New to all this.

[jaymovement]

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Hi all,

I'll be 24 soon. I have a BA in History and just realized i want to practice medicine. From what i've read so far I need to do a post bacc first. Being a noob w no science background, what is a realistic timeframe to practice? Also, am I foolish for thinking this is possible!??

 

[Perrotfish]

Your not foolish, but be aware that your Ugrad GPA will be counted for/against you, so how long of a road this is will depend on your undergrad performance.

Realistic time frame assuming you did well in college: 1.5 years to finish the premed requirements, shadow a doctor, round up letters of rec, and take the MCATs. 1 year sitting around waiting for your application to be processed. 4 years medical school. 3-8 years of residency depending on your field of choice. You can be a fully trained practicing physician in a minimum of 9 years from next September assuming you start premed classes in spring, everything goes right for you, and you get in on your first try.

Good luck.

Edit: just in case this wasn't clear, you do get paid some amount of money in Residency, just not very much. You won't e working for free until you're 33, though.

 

[NewmansOwn]

Yup, depends entirely on your undergrad performance and other CV treats to date. Bear in mind you can possibly avoid the year sitting around, as Perrotfish mentioned (often referred to as the "glide year") if you go to a formal postbac program that offers medical schools consorts/linakges, by which you are conditionally accepted early in the program and matriculate at the med school after satisfactory completion of the prereqs and the MCAT.