My position...suggestions needed!

[thoffen]

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Hello. I am a 25 y/o Computer Engineer. I've got a B.S. CompE from Georgia Tech (GPA 3.45). I also spent a semester of grad school at Notre Dame in CSE w/ a GPA of 3.0. I wasn't happy there personally or professionally and left. I rushed through undergrad (3 1/2 years) and had tons of extracurriculars (summer jobs, TA 3 semesters, president of honor society, undergrad research, spent a semester at Caltech in a summer program). I'm used to a very heavy load, which I hear is a bonus. My science grades from then are: AP BIO I, B's in Phy I & II, B in Chem I....A's in most math and english, some additional emag, some psych.

Right now, I am going to a local community college while working full time to fill out pre-reqs. So far I've earned an A in bio II, and will be taking Chem II and then Org. Chem I and II. I will not let myself get anything other than an A in these. I'm studying independently for the MCAT. I will be finished with school next summer. I'm also volunteering with BBBS and my alumni association. I'm going to see if I can volunteer at some medical facility maybe one weekend a month. I'm doing this while working full time, so the schedule is very tight.

1) Will my research experience be appliccable? Totally different field, but I've read they want to make sure you know what you're in for with it.
2) Will my graduate experience be a negative since I left early and didn't have spectacular grades?
3) How will my GPA/Science GPA end up being calculated? Just lump all my courses from various schools together?
4) I've just now heard of post-bacc programs. Will the institution I am taking my pre-req's at be weighed heavily? The programs have a lab.
5) Should I focus on finding a medical-related volunteer opportunity? How much time should I dedicate to it, or does it matter? I've been told the goal of this is to let people know what medical work entails and that they're making the right decision.
6) How many letters of recommendation are expected? I am unsure of where mine might come from as I'm a bit removed from school. I hope work will be understanding enough to oblige. I've worked here almost 2 1/2 years.
7) The timing is unfortunate. I will not have anything to do for 1 year after I apply. Should I take more classes? Do some places have the opportunity to apply early before finishing pre-reqs and taking the MCAT? Could I submit my MCAT scores after applying to spend more time studying for it?
8) Any other general suggestions?

Thank you very much!

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

Hi, I am a 31 year-old EE, who is currently applying to Medical School. I will make some comments before answering your specific questions. Your overall GPA is fine for an engineer, although it is below average for a Medical School applicant. Some ADCOMS realize that engineering is a difficult course of study and cut some slack for it, others don't, so plan accordingly. The other thing is that you will need more clinical experience than one weekend (day?) per month. I realize that it's tough when working full-time, taking classes, etc but we all need to do it. Now onto my answers to your questions:

1. Research isn't a HUGE factor in admissions. Good research (esp. if it includes a publication and/or some other public presentation) will definitely help your application, but if it is just garden-variety research (esp. in EE/CE and not related to medicine) may only ever-so-slightly help your application. It certainly won't hurt it, though.

2. Yes. No ifs, ands or buts about it. I left a PhD program early, and have been asked about it on every interview that I have had so far (it's very often PhDs that are interviewing you.) I had a REAL GOOD explanation/justification for my leaving the program, and all of my interviewers sympathized and usually explicitly said that it sounded like I made the right decision. But, it will look negative, make no mistake about it.

3. Yes. Science (BCPM) is the average of your Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math classes. Engineering courses are not considered science and are not counted in the BCPM GPA.

4. You are taking the classes at a community college. Some schools will explicitly not accept classes taken at a community college. These are relatively rare, however. Personally, I would try to take all classes at a 4-year University (not necessarily as part of a post-bac program.) While many have gotten into medical school after taking classes at a CC, it doesn't help you to do so.

5. Yes. You have to dedicate enough time to your volunteer work to convince someone that you have gotten enough clinical exposure to realize what you are getting into. There is no pre-set number of hours, but, like I said earlier, 1 weekend a month seems light.

6. You will generally need at least 3 letters of recommendation. 2 of them must come from Science Professors, generally. You will not be able to use a work letter of rec. in place of these 2, but MIGHT be able to use one for the 3rd.

