Is this a decent DIY post bacc plan?

[skaran17]

Hi everyone! I just joined the forums, though I've been lurking for a little while. I am an aspiring non-traditional medical student--currently I am active duty Army, and am looking at possibly having about 5 years left in, 4 of which might be in the Austin, TX area. I'm 28, married with a 1 year old and another on the way. I have a bachelor's in a social science field with a mediocre GPA and didn't complete the usual med school prerequisites in college. I'm looking to maximize my remaining time in the Army by trying to take advantage of Tuition Assistance to knock out those med school prerequisites and show a path of improvement to admissions committees. This thread was super useful! Unfortunately, since I work full time during the day, the official post bacc programs aren't really an option for me. So I've been looking at local community college catalogs for Austin to see what might be feasible. This is what I have:

Semester 1
BIOL 1308 Biology Fundamentals online
BIOL 2401 - Anatomy and Physiology I 9-11:50am Sat

Sem 2
CHEM 1311 - General Chemistry I - Lecture online
CHEM 1111 - General Chemistry I - Lab 4:30-7:20pm T

Sem 3
BIOL 2402 - Anatomy and Physiology II 12-2:50pm Sat
MATH 1342 - Elementary Statistics online

Sem 4
CHEM 1312 - General Chemistry II - Lecture 5-6:20pm TTh
CHEM 1112 - General Chemistry II - Lab 3-5:50pm M

Sem 5
BIOL 1406 Cellular and Molecular Biology prereq 1sem chem 4:30-7:20pm T
BIOL 2316 Genetics online

Sem 6
CHEM 2323 Organic Chemistry I - Lecture 3-4:20pm MW
CHEM 2123 Organic Chemistry I - Lab 4:30-7:20pm W

Sem 7
BIOL 2421 - Microbiology 4:30-7:45pm TTh
BITC 2350 - Bioinformatics prereq BIOL 1406 online

Sem 8
CHEM 2325 Organic Chemistry II - Lecture 12-1:20pm MW
CHEM 2125 Organic Chemistry II - Lab 10:30-1:20pm Th

Total 4 years

Obviously, over the course of the next few years, the course catalog is going to change so these times are not set in stone. I just wrote them down to give myself an example.

I anticipate that by the time I'm able to start this, I will have a 2.5 year old and an about 8-month-old, and be working 9-5 Monday-Friday. So I've tried to give myself reasonable expectations and take 2 classes a semester so that I am able to do well and still have some time for family. I'm also really hoping I can get Tuition Assistance to cover it, maybe by explaining that these are prerequisites for a graduate program?

Does this actually look reasonable or am I way off base? Is this coursework enough to give me a solid base for medical school, in addition to MCAT study? Or would they be expecting more specialized or upper-level courses?

Thank you all in advance for any advice!

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[Bonne Nuit]

Hi everyone! I just joined the forums, though I've been lurking for a little while. I am an aspiring non-traditional medical student--currently I am active duty Army, and am looking at possibly having about 5 years left in, 4 of which might be in the Austin, TX area. I'm 28, married with a 1 year old and another on the way. I have a bachelor's in a social science field with a mediocre GPA and didn't complete the usual med school prerequisites in college. I'm looking to maximize my remaining time in the Army by trying to take advantage of Tuition Assistance to knock out those med school prerequisites and show a path of improvement to admissions committees. This thread was super useful! Unfortunately, since I work full time during the day, the official post bacc programs aren't really an option for me. So I've been looking at local community college catalogs for Austin to see what might be feasible. This is what I have:

Semester 1
BIOL 1308 Biology Fundamentals online
BIOL 2401 - Anatomy and Physiology I 9-11:50am Sat

Sem 2
CHEM 1311 - General Chemistry I - Lecture online
CHEM 1111 - General Chemistry I - Lab 4:30-7:20pm T

Sem 3
BIOL 2402 - Anatomy and Physiology II 12-2:50pm Sat
MATH 1342 - Elementary Statistics online

Sem 4
CHEM 1312 - General Chemistry II - Lecture 5-6:20pm TTh
CHEM 1112 - General Chemistry II - Lab 3-5:50pm M

Sem 5
BIOL 1406 Cellular and Molecular Biology prereq 1sem chem 4:30-7:20pm T
BIOL 2316 Genetics online

