Is it possible to become a Doctor with a GED?

[Passionandcare]

I'm 18, always been a good and hard working student with straight A's with some B's. I didn't graduate, though which I'm ashamed of that fact. I've felt I've always worked hard in school and my studies. I've always wanted to be a doctor since I was little anatomy has always been fascinating.

I know what you're thinking like most people ask/bash me, "what happened?". Well my parents got divorced(My dad walked out), then I lost both my grand parents in a year to lung cancer, then my sister died to a drunk driver all within three years which led to me not graduating. Life hits and knocks you down, but I've finally put the pieces back together and I'm working towards where I was before I got knocked off my path. So I was just wondering on advice and steps to reaching my dream of becoming a doctor advice anything someone has to offer I would appreciate it.

My sister dieing in the ICU right in front of me made me choose to want to be an ER or ICU doctor, If I could save someones life so that they wouldn't have to go through what I felt, I've become passionate about it. If you want to bash me that's okay, I'll understand. I was just wondering if someone could offer me advice and steps how to, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks for your time.

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[loveoforganic]

Med schools do not look at high school - you prove yourself in college. You have a blank slate. Good luck!

 

[FattySlug]

Get your GED. Go to a good CC get your As. Transfer. Get some more As. Take the MCAT and get 34 then you are good to go. Who gives a dam about highschool? Remember to do volunteer work.

Edit: Remember to do your best in undergrad. That GPA will stay with you forever. MCAT can be taken again but fixing GPA takes a really long time.

 

[theWUbear]

I'm happy to be able to to let you know that there are quite a few SDN medical school students who had a GED! As has been stated above, pre-college is hardly mentioned and is not considered in the application process.

 

[Saiyo]

Do what Slug said.

It's gonna be a long and arduous journey, but its been done before!
If you want it, you gotta work hard for it!

Best of Luck to ya!

 

[styphon]

I did not get a GED, but I went to an "alternative highschool" because I was a "troubled highschool student". I then went to community college, transfered to an ivy league school, and got into medical school. Also, one of my best friends in medical school had a GED: he also went to CC, then university.

 

[Amalgamate]

I know someone who dropped out, got their GED, went to cc then transferred to a state school, and eventually medical school, he is now in residency. Nothing can stop your dreams if you are willing to worn hard. High school is only useful for getting into college, college is a blank slate to prove yourself

 

[wholeheartedly]

If you're willing to work for it, it can be done. Plan well as described above, work hard, and do what you're passionate about.

As for anyone who may have bashed you, well, there's no better feeling than chasing your dreams and proving them wrong 😎

 

[Passionandcare]

Thank you all very much, I appreciate it greatly. That is my plan to go to a CC for a year or two, prove myself there than transfer to a state school. I understand the immense amount of hard work ahead of me and I plan on busting my butt. What EC's should I get involved into? I'm volunteering at a local hospital this summer.

 

[bajastapler]

Get your GED. Go to a good CC get your As. Transfer. Get some more As. Take the MCAT and get 34 then you are good to go. Who gives a dam about highschool? Remember to do volunteer work.

Edit: Remember to do your best in undergrad. That GPA will stay with you forever. MCAT can be taken again but fixing GPA takes a really long time.

agreed.

gl!

 

[bajastapler]

Thank you all very much, I appreciate it greatly. That is my plan to go to a CC for a year or two, prove myself there than transfer to a state school. I understand the immense amount of hard work ahead of me and I plan on busting my butt. What EC's should I get involved into? I'm volunteering at a local hospital this summer.

check the premed forums for more help. they have alot of good threads/resources on what you should consider

 

[rexxx]

Thank you all very much, I appreciate it greatly. That is my plan to go to a CC for a year or two, prove myself there than transfer to a state school. I understand the immense amount of hard work ahead of me and I plan on busting my butt. What EC's should I get involved into? I'm volunteering at a local hospital this summer.

If you mean ECs once you're in college, aim for research, clinical volunteering, and community service (non-medical related) as well. a leadership position in an organization would be good too.

in addition to that though, get involved in some of the things you're interested in. maybe sports, or maybe a club with a mission or goal that really interests you. if you don't have some ECs that you're passionate about then it's all going to seem like work that you're not even getting paid for.

 

[kcin]

You don't need to go to a CC to prove yourself if you don't mind going to a state public univ. I didn't go to high school or attend a CC and I will be starting medical school in August. Just do well on the SAT/GED and you'll be fine.

