Nursing to MD?

[Heather74]

Hi everybody! I am 31 and have a BSBA. I have been taking pre-req's the last few years among other things and did lousy on the MCAT. Therefore I am re-taking it in either April or August. I applied for an accelerated BS in nursing, (50 credits in 12 months.) What are your ideas about this? Do you think this would be to my advantage?

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[run4boston]

Hi everybody! I am 31 and have a BSBA. I have been taking pre-req's the last few years among other things and did lousy on the MCAT. Therefore I am re-taking it in either April or August. I applied for an accelerated BS in nursing, (50 credits in 12 months.) What are your ideas about this? Do you think this would be to my advantage?

do nursing if you want to do it, but i'd stay away from doing a nursing degree as a stepping stone to an MD, imho.

 

[MollyMalone]

The BSN is only an advantage if you want to practice as a nurse for several years, and even then, it's not all good. It will definitely not help you with med school admissions if you apply for med school right away, which it sounds like you are planning to since you're going to take the MCAT again next year.

I would highly suggest not doing it.

 

[QofQuimica]

Hopefully TheDarkSide will see your thread and answer this, but if not, you may want to PM her. She is also a nurse who will be starting med school this fall, and she is basically the same age as you.

I don't really know what to say about your plan, except that it sounds really intense, and if you have any kind of life outside of school (spouse, family, job, studying for the MCAT, etc.) you may want to reconsider and take another year to prepare. Have you taken all of the med school pre-reqs yet? If not, that would be the best place to start. Take the classes at a slow enough pace that you can do well in them and hopefully earn all As. Then make sure you have about 3 months where you can consistently study for the MCAT for 10-20 hours per week (some people may need more time, but this is a reasonable amount of time for many people if they've recently completed the pre-reqs), and make sure to take plenty of practice tests under timed conditions. (You should take a minimum of FIVE full length practice tests, and more can't hurt you.) One last thing: if you haven't seen it already, we have a lot of good info and people willing to help MCAT students in the MCAT Study Questions subforum (located in the main MCAT forum). Good luck with everything!

 

[QofQuimica]

The BSN is only an advantage if you want to practice as a nurse for several years, and even then, it's not all good. It will definitely not help you with med school admissions if you apply for med school right away, which it sounds like you are planning to since you're going to take the MCAT again next year.

I would highly suggest not doing it.

ha ha, we think alike once again. I am obviously joining the dark side.

 

[efex101]

Nursing as a stepping stone into medicine is NOT considered and asset...now nurses that after X years then decide to go into medicine is a whole 'nother issue....be very careful about using other professional degrees to then go jump ship to another. If you want to be a nurse go to nursing school, if you want to be a physician go to medical school. Many adcoms will frown heavily upon folks that went the nursing route w/o the intention of working as a nurse for some years.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

I'll join the chorus, even though TheDarkSide knows much more about this than I do. Over the years I've spent working in hospitals, however, much of my time is spent with nursing managers.

Nursing and medicine are completely separate disciplines, even though they work together (hopefully) to care for the patient. I've known some nurses who decided to become physicians (and who did so very successfully) but nursing-to-medicine is not a natural progression - the change in cultures can be difficult. Nursing and medicine, for better or worse, have different cultures, different philosophies, and different ways of looking at a patient.

Nursing is an independent science and definitely one of the most honorable professions in the world - you can go all the way to a Ph.D. in nursing. But, because it deserves respect as a separate medical discipline, it's probably not a good route to medicine if you know you want medicine at the start. If you want to pursue medicine, I'd stick with it. But, even though SDN is all about medicine, if you have an attraction to nursing, I wouldn't discourage you. Not only is there a desperate shortage of practicing nurses, the shortage of nurse educators is far more critical. A nurse educator can definitely make a big difference in this world over the next couple of decades (not only can a nurse educator do good in the world, she or he can pretty much write her/his own ticket!!).

 

[njbmd]

Hi everybody! I am 31 and have a BSBA. I have been taking pre-req's the last few years among other things and did lousy on the MCAT. Therefore I am re-taking it in either April or August. I applied for an accelerated BS in nursing, (50 credits in 12 months.) What are your ideas about this? Do you think this would be to my advantage?

