Non-trad... Do I still have a chance??

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futureunknown11896

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Hello, I am a senior in college with a bit of an unusual story that got me where I am today. I started college at one of the top liberal arts schools as a poli sci major intending to go into politics. After my freshman year, one of my parents was diagnosed with a terminal illness and that's where things start getting funky. I took a year off of school to work at a veterinary hospital because I thought that I wanted to completely switch tracks and be a veterinarian. I'm so glad that I tried it out however because I quickly learned it was not for me (upset pomeranian parents are not my cup of tea...). When I returned to school I transferred to another top liberal arts school that was closer to home so that I could commute (5 hrs instead of 10) if an emergency came up. Within a semester, my parent's illness progressed to stage iv and we were given a grave prognosis of a month so I took a semester off, took a class at home and got certified as an exercise instructor. My parent ended up being okay and actually improving significantly. The next semester, I transferred back to my original institution because I thought I wanted to pursue nursing and it was not available at the new school I was attending. I was very inspired by the nurses I was encountering during my parent's tx. Additionally, I missed my friends. Then, my parent's illness progressed significantly again and we were given a grave prognosis so I made my final transfer to my home state institution where I took a full load and took care of my parent full time when not in class/doing hw. Since returning to my home state and taking classes here I have not been thinking of pursuing medicine as much.... I have seen some of the darker sides of it while dealing with my parent's illness. I have become a bit disheartened/disillusioned. Part of me is disappointed with the system while another part wants to make a positive contribution. Regardless of what I choose to pursue, I know I will need a post-bacc (I am a sociology major, so no MD-required coursework yet).
I know that my decision-making was pretty bizarre in my undergrad... I was 17 when my parent was diagnosed and definitely didn't handle it elegantly.... But that aside, I have a high GPA and I conduct research in a lab at school. If I pursued a post-bacc to get the required classes and kept my GPA up, do you think that I still have a chance at med school? I am becoming increasingly interested in psychosomatic processes and would love to research this one day but I wonder if this is a pipe dream after all that I've done....
Thanks!

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If you get the classes you need and all the other “pre-med” stuff (decent GPA, MCAT, etc), then I would apply. Just be able to explain the story of your parents and your decisions in an interview. that way they can understand why you changed paths when you did.
 
Yeah you seem perfectly fine. You did undergrad pretty well and no one will penalize you for having to take a post-bacc to learn pre-med stuff.
 
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Hello, I am a senior in college with a bit of an unusual story that got me where I am today. I started college at one of the top liberal arts schools as a poli sci major intending to go into politics. After my freshman year, one of my parents was diagnosed with a terminal illness and that's where things start getting funky. I took a year off of school to work at a veterinary hospital because I thought that I wanted to completely switch tracks and be a veterinarian. I'm so glad that I tried it out however because I quickly learned it was not for me (upset pomeranian parents are not my cup of tea...). When I returned to school I transferred to another top liberal arts school that was closer to home so that I could commute (5 hrs instead of 10) if an emergency came up. Within a semester, my parent's illness progressed to stage iv and we were given a grave prognosis of a month so I took a semester off, took a class at home and got certified as an exercise instructor. My parent ended up being okay and actually improving significantly. The next semester, I transferred back to my original institution because I thought I wanted to pursue nursing and it was not available at the new school I was attending. I was very inspired by the nurses I was encountering during my parent's tx. Additionally, I missed my friends. Then, my parent's illness progressed significantly again and we were given a grave prognosis so I made my final transfer to my home state institution where I took a full load and took care of my parent full time when not in class/doing hw. Since returning to my home state and taking classes here I have not been thinking of pursuing medicine as much.... I have seen some of the darker sides of it while dealing with my parent's illness. I have become a bit disheartened/disillusioned. Part of me is disappointed with the system while another part wants to make a positive contribution. Regardless of what I choose to pursue, I know I will need a post-bacc (I am a sociology major, so no MD-required coursework yet).
I know that my decision-making was pretty bizarre in my undergrad... I was 17 when my parent was diagnosed and definitely didn't handle it elegantly.... But that aside, I have a high GPA and I conduct research in a lab at school. If I pursued a post-bacc to get the required classes and kept my GPA up, do you think that I still have a chance at med school? I am becoming increasingly interested in psychosomatic processes and would love to research this one day but I wonder if this is a pipe dream after all that I've done....
Thanks!
Attending multiple undergrad institutions is not a bar to a med school acceptance, so, Yes, you have a chance at med school. It's helpful that you've kept your GPA high. But this is not a career to enter into lightly. It will be expected that your ECs include activities that will test your suitability for medicine. You might start with some physician shadowing (and you might add a PA, NP, and/or RN as well), as well as a volunteer or work gig in a clinical environment where you interact with current patients with whom you have no family connection. Nonmedical volunteerism is also highly valued on a med school application.
 
It sounds like you have had a whirlwind few years. I didn't end up here the traditional way either and can relate to some of your story. Maybe take a couple years off, get your head together, and then do a post-bacc if medicine is still what you want.
 
Hello, I am a senior in college with a bit of an unusual story that got me where I am today. I started college at one of the top liberal arts schools as a poli sci major intending to go into politics. After my freshman year, one of my parents was diagnosed with a terminal illness and that's where things start getting funky. I took a year off of school to work at a veterinary hospital because I thought that I wanted to completely switch tracks and be a veterinarian. I'm so glad that I tried it out however because I quickly learned it was not for me (upset pomeranian parents are not my cup of tea...). When I returned to school I transferred to another top liberal arts school that was closer to home so that I could commute (5 hrs instead of 10) if an emergency came up. Within a semester, my parent's illness progressed to stage iv and we were given a grave prognosis of a month so I took a semester off, took a class at home and got certified as an exercise instructor. My parent ended up being okay and actually improving significantly. The next semester, I transferred back to my original institution because I thought I wanted to pursue nursing and it was not available at the new school I was attending. I was very inspired by the nurses I was encountering during my parent's tx. Additionally, I missed my friends. Then, my parent's illness progressed significantly again and we were given a grave prognosis so I made my final transfer to my home state institution where I took a full load and took care of my parent full time when not in class/doing hw. Since returning to my home state and taking classes here I have not been thinking of pursuing medicine as much.... I have seen some of the darker sides of it while dealing with my parent's illness. I have become a bit disheartened/disillusioned. Part of me is disappointed with the system while another part wants to make a positive contribution. Regardless of what I choose to pursue, I know I will need a post-bacc (I am a sociology major, so no MD-required coursework yet).
I know that my decision-making was pretty bizarre in my undergrad... I was 17 when my parent was diagnosed and definitely didn't handle it elegantly.... But that aside, I have a high GPA and I conduct research in a lab at school. If I pursued a post-bacc to get the required classes and kept my GPA up, do you think that I still have a chance at med school? I am becoming increasingly interested in psychosomatic processes and would love to research this one day but I wonder if this is a pipe dream after all that I've done....
Thanks!
Yes.

read this:
Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention
Med School Rx: Getting In, Getting Through, and Getting On with Doctoring Original Edition by Walter Hartwig

ISBN-13: 978-1607140627

ISBN-10: 1607140624
 
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