7. You can apply before you have finished your pre-reqs, but not before you take the MCAT (the exception to the latter rule is that you can apply a few months early if you intend to take the Aug. MCAT, but generally not much happens with your application until the MCAT scores are received.)

8. You might want to take some more advanced Biology courses. Here in TX, schools require 2 years of Bio., forcing the issue, although most other schools require only 1 year. Advanced courses like Genetics or Physiology will help you with the MCAT.

Good Luck to You!

Jota

 

[thoffen]

Thanks very much. I am a bit concerned about my graduate experience, but that is nothing that I can control. I'm beginning to look at my resume in two parts:
1. Previous experiences which I cannot control
2. Current efforts which I can maximize.

Since I am working full time and there is no feasible 4-year university in range and I have already taken 1 CC pre-req and registered for another, I think I may be set in that path.

I'm not used to being in a position where I'm not at the top. My current goal is to get an opportunity at a med school, even DO school. It doesn't matter where or how much it will cost. I can only focus on those factors within my power, and I will hope that this dedication will outshine anything else on my applications.

Edit: best of luck to you as well!

 

[Taliesinrk]

in response to:

1. According to the dean of admissions of Univ. of Chicago's med school; they don't care what type of research you do. For all they care, it could be research in music history. It's the process and problem solving skills they're looking for. That is what he informed us of at a particular lecture... whether or not you believe him... that's up to you.

 

[Pemberley]

1) Will my research experience be appliccable? Totally different field, but I've read they want to make sure you know what you're in for with it.

Yes, absolutely. The interviewers at my one-and-only interview so far were very interested in some data analysis I did of incidents in Baghdad, trying to analyze past trends to predict future enemy activity (my attempts were unsuccessful). This isn't only not-biology, it's even not-science, but they were interested in the mental processes that are similar to research that I might do later as a doctor.

3) How will my GPA/Science GPA end up being calculated? Just lump all my courses from various schools together?

Yes, but if different schools have different systems of credits, there may be multiplication factors to bring all the courses to an equal weight. For instance, a year's worth of coursework at Caltech is 27 credits, so they multiply your Caltech credits by a weighting factor that's just above 0.2, in order to those credits in line with other schools. Similarly, a year of coursework at Tufts is 2 credits, so they multiply that by 4.

4) I've just now heard of post-bacc programs. Will the institution I am taking my pre-req's at be weighed heavily? The programs have a lab.

It didn't come up during my interview. Use a 4-year whenever you can, but if your work schedule (like mine) doesn't permit, then it doesn't. I really don't know how valuable a post-bacc would be if you're most of the way through your pre-reqs. My interviewers seemed happy to be able to talk to somebody who hadn't been in an academic setting her entire life.

5) Should I focus on finding a medical-related volunteer opportunity? How much time should I dedicate to it, or does it matter? I've been told the goal of this is to let people know what medical work entails and that they're making the right decision.

YES YES YES!!! or else a shadowing experience, or preferably both. I got quite a direct question during my interview: "You seem to get bored without continuing challenges in your work environment. What makes you think that you won't get bored with medicine?" If I hadn't shadowed a pediatric infectious disease doctor at MGH this summer, I would have been hosed. Get exposure to a field about which you can talk enthusiastically, especially since your record might be viewed with concern where leaving educational programs is concerned.

6) How many letters of recommendation are expected? I am unsure of where mine might come from as I'm a bit removed from school. I hope work will be understanding enough to oblige. I've worked here almost 2 1/2 years.

Interfolio is your friend. Anybody from work who can recommend you, have them do it at whatever the best time is. Any lab instructors from your pre-req classes, similarly, at the end of the semester. Then when it's time to apply, order them sent where you need. Some schools are inflexible about the three-professors requirement, so do your best to get to know whatever professors you have.

Hope this helps
-Pemberley

 

[thoffen]

Thanks all for the great advice. I've made so much progress toward my goal in the last few days since I've found this website.

One last question/clarification:
The school I'm going for the rest of my pre-reqs is an accredited university with some bachelor's degrees. Does this mean it is not a CC? I'm not sure I understand the distinction.