Sem 6
CHEM 2323 Organic Chemistry I - Lecture 3-4:20pm MW
CHEM 2123 Organic Chemistry I - Lab 4:30-7:20pm W

Sem 7
BIOL 2421 - Microbiology 4:30-7:45pm TTh
BITC 2350 - Bioinformatics prereq BIOL 1406 online

Sem 8
CHEM 2325 Organic Chemistry II - Lecture 12-1:20pm MW
CHEM 2125 Organic Chemistry II - Lab 10:30-1:20pm Th

Total 4 years

Obviously, over the course of the next few years, the course catalog is going to change so these times are not set in stone. I just wrote them down to give myself an example.

I anticipate that by the time I'm able to start this, I will have a 2.5 year old and an about 8-month-old, and be working 9-5 Monday-Friday. So I've tried to give myself reasonable expectations and take 2 classes a semester so that I am able to do well and still have some time for family. I'm also really hoping I can get Tuition Assistance to cover it, maybe by explaining that these are prerequisites for a graduate program?

Does this actually look reasonable or am I way off base? Is this coursework enough to give me a solid base for medical school, in addition to MCAT study? Or would they be expecting more specialized or upper-level courses?

Thank you all in advance for any advice!

Your plan is missing 1 year/2 semesters physics + lab and 1 year/2 semesters general bio + lab. The electives on your list (microbiology, genetics, and A&P) are optional and I only recommend taking them if you know you’re applying to one of the few schools that require them. You should also add biochem, as it is heavily tested on the MCAT and required by several medical schools. Finally, make sure you have the right type of math credits for your target programs; some require a year of math or specifically require calculus.

If you can’t find these courses at community college, you will need to find a way to take them at a 4-year university. You should be aware that it’s generally preferable to take your credits at a 4-year university rather than CC, if possible.

If your plan is to apply to medical school in Texas once your prerequisites are complete, ensure you know how to be competitive for those programs. Texas medical schools run their own application system separate from all other US (AMCAS) medical schools, but most of the advice you will see on here is targeted to AMCAS applicants.

 

[skaran17]

Your plan is missing 1 year/2 semesters physics + lab and 1 year/2 semesters general bio + lab. The electives on your list (microbiology, genetics, and A&P) are optional and I only recommend taking them if you know you’re applying to one of the few schools that require them. You should also add biochem, as it is heavily tested on the MCAT and required by several medical schools. Finally, make sure you have the right type of math credits for your target programs; some require a year of math or specifically require calculus.

If you can’t find these courses at community college, you will need to find a way to take them at a 4-year university. You should be aware that it’s generally preferable to take your credits at a 4-year university rather than CC, if possible.

If your plan is to apply to medical school in Texas once your prerequisites are complete, ensure you know how to be competitive for those programs. Texas medical schools run their own application system separate from all other US (AMCAS) medical schools, but most of the advice you will see on here is targeted to AMCAS applicants.

Thank you! I am not limiting myself to TX; in fact I expect to move and my top choice school is University of Florida. I plan to apply broadly though so that’s good to know about TX schools!

I’d definitely prefer to take classes at a regular 4 year university, but I haven’t been able to find any with decent evening/weekend class options. I’m the sole income for my family so I’m trying to make it all work. I’m able to find community college options for all the classes you mentioned except Biochem, so I’ll have to find another way to take that!

 

[MyOdyssey]

Hi everyone! I just joined the forums, though I've been lurking for a little while. I am an aspiring non-traditional medical student--currently I am active duty Army, and am looking at possibly having about 5 years left in, 4 of which might be in the Austin, TX area. I'm 28, married with a 1 year old and another on the way. I have a bachelor's in a social science field with a mediocre GPA and didn't complete the usual med school prerequisites in college. I'm looking to maximize my remaining time in the Army by trying to take advantage of Tuition Assistance to knock out those med school prerequisites and show a path of improvement to admissions committees. This thread was super useful! Unfortunately, since I work full time during the day, the official post bacc programs aren't really an option for me. So I've been looking at local community college catalogs for Austin to see what might be feasible. This is what I have:

Semester 1
BIOL 1308 Biology Fundamentals online
BIOL 2401 - Anatomy and Physiology I 9-11:50am Sat