 

[CuttingCorneas]

Do well in undergrad, then write about your high school hardships and how they made you the person you are today. Admissions officers eat that **** up. 😀

 

[QofQuimica]

My co-mod in the Physician Scientists forum (Neuronix) has a GED. He just graduated from an MD/PhD program last month and is now starting his residency. You might want to PM him for advice and support.

 

[Passionandcare]

Thank you all very much for taking the time to reply, I greatly appreciate it. What do you guys think the better route be, to wait another year( I would be 20 starting, instead of 19) take my SAT's/ACT's and go straight to A University. With the alternative route be CC then transfer to a University, as some people have told me a lot of the times credits don't transfer, or is that false information? Thanks again.

 

[Starlightembers]

Thank you all very much for taking the time to reply, I greatly appreciate it. What do you guys think the better route be, to wait another year( I would be 20 starting, instead of 19) take my SAT's/ACT's and go straight to A University. With the alternative route be CC then transfer to a University, as some people have told me a lot of the times credits don't transfer, or is that false information? Thanks again.

Even those transferring between two universities encounter problems with acceptance of credits, though most find that the majority do end up being accepted. The biggest obstacle I can think of in going to community college is not the transferring of credits, however: it is that most, if not all, medical schools frown upon ("do not recommend") prerequisite science courses taken there (biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, physics). For that reason, it may be best, in the long term, to wait to apply to a four-year university (or, take the courses at CC, and then take upper-division science courses at the university, and do well). Ultimately, though, it is what is best for you and your situation. People have gone both routes, and have been successful in both.

 

[coldweatherblue]

I had long hair in high-school; summer before senior year the principal wrote me a letter saying if i wanted to come back i had to cut my hair..

never went back, never got a GED, went straight to college. somewhere there's a piece of paper saying that i graduated HS with a home-schooled degree, but I've never seen it. (only needed 2 credits to graduate). I even got borderline-full-ride scholarships to college w/o a diploma.. haha.

Medical schools couldn't care less about high-school. You don't have to explain anything. Get your GED, do well in college. You are not behind at all, still right on track. 👍

 

[Eare]

I had long hair in high-school; summer before senior year the principal wrote me a letter saying if i wanted to come back i had to cut my hair..

never went back, never got a GED, went straight to college. somewhere there's a piece of paper saying that i graduated HS with a home-schooled degree, but I've never seen it. (only needed 2 credits to graduate). I even got borderline-full-ride scholarships to college w/o a diploma.. haha.

Medical schools couldn't care less about high-school. You don't have to explain anything. Get your GED, do well in college. You are not behind at all, still right on track. 👍

Why did you have to cut your hair?

 

[coldweatherblue]

school policy changed so guys couldn't have long hair.. i was a jimi hendrix-wanna-be with a golden mane to mid-back and didn't wanna cut it. and the principal was a dick about it so i didn't go back. seems like something out of a cheesy teen movie, but what can i say; HS was a crazy, crazy time, and it was totally worth it.

 

[Passionandcare]

Thanks all for the advice and helpful words. I appreciate it very much. I think I'm just going to just wait a year and save up money and start when I am twenty. I want to go to Vanderbilt and I'm pretty sure they will care more about good SAT/ACT scores with a GED, then a CC with a good GPA.

 

[CuttingCorneas]

I had long hair in high-school; summer before senior year the principal wrote me a letter saying if i wanted to come back i had to cut my hair..

never went back, never got a GED, went straight to college. somewhere there's a piece of paper saying that i graduated HS with a home-schooled degree, but I've never seen it. (only needed 2 credits to graduate). I even got borderline-full-ride scholarships to college w/o a diploma.. haha.

+1 for stickin it to the Man. 👍

 

[ucsfstudents]

Passionandcare, hold on to your enthusiasm and dream. Life is hard sometimes. The key term is perseverance. Try to find great mentors and do well in college.

 

[Mahliah]

I pretty much cosign what everyone else said.Good luck, keep us updated 🙂

 

[bajastapler]

Get your GED. Go to a good CC get your As. Transfer. Get some more As. Take the MCAT and get 34 then you are good to go. Who gives a dam about highschool? Remember to do volunteer work.

Edit: Remember to do your best in undergrad. That GPA will stay with you forever. MCAT can be taken again but fixing GPA takes a really long time.

what he said
gl!