International Pharmacist to US Medical school Prospective

[MsAmiodarone]

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Hi all, I hope this is the right place to post. I'm looking for insight before I invest in working with a med school admissions consultant (seeking feedback on this type of service as well).

BACKGROUND
I spent nearly 10 years in the pharmaceutical field in my home country. Relocating to the U.S. was never part of my original plan. In fact, it was 4 years ago that I decided I wanted to be more clinically involved in patient care and made the decision to pursue medical school. I intended to apply in my home country, but life had other plans, and now I’m here in the U.S., still committed to that goal but facing greater hurdles.

Right now, I’m considering the following and hoping for feedback on which would be best for me:
A DIY post-baccalaureate, 2 years at a community college followed by a transfer to a four-year institution or see if any (state) institutions will accept credit transfers from my intn'l pharma degree.
I’d really appreciate any advice from those who’ve been through similar situations or understand how these routes are viewed by admissions committees.

Here’s what I currently have just for the record:

• GPA: 3.0 (affected by extenuating circumstances during pharmacy school. Something I plan to address in my application. I'm hopeful that a strong performance in pre-req courses will help raise this, even slightly.)
• Clinical experience: 2,000 hours (paid) should be higher by the time I apply for med sch
• Volunteer experience:
  • ~300 hours non-clinical
  • ~200 hours clinical
• Research: None so far. I’m unsure how to get my foot in the door without prior experience, so any tips or direction would be deeply appreciated. If you think it’s not essential, I’m open to hearing that perspective too.
• MCAT: Haven’t taken it yet.
• Shadowing: 0 (I work in Cardiology. Should I explore shadowing opportunities elsewhere?)

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums.

Any coursework taken outside of an accredited US/Canadian school will not count towards the application GPA. You may need equivalency transcripts from ECE or WES, especially when you have to matriculate, but read the instructions for AMCAS/AACOMAS. I don't think you need to enter those grades.

Do you have permanent residency?

You can pursue "career changer" postbac programs that support non-traditional applicants. Do your homework with schools near you. If you decide to transition to a four-year institution, check if they have a career-changer postbac or their prehealth office has experience working with candidates like you. Do not rush taking your MCAT until you have completed your prerequisites.

You should pursue shadowing experiences where you are around physicians. If you are working in hospital pharmacy now, I hope it's not difficult to find physicians to talk and shadow with. I would include opportunities for primary care (less emergent) to complement your cardiology/IM experience.

What is your non-clinical volunteering experience?

 

[MsAmiodarone]

Welcome to the forums.

Any coursework taken outside of an accredited US/Canadian school will not count towards the application GPA. You may need equivalency transcripts from ECE or WES, especially when you have to matriculate, but read the instructions for AMCAS/AACOMAS. I don't think you need to enter those grades.

Do you have permanent residency?

You can pursue "career changer" postbac programs that support non-traditional applicants. Do your homework with schools near you. If you decide to transition to a four-year institution, check if they have a career-changer postbac or their prehealth office has experience working with candidates like you. Do not rush taking your MCAT until you have completed your prerequisites.

You should pursue shadowing experiences where you are around physicians. If you are working in hospital pharmacy now, I hope it's not difficult to find physicians to talk and shadow with. I would include opportunities for primary care (less emergent) to complement your cardiology/IM experience.

What is your non-clinical volunteering experience?

@Mr.Smile12 I am just seeing this notification. Thanks for your reply.
I apologize for the delay in my response.

Yes, I have permanent residency. I also have a WES report.
I volunteer in the ED of a hospital, their discharge department, and at a food bank.
BTW, I work as a Medical Assistant as it gives me the experience required to satisfy the "Clinical Experience" requirement.

I saw another post here on SDN where someone detailed a similar experience. It seems the best thing to do is a 4yr degree (either a community college/transfer route or straight to a 4 yr uni). I'm not against it. In fact, I am very open to it. Sure it takes longer but I look at it as a 2nd chance to show my capabilities in managing coursework. My 1st degree GPA is not a true representation of my that.

Do you know if once i start applying and mention my 1st degree that institutions will look at the first GPA & possibly hold it against me?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

@Mr.Smile12 I am just seeing this notification. Thanks for your reply.
I apologize for the delay in my response.

Yes, I have permanent residency. I also have a WES report.
I volunteer in the ED of a hospital, their discharge department, and at a food bank.
BTW, I work as a Medical Assistant as it gives me the experience required to satisfy the "Clinical Experience" requirement.

I saw another post here on SDN where someone detailed a similar experience. It seems the best thing to do is a 4yr degree (either a community college/transfer route or straight to a 4 yr uni). I'm not against it. In fact, I am very open to it. Sure it takes longer but I look at it as a 2nd chance to show my capabilities in managing coursework. My 1st degree GPA is not a true representation of my that.

Do you know if once i start applying and mention my 1st degree that institutions will look at the first GPA & possibly hold it against me?

Most medical school admissions teams don't look at foreign transcripts, so I don't think it will be held against you. (You can always ask medical school admissions officers.) You can ask many of them what they think of your plan, but CC to UG for a US bachelor's degree is a typical route for most international-based applicants who have settled in the US.