Sem 2
CHEM 1311 - General Chemistry I - Lecture online
CHEM 1111 - General Chemistry I - Lab 4:30-7:20pm T

Sem 3
BIOL 2402 - Anatomy and Physiology II 12-2:50pm Sat
MATH 1342 - Elementary Statistics online

Sem 4
CHEM 1312 - General Chemistry II - Lecture 5-6:20pm TTh
CHEM 1112 - General Chemistry II - Lab 3-5:50pm M

Sem 5
BIOL 1406 Cellular and Molecular Biology prereq 1sem chem 4:30-7:20pm T
BIOL 2316 Genetics online

Sem 6
CHEM 2323 Organic Chemistry I - Lecture 3-4:20pm MW
CHEM 2123 Organic Chemistry I - Lab 4:30-7:20pm W

Sem 7
BIOL 2421 - Microbiology 4:30-7:45pm TTh
BITC 2350 - Bioinformatics prereq BIOL 1406 online

Sem 8
CHEM 2325 Organic Chemistry II - Lecture 12-1:20pm MW
CHEM 2125 Organic Chemistry II - Lab 10:30-1:20pm Th

Total 4 years

Obviously, over the course of the next few years, the course catalog is going to change so these times are not set in stone. I just wrote them down to give myself an example.

I anticipate that by the time I'm able to start this, I will have a 2.5 year old and an about 8-month-old, and be working 9-5 Monday-Friday. So I've tried to give myself reasonable expectations and take 2 classes a semester so that I am able to do well and still have some time for family. I'm also really hoping I can get Tuition Assistance to cover it, maybe by explaining that these are prerequisites for a graduate program?

Does this actually look reasonable or am I way off base? Is this coursework enough to give me a solid base for medical school, in addition to MCAT study? Or would they be expecting more specialized or upper-level courses?

Thank you all in advance for any advice!

Leave out bioinformatics entirely. It’s not required and not tested on the MCAT at all.

Biochemistry + 2 semesters of physics with lab are needed.

Some schools don’t offer a course called “general biology.” Make sure you take the first year 2 semester bio sequence with lab. Perhaps Bio 1406 is part of that sequence?

Some schools require 2 semesters of math. Some permit only one semester but require calculus.

Many schools require a year of writing that can be met with 2 semesters of English or other writing intensive class.

Some schools also require sociology and/or psychology. Both are tested on the MCAT.

Some schools require humanities credits too. The number depends on the school. The MCAT has a reading comprehension section with selections from many academic disciplines.

 

[gramnegative]

Pay for access to the MSAR to make sure that the schools you are interested in take online/CC credit - online is less accepted than CC, though this may be different with COVID. A lot of schools take CC credit - I wouldn't get too tripped up if you already have a degree. Clinical volunteering/work and shadowing are necessary, too; you may be able to swing with no non-clinical volunteering bc of your time in the service.

 

[Bonne Nuit]

Pay for access to the MSAR to make sure that the schools you are interested in take online/CC credit - online is less accepted than CC, though this may be different with COVID. A lot of schools take CC credit - I wouldn't get too tripped up if you already have a degree. Clinical volunteering/work and shadowing are necessary, too; you may be able to swing with no non-clinical volunteering bc of your time in the service.

I also strongly recommend purchasing a subscription to the MSAR. It's an invaluable tool for this stage of your premed planning.

If you haven't started shadowing yet, I strongly recommend doing that before you enroll in any classes or make any major financial commitment to this process. I knew a few nontraditional students from my post-bac years who dropped premed after shadowing, and this meant they wasted money on a few semesters of schooling they didn't need and couldn't use otherwise. I don't want that to happen to you, so spend a week or two shadowing a physician before you enroll in classes. As others have said, shadowing is a necessary element of your medical school application anyway, so get that out of the way first.

 

[skaran17]

Leave out bioinformatics entirely. It’s not required and not tested on the MCAT at all.

Biochemistry + 2 semesters of physics with lab are needed.

Some schools don’t offer a course called “general biology.” Make sure you take the first year 2 semester bio sequence with lab. Perhaps Bio 1406 is part of that sequence?

Some schools require 2 semesters of math. Some permit only one semester but require calculus.

Many schools require a year of writing that can be met with 2 semesters of English or other writing intensive class.

