How are Limited Access Allied Health programs from CC veiwed by medschools

[CaseyMedic]

I know that going to CC makes you "Less Competitive" because for some reason it is assumed the course work is less rigorous. But I have also heard that going to the Honors Program at CC helps a little because it is more selective...

But what about things like Limited Access Allied Health programs at CC's? For example I am attending Valencia College (Used to be VCC but now offers 4 year BS programs). I have gotten into a limited access Radiography program (1440 hours of clinicals, numerous prerequisites, heavy GPA and TEAS Exam requirements, only 25 seats a year and 2-300+ Applicants per year.)

Technically that is even MORE selective than the Honors Program (Which I also got into for at least the Certificate level), it is also a path NOT (so I can't TRANSFER) available at any local University including UCF whose Med school is my goal.

My GPA is in the 3.95 range and 4.0 for my Sciences here at Valencia, I have prior Military Experience as a Combat Medic with a huge number of patient contact hours documented as well, and a ton of AP credit for my English, Physics, Calculus.

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[Goro]

Vocational programs are viewed poorly.

 

[Goro]

But many thanks for your service to our country!

 

[CaseyMedic]

Are the programs themselves looked at poorly OR is it that watered down courses like "Chem for Nursing" or "A&P for Healthcare" are not looked at well for satisfying prerequisites?

I am not taking program specific narrowed down sciences. I am taking the full courses, in seat with labs where possible.

Also isn't actual clinical experience with real & significant patient contact time matter more than the prestige trade off?

 

[mw18]

Going to a community college isn't really viewed poorly. Cherrypicking hard prerequisite classes like organic or physics at a community college is viewed quite unfavorably. Taking all of your prereqs at a community college and not taking more advanced classes in those disciplines are not viewed well. But doing two years of no science prerequisites at a community college and then transferring and completing the prereqs is fine. It will never be the same as doing your first two years at Harvard, but it won't keep you out of anywhere. I attended a community college, took no prereqs there, transferred to a state school and interviewed at a few and attend a top school now.

A program like radiography will be valuable for patient contact, but won't make you a more competitive applicant otherwise. The watered down classes will never satisfy the prerequisites, but adcoms just can't assign value to the other courses or the other tracks. They don't have a ton of applicants that have been successful at their schools after finishing these programs so they don't carry much weight.

 

[njtrimed]

Are the programs themselves looked at poorly OR is it that watered down courses like "Chem for Nursing" or "A&P for Healthcare" are not looked at well for satisfying prerequisites?

I am not taking program specific narrowed down sciences. I am taking the full courses, in seat with labs where possible.

Also isn't actual clinical experience with real & significant patient contact time matter more than the prestige trade off?

Not really. I worked in the OR for years before med school, as did classmates who were PAs, RNs, etc. By the time you get to the interview stage, nobody really questions your motivation to be a doctor (though they do want to understand why medicine versus what you were already doing), but getting there is no different than it is for people straight out of undergrad. ADCOMs want to see that you have succeeded in a rigorous academic curriculum first and foremost, and clinical/research experience is secondary to that. As long as you're taking gen chem, bio, etc. and they are accepted by the university you transfer to, you're fine as long as you're maintaining As. You also need to take upper-level science courses after you transfer, and ace them.

 

[CaseyMedic]

Not really. I worked in the OR for years before med school, as did classmates who were PAs, RNs, etc. By the time you get to the interview stage, nobody really questions your motivation to be a doctor (though they do want to understand why medicine versus what you were already doing), but getting there is no different than it is for people straight out of undergrad. ADCOMs want to see that you have succeeded in a rigorous academic curriculum first and foremost, and clinical/research experience is secondary to that. As long as you're taking gen chem, bio, etc. and they are accepted by the university you transfer to, you're fine as long as you're maintaining As. You also need to take upper-level science courses after you transfer, and ace them.

What if you're not cherry picking?!

I am pursuing a Radiologic Imaging BS...and want to continue on into Radiology as a Doctor. That particular BS degree is not available at any of the Universities around me. In fact it USED to be at UCF until a few years ago when they closed theirs to focus on the new Med School and allowed Valencia to open it up at their campus's instead. Transferring someplace is not an option. They allow any BS and this is the one I want. I am doing it this way because I believe in being able to do and know everything my subordinates can. That understanding the realities of the practice all the way down the chain is important and the best way to do that is work my way up from the bottom. I can make that very clear in my Personal Statement.

I do,however, know for a fact that ALL the classes from this college are regularly accepted by UCF for everyone who does transfer there for other BS degrees. I am taking the Honors Chem 1 & 2, Honors Bio 1 & 2, Organic 1 & 2 at Valencia.

Elective classes in science would include (in no particular order of level): Microbio Honors, Pathophysiological mechanisms, Drugs and Addiction (soc psy), Sectional Anatomy, Radiation Pathology, Gen Psychology, Honors Developmental Psychology and Bio chemistry. I will also have 9 credits in Physics, 9 Credits in Calculus, and 9 credits in English. I am not sure what else could possibly count as "Upper Level" aside from maybe a Human Genetics course which I have had trouble really finding in the undergraduate level even at local universities.

I am not sure what you could mean by Upper Level Sciences over and beyond the 2nd stage of Biology, Chemistry, and Organic Chem aside from that Biochem class trumping the Organic though it is considered the same as organic 2 most everywhere. They are 3 and 4000 level courses after all.

I guess what I am wondering really then is... Can Honors, Limited Access, Patient Contact, and High GPA (and eventually MCAT) off set the stigma of "Oh my god you didnt go to the UNI after 2 years!?"