Need some tips/advice

[BimmerBoyUSMC]

I have a feeling I'm in the wrong part of this forum, but please bear with me for a moment...

I'm currently in the Marine Corps and my time will be up fairly soon, and I'm quite interested in going down the path of becoming a radiologist. Problem is is I don't have the slightest clue as to what is required to get there other than I need to get a science related degree and then go to med school. I've browsed around the forum for a bit, probably not long enough, and I kept reading about interviews, referrals, etc and quite frankly I have no idea what any of that means. Hopefully someone can give me some insight on what's needed to begin this process, or tow this thread to the proper part of the forum where I can get help.

Thanks in advance.
-Kevin

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[Adam638]

Undergraduate Degree --> Medical School 4 years --> Diagnostic Radiology Residency 5 years --> Fellowship 1-2 years (optional, interventional radiology, pediatric radiology, etc.) --> Practicing Radiologist

 

[colbgw02]

It's important to take things one step at a time. Even if you were discharged from the USMC tomorrow and enrolled in a university full-time, you're still more than half a decade away from even applying to radiology, much less becoming a radiologist.

How much, if any, college credit do you have? You'll need a bachelor's degree, obviously, but it need not be in a "hard" science - or any science at all, really. Take me as an example: I was a biology major, but I have regretted not majoring in history every day since. Study what you find interesting. All you really need are the medical school prerequisites, which are available through almost any major.

Once in college, you can make a better informed decision about whether or not medical school is for you. You won't even apply for medical school until the summer and fall before you enroll, so you've got several years to figure this out. Any college that's worth its salt will have a pre-med advisor to walk you through the process.

Once in medical school, you'll have several more years to pick a specialty and figure out the application process. It's way too early to even worry about that.

Lastly, make sure you inform yourself about your GI bill options. For example, it may be worthwhile to pay for a relatively cheap, in-state university on your own and save the GI benefits for medical school.

 

[BimmerBoyUSMC]

It's important to take things one step at a time. Even if you were discharged from the USMC tomorrow and enrolled in a university full-time, you're still more than half a decade away from even applying to radiology, much less becoming a radiologist.

How much, if any, college credit do you have? You'll need a bachelor's degree, obviously, but it need not be in a "hard" science - or any science at all, really. Take me as an example: I was a biology major, but I have regretted not majoring in history every day since. Study what you find interesting. All you really need are the medical school prerequisites, which are available through almost any major.

Once in college, you can make a better informed decision about whether or not medical school is for you. You won't even apply for medical school until the summer and fall before you enroll, so you've got several years to figure this out. Any college that's worth its salt will have a pre-med advisor to walk you through the process.

Once in medical school, you'll have several more years to pick a specialty and figure out the application process. It's way too early to even worry about that.

Lastly, make sure you inform yourself about your GI bill options. For example, it may be worthwhile to pay for a relatively cheap, in-state university on your own and save the GI benefits for medical school.

Thanks for the info.

I don't have any college credits whatsoever. Not sure if that's bad or not... I joined the Marine Corps right after high school many years ago.

So from what you're saying, I can get a degree in something that I actually want to and still get into med school? Is med school the same for all types of physicians or no?

Paying for college and med school will not be an issue for me at all, so we'll leave it at that. That brings me to yet another question; does it really matter what school I go to? Obviously I want to go to a good one, but say I go to University of Arizona, will that make me more/less competitive or does it not matter?

 

[colbgw02]

Thanks for the info.

Happy to (try to) help.

I don't have any college credits whatsoever. Not sure if that's bad or not... I joined the Marine Corps right after high school many years ago.

Not a bad thing at all. I just know that many enlisted folks take at least a few college courses while in uniform. All that means is that you'll be starting from square 1, just like the rest of us, with at least 4 full years of college ahead of you (don't rush through college; enjoy every second).

So from what you're saying, I can get a degree in something that I actually want to and still get into med school? Is med school the same for all types of physicians or no?

Absolutely. Almost all medical schools have the same prerequisites, so as long as you take those, they don't care what you major in. I didn't believe that at first, but it's 100% true. Some schools have majors that won't allow you to 1) complete that major, 2) take all pre-med courses, and 3) graduate in 4 years. I remember at my college, the only major that didn't fit was mathematical economics.

Paying for college and med school will not be an issue for me at all, so we'll leave it at that.

Lucky for you, says the guy who is a quarter million dollars in debt.

That brings me to yet another question; does it really matter what school I go to? Obviously I want to go to a good one, but say I go to University of Arizona, will that make me more/less competitive or does it not matter?

