry.

Yep, 2 of each of those - for a total of 8 semesters. Those are the classes you need for MCAT prep, and they are the common base that med schools require you to have taken before applying. Sorry if what I wrote before wasn't clear. From your earlier post, I wasn't sure whether you'd already taken those courses, or if you were planning on taking the MCAT without them.

Are you almost done?

No.

(I'm a 2nd year med student. I've got a long ways to go, but I'm happy to be on the road.)

 

[mspeedwagon]

I would definitely NOT attempt the MCAT until you have taken ALL of the pre-reqs. It can be very discouraging and frustrating to see your scores before you have gained the knowledge for the test.

I remember getting something ridiculously low on the PS sciences (3 or 4) on a practice test, but this was before I had taken the G-Chem II or any Physics.

Your game plan should be:
1) Finish the pre-reqs.
2) Study for and take the MCAT
3) Apply to every school in FL (including DO).

You grades in your pre-reqs and MCAT score will decide the likelihood of you being about to get into UCF, so at the moment I can't speak to that.

Yep, 2 of each of those - for a total of 8 semesters. Those are the classes you need for MCAT prep, and they are the common base that med schools require you to have taken before applying. Sorry if what I wrote before wasn't clear. From your earlier post, I wasn't sure whether you'd already taken those courses, or if you were planning on taking the MCAT without them.



No.

(I'm a 2nd year med student. I've got a long ways to go, but I'm happy to be on the road.)

 

[MSmentor018]

I know the feeling, congrats! I've done the same route, very non trad and mostly self read. even my med school is self read (great for a family). you'll never know if you have to move until you get accepted somewhere. thinking about moving before acceptance is putting the cart before the horse. med school/residency is about being flexible and patient. the app process is a bitch, rotations could be far/near your home, residency app is just as bad except it costs a ton more and you may move after that depending on your specialty.

if you don't get in, don't settle for a masters. wait to retake the mcat if needed, get some exp. all you will be doing is paying for a masters and burning 2 years that won't do much for your app. worse is you don't get in after your masters and can't use your mcat b/c it's >3yrs. if I remember your classes can only be 10 yrs from applying unless they're locked in with a degree. this was in '05 when I applied. have you taken your pre reqs? if not, use these 2 yrs to take them then work your way up to prac mcat exams. you don't have to hit 30 on the mcat, just do the best you can. go to usn&wr, look at where your gpa/mcat score ranks on the list of schools. apply a few above and definitely the ones below that to give you the best chance. you'll notice there are many places with avg lower than 30's. get the secondaries, interviews, then from there figure out what's best for you/family. good luck! feel free to PM

 

[MDAponte75]

First, Happy Easter to everyone! I hope you all enjoy the day with your families. Second, I want to thank you all for your advice and suggestions they were all very welcomed and helpful. Update...I am on my way to complete my prereqs. and then I'll go from there. I am most def. going to apply everywhere, including DO schools. I am very pleased to announce that I am finally graduating in May and have been placed on the honor roll for graduation. My GPA has been fixed and now I am up to a 3.75, apparently there was an error...Yay.

Again thank you all for taking the time in helping me w/my journey to med school.

MDAponte75😍

 

[MDAponte75]

Thank you for elaborating, HangingInThere. I will take all the necessary steps.

MDAponte75

 

[ArkansasRanger]

I am graduating this May w/a BA in psychology/social science. When I began college I was well out of my element, 31 years old, and holding a GED. I had only attended school up to the 7th grade, but was always motivated to be better, so I studied and read books all the time--self educated. Also, when I started I thought I would never make it this far and yet here I am 4 years later and graduating. I am really proud of how far I have come and decided that I could possibly G2 medical school. However, I am faced with the dilemma of not knowing what to do, exactly. I have a GPA of 3.33 and the only med school in my area is UCF.
I have children and am not sure how this whole thing works. Do I need to consider moving for med school or is there a great chance of me attending the only med school here? I have already registered with the AAMC and have taken the steps necessary to take my MCATs. I know that because I never took premed classes I need to do a Post Bacc. for my premed or is there another way to take the courses I need for med school?

Any suggestions and guidance will be greatly appreciated. 😕
Thanks

Congrats. You remind me of my first college psychology teacher a decade ago. He left rural Wyoming at a young age, worked odd jobs, joined the navy, got into nuclear propulsion, left, got more odd jobs, decided to go to college, and he did it. He eventually became a psych prof without any high school diploma or GED. Granted, he was near retirement so the entry standards may have been different back then, but he found something he liked, stuck with it, and achieved a goal. We can all learn from that lesson.

 

[MDAponte75]

Congrats. You remind me of my first college psychology teacher a decade ago. He left rural Wyoming at a young age, worked odd jobs, joined the navy, got into nuclear propulsion, left, got more odd jobs, decided to go to college, and he did it. He eventually became a psych prof without any high school diploma or GED. Granted, he was near retirement so the entry standards may have been different back then, but he found something he liked, stuck with it, and achieved a goal. We can all learn from that lesson.

Absolutely, we can learn from that lesson! I didn't think you could join the Military w/out a GED or HS diploma, I guess back then it was different, wow! I'm definitely encouraged by my children 2 better myself & very motivated 2 finish what-ever I start. I'm very blessed 2 have my fiance who has completely supported me on my decision 2 attend medschool. He really is a wonderful person! My children have also been very supportive & understanding. I think that no matter what happens in a persons life, if they really want 2 do something 2 better themselves there is nothing that can stop them. I had my struggles growing up which is the very reason why I couldn't finish Jr. High and High school, but I didn't let that hold me back from studying & trying 2 stay on top of my studies. I was a single mom @ a very young age & decided 2 take care of my children & not return 2 school back then, but now that they are older I can do it w/no problems. Sometimes I feel selfish because I know that medschool is going 2 take up so much of my time, but I will not let that interfere w/me raising my children & being a good mom. Thank you 4 the encouragement.

MDAponte75

 

[MDAponte75]

I know the feeling, congrats! I've done the same route, very non trad and mostly self read. even my med school is self read (great for a family). you'll never know if you have to move until you get accepted somewhere. thinking about moving before acceptance is putting the cart before the horse. med school/residency is about being flexible and patient. the app process is a bitch, rotations could be far/near your home, residency app is just as bad except it costs a ton more and you may move after that depending on your specialty.

if you don't get in, don't settle for a masters. wait to retake the mcat if needed, get some exp. all you will be doing is paying for a masters and burning 2 years that won't do much for your app. worse is you don't get in after your masters and can't use your mcat b/c it's >3yrs. if I remember your classes can only be 10 yrs from applying unless they're locked in with a degree. this was in '05 when I applied. have you taken your pre reqs? if not, use these 2 yrs to take them then work your way up to prac mcat exams. you don't have to hit 30 on the mcat, just do the best you can. go to usn&wr, look at where your gpa/mcat score ranks on the list of schools. apply a few above and definitely the ones below that to give you the best chance. you'll notice there are many places with avg lower than 30's. get the secondaries, interviews, then from there figure out what's best for you/family. good luck! feel free to PM

If you don't mind me asking, what do you mean when you stated that medschool was self read? Did you do it online somewhere? Also would you mind elaborating on usn & wr...not sure what that means? 😕

MDAponte75