Newb Non-traditionalist - Advice?

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Anastasis

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So I just figured out (finally) that medicine is the career I want.
So now comes the hard part. I graduated in May 2004 with two undergraduate degrees one in Psychology and one in English. Needless to say I don't have most of the pre-req classes for Medical school. I have Inorganic Chem I & II and Physics-Mechanics and all the Calculus I need but I'm still missing the Biology and Organic Chem. I'm starting at a local university in the fall to pick up the classes I need to apply; however because of the sequencing of the classes it's going to take me a full year to finish them up.

My main question was: what do I do with all this extra time? I'm used to taking at least an 18 hr load every semester but I will only have to take about 8 or so hours a semester. Should I volunteer or should I pick up extra science classes? Should I try and find a job and try to save up some for Med School?
Just as an extra piece of information, my volunteer hours from my undergraduate are extensive and I'm currently living in Belfast, Northern Ireland for a year doing cross-community peace and reconciliation work (that's what I thought i wanted to do before I realized that I wanted to be a doctor). No that it really relates to medicine at all but I thought it would still look appealing to medical schools.
I really want to be a doctor to do medical mission work or work in a poor community - that may affect some advice anyone may have so just throwing that out there.
Any other advice anyone can offer would be great.
:luck:

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First of all, why can't you take more Bio. I can see Ochem1 then 2 in different terms. I took Zoo, Micro, and HAnat in the same term with Ochem1. That was pretty full, since each class had a 3 hr lab. Labs suck as time drainers.

I would take Physio (or Genetics) for the MCAT. Anat helps for med, but not much for MCAT. If you plan to MCAT in April, you should commit quite a bit of study time in the spring. I started about Feb. 1.
 
Would taking extra bio classes look better than, say, volunteering at a free clinic in my spare time? Or is it the classic answer - both of those would look the best ;)

I have to retake intro to biology so there is always the problem that I won't have the pre-reqs for the upper bios.

As for the MCAT - I think I will take it in April. I was playing around with the idea of getting EMT certified to make some money before I start med school.
 
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