Some schools also require sociology and/or psychology. Both are tested on the MCAT.

Some schools require humanities credits too. The number depends on the school. The MCAT has a reading comprehension section with selections from many academic disciplines.

Thanks!! I didn't originally see a general biology sequence on their course schedule, but I think you're right and 1406/1407 is their equivalent. I'll replace the "biology fundamentals" with that, then. Calculus is probably also a good idea.

I should be good on the humanities/social science requirements; my BA is in linguistics with a minor in sociology and I worked in editing for a few years. I just don't have the STEM requirements done.

 

[skaran17]

Pay for access to the MSAR to make sure that the schools you are interested in take online/CC credit - online is less accepted than CC, though this may be different with COVID. A lot of schools take CC credit - I wouldn't get too tripped up if you already have a degree. Clinical volunteering/work and shadowing are necessary, too; you may be able to swing with no non-clinical volunteering bc of your time in the service.

Thank you! I didn't realize this till now, but I guess I should make a tentative list of schools I'd like to apply to first and figure out what their requirements are before I decide what classes to take. How much volunteering time would you recommend for someone in my situation?

I also strongly recommend purchasing a subscription to the MSAR. It's an invaluable tool for this stage of your premed planning.

If you haven't started shadowing yet, I strongly recommend doing that before you enroll in any classes or make any major financial commitment to this process. I knew a few nontraditional students from my post-bac years who dropped premed after shadowing, and this meant they wasted money on a few semesters of schooling they didn't need and couldn't use otherwise. I don't want that to happen to you, so spend a week or two shadowing a physician before you enroll in classes. As others have said, shadowing is a necessary element of your medical school application anyway, so get that out of the way first.

I haven't started shadowing. That's a good idea. Do you know if that's something I can simply ask about at the local hospital, or is there a process to start? How much shadowing is expected?

 

[Bonne Nuit]

Thank you! I didn't realize this till now, but I guess I should make a tentative list of schools I'd like to apply to first and figure out what their requirements are before I decide what classes to take. How much volunteering time would you recommend for someone in my situation?

I haven't started shadowing. That's a good idea. Do you know if that's something I can simply ask about at the local hospital, or is there a process to start? How much shadowing is expected?

A tentative school list (based primarily on geography) is a good jumping off point in the beginning. You'll want to apply to schools in the state where you have residency when it's time for you to apply, as well as private schools in your state/region. You might also apply to schools in other states where you have "strong ties" (meaning where you graduated high school or lived for a substantial part of your childhood). The MSAR can also tell you which MD programs are friendly to out of state applicants or those who have "ties" to the school/region.

You won't be able to make a final school list until you have your MCAT score, but you can at least get a sense of what schools in your state/region want to see in their applicants and plan accordingly. There is no equivalent to the MSAR for DO schools, so just research the websites for DO schools in your region and make your own list - their admissions requirements should be plainly detailed on their websites.

Most successful applicants have a few hundred hours of clinical experience (which can be paid or volunteer) in addition to a few hundred hours of nonclinical/community service volunteering (e.g., Habitat for Humanity, food banks, clothing drives, shelters). The bare minimum would probably be 200 hours of each. I had 400ish clinical/700ish community service when I applied a few years ago, and that worked out fine.

Medical schools want to see "some" shadowing, though most won't give a set amount. I recommend spending at least 40 hours with a primary care physician (Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Pediatrics). After primary care shadowing, you can add on more hours with physicians in other specialties, if you want, not to exceed 100 hours shadowing total. Over 100 hours shadowing is excessive and your time is better spent on other ECs. I think I had 70-80 hours total and this was pretty typical for matriculants to my medical school.

Shadowing may be hard to come by right now due to COVID restrictions, so be prepared to do some legwork. You could start by asking your own primary care physician, your/your partner's OBGYN, or your kid's pediatrician whether you can shadow them or if they can refer you to anyone. You will likely be able to pick up shadowing hours through connections you make at your clinical activities. I got a few days' shadowing just by cold-calling physicians' offices in my neighborhood, but this was before COVID so I don't know if that's still a feasible strategy. It's worth a shot I think.

 

[gramnegative]

JanetSnakehole knocked it out of the park in terms of volunteering and shadowing; I'd definitely get the MSAR and use that to help planning based on schools you are interested in.

