How do I get on the right path? DO desired, very, very non-traditional background

[Radtech16]

I have searched and I have not found what I was looking for, please don't burn me!!!!

Okay - a little bit of humor to crack open my question. I am looking for advice on how to get on the right path( or confirmation that I m already there, I guess) for making it to the application process for medical school. Yup...just advice to get to the front door.

My background is non-traditional, an if I am being honest with myself, I might not ever be able to be a good candidate. I mean, sure, with unlimited resources and time on my hands, anything is possible, but that is not my situation.

So - I am looking for advice and candid opinions on the viability of my goals.

My background.
I am old. Okay, not old, but I am creeping up on my 28th birthday. I am married and I have two young children.

I have a GED. (strike 1) I actually took the GED test about two months before graduation, because of personal struggles. Death of a parent coupled with an impending huge move, this was a good option for me. I had a 3.8 GPA and participated in a bunch of EC, and dual enrollment courses. My ACT score was a 27 ( I think, that was like 10 years ago)

I married a military man. We traveled a lot and I have college classes from four different institutions. I received an A.A.S. in Radiologic Technology from a brick and mortar community college (GPA 3.6, two honor societies, a handful of scholarships), but I received my B.S. (public health, 3.2 GPA) from an accredited online university (AMU) (Strike 2).

I currently work in healthcare, I am a rad tech (R.T. (R) ) at two urgent care facilities. I have been doing this full time for the past 3-4 years.

I am short a couple of prereq's. My options are completing them at a community college locally, or by starting a masters program that encompasses them.

I value my time (and money) and do not have unlimited resources. So, I cannot simply go back and and start a new B.S program for premed. (I have thought about it) I need to make do with my situation.

I have not taken the MCAT. I work very closely with MDs and 2 DOs, and I am interested in applying to a DO program. My interest in public health and serving the under-served has led me to this idea.

My husband is still serving in the military, but has recently switched to a reserve component. So, I feel like I have the chance take the next step for my personal development.

So, realistically speaking, I am not the ideal candidate on any front. But, is there any way to get me to that point? I have started thinking about the next journey, my next thirty years, so to speak. I have briefly thought about other options (I looked into Chiropractic school, PA school, MPH) and those might be better options - I am ok with hearing that!

How do I make it either become a better candidate or which paths might better suit my situation/interest?

Sorry for the long post, if I had a cookie, I would share.

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[kelminak]

but I am creeping up on my 28th birthday

26 is average matriculant age. Not that old.

I have a GED. (strike 1) I actually took the GED test about two months before graduation, because of personal struggles. Death of a parent coupled with an impending huge move, this was a good option for me. I had a 3.8 GPA and participated in a bunch of EC, and dual enrollment courses. My ACT score was a 27 ( I think, that was like 10 years ago)

Nobody cares what you did in high school.

I received my B.S. (public health, 3.2 GPA) from an accredited online university (AMU) (Strike 2).

Not sure how that works, maybe someone else has more insight. You may need to take the pre-reqs at a non-online program. It wouldn't hurt to email specific schools and ask them what their opinion of this is.

I currently work in healthcare, I am a rad tech (R.T. (R) ) at two urgent care facilities. I have been doing this full time for the past 3-4 years.

Great EC to list.

I am short a couple of prereq's. My options are completing them at a community college locally, or by starting a masters program that encompasses them.

Neither are good options. It needs to be done in an undergrad 4-year setting. Most colleges let you sign up as a second-degree seeking student and take whatever classes you want. Colleges won't want them from a CC and graduate classes get their own GPA (and what grad programs would even have the basic pre-reqs as part of them? Maybe you've seen something I haven't).

I value my time (and money) and do not have unlimited resources. So, I cannot simply go back and and start a new B.S program for premed. (I have thought about it) I need to make do with my situation.

As long your degree was regionally accredited, you'll probably be OK, but again, you'll need to talk to the schools to be 100% sure and not waste your time.

