How Non-Traditional is Non-Traditional?

[Hope2010]

How different from the stereotypical path into medical school does someone's route have to be to make them "non-traditional" ?

For example, I finished high school then did 4 years of undergraduate work (pretty typical) for a degree in biology. Then I got married, completed a masters degree, and had a career in education for 2 years (slightly non-typical). Now I'm applying to medical school. Am I a non-traditional student?

I'm asking this in earnest. I'd really like to know what being non-traditional is.

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[kelli]

Yeah I think you'd be considered non-traditional. I don't know if there are specific age cut-offs or requirements to fit that category (if there's someone more knowledgeable about that, please chime in ), but it generally applies to people switching careers or applying at a later age than the norm, or people who have graduated & taken a few years off from the typical undergrad-straight-to-med school track to do other things. Oftentimes non-trad applicants haven't completed their med school prereqs and have to go back and take them through post-bac programs, extension, or community colleges.

 

[notdeadyet]

How different from the stereotypical path into medical school does someone's route have to be to make them "non-traditional" ?

For example, I finished high school then did 4 years of undergraduate work (pretty typical) for a degree in biology. Then I got married, completed a masters degree, and had a career in education for 2 years (slightly non-typical). Now I'm applying to medical school. Am I a non-traditional student?

I'm asking this in earnest. I'd really like to know what being non-traditional is.

I had an advisor explain that amongst other things, some schools do not consider yourself nontraditional unless you're 28. Anything less than that they didn't consider a full career to switch from...

Pretty arbitrary though...

 

[kelli]

I've heard about the 28 year cutoff as well, but wasn't sure if that was a widely held standard amongst medical schools.

 

[NonTradMed]

My experience is this: After college, I worked for a few years then decided to apply to med school. I was 25/26. When I mentioned myself as a nontrad, some of the interviewers corrected me that far from being a nontrad, I was the average candidate. Go figure. Nowadays, so many people are applying after taking a few years off that I think it's considered almost the norm now LOL.

 

[QofQuimica]

How different from the stereotypical path into medical school does someone's route have to be to make them "non-traditional" ?

For example, I finished high school then did 4 years of undergraduate work (pretty typical) for a degree in biology. Then I got married, completed a masters degree, and had a career in education for 2 years (slightly non-typical). Now I'm applying to medical school. Am I a non-traditional student?

I'm asking this in earnest. I'd really like to know what being non-traditional is.

I would say yes. My understanding is that if you're over 25, you're considered non-traditional. But if you're in that late 20s range, you are probably non-traditional if you consider yourself to be.

 

[Law2Doc]

I would say yes. My understanding is that if you're over 25, you're considered non-traditional. But if you're in that late 20s range, you are probably non-traditional if you consider yourself to be.

Yeah. On this board the nontrad definition tends to be anyone who didn't go straight from high school to college to med school. But adcoms generally consider you nontrad if you did more after college than just spend a year taking the sciences. (esp. career changers, family, military, graduate degrees). If you are over 25ish I would say you meet most definitions of nontrad.

 

[njbmd]

Hi there,
Anyone regardless of age, who did not go from secondary school to undergraduate to medical school is non-traditional. Non-traditional does not confer some preferred or special status upon your applicaton however. It is purely an arbitrarly designation.

It is NOT the norm to take a few years off before going to medical school. While many people do this for sanity and it is relativly common, it is not the norm.

njbmd

 

[Law2Doc]

It is NOT the norm to take a few years off before going to medical school. While many people do this for sanity and it is relativly common, it is not the norm.

Maybe instead of Nontraditional Students, we should rename this board "Abnormal Students". Has a nice ring to it.

 

[remo]

My definition of a non-trad is that if your age is a decent MCAT score then you are a non-trad

 

[Law2Doc]

My definition of a non-trad is that if your age is a decent MCAT score then you are a non-trad

I agree. Schools should let you choose to use one or the other.

 

[NapeSpikes]

I agree. Schools should let you choose to use one or the other.

That wouldn't help me, though.

 

[Law2Doc]

That wouldn't help me, though.

In a few years it might.

 

[scottyT]

I'm 25 and will be 26 when I apply. I don't think my age necessarily makes me non-traditional but my military service does. I think it all depends on the individual ... and god I hope I do better than my age on the MCAT

 

[Hope2010]

My definition of a non-trad is that if your age is a decent MCAT score then you are a non-trad

So, you're saying that Strom Thurmond should have applied to medical school.

 

[oldpro]

How different from the stereotypical path into medical school does someone's route have to be to make them "non-traditional" ?

For example, I finished high school then did 4 years of undergraduate work (pretty typical) for a degree in biology. Then I got married, completed a masters degree, and had a career in education for 2 years (slightly non-typical). Now I'm applying to medical school. Am I a non-traditional student?

I'm asking this in earnest. I'd really like to know what being non-traditional is.

I think Non traditional is over used now becuase every one who does not go straight from High school to college premed and then medschool thinks they are NonTrad. They are not, most people do not go straight into medschool with just a BS or BA they work for a while, get a masters, and do not get accepted right out of premed.

30 is not old

40 and on is older but I think 35 and older you start calling NonTrad.

Anyone who is older and had a carreer different than Medicine, like 5 years or more (I was 18 years and over 40).

There are Mothers that raised children and now going to medschool.

there are Men (like me ) who did something else and now decided we really wanted to do this and were ready now.