As a non-trad, you have to think about answering the question that is going to come up often, both in essays and interviews - 'why medicine?' Clinical volunteering/shadowing are key for this.

 

[skaran17]

A tentative school list (based primarily on geography) is a good jumping off point in the beginning. You'll want to apply to schools in the state where you have residency when it's time for you to apply, as well as private schools in your state/region. You might also apply to schools in other states where you have "strong ties" (meaning where you graduated high school or lived for a substantial part of your childhood). The MSAR can also tell you which MD programs are friendly to out of state applicants or those who have "ties" to the school/region.

You won't be able to make a final school list until you have your MCAT score, but you can at least get a sense of what schools in your state/region want to see in their applicants and plan accordingly. There is no equivalent to the MSAR for DO schools, so just research the websites for DO schools in your region and make your own list - their admissions requirements should be plainly detailed on their websites.

Most successful applicants have a few hundred hours of clinical experience (which can be paid or volunteer) in addition to a few hundred hours of nonclinical/community service volunteering (e.g., Habitat for Humanity, food banks, clothing drives, shelters). The bare minimum would probably be 200 hours of each. I had 400ish clinical/700ish community service when I applied a few years ago, and that worked out fine.

Medical schools want to see "some" shadowing, though most won't give a set amount. I recommend spending at least 40 hours with a primary care physician (Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Pediatrics). After primary care shadowing, you can add on more hours with physicians in other specialties, if you want, not to exceed 100 hours shadowing total. Over 100 hours shadowing is excessive and your time is better spent on other ECs. I think I had 70-80 hours total and this was pretty typical for matriculants to my medical school.

Shadowing may be hard to come by right now due to COVID restrictions, so be prepared to do some legwork. You could start by asking your own primary care physician, your/your partner's OBGYN, or your kid's pediatrician whether you can shadow them or if they can refer you to anyone. You will likely be able to pick up shadowing hours through connections you make at your clinical activities. I got a few days' shadowing just by cold-calling physicians' offices in my neighborhood, but this was before COVID so I don't know if that's still a feasible strategy. It's worth a shot I think.

Thank you so much for all your advice! This gives me a much better picture of where to start.

 

[petomed]

How many credit hours do you have under your belt and what is your GPA?

 

[skaran17]

How many credit hours do you have under your belt and what is your GPA?

I have 138 credits with a GPA of 3.03 (horrible I know). I went to college but dropped out to join the Army with only a few classes left. In the past year I’ve been knocking out my remaining classes online and I’m currently taking the last two I need to finish my degree (BA linguistics with a minor in sociology). Most of the GPA damage was done when I was young and dumb years ago. My hope is that I can take the STEM classes I need now, and show that I have gained the maturity and work ethic to get a high GPA in those, and hopefully medical schools will see the growth there.

 

[petomed]

I have 138 credits with a GPA of 3.03 (horrible I know). I went to college but dropped out to join the Army with only a few classes left. In the past year I’ve been knocking out my remaining classes online and I’m currently taking the last two I need to finish my degree (BA linguistics with a minor in sociology). Most of the GPA damage was done when I was young and dumb years ago. My hope is that I can take the STEM classes I need now, and show that I have gained the maturity and work ethic to get a high GPA in those, and hopefully medical schools will see the growth there.

I was just curious, as you mentioned your GPA was mediocre without attaching numbers to it. Most schools do have a screening threshold and beginning at > 3.00 sets you up better than others.

It looks like you'll likely be taking as a minimum for most US MD/DO schools:

phys I-II (8 credits)
bio I-II (8 credits)
chem I-II (8 credits)
orgo (I-II) (8 credits)
biochem I (3 credits)

Many are allowing orgo II to be replaced by biochemistry but some are not. Given this, I'd plan on taking both to be safe. This amounts to 35 new credit hours. Assuming you get straight A's across the board, your final GPA could be as high as:

(138*3.03 + 35*4.00)/(138+35) = 3.23

In my opinion, that's plenty high enough for 90% of MD/DO schools if you crush the MCAT. I've seen this validated with an underdog forum on here, I'll see if I can't find it again. Given this, I don't see any barrier from a stats point of view.

