I need the REAL scoop...

[Toyya]

Ok, let me first start by saying that with me going through this forum for a few days I love the informative, helpful, and supportive community here. Lots of forums aren't like this, and I can't thank my friend more for advising me to check this website out. All of you are AWESOME!

I'm a 24 year female, and in the last few months have began to REALLY consider medicine. I always loved science and learning how the body works, but always loved math more. Now in a math-focused job I realize I don't like being a data rat. I'm starting to think that I only liek mathematics in the academic sense. So before I start on the LONG road of applying to medical school (My thought that I NEEDED to have math in my job is the only reason I never considered medicine).

A little about me:
-I currently work doing statisical/cost analysis for the AF (as a civilan)
-I graduated from a top caliber school but with only a 3.0 GPA, and currently have a 3.5 in my part-time MS program
-I am engaged so I am limited to going to school in the cities approved by my spouse (NYC, Boston, Seattle, Chicago, San Francisco)
-I volunteer monthly at a VA hospital
-I tutor physics, calculus, probabilty, and statistics part-time
-I used to be a full-time bartender (not even sure if that's relevant)
-I have some UG research experience (i.e. helping Post-docs with their projects or doing literary reviews for profs). I still need to do my MS thesis though
-I completed all the Med school pre-reqs undergraduate except for chem lab, and orgo (class and lab)


So, I just need to know if I have a decent shot, and if so what should be my game plan to maximize my chances. Since I am 2 years out of college and I took my chem and bio classes freshmen year (F2003 and SP2004), do I need to re-take them all? Or can I take a different level of some of the courses, like take biochem instead of biology again? I would hate to have to pay and re-take classes that I still know the material to since I tutor it.

I would prefer to leave my job and work for a biotech firm or something instead of do just research (being that I have a mortgage and would like to make more money). Do I need more research experience where I HAVE to do a research job, or get a PT research job when done with my courses?

Do I need to do more volunteer work? I have already set-up shadowing a few doctors? Is that enough to fill that clincial interest requirement? I was hoping to be able to apply Summer of 2011 to start Fall of 2012? Is that even feasible or will I need 2 years realistically if I want to stay working full time?

Sorry for the really long post and thank you in advance for anyone who reads and comments on this?

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[InLocoAbsentia]

I'm in a similar boat as you (I'm about to bump a post I made a week ago on this board; you should refer to that as well). I love math; I hate sitting in a room all day by myself (as I've done today, again). Since you can't get hired as a math professor anymore (or at least you cannot expect to, statistically speaking), the list of really math-centered jobs are pretty limited, other than finance, insurance, and government research. Finance jobs are tough to get, insurance firms will want you to become an actuary (see "room all day by myself", not to mention you do everything in Excel-yuck!), and government jobs don't pay well ($45k for working for the Census in DC?).

You have to have orgo, and you really should get the labs, too. Some schools may require biochemistry or psychology. Your GPA is a significant black mark. Your grad GPA will count, but it had better be science classes. The research and teaching experience is a plus, but the bartending is not. You don't have to retake the prereqs you've already completed, as long as you can remember them well enough to ace the MCAT (and we are talking about pretty much acing (think at least 35) it, since your GPA is low). Many people say you need a few months of concentrated study time to get a good score on the MCAT. Since you actively tutor some of the parts of the test, it will probably require less time for you, but don't cut too much. Taking more upper level biology and health courses (esp biochemistry, but microbiology and genetics, too) will increase your chances. You should definitely volunteer and shadow a bunch (on a weekly basis if you can). The restriction on cities isn't a huge problem, as long as you know you'll be paying higher tuition. Also, keeping working while taking organic chemistry (and you really should take it in a classroom environment, not online). You will need to consider D.O. as well as M.D. Applying summer 2011 will be really difficult if you want to continue to work and finish up a part-time M.S., not to mention how hard you'll have to work to bring up your GPA to a good level (a 3.0 from, say, Columbia is a hard match against a 4.0 from, say, Ohio State). In short: it is of course possible, but you will have a very hard slog of it, I think.