There is an advantage for some when it comes to maturity.

 

[remo]

So, you're saying that Strom Thurmond should have applied to medical school.

Sorry you get maxed out at 45!

 

[njbmd]

Maybe instead of Nontraditional Students, we should rename this board "Abnormal Students". Has a nice ring to it.

Hi there,
I like "Paranormal Students" myself. Has a nice ring to it.

I guess everyone wants to be something, I am pretty happy to be just one of the crowd.

njbmd

 

[Wickedgood]

I've wondered about this as well.

I have thought of myself as non-traditional, but reading through the threads I didn't seem to have that much in common with most of the non-traditionals out there.

(I'm 30 atm, a returning college freshman, divorced mother of 2 - when I finally apply to medical school I'll be 33).

So in some ways (my age, family status) I'll be non-traditional, but in others (no previous career to speak of, going straight from college to med school, Biology major) I'll be traditional.

I'm starting to believe (hope at least) that as long as I do my absolute best, and don't allow MYSELF to think that any non-traditional aspects of my life are hinderances, then acceptance committees will find me an attractive applicant.

/crosses fingers ~

 

[Beau Geste]

At the Illinois Medical Student Admissions Seminar, there was a seminar for non-trads.

They consider applicants nontradtional if you meet one of the following criteria:

1. Older than 27 OR younger than 19 when applying (this accounts for anyone who has gone straight through a grad program to apply and those applying as young juniors and everyone in between)
2. From a rural area when applying
3. Not a biology/science major
4. Married and/or have children
5. Veteran or on active duty

After the presentation, they pretty much said that if you don't fit the typical profile, then you are non-trad.

 

[medmom]

I consider myself nontrad because I am 22, married and have a 5yo, 2yo, and 8mos kids. That I am pretty sure is NOT traditional. I am applying this year for matriculation 2007.
medmom

 

[Law2Doc]

3. Not a biology/science major

Given the percentages of non-science majors at some places, which continues to grow annually, this is not particularly workable over the long haul. Also, while someone applying to med school at 18 is certainly not the traditional age for med school, they are not really similarly situated than the 30+ year old with a family and career.
I don't like this definition of nontrad at all.

 

[Beau Geste]

Given the percentages of non-science majors at some places, which continues to grow annually, this is not particularly workable over the long haul. Also, while someone applying to med school at 18 is certainly not the traditional age for med school, they are not really similarly situated than the 30+ year old with a family and career.
I don't like this definition of nontrad at all.

Bear in mind, this was for the Illinois schools.

They gave a pretty good presentation and backed it up with statistics for applicants. I don't remember exact numbers, but even if you look in the MSAR you'll see that 50-60% of applicants are biological science majors. The rest are scattered between what's left.

Granted, and 18-year-old doesn't have to deal with the stress of having family and home responsibilities, but they are also not the norm, either. Again, the MSAR indicated that for 2004, there were 20 applicants under 19 and many more over 28.

Don't shoot the messenger!

 

[JamieMac]

My definition of a non-trad is that if your age is a decent MCAT score then you are a non-trad

I like that! That puts me in the 30+ range!

 

[mysophobe]

I think Non traditional is over used now becuase every one who does not go straight from High school to college premed and then medschool thinks they are NonTrad. They are not, most people do not go straight into medschool with just a BS or BA they work for a while, get a masters, and do not get accepted right out of premed.

I know a grand total of one person that did this, and he didn't get a masters, he just worked for a while after his BS.

 

[Gatewayhoward]

Everyone's right, I say it's anyone who did not intend to go into med school out of highschool can be considered a not trad. My good friend who went to Hopkins right out of HS is definetly not a non trad.

 

[MaryWrathers]

At the Illinois Medical Student Admissions Seminar, there was a seminar for non-trads.

They consider applicants nontradtional if you meet one of the following criteria:

1. Older than 27 OR younger than 19 when applying (this accounts for anyone who has gone straight through a grad program to apply and those applying as young juniors and everyone in between)
2. From a rural area when applying
3. Not a biology/science major
4. Married and/or have children
5. Veteran or on active duty

After the presentation, they pretty much said that if you don't fit the typical profile, then you are non-trad.

I meet number 3 and 4.

 

[ShyRem]

I would have dearly loved reporting my age as my MCAT.

 

[tikiegoogoo]

im not US Citizen nor PR. got my undergrad in asia. got master in usa. 2 yrs of military exp. 2 yrs of industry. hav 2 kids, but one wife. im not smart, but i work hard. i like brokeback mountain, but im not gay. i took org, chem and bio in us, didnt take physics and english here. i use traditional chinese (instead of simplified chinese), but i think im non-traditional.

 

[aggie-master]

I see myself in between the two.

I'm 25 now and I finished undergrad in May of 2001, so it's been a long time since my undergrad days, but I'll only be 26 when I start dental school in 2007.

I'm taking classes with 18 and 19 year olds as I finish the prereqs and I don't feel "old" around them so I doubt that I'll feel old around 23 and 24 year old dental school classmates.

 

[windycitycassie]

Well I definitely meet #1 and #3 on that list. :| I guess an MCAT score of higher than my age would be good though. Although after I take the pre-reqs again and a couple other classes I'll be like 4 off a bio major. lol.

 

[bubbleyum]

i just want to say that i especially admire all the women here with children, struggling to pursue this dream. may we all be successful on this path!