medical tech as a major

[Nina2006]

hello future doctors!!

I've been browising through this forum and I must say this is a great help! However this is my first time posting. I've completed my pre-reqs for med school and now transferring to George Mason University or UMB (university of maryland)to major in medical technology. Is there anyone out there who's majored in medical technology or is considering it? I've read in this forum that the admission rate for medical tech's is very low. Is it better to just go ahead and major in biology?. I'm very much interested in both and can't consider an undergrad major in anything else. And also GMU has a dual major program in biology and medical technology. Does anyone have some info on how medical schools view students how've double majored? I have one last question,
Does it matter to adCOMS where you graduate from? UMB is a pretty good school but expensive (out of state tuition) , GMU works for me financially.
Any advice would be veryyyyy much appreciated. Sorry about all these questions ..........

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[DropkickMurphy]

After this fall, I'll most likely be a medical technology major at GMU. PM me if you want to talk.

It doesn't matter nearly as much where you go, as how well you do. The advantage of medical technology over a plain bio degree is that unlike a bio major, you are damn likely to have a job when you graduate as an MT.

 

[Pose]

I had originally planned on MT, although I quickly switched to economics. I don't know why, and I'm not sure why I told you this.

DKM is a champion, though. What the hell haven't you done?

 

[txlioness]

hi,

I got my Associates in Medical Lab Technology and finishing soon with my BS in Medical Technology from UTMB (Univ of TX Medical Branch). I am applying to UTMB for med school as well this cycle in addition to other schools.

I have been in the field for 10 years and I can tell you it can help. I have to deal with docs all the time who can't interpret their patient's lab work. It will be a help to you. I don't think your major being an MT will hurt you otherwise they wouldn't let Music, Psych, Economics, etc majors in. The schools would just let Science majors in. As long as you can prove that you can handle the work load and have what the school is looking for then you should have a chance. IF I get accepted, I think the MT background will be helpful to me. Plus, I have a pretty good job if I have to reapply next cycle.

Getting in is a crap shoot for everyone, none of us knowwhat the schools are looking for. Someone with a 4.0 GPA, stellar MCAT score may get blown out of the water, while a "so-so" student gets in. Who knows what is the adcoms rationale for admitting some folks and not others.

good to us all

 

[TMB M.D.]

I was a MT major and I worked at hospitals after graduation. I think majoring in MT will help once you are in medical shool and once you start to practice as a doctor. MT program usually includes clinical rotations, which is a good clinical exposure for pre-meds. Premed courses are pretty intense; you have courses such as hematology, microbiology, clinical biochemistry, immunohematology (blood bank), phlebotomy, immunology, etc, all of which are good preparation for medical school. Lots of my classmates had hard time keeping their GPA up (at my school you have to pass all the classes C or above [you have to reapeat if you get C-] so some changed thieir major, some took longer than 4 years to graduate and some simply dropped out... ). So if you think you can handle the coursework and maintain a good GPA, I would say go for it.

And yes, once you receive your degree and pass the board exam you will have no problem landing on a job.

 

[Nina2006]

Thanks for the advice everyone!! Appreciate it. And yes, the curriculum sounds pretty hard. If one of you were in my situation, would you choose a school which you'll be paying in-state tuition, $4000 (in my case George Mason) or would you go to a much more higher ranked school( University of Maryland,UMB) and pay $7250 per semsester. AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE LIVING EXPENSES.
Will I have a better chance of getting admitted in a medical school if I were to go to UMB, which I'm sure you know has a medical school. I keep on telling myself it's only undergrad so maybe I shouldn't spend all that money for a Medical technology degree, but I'm not sure if I'm right.
What you do?!!!!!! I've been driving myself crazy with this......
And TMB.MD, how did you do as far as your GPA is concerned?

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Go to GMU. Don't worry about "ranking".

 

[txlioness]

Go to where you can afford...GMU. I am attending a public university and I am glad that my fees aren't outrageous.

I figure if I get into medical school, I will have enough loans to worry about then. Try to keep your debt as low as possible.

 

[Vox Animo]

Being a med tech will offer some decent cash while in medschool if you find the time to moonlight, plus summers.

 

[OSUdoc08]

hello future doctors!!

I've been browising through this forum and I must say this is a great help! However this is my first time posting. I've completed my pre-reqs for med school and now transferring to George Mason University or UMB (university of maryland)to major in medical technology. Is there anyone out there who's majored in medical technology or is considering it? I've read in this forum that the admission rate for medical tech's is very low. Is it better to just go ahead and major in biology?. I'm very much interested in both and can't consider an undergrad major in anything else. And also GMU has a dual major program in biology and medical technology. Does anyone have some info on how medical schools view students how've double majored? I have one last question,
Does it matter to adCOMS where you graduate from? UMB is a pretty good school but expensive (out of state tuition) , GMU works for me financially.
Any advice would be veryyyyy much appreciated. Sorry about all these questions ..........

Medical technology is looked down upon by admissions committees, and has one of the lowest acceptance rates for medical school. There is no reason to get a double major anyway---its a waste of time. Do biology or some other real major.

 

[TMB M.D.]

Thanks for the advice everyone!! Appreciate it. And yes, the curriculum sounds pretty hard. If one of you were in my situation, would you choose a school which you'll be paying in-state tuition, $4000 (in my case George Mason) or would you go to a much more higher ranked school( University of Maryland,UMB) and pay $7250 per semsester. AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE LIVING EXPENSES.
Will I have a better chance of getting admitted in a medical school if I were to go to UMB, which I'm sure you know has a medical school. I keep on telling myself it's only undergrad so maybe I shouldn't spend all that money for a Medical technology degree, but I'm not sure if I'm right.
What you do?!!!!!! I've been driving myself crazy with this......
And TMB.MD, how did you do as far as your GPA is concerned?

Nina, I did pretty good GPA wise (3.96 overall). I had to study hard for that GPA... MT is my second degree (my first one is biology from a university abroad) so I think I had a good foundation, too.

By the way, the courses I mentioned (hematology, microbiology, clinical biochemistry, immunohematology (blood bank), phlebotomy, immunology,etc) are MT courses not "premed's". I think you already figured that out, but I want to mention so that people who might read the posts don't get confused.

Good luck !