Hi there,
Some (many) medical schools won't care about your nursing degree and you can earn some money on holidays and vacations while you are in medical school. The biggiest problem is that nursing is pretty removed from medicine so you are going in another direction(away from your goal.) If you can handle the detour and the adjustment to nursing (which might take another couple of years), nursing can be useful in your quest for medical school (as a means of income) but not much and thus not an advantage but a source of income.

njbmd

 

[silas2642]

Hi everybody! I am 31 and have a BSBA. I have been taking pre-req's the last few years among other things and did lousy on the MCAT. Therefore I am re-taking it in either April or August. I applied for an accelerated BS in nursing, (50 credits in 12 months.) What are your ideas about this? Do you think this would be to my advantage?

I think it kind of depends. First, I would give the mcat my all the second time around to see exactly where I stand. If you get around a thirty, and your gpa is strong, then you've got a good chance.

That being said, if you can't get past the mcat and did really really bad on it (i.e. can't break into the mid-twenties), getting in is going to be hard and you might want to think of being a nurse practitioner. It would only be a couple of years beyond your BSN (2 or 3, right?) They get to do pretty much everything that docs get to, so it might be cool to take that into consideration.

 

[Mike MacKinnon]

Hey all

I would say that if you have years of RN experience in a critical care area (ER, Trauma, ICU, Flight Teams) then it will serve you well in medical school (especially clinical years).

If you just do the degree in nursing it will be of no help at all as an undergrad.

 

[MollyMalone]

Hey all

I would say that if you have years of RN experience in a critical care area (ER, Trauma, ICU, Flight Teams) then it will serve you well in medical school (especially clinical years).

If you just do the degree in nursing it will be of no help at all as an undergrad.

Not to call you out or anything... but I've seen you post this sort of thing on other threads and it makes you look like a total critical care snob, and that just happens to be a pet peeve of mine. Believe it or not, but there are talented staff on the floors and there are crappy people working in critical care (and, vice versa, of course). The area you work in really doesn't matter as much as your commitment to professional excellence as far as determining what you'll be able to take out of the experience. Not all of med school is about critical care.

 

[Mike MacKinnon]

Hey Darkside

I certainly did not intend to downplay the med surg tele etc.. I couldnt do their job. However, I would say that there is certainly an increased expectation of critical care staff to know more about medicine in general. You have to agree with that. When i worked on the floors as a new grad the focus was on passing meds and organization, not so much critical thinking.

After all, all of the sickest people are found on these services. I think tey would help prepare someone for medicine better than a regular floor.

 

[MollyMalone]

Hey Darkside

I certainly did not intend to downplay the med surg tele etc.. I couldnt do their job. However, I would say that there is certainly an increased expectation of critical care staff to know more about medicine in general. You have to agree with that. When i worked on the floors as a new grad the focus was on passing meds and organization, not so much critical thinking.

After all, all of the sickest people are found on these services. I think tey would help prepare someone for medicine better than a regular floor.

I'd prepared a long answer to this, but I think I'm instead just going to let it lie and agree to disagree.

 

[UCLA2000]

Hi everybody! I am 31 and have a BSBA. I have been taking pre-req's the last few years among other things and did lousy on the MCAT. Therefore I am re-taking it in either April or August. I applied for an accelerated BS in nursing, (50 credits in 12 months.) What are your ideas about this? Do you think this would be to my advantage?

To the contrary I would advise doing it. Not only will it look good for your medical school application, but it will also allow you to work an occasional shift to make some cash. Plus, the other docs will love you cuz you can show us all how to use those damn machines and make them stop beeping.

 

[Gatewayhoward]

Okay, I don't get why already being a medical professional and having a strong foundation of medical knowledge and concept of what medicine is, doesn't help with admissions to med school. And what about paramedic to MD? It's not like I became a medic to become a doctor. I just decided after becoming a medic to do it.

 

[MollyMalone]

Okay, I don't get why already being a medical professional and having a strong foundation of medical knowledge and concept of what medicine is, doesn't help with admissions to med school. And what about paramedic to MD? It's not like I became a medic to become a doctor. I just decided after becoming a medic to do it.

That sort of thing med schools are relatively OK with. It's the person who goes into another field already knowing that their ultimate end is medicine that they have some difficulty with.

 

[Heather74]

That sort of thing med schools are relatively OK with. It's the person who goes into another field already knowing that their ultimate end is medicine that they have some difficulty with.

