Looking for Guidance.....

[bnevans188]

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Greetings,
I am new to the forum and looking for guidance. First of all, I am returning to school after a 5 year military hiatus. I am a high school dropout, but much has changed in my life since then. I am currently attending a local community college here in MD mainly to keep my student loans down. It is a very respectable community college with bridge programs with JHU and U of MD. Do Med. School admissions look down on community colleges? Would it be advisible to transfer to a four year college (U of MD) a.s.a.p. Also, I am working part-time at a local hospital. How much volunteer time is necessary. I would love to devote my time to voluteering, but between my new daughter, school, and working to make ends meet I am finding it difficult to set aside time for volunteer work. I would appreciate any advice. Thank you.

 

[Raptor]

First, I just want to say Welcome!! Secondly, medical schools don't look too favorable toward Community College grades. If you can I would transfer asap to any good accreditated 4 yr. Or I would take all my electives at the community college and take all my science requirements at a 4 yr. Thirdly, a lot of medical school want you to have at least 6 months worth of volunteering. It is feasible to see that with your busy schedule its hard to fit in volunteering, but I would just do 1-3 hrs a week. Working at the hospital is great, if its mostly clinical then even better. Once you get the extracurricular, volunteering, good grades, and good MCAT you will be on your way to medical school. Good luck, you will do great!!!

 

[ShortStuff]

Hi...My 2cents is that you don't need a specified amount of anything in order to prove you are a good doctor and it is much more the whole picture. I am sure that adcoms would have much more respect for you supporting your family then that not doing that so you had time to volunteer. Backgrounds determine alot and if you are a non-traditional applicant as you will be then I don't think you need to try and replicate a traditional applicants experiences.

With regard to community college I would say yeah transfer if you can and for science...I think that is good advice but I have read posts about people who did some work at community college and have done just fine....

best of luck.
SS

 

[tms]

Stay at the community college...get an AA with a 4.0...go to U of Md for free (transfer scholarships for students with 4.0)...kick ass at U of Md...get into med school.

you save money that is invaliable to your new family...and still end up with a BS is one of the most up-and-coming state school. PM if you have any other questions...i am a 26 yo non-trad with community college credits from CCBC Essex and Dundalk, and a U of MD alum.

 

[manicmaven]

I too have community college credits...even some of my med school pre-recs have been taken there. I haven't even been questioned about them in interviews. Having said that, I would still try to take your pre-recs at a four year. The previous poster had good advice. Take as many of your AA classes as you can at CC and get as high a GPA as possible. If you have to take chem or bio at community college, make sure you take cell biology or biochemistry at your four year to prove that you can get As in university science classes as well. Finally, when applying through amcas, you may want to use your 'disadvantaged' explanation section to explain your family circumstances and the financial reasons you started out at community college.

I even felt like I did well on the MCAT because my community college classes were geared toward grasping the whole picture in science. You can totally do this. Good luck.

 

[Random Access]

Originally posted by ShortStuff
Hi...My 2cents is that you don't need a specified amount of anything in order to prove you are a good doctor and it is much more the whole picture. I am sure that adcoms would have much more respect for you supporting your family then that not doing that so you had time to volunteer. Backgrounds determine alot and if you are a non-traditional applicant as you will be then I don't think you need to try and replicate a traditional applicants experiences.

Don't applications ask about family care? I know law school applications do. If I remember correctly, it's often either under the same column as employment or under volunteer stuff.

 

[bnevans188]

Thank you all very much for your advice and encouragement!