The credit hours are stacked against you if you want to aim for a higher GPA though. For example, if you want to acquire a cumulative GPA of 3.40, you would need 85 additional credit hours worth of A's instead of the aforementioned 35:

138*(3.40-3.03)/(4.00-3.40) = 85 additional credit hours

Best of luck!

 

[Bonne Nuit]

(138*3.03 + 35*4.00)/(138+35) = 3.23

In my opinion, that's plenty high enough for 90% of MD/DO schools if you crush the MCAT. I've seen this validated with an underdog forum on here, I'll see if I can't find it again. Given this, I don't see any barrier from a stats point of view.

I agree with everything in the entire post but I want to specifically elaborate on this point.

A 3.23 with a few years of a stellar postbac is an entirely different animal than a traditional student’s 3.23, though the matriculant stats you see in the MSAR won’t reflect this due to the small number of reinventors in each enrolling class. A grade repairing postbac premed can only realistically improve their GPA to a certain point, and adcoms recognize this. Now, some schools are more forgiving than others; your subpar uGPA may hurt your competitiveness at certain schools, but others (especially state schools) will basically replace your uGPA with your postbac GPA. Wayne State openly advertises that they do this, in fact, and I’m sure there are others.

 

[06wolf]

skaran17, you've been getting great advice on this thread. Another thought: as an active duty servicemember in the Army, you may be eligible for the EMDP2 (Enlisted to MD Program) Medschool, Academics, EMDP2, which may situate you better for MD admission. Also, I take your point that you're interested in the University of Florida ... and simultaneously I draw attention to the fact that UHUHS is an amazing school--given your current work, I would consider it. I wish you all the best of luck--you're obviously incredibly hard working and dedicated.

 

[skaran17]

I was just curious, as you mentioned your GPA was mediocre without attaching numbers to it. Most schools do have a screening threshold and beginning at > 3.00 sets you up better than others.

It looks like you'll likely be taking as a minimum for most US MD/DO schools:

phys I-II (8 credits)
bio I-II (8 credits)
chem I-II (8 credits)
orgo (I-II) (8 credits)
biochem I (3 credits)

Many are allowing orgo II to be replaced by biochemistry but some are not. Given this, I'd plan on taking both to be safe. This amounts to 35 new credit hours. Assuming you get straight A's across the board, your final GPA could be as high as:

(138*3.03 + 35*4.00)/(138+35) = 3.23

In my opinion, that's plenty high enough for 90% of MD/DO schools if you crush the MCAT. I've seen this validated with an underdog forum on here, I'll see if I can't find it again. Given this, I don't see any barrier from a stats point of view.

The credit hours are stacked against you if you want to aim for a higher GPA though. For example, if you want to acquire a cumulative GPA of 3.40, you would need 85 additional credit hours worth of A's instead of the aforementioned 35:

138*(3.40-3.03)/(4.00-3.40) = 85 additional credit hours

Best of luck!

I agree with everything in the entire post but I want to specifically elaborate on this point.

A 3.23 with a few years of a stellar postbac is an entirely different animal than a traditional student’s 3.23, though the matriculant stats you see in the MSAR won’t reflect this due to the small number of reinventors in each enrolling class. A grade repairing postbac premed can only realistically improve their GPA to a certain point, and adcoms recognize this. Now, some schools are more forgiving than others; your subpar uGPA may hurt your competitiveness at certain schools, but others (especially state schools) will basically replace your uGPA with your postbac GPA. Wayne State openly advertises that they do this, in fact, and I’m sure there are others.

Thank you, this is great info! It's reassuring to hear that 3.23 wouldn't be too bad for most schools, especially as a non-trad with a postbac. I'd like to also take a few math classes (statistics and calculus specifically) but like you said, the credit hours are stacked against me for significant improvement.

skaran17, you've been getting great advice on this thread. Another thought: as an active duty servicemember in the Army, you may be eligible for the EMDP2 (Enlisted to MD Program) Medschool, Academics, EMDP2, which may situate you better for MD admission. Also, I take your point that you're interested in the University of Florida ... and simultaneously I draw attention to the fact that UHUHS is an amazing school--given your current work, I would consider it. I wish you all the best of luck--you're obviously incredibly hard working and dedicated.

Wow, I actually hadn't heard about this program at all. I'm definitely going to look into it further, thanks!