Tell me why the med schools look at this as a bad thing????? I figure that if I am not accepted right away that at least I will be working in the field that I love and will be continuously learning. ????

 

[MollyMalone]

Tell me why the med schools look at this as a bad thing????? I figure that if I am not accepted right away that at least I will be working in the field that I love and will be continuously learning. ????

It is seen by some as demonstrating a lack of commitment to going into medicine. They want people who think "Med school or bust!" Also, there is an attitude that the limited number of spots in nursing programs should be reserved for people who actually want to be nurses.

I don't think the RN program will help you very much, and I think it has the potential to hurt your chances of admission, especially if you're trying to reprep for a second chance at the MCAT at the same time.

If you recognize that and want to do it anyway, then go for it. But realize that you are going to have to have a crystal clear answer to the question of why you want to be a doctor and not a nurse, and why you chose become a nurse anyway.

 

[ihopetobeado]

While I do agree with the RN's on the forum that going from nursing school directly into medical school is very much frowned upon, I will have to admit that I did meet a RN who started medical school just a year after he graduated with his BSN & had passed his NCLEX. He only worked as a RN for one year; the year he was applying to medical school.

 

[albaniandoc]

Hi.
I work as a nurse right now. I went into nursing from financial difficulties and because I wanted to stay in the country (needed a green card). With that being said, I made a great decision because it has been a very rewarding job. The income is very nice, the job I do is very good and it allows me to take classes and work at the same time. My wife and I enjoy a comfortable lifestyle because of it, a lifestyle that we would have not been able to afford otherwise. In the meantime I am studying for the MCAT and taking pre-reqs.
My advice would be that you dedicate all of your time to the MCAT one more time. Once that is over you could start the nursing program.
I hope that you do complete the accelerated nursing program and work for a few years or even during holidays or breaks during medical school. Nursing is a great profession.

 

[clmbr]

We're in the same boat! I'm 26, just graduated with a Bsc in primatology but my marks are nothing out of the ordinary. When applying to medical school they always tell you to have a back-up plan well mine is nursing. I plan on applying to the accelerated nursing program at my university and then to med school. I think it's one of the smartest things to do. Not only will I have a career that's in my field to fall back on if I'm not accepted right away but I will become familiar with the hospital setting, not to mention the posibility of making excellent contacts for references. Bottom line is - who cares what everybody thinks...sure it takes longer but at least I won't be graduating with a BA of fine arts and stuck working a temp job unrelated to my field while applying to medical school. Oh - before I forget...working as a doctor means that you will be working as a member of a medical team...whoever says it will not be beneficial to have experience from a different perspective of that team is an ass..I think RN to MD is the way to go.
Remember, it's not all about books, it's about life experience as wel.l

 

[CrazyPremed]

To the OP,

I had been struggling with this idea for a while. I graduated with a BS in Exercise Physiology, but needed to finish up the pre-reqs. I've been working full time as a phlebotomist and lab tech, and wanted to do more. I also felt frustrated that an associates degree could earn me almost three times as much as my bachelor's. There are many community colleges that offer 2-year nursing programs here. I put the premed idea on hold and started taking prereqs for nursing.

In the process, I become a CNA and patient care tech (advanced CNA skills). I started working in nursing homes, large teaching hospitals, and a Level I trauma center as a tech/CNA. I've also taken courses in healthcare and medical terminology, all designed for prenursing students. I work alongside docs and nurses every day. This shift from premed to prenursing has been very eye-opening.

When people say there is a difference between the philosophy and daily duties of nurses and doctors, I have to agree. Both groups are highly involved in medicine and - although many areas overlap - there is a difference. Seeing these differences solidified my desire to become a physician.

Secondly, nursing school is no piece of cake. There are many, many intense classes on medication administration and nursing care plans (areas that are not as emphasized in medical school) and the clinical hours can make it extremely difficult to work full time. This isn't such a big deal if you're dream has always been to be a nurse. But if this is just a 'back-up plan' it's a lot of work to go through.

