Nontraditional Med Student (Beginning M1 This Fall) Ask Me Anything

[jmneddy]

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About two and a half years ago, I realized I had chosen the wrong career and decided to completely change directions by going back to school to pursue medicine. Now, I am about to start medical school this fall. I'm 28, married, and an English major, of all things. When I made this decision, I scoured the internet for answers to my many, many questions. (Everything from "Can an English major become a doctor?" to "How do I make the right connections for research opportunities?")

I found answers to some of my questions on Google, various blogs and--obviously--SDN, but now I want to be a resource for others. Nontraditional students are increasingly common nowadays, but the dirty details of that whole restart process still require some digging. So I just want to be a resource for anyone, whether you have questions about the MCAT or what classes to take or crafting your personal statement and activities. (As an editor in my past life, I'm also more than happy to take a peek at any writing and offer feedback!)

For the record, I will be starting as an M1 this fall. Okay, ask me anything!

 

[seanm028]

Thanks for doing this.

How was your initial undergrad GPA? Did you have to do any repair?

 

[jmneddy]

I had a high GPA from my English undergrad. (Books and writing and linguistics are still something I nerd out about.) I was worried about performing well in the science pre-requisites, but I actually buckled down. I also took my prerequisites from a reputable state college (none online, though!!!) and having a higher teacher-to-student ratio helped. Unfortunately, grades ARE important.

If you currently have a low GPA, I have basically 3 thoughts:

1) look at the MSAR data on the schools you to which you plan on applying. How does yours compare? The MSAR will actually give you a range of GPAs that they have accepted on the past. As long as yours falls in that range and you are competitive everywhere else (yes, including the MCAT) then you have a chance! They higher up on that scale, the better your chance.

2) That said...if your GPA is too low, taking a post-bac year or doing a masters program is absolutely a good idea. I know MANY people who have done this. Schools want to see that you can succeed in tough classes. They're less likely to fret over a low GPA if they can see that, in your recent classes, you’ve done really well. Also, you’ll have an opportunity on most of your secondary applications to shed light on any of your academic struggles. (Just make sure you focus on what the struggle has tought you about yourself; avoid offering excuses.

3) I did not apply to any DO schools, but I believe they typically run lower on their averages for both the MCAT and GPA. So DO is always an option, too. Although you can usually find some MD programs that accept lower GPAs, too.

I hope this helps!

 

[Osminog]

What specifically inspired you to make the switch into medicine?

 

[jmneddy]

What specifically inspired you to make the switch into medicine?

It’s super cliche: I love helping the patients. When I was a waitress through college, I loved serving the guests. Then, as an editor, I loved helping the writers better express themselves. While I worked as an editor after college, I took what started as a “part time” job (30 hrs per week, but it quickly became full time) at a medical practice. The connection I made with patients far surpassed anything I’d experienced at any other job. I loved being not only a help/comfort but also a guide toward their wellness. I loved answering the questions I could (typically about post-op instructions or other topics on which I was allowed to advise) and I enjoyed being their representative to the physician for any questions I couldn’t answer. I also found meaning in the many opportunities to empower others to take ownership of their wellbeing and their recovery process.

 

[Hazelnut3491]

What route did you take to fulfill your pre-requisites? Were you working full time and taking classes on the side? Or did you do a formal post bac or masters?

 

[jmneddy]

What route did you take to fulfill your pre-requisites? Were you working full time and taking classes on the side? Or did you do a formal post bac or masters?

If we’re talking strictly the academic pre-requisites, I needed all the core science classes. I initially tried to enroll at a nearby state school, but they wouldn’t let me take individual classes since I had already completed at BA degree. (I guess they didn’t have the infrastructure for non-degree seeking students.) They referred me to a 1 year post-bac premed program that was going to cost me a rather significant amount.

While I knew I absolutely WANTED to be a doctor, I had some early doubts in my ability and didn’t trust my “English major brain” to do well in science classes. So I chose not to take on significant debt through that program and enrolled instead in some classes at the local state college. It took me 5 semesters working straight through summer. I DID work throughout. I started with a light semester and full-time work and then progressively increased my school time and decreased work time. I was very fortunate to have managers at that time who understood my ambitions and were willing to let me reduce my hours as needed. Throughout the 5 semesters, I also became increasingly involved in research, volunteering, and shadowing. As my time commitments to those extracurricular activities increased, I had to cut back my work time.

 

[HarpAngel]

What time did you complete all your applications? From your experience, how early is considered "early" in the application process?

 

[rushingtide]

Thank you for offering help! I'm a non-traditional student as well, trying to figure out what my plan of attack will be. Right now I figured out volunteering, shadowing, and clinical hours, but I am stuck on research.

For research, I have no idea where to start as I am postbacc but not enrolled in school right now. I have options on where to take classes -- either at my local CCs or at UCLA Extension (I live in LA). How did you find your research for your application? I know what topics I am interested in (foot, hip and shoulder girdle surgical procedures; lower back pain; and spinal diseases), but outside of sitting in a library, reading all the journals and articles I can find, I don't know where to start. How did you start? Did your state school help?

 

[nonotes9]

.

 

[karen019]

What did you have on your resume when you applied? Volunteer, research, etc?

 

[Pearlaaaaa]

About two and a half years ago, I realized I had chosen the wrong career and decided to completely change directions by going back to school to pursue medicine. Now, I am about to start medical school this fall. I'm 28, married, and an English major, of all things. When I made this decision, I scoured the internet for answers to my many, many questions. (Everything from "Can an English major become a doctor?" to "How do I make the right connections for research opportunities?")

I found answers to some of my questions on Google, various blogs and--obviously--SDN, but now I want to be a resource for others. Nontraditional students are increasingly common nowadays, but the dirty details of that whole restart process still require some digging. So I just want to be a resource for anyone, whether you have questions about the MCAT or what classes to take or crafting your personal statement and activities. (As an editor in my past life, I'm also more than happy to take a peek at any writing and offer feedback!)

For the record, I will be starting as an M1 this fall. Okay, ask me anything!

Congrats for pushing through.

 

[|A|B|C|InTheMake]

What is the best way to complete pre reqs? Within max 2 yrs ?