I need Help in the right step to take

[planodoc]

Hi,

My name is chad and Im new to the board. I didnt care much about school when I was in High School so after I graduated I just got a job and worked. I really like the Medical field I just dont know what steps to take. Should I go take all my basics at community college and apply to a University or should I Apply to a Online college and take my 4 years there? I am 21 years old and dont want to wait any longer to get on the right path. Please fill me in with anything you know that will help. Also I was wondering what its going to cost for all these years of school when its all done? thanks

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[kronickm]

My honest advice (which is hard to give without specifics) is to see if you can get into a degree program at your nearest state school. You pretty much absolutely need a bachelors degree to go to med school (I would leave out the pretty much but I am sure someone would correct me). You could start at com coll and transfer to a four year school. Do well in college get a bachelors and take the MCAT and you have as much a shot as anyone.

Online degree programs sound very sketchy, and I wouldn't recommend it if you want to be a doctor.

 

[planodoc]

So i am guessing that the online degree is not a good way to go then? well since I am starting at step 1 what degree or courses should I focus on?

 

[gman33]

There is a lot of information on SDN about the best steps to take to get into med school. Before looking into that, I would suggest trying to learn more about medicine and what becoming a doctor entails. Since you have not earned a college degree yet, you will be looking at 10-15 years of training including your residency. Make sure that this is the path you want to take before you start going down that road. I understand wanting to get started as soon as possible, but taking a year to explore your options would only help. Try to get a volunteer position at a hospital to get some better insight into the profession.

Here's some basic advice if you do decide to pursue this path.
You will most likely need a bachelor's degree to get into med school. There are exceptions, but this is less common. There are no specific degree requirements, you only need to take the basic science pre-reqs which are 1 year each of biology, chemistry, organic chemistry and physics. I would not recommend going to community college unless this is the only place you can afford. Try to go to a school with a strong science program and a premed advisor who can help you with the admissions process. There should be a state school in your area which can serve this purpose without costing you too much.

Good luck with your journey. Remember that you are young and have your whole life to explore career options. Think about what you want and keep your options open.

 

[planodoc]

I have wanted to be in the Medical field for a while now I just finally came to the point were I am ready to take on a challenge. Like I said I didnt do so well in high school so getting into a nice University might be harder than I think. So what do I do with that? I have thought about a CRNA, what are your thoughts about that?

 

[gman33]

You should be able to get into a 4 year college somewhere as long as you graduated high school. If you are really borderline, many schools will allow you to take classes as a non-matriculated student before accepting you. If you do well in those classes, then they will accept you into a degree program. You can start at a community college and transfer, but this is not the best option for gaining med school acceptance.

A CRNA is different career path and the steps that need to be taken are different. You need to go to nursing school, work for a year or two, and then go back and get a Master's degree to become a CRNA. I believe there are some accelerated programs that combine all of these steps. I know there are CRNA forums on the web that have more info.

Another path that may interest you is a Physician's Assistant (PA). You could complete the whole program in a few years. You may want to check that out as well.

Like I said before, take some time to really figure out what you want. You could even try to get certified as an EMT and get some experience in the medical field while you are trying to figure out your path.

 

[planodoc]

Well the thing is that I just dont wanna bc a EMT or RN I wanna be more than that, the PA was a good idea but I really would like to be a MD. Im going to call some of the Colleges out there and see what my chances are in getting into a 4 year college. thanks

 

[queenbee]

baby steps.

if getting into a 4 year college seems daunting right off the bat, have you thought about going to a community college initially? you can do that and transfer after your first/second year to a 4 year college, provided you get good grades.

it's ok that you messed up in high school, really. med schools do not ask for your high school transcript. and, even if you end up going to XYZ four year college - it doesn't have to be an ivy league. just do really well, have good extracurricular and volunteer stuff. it's not JUST about your grades - show that you are a well-rounded person and you should have a shot, for sure.

i do know people that have gone to community colleges first, transferred to better recognized 4 year universities, and have graduated to go onto many different fields, from medicine, finance and law with no problems.

 

[planodoc]

Thats great to hear because thats what I was hoping could be done, thanks alot that makes it sound like something that can be done. I will be make good grades because unlike high school Ill be paying for it and I have learned the importance of school nowbeing just a little bit older. thanks for the info Ill be starting soon taking classes and try to get into a 4 year college in a year or so.

 

[gman33]

It's possible to start at cc, and still go to med school. There are some schools that won't take you seriously as an applicant because there are unsure of how to gauge your GPA.

If you are sure you want to be a MD, then take your time and do it the right way. Work on getting into a 4 year school and do as well as you can. Even if you change your mind later, a 4 year degree will open up many career opportunities.