In addition, after school ends, there is the orientation and learning process of becoming a nurse. It would seem that many new grads need at least 6 months to a year before they actually feel completely confident in an area. Some areas of nursing (like ER and ICU), may even require a year of full time med/surg experience before one can start on those units. While getting your bearings as a new grad, premed classes may be out of the question. This - with school - can push back the process anywhere from 2-3 years. That could be a full fellowship after residency, or a $200,000-$400,000 (depending on your chosen area as a doc) of earning potential lost, because you went to nursing school.

Sorry for the long post, but it seems to me that I would be better off focusing all of my energy on medical school now. If I don't get in, then I may consider nursing. If you want some more experience, become an ER tech/phlebotomist/CNA. PM me if you have any questions, I think that we have a lot in common. Good luck with whatever decision you make!

CrazyPremed

 

[NE2NUR2DO]

Hi there all, I am new to the forums and thought that I would relate my experience and throw in my $.99

I too am going through nursing school with the intent of applying to med school after a year of practicing. Although some (most) may scoff at this idea, there are a couple of fundamental things that I have come across:

1. All of the docs that I talked to (including some that sit on boards) say that for a person in my situation, it is a good call. Not only does it provide something to fall back on (CRNA is an excellent field), it gives you professional references, as opposed to academic or volunteer.

2. I personally have incorporated all of my pre-med req's into the nursing school cirriculum. I could finish everything (pre-med and nursing) at the same time if I wanted to, but I am putting off Organic until it is the only thing that I will take.

3. I can work while in med school (first 2 years, anyway). Some might laugh at this idea, but with a class load of 15-18 hrs a semester, a family which I still spend time with, and a little sleep thrown in, I still work almost 50 hrs a week, while maintaining a 3.81GPA.

4. This is personal in nature, but I believe in working my way up. I don't believe in telling someone to do something if I haven't done it myself.

Just a little opinion, even though some of it is repeated.

 

[efex101]

although you might think that working while in medical schools is feasible..."most" folks cannot do this unless you are just planning on working a weekend here and there....but do not take my word for it...you will see once you start. Medical school is much MORE demanding than any of us thought possible...

 

[Raven Feather]

Yeah, I bet most folks who haven't worked as a nurse yet also don't realize the constant in-services, competencies, certifications and everything you must also go to in addition to the hours put in on "the floor" as a nurse. I am a nurse and have worked for several years and I don't even see picking up a shift here and there feasible for me while in med school--with everything else you have to do, it is just too much. I just don't see it happening and I haven't even step foot in a med school class yet.

 

[Raven Feather]

Yeah, I bet most folks who haven't worked as a nurse yet also don't realize the constant in-services, competencies, certifications and everything you must also go to, to be updated on each year or even months at times, in addition to the hours put in on "the floor" as a nurse. I am a nurse and have worked for several years and I don't even see picking up a shift here and there feasible for me while in med school--with everything else you have to do, it is just too much. I just don't see it happening and I haven't even step foot in a med school class yet.

 

[benelswick]

For most folks it seems to be about a 3 year diversion. Fine reasoning if you need that time to establish yourself financially much less become a citizen, but its a tangential move sideways for most people. do whatever you think is right for you, but like the experienced rn's indicated you are vesting yourself in a separate career which requies its own upkeep and commitment despite whatever is thought by medical school admission committees--which remains unclear.--Ben.

 

[Jamers]

Hi everybody! I am 31 and have a BSBA. I have been taking pre-req's the last few years among other things and did lousy on the MCAT. Therefore I am re-taking it in either April or August. I applied for an accelerated BS in nursing, (50 credits in 12 months.) What are your ideas about this? Do you think this would be to my advantage?

Im not a nurse, I'm only a C.N.A. but, the important thing that helped me during the interviews was the experience I recieved as part of being an aide. I think the experience factor is more important than the degree itself. Don't go for the degree unless you want to practice as a nurse for some time.

 

[oldManDO2009]

I am a nurse and I am starting my second semester of medical school. Nursing did not prepare me for the first year of sciences but I have a feeling (looking at next years test that are posted) I will do much better next year. I currently work 2-3 shifts a month to supplement our finances since I apparently have to feed my children.

I think it can go either way with the nursing background- if you are currently a nurse then why not. But, to put off medical school for several years to complete a nursing degree seems like a waste of time - just apply to medical school. The 5-6 K in extra funds helps with a family but if you are single or lack a lot of commitments then the loans are more than sufficient to get through school.