I'm not sure if you're referring to college or medical school here, but the answer is the same. Sure it matters. Unless we're talking about a top-tier public university (e.g. UCLA, UVA), then you're going to need a higher GPA to be competitive for medical school. Similarly, going to Harvard will open more doors for residency than going to a bottom-tier university. That being said, it's probably easier to get a 3.9 GPA at Univ. of Arizona than it is to get a 3.4 at an Ivy League school, so pick your poison.

In the end, it's mostly about the individual. Brilliant people come out of large universities, and conversely, I've known people from Harvard that I thought were borderline mentally ******ed.

 

[whatabro]

I'm not sure if you're referring to college or medical school here, but the answer is the same. Sure it matters. Unless we're talking about a top-tier public university (e.g. UCLA, UVA), then you're going to need a higher GPA to be competitive for medical school. Similarly, going to Harvard will open more doors for residency than going to a bottom-tier university. That being said, it's probably easier to get a 3.9 GPA at Univ. of Arizona than it is to get a 3.4 at an Ivy League school, so pick your poison.

In the end, it's mostly about the individual. Brilliant people come out of large universities, and conversely, I've known people from Harvard that I thought were borderline mentally ******ed.

Take this with a grain of salt. I went to a small school in the Midwest that literally no one at my med school has EVER heard of, but I had great grades, a good MCAT score and awesome letters of reference. And now I'm applying for radiology at the top of my med school class, in AOA (medical honor society), etc. So your choice of undergrad is less important than the effort you put in to make your med school application as strong as possible. There are pro's and con's of small, liberal arts schools versus large, well-recognized universities which are probably discussed elsewhere on this site.

All that to say, find a university that you fit in and like the people/opportunities/track record of getting people in to medical school, and do your best there. The track record is important, because having a mentor who knows what they're talking about is a pretty big deal. Several of my classmates barely made it in because their pre-med counselors were idiots.

 

[colbgw02]

In the end, it's mostly about the individual. Brilliant people come out of large universities, and conversely, I've known people from Harvard that I thought were borderline mentally ******ed.

Take this with a grain of salt. I went to a small school in the Midwest that literally no one at my med school has EVER heard of, but I had great grades, a good MCAT score and awesome letters of reference. And now I'm applying for radiology at the top of my med school class, in AOA (medical honor society), etc. So your choice of undergrad is less important than the effort you put in to make your med school application as strong as possible. There are pro's and con's of small, liberal arts schools versus large, well-recognized universities which are probably discussed elsewhere on this site.

I feel like you completely ignored the above part of my post. Of course, any properly motivated and intelligent individual can get to where they want to be in medicine. I went to a small, liberal arts school myself. My advise was intentionally general, which I thought would be most instructive given that I know no specifics about the OP. I don't think that anyone could deny that, all other things being equal, a Harvard grad has a better shot at medical school than a graduate from the Univ. of Arizona. Extrapolate as necessary.

All that to say, find a university that you fit in and like the people/opportunities/track record of getting people in to medical school, and do your best there.

Totally agree. I would never advocate attending a certain school for cost/convenience reasons when it doesn't "feel" right.

 

[BimmerBoyUSMC]

Alright, here's what I'm getting from you guys so far...

1. Good grades/test scores the most important (obviously).
2. The college I go to isn't a big deal, but the "better" the school, the higher chance of success I'll have.
3. What I major in isn't of much concern, so long as it allows me to get into med school.

I'm going to pick your brains as much as I can, so here's a few more questions:

1. Are there any med schools that specialize in Radiology or will I receive the same education at any med school?
2. I'd prefer to stay on the west coast, so are there any "good" colleges you would recommend I apply to? I'll apply to UC Davis for sure. My father in law is the director of the heart department at the medical center there and said he may be able to help me get in.
3. Anything else I should know before I start going down this path?

 

[PokerDoc]

1. Are there any med schools that specialize in Radiology or will I receive the same education at any med school?
2. I'd prefer to stay on the west coast, so are there any "good" colleges you would recommend I apply to? I'll apply to UC Davis for sure. My father in law is the director of the heart department at the medical center there and said he may be able to help me get in.
3. Anything else I should know before I start going down this path?

1. No, medical education is largely standardized. Pretty much all the US allopathic schools will give you a good chance of matching if you get good scores/evals.

2. Go for it, but be aware that the UC med schools are incredibly difficult to get into. Be willing to apply broadly and out of state.

3. Feel free to ask away as you think of more questions, you got time

Good luck!