I have briefly thought about other options (I looked into Chiropractic school, PA school, MPH) and those might be better options - I am ok with hearing that!

It just depends on what you want to do with your life. Do you want to spend the next 7-8 years in training that will drain a ton of your time? Is your husband 100% on board with it too? Maybe some of your other options would be an easier way to get into healthcare the way you want to live your life. I don't think anyone here recommends chiropractic and many regard it as quackery (while others stand by it, it's kind of heated). PA school is shorter, you can get into practice faster, and still work in underserved areas if you want to. Nobody here can 100% tell you what to do, but a majority here would agree that becoming a physician is for those that can't see themselves doing anything else. It's an absolutely grueling process for a very long time, so you need to be all-in if you're going to do it.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Depending on how many pre-reqs you have it might be worth looking into some of those post-bac programs for non-trads. They will get you the classes and help with the MCAT prep usually. As for which field, that is something that only you can decide. PA can be a great route for mothers, a lot of the ones I work with are moms. But if you want to do DO then go for it!

 

[backside_attack]

Depending on how many pre-reqs you have it might be worth looking into some of those post-bac programs for non-trads. They will get you the classes and help with the MCAT prep usually. As for which field, that is something that only you can decide. PA can be a great route for mothers, a lot of the ones I work with are moms. But if you want to do DO then go for it!

I second this advice.

OP, you're not old. Also recognize that MPH =/= clinical. If you want to work clinically, then sticking with rad tech, or moving up to PA or MD/DO would be a better option than MPH.

 

[Radtech16]

I appreciate the replies.
I like the idea of the post bac program to gain prereqs, but honestly am not sure where to start looking (does GPA factor in with undergrad?). Off to google I go.
I have a couple of friends that are PAs, and they generally enjoy their work and lifestyle balance - it is an option for sure! I feel like I need to do a little more research regarding specialties (from what my friend was telling me, it is a bit more fluid and she can roam more freely than a MD)

 

[Mad Jack]

I appreciate the replies.
I like the idea of the post bac program to gain prereqs, but honestly am not sure where to start looking (does GPA factor in with undergrad?). Off to google I go.
I have a couple of friends that are PAs, and they generally enjoy their work and lifestyle balance - it is an option for sure! I feel like I need to do a little more research regarding specialties (from what my friend was telling me, it is a bit more fluid and she can roam more freely than a MD)

You shouldn't worry about your educational past so much. I went GED>CC>few years of working>BS>prereqs>DO. The critical thing is that you do the prereqs at the most rigorous institution you can afford and that you do well on the MCAT. Also try to get in 50 hours of shadowing and 100 hours of quality volunteering if you can. Don't doubt yourself so much- there's plenty of people coming from majors like English, fine arts, etc that only take the prereqs then go on to med school. No one will care about your GED (though it might be an interesting topic to discuss on the interview trail if it comes up- mine affected me in nothing but a positive way since it showed that I had overcome a lot of obstacles to get to where I was). As to the online school, that's a bit of an issue, but can easily be overcome with a strong postbacc program and good MCAT performance if your sights are set on DO.

 

[Mad Jack]

https://apps.aamc.org/postbac/#/index

Oh, and there's the official AAMC list of postbacs btw.

 

[Ho0v-man]

Hey,

I'm a fellow RT(R)(CT). I was 28 when I finally bit the bullet and said I was going to shoot for med school. I took almost all of my pre reqs at community college, because that's what I could afford. I got my bachelors in psych and most of my classes were online. It's the only thing I could do because I worked too much. I essentially had no ECs and zero research experience. I still had a successful cycle w a 3.8 gpa and a 504 MCAT. No post bacc.

The DO profession is notorious for considering non traditional applicants. Most schools take into consideration applicants who are trying to be doctors but also have real jobs. When I inquired about my chances at MD, my premed advisor essentially said that there was no MCAT score that could forgive the rest of my application.


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