And guess what, you will learn everything you need to know in medical school to become a fine doctor! I have no great advantage over my classmates because many of them have science degrees and regularly tell me how easy this stuff is that I seem to be studying nonstop. In fact I am blowing off molecular medicine to type this reply...and I REALLY need to study this material since it is not a required course in most nursing programs.

Just apply - by the time you get through the cycle and start school you will be as old as I am

 

[asm028400]

I am with you in that I also did pretty poorly (24N) on the MCAT. However, I applied to 3 DO schools and have thus far been accepted to 2. I also thought long and hard about doing a master's entry program to become a nurse practitioner before I was accepted, but ultimately decided against it b/c that was not what I really wanted. So, my advice to you would be to decide where your heart is and go for that field, but don't try to do both. You want to do well on the MCAT. If you do go for another nursing degree with the intent of med schools, be prepared to answer why you sought out this degree without the intention of actually using it when you go on interviews. Another consideration is cost. The cost to get your nursing degree is going to be expensive if you don't use it and then go straight into med school, which can run up to 35000 per year. These are just some of my thoughts. Good luck!

 

[asm028400]

I am with you in that I also did pretty poorly (24N) on the MCAT. However, I applied to 3 DO schools and have thus far been accepted to 2. I also thought long and hard about doing a master's entry program to become a nurse practitioner before I was accepted, but ultimately decided against it b/c that was not what I really wanted. So, my advice to you would be to decide where your heart is and go for that field, but don't try to do both. You want to do well on the MCAT. If you do go for another nursing degree with the intent of med schools, be prepared to answer why you sought out this degree without the intention of actually using it when you go on interviews. Another consideration is cost. The cost to get your nursing degree is going to be expensive if you don't use it and then go straight into med school, which can run up to 35000 per year. These are just some of my thoughts. Good luck!

 

[scalpel179]

I'm a nurse, work in the ICU, and always had the intentions to go to medical school. The experience has been great, I have learned an enormous amount about critically ill patients in my past two years. I applied to medical school this last year and have been accepted to several schools (Both MD and DO). All my interviewers were impressed with my clinical experience and the rumor that it is harder for nurses to gain admission is unfounded and seems only to thrive within the premed community. I too heard it countless times, however many physicians, if not most have thought that the pathway was an excellent choice. Furthermore, talking with many recent graduates of medical school, many have had former nurses in their classes.

My advice echos what others have said. If you are already a nurse and want to go to medical school, then go for it. But obtaining a nursing degree after you have already earned another degree only to "better prepare you for medical school" is probably a bad idea. Do well on the MCAT, earn good grades in all the fundamental science courses, and the playing field is leveled. You are equally as enticing of an applicant as any other student. The only difference is you will have an vast amount of clinical experience.

Don't let others choose a path for you that you would not enjoy.

 

[big_smiles]

Tell me why the med schools look at this as a bad thing????? I figure that if I am not accepted right away that at least I will be working in the field that I love and will be continuously learning. ????

I don't follow the general consensus here. Why is gaining more skills and clinical experience a bad thing? I did two years as a nursing major, and found it as a meaningful experience? Does it show a lack of commitment to medicine? Absolutely not. You are working as a healthcare provider in the interim and gaining more experience.
I had weak MCATs too, and only improved 3 points taking it over, but my interview experiences have focused less on the grades and more on clinical experience. You will learn a lot in the program, I am sure. This can't be a bad thing.

I would do it. You applied, obviously you have an interest.
Maybe it will better prepare you in the long run.
Note: accelerated programs can be tough. Would you be taking the MCAT in April and starting in the fall? You have to also consider that scores are only good a year, so if you are working as a nurse in the interim, you would only have a little over a year in practice. But when you are working after your education, you have no homework to go home to. You may have more time to study, but of course this would be your choice

 

[peabos]

I obtained my BSN in 2003. I spent a little over one year full time in the critical care setting. I am presently in the process of obtaining a BA in biology with the intent of applying to medical school in 2007 or 2008, while doing per diem at a smaller hospital. It's been hectic and terrifying, but I felt these sacrifices would very much worthwhile if I am closer to my goal of becoming a physician.

1. I saw that you have a research background as well. Do you think research experience will strengthen my application a great deal?

2. My plan was to take a summer this summer prep course for the April 2007 MCAT. I will complete the course 8 months prior to actually taking the MCAT. Do you advise against this?