 

[amath03]

BIOL 1406/1407 is the general biology course sequence for Texas Community Colleges. If you plan to apply to Texas schools, the TMDSAS website has a database with all of the courses that fulfill prerequisites for Texas schools. Also, if you want to apply to Texas schools as a resident, be sure you look at the residency classification guide. Just being stationed in Austin won’t cut it, you’ll also have to get a Texas ID, voter card, and have Texas listed as your state of residence on your LES for 12 months.

Texas schools look very favorably on military service, so if you do want to stay here for school definitely make sure to get classified as a resident.

Also, EMDP2 and USUHS are good options for active duty people, but I have notified they both place a lot of emphasis on GPA.

If you have any other questions about active duty to med school, ask away. I’m currently on active duty (albeit in a different branch) and in the middle of a fairly successful application cycle.

 

[skaran17]

BIOL 1406/1407 is the general biology course sequence for Texas Community Colleges. If you plan to apply to Texas schools, the TMDSAS website has a database with all of the courses that fulfill prerequisites for Texas schools. Also, if you want to apply to Texas schools as a resident, be sure you look at the residency classification guide. Just being stationed in Austin won’t cut it, you’ll also have to get a Texas ID, voter card, and have Texas listed as your state of residence on your LES for 12 months.

Texas schools look very favorably on military service, so if you do want to stay here for school definitely make sure to get classified as a resident.

Also, EMDP2 and USUHS are good options for active duty people, but I have notified they both place a lot of emphasis on GPA.

If you have any other questions about active duty to med school, ask away. I’m currently on active duty (albeit in a different branch) and in the middle of a fairly successful application cycle.

Thank you! Yeah, I looked at EMDP2 and I think the main issue for me is going to be undergrad GPA. They require a 3.2 and mine is 3.03. I'd have to do post bac coursework just to qualify, so I might as well just do it myself.

How has your process gone? Did you already have a pre-med undergrad degree prior to the military?

 

[amath03]

Thank you! Yeah, I looked at EMDP2 and I think the main issue for me is going to be undergrad GPA. They require a 3.2 and mine is 3.03. I'd have to do post bac coursework just to qualify, so I might as well just do it myself.

How has your process gone? Did you already have a pre-med undergrad degree prior to the military?

I did not have a degree before I joined, I did mainly online classes. I took most of the science prerequisites at the local community college at night.

The overall process is long, and like you I am also doing this with 2 children.

Other advice I can give for you is to try to get volunteering and clinical experience. It will be hard to balance everything, but if you volunteer maybe once a week long term, the hours will add up while you do your post bac. I’m not sure if military service will give leeway on your non clinical volunteering, as I had a lot of hours. I also have a clinical job in the Air Force, so that helped me as well.

If you can think of more questions for sure let me know, I am more than happy to help a fellow service member out.

 

[skaran17]

I did not have a degree before I joined, I did mainly online classes. I took most of the science prerequisites at the local community college at night.

The overall process is long, and like you I am also doing this with 2 children.

Other advice I can give for you is to try to get volunteering and clinical experience. It will be hard to balance everything, but if you volunteer maybe once a week long term, the hours will add up while you do your post bac. I’m not sure if military service will give leeway on your non clinical volunteering, as I had a lot of hours. I also have a clinical job in the Air Force, so that helped me as well.

If you can think of more questions for sure let me know, I am more than happy to help a fellow service member out.

Thank you! I don't have a clinical job in the Army unfortunately, so I'll definitely need to get some experience elsewhere. That's a good tip on volunteering once a week. I expect this to be a long road, but hopefully I can balance it all!

Do you have any tips on how to find good prerequisite course options that are available at night? That's my current struggle.

 

[amath03]

Thank you! I don't have a clinical job in the Army unfortunately, so I'll definitely need to get some experience elsewhere. That's a good tip on volunteering once a week. I expect this to be a long road, but hopefully I can balance it all!

Do you have any tips on how to find good prerequisite course options that are available at night? That's my current struggle.

When I was looking for night classes, I looked at the local community colleges. There are like 5 where I am stationed, and luckily they are all under the same district, so I was able to enroll at any of the colleges. I know in Austin there are a few colleges and universities, I would check the course schedule for all of them.