By the way, unless you want to do sales, I venture to guess biotech firms will mostly hire you precisely to do research, such as analyzing the results of clinical trials. It's probably going to be more of the same that you are doing now.

tl;dr: It will require a large amount of work, likely years, but you can probably do it.

 

[Toyya]

Thanks for the advice. Its nice to know that someone else has the I love the math but hate the job type of mentality. I may consider taking another year just to get more research experience.

As an FYI, you should look into DoD jobs. I still don't make alot but I do make alot more than the 45K you mentioned.

 

[beckhunter116]

I would first put your grades into one of the gpa calculators on here so we can get a more specific picture of your situation. Your 3.0 was probably your cumulative gpa, we need to know you BCPM gpa (for MD schools) or your science gpa (for DO schools). Here are the links to the calculators. You may need to check what classes count for what, for example, in DO science gpa math does not count, but engineering classes do count for science gpa.
For MD: http://medschool.ucsf.edu/postbac/pdf/AMCAS%20GPA_Calculator%20Version%204%20Final.xls

For DO: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=450050

You will need the chem labs and organic chem with labs. You will need to take some upper-level science classes to improve your gpa and to show that you can handle a heavy science class load. Best options are genetics, cell biology, microbiology, biochemistry or any other upper-level science that interests you.

You need to volunteer more than once a month, but you don't need to go crazy, 4hrs a week is fine. You will also need to find a physician to shadow so that you can get a LOR from them. If you are going to apply to MD and DO schools, get a letter from each b/c there are about 5-7 DO schools that require a DO letter, the rest just want either DO or MD LOR.

Last, when you say you are thinking of getting more research experience do you mean in math or the sciences? I wouldn't recommend getting more research experience until your gpa is higher. Research is only required at schools that are heavy research or if everything about your application is stellar and you have the time to improve that area. Your gpa, compared to matriculating students is low (not impossible), and you may not have much clinical experience (either volunteer or paid)--you didn't mention the # of hours at the VA hospital--they won't care if you have research. Improve those areas first, research last. Good luck!

 

[GatorPhD]

Hi Toyya,

So you and I have some things in common. I'm going to share my story and throw in my opinions/thoughts on this process. Feel free to ignore any of it...

I am a mathematician and worked for the USAF for 5 years after UGrad school. During that time, I did a PhD in math as well. I was 24 when I finished grad school and almost 25 when I separated from the AF and went full bore on the med school trek.

In terms of pre-reqs, I had only taken physics so I needed the bio and the chems. I did a formal post-bac program (at Bryn Mawr College) and am now applying to med school this year.

It sounds like you have taken the pre-reqs? If so, how were your grades? What is your mater's work in? beckhunter16 had many good suggestions about calculating your GPAs to see how you stack up, among others. Just from your post, it seems like you may be a great candidate for a SMP program (like at Georgetown for example). They are designed for people who have taken the pre-reqs, but need a GPA boost, etc.

It is tough when you have a family, a mortgage, and all the other things that life hands you. When I left the AF, my wife also worked as an engineer with a defense contractor, we owned a home and other investment property, and life was pretty good down at Eglin AFB in sunny Florida! But we both wanted to be physicians and we saved up and planned ahead so that we could make this happen. It is a long and expensive process. Make no mistake about it, your life will be significantly different if you go down this path. There are ways of doing it to minimize costs, but you need to research all your options and make the decision that is best for you. For example, I could have taken the pre-reqs at a community college and kept my cushy job with the AF. Instead, my wife and I quit our jobs, sold our house (and lost our @$$ in the process) and went to Bryn Mawr and paid about 30K for the courses. Would the community college route have worked? Maybe. But "maybe" wasn't a risk I was willing to take. For us, going to Bryn Mawr seemed like the best decision given our situation. We decided to go all-in and do this once and get it right. I have no regrets.

I don't know if this answers any of your questions. Feel free to PM me with specifics. I think that hearing stories of others who were in your boat a few years ago can be helpful...Good luck to you.

My very best,
Gator