Introducing myself and a few questions for the forum

[FalseBlackBear]

Hi all,

I've been reading the forum for awhile and decided to finally register and ask you guys a few questions. A bit about myself:

-26 yrs old
-graduated 2 yrs ago with a degree in Bio; sGPA of 3.6, cGPA of 3.3 (parent passed away during college so I did have a rough semester to took my GPA down drastically).
-went into college as a music major with a full scholarship, got a job at a big name medical school in my city doing research in my undergrad years, and decided to switch to Bio because I love it so much. Been in research ever since (working at a different institution now). At any given time during my undergrad years, I was working at least 2 jobs and going to school full-time.
- Have NOT taken the MCAT's - even when I switched my major to bio, I didn't ever consider being a doctor. I just wanted to stay in the medical research field.
- Hopefully, I will have two publications next year on projects I'm working on --- one in a national journal and one co-author publication for a book.
-I do have volunteer work I did years ago for a clinic in my city that offers medical treatment to sheltered women and children. Other than that, I really didn't do any other volunteer work.

So my questions are:

- Are there any post-bacc programs similar to JAMP? I didn't even learn about JAMP until my junior year of college and by then I already had too many credits to qualify for the program.

- I'm considering going back to do post-bacc courses to raise my GPA and my work will reimburse me the cost of tuition. Do you think that it's even worth the effort of going back and raising the GPA or should I just take that time to self-study for the MCAT and take a shot at it?

- I'm currently studying Exam Krackers for MCAT while working a full-time job -- any other advice for those doing self-study?

I know a lot of my getting into a medical school will depend on how well I do on the MCAT. I'm so scared to take it though . My sciences classes were not that hard, but I do feel that I am rusty since I've been out of school for awhile.

I'm also looking for any minority programs for post-bacc individuals. If you guys have any suggestions, please let me know. I open to all suggestions, I just feel like I'm at a weird cross-road point so I'm trying to look at all my options.

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[Moosepig]

Hi all,

I've been reading the forum for awhile and decided to finally register and ask you guys a few questions. A bit about myself:

-26 yrs old
-graduated 2 yrs ago with a degree in Bio; sGPA of 3.6, cGPA of 3.3 (parent passed away during college so I did have a rough semester to took my GPA down drastically).
-went into college as a music major with a full scholarship, got a job at a big name medical school in my city doing research in my undergrad years, and decided to switch to Bio because I love it so much. Been in research ever since (working at a different institution now). At any given time during my undergrad years, I was working at least 2 jobs and going to school full-time.
- Have NOT taken the MCAT's - even when I switched my major to bio, I didn't ever consider being a doctor. I just wanted to stay in the medical research field.
- Hopefully, I will have two publications next year on projects I'm working on --- one in a national journal and one co-author publication for a book.
-I do have volunteer work I did years ago for a clinic in my city that offers medical treatment to sheltered women and children. Other than that, I really didn't do any other volunteer work.

So my questions are:

- Are there any post-bacc programs similar to JAMP? I didn't even learn about JAMP until my junior year of college and by then I already had too many credits to qualify for the program.

- I'm considering going back to do post-bacc courses to raise my GPA and my work will reimburse me the cost of tuition. Do you think that it's even worth the effort of going back and raising the GPA or should I just take that time to self-study for the MCAT and take a shot at it?

- I'm currently studying Exam Krackers for MCAT while working a full-time job -- any other advice for those doing self-study?

I know a lot of my getting into a medical school will depend on how well I do on the MCAT. I'm so scared to take it though . My sciences classes were not that hard, but I do feel that I am rusty since I've been out of school for awhile.

I'm also looking for any minority programs for post-bacc individuals. If you guys have any suggestions, please let me know. I open to all suggestions, I just feel like I'm at a weird cross-road point so I'm trying to look at all my options.

I am not as educated on your situation as I am more standard WAMC so hopefully cat or goro will reply as well.

From what I can tell, your GPA is pretty decent, especially if you can account for that bad semester with a very understandable tragedy. If it were me I would focus more on MCAT and getting more volunteering. Your research is totally fantastic; you've blown that category out of the water. SN2ED has posted a tried and true MCAT study guide on the MCAT forum. There is a four month plan that might be a little more conducive to your work schedule. Basically, do not fear the MCAT. That will make you reluctant to study and will only hurt you. This is your future and your dreams, you must conquer with confidence.

EDIT: Also not my area of expertise, but you might try looking into MD/PHD programs. Your research speaks clearly to your interest in that area of medicine and I hear those programs are a little more lenient on benevolent ECs. Of course you'd need to break a decent score on the MCAT and the GPA might then be a factor but it is something to look into.

 

[Catalystik]

-26 yrs old
-graduated 2 yrs ago with a degree in Bio; sGPA of 3.6, cGPA of 3.3 (parent passed away during college so I did have a rough semester to took my GPA down drastically).
-went into college as a music major with a full scholarship, got a job at a big name medical school in my city doing research in my undergrad years, and decided to switch to Bio because I love it so much. Been in research ever since (working at a different institution now). At any given time during my undergrad years, I was working at least 2 jobs and going to school full-time.
- Have NOT taken the MCAT's - even when I switched my major to bio, I didn't ever consider being a doctor. I just wanted to stay in the medical research field.
- Hopefully, I will have two publications next year on projects I'm working on --- one in a national journal and one co-author publication for a book.
-I do have volunteer work I did years ago for a clinic in my city that offers medical treatment to sheltered women and children. Other than that, I really didn't do any other volunteer work.

So my questions are:

1) - Are there any post-bacc programs similar to JAMP? I didn't even learn about JAMP until my junior year of college and by then I already had too many credits to qualify for the program.

2) - I'm considering going back to do post-bacc courses to raise my GPA and my work will reimburse me the cost of tuition. Do you think that it's even worth the effort of going back and raising the GPA or should I just take that time to self-study for the MCAT and take a shot at it?

3) I'm also looking for any minority programs for post-bacc individuals. If you guys have any suggestions, please let me know. I open to all suggestions, I just feel like I'm at a weird cross-road point so I'm trying to look at all my options.

1) Other than JAMP, I don't know of other programs that have tuition assistance, but who knows? They may be out there. You'd probably be fine just taking postbac classes at a local university, rather than engaging in a formal program.

2) Even if your poor semester was early in college and you graduated with an upward grade trend, some recent A-grade coursework in the sciences will assure adcomms that you can get back on the academic horse again, since it's been awhile. Raising your sGPA is another benefit.

3) See: SMPs, searchable database: http://services.aamc.org/postbac/
Dr Midlife List, particularly the category that serves URM candidates: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=640302

 

[FalseBlackBear]

Thanks for the input guys! I'm planning to go through and find SN2ed's study plan and follow that. Hopefully by raising my GPA a bit by taking some post-bacc courses and studying for the MCAT like crazy, I'll be able to get a few interviews next year.

Now to scavenger the forum for any additional med. schools to add to my "Apply To" list.

 

[FalseBlackBear]

*Bump*

Any more suggestions out there in the forum? Any and all advice is welcomed

 

[Goro]

my questions are:

Not that I'm aware of

- Are there any post-bacc programs similar to JAMP? I didn't even learn about JAMP until my junior year of college and by then I already had too many credits to qualify for the program.

Your cGPA is not competetive for MD programs, but is so for DO. So, you have to consider what you're shooting for. If you're going DO, I say go for the MCAT study.

- I'm considering going back to do post-bacc courses to raise my GPA and my work will reimburse me the cost of tuition. Do you think that it's even worth the effort of going back and raising the GPA or should I just take that time to self-study for the MCAT and take a shot at it?