Any feedback you could provide would be greatly appreciated!

The BSN is only an advantage if you want to practice as a nurse for several years, and even then, it's not all good. It will definitely not help you with med school admissions if you apply for med school right away, which it sounds like you are planning to since you're going to take the MCAT again next year.

I would highly suggest not doing it.

 

[MollyMalone]

I obtained my BSN in 2003. I spent a little over one year full time in the critical care setting. I am presently in the process of obtaining a BA in biology with the intent of applying to medical school in 2007 or 2008, while doing per diem at a smaller hospital. It's been hectic and terrifying, but I felt these sacrifices would very much worthwhile if I am closer to my goal of becoming a physician.

1. I saw that you have a research background as well. Do you think research experience will strengthen my application a great deal?

2. My plan was to take a summer this summer prep course for the April 2007 MCAT. I will complete the course 8 months prior to actually taking the MCAT. Do you advise against this?

Any feedback you could provide would be greatly appreciated!

1. I think it would be hard for research to hurt you... but I'll confess that I don't know how much it helped me or would help you. I did it because I wanted to know if I would be interested in research as a physician and because I had a genuine interest in seeing cardiology from a different perspective. It has been instructive and I'm glad I did it because I now know for sure that bench research is not for me. I would not advise doing research for the sole purpose of strengthening your app, but I do think that seeing the "other" side of medicine has been a valuable experience.

2. 8 months seems like an awfully long lag time to me. I thought that the major benefit from my prep class was that I became really conditioned to take the test due to the full-length practice exam schedule, and I think you'd lose that by taking it so early. If you can arrange to take the class closer to the test; I'd suggest it. I took a big financial hit and took a leave of absence from the beginning of February to the April MCAT, and I think it was worth it for me.

Best of luck to you in this maddening process and feel free to contact me if you have any other questions!

 

[viostorm]

To the OP:

This has already been debated ad infinitum in the "pre-hospital EMS" forum except instead of "should I become a nurse" it is should "I become a paramedic." You may want to check it out. Since I'm a medic I will recap what I think is applicable for RN's

Advantages:

1) Clinical years you will already have some experience, although there are people who have never touched a patient that end up getting honors.

Disadvantages:

1) It will usually delay your application/admission.
2) The effort required (2+ years) does not translate into a lot of advantage admissions committee. Although they may appreciate it, they probably would rather see a 40 MCAT after studying for 2 years versus a 24 MCAT and RN.

Reality:

First years in medical school it will not help at all, or minimally will help. Yes you can start IV's, yes you know some drugs, but that stuff won't effect your grade nearly as much as doing well in class.

Physicians and nurses and medics have different jobs. In the traditional model, nurses and medics are "physician extenders," they do the jobs physicians can do (or are supposed to be able to do, I'd have a RN start my IV anyday over a physicina) but don't because it is more cost effective to have people with less training do it. If we had enough physicians to put them on every ambulance we would, but we don't so we use physician extenders. If we had enough physicians to place every foley we would, but we don't so we use nurses. Physicians perform the more complicated and "riskier" skills and make (or are supposed to make) all of the clinical decisions (PA's and NP's have some clinical authority now)

Either way, research publications or retaking and acing the MCAT would look better IMO.

 

[peabos]

DarkSide,

Your feedback is greatly greatly apppreciated. The majority of research oppurtunities advertised at my school aren't topics that have a ton of appeal to me right now. i.e. toxicology. if i can find a study that fits my interests i'll probably be more aggressive with pursuing a research position. what's the best place to look? i'm thinking NIH website?

Taking the August MCAT is a possibility also. my concern was most resources highly advised taking the April MCAT because your application would be one of the earlier ones considered. However I won't complete the physics series until June 2007. I was hoping the prep courses would give me relatively enough preparation to score a strong physical science piece.

Anyways, I have O chem lecture to run to right now. But congrats on your acceptance! The patients that will have you as their doc will be very fortunate!

1. I think it would be hard for research to hurt you... but I'll confess that I don't know how much it helped me or would help you. I did it because I wanted to know if I would be interested in research as a physician and because I had a genuine interest in seeing cardiology from a different perspective. It has been instructive and I'm glad I did it because I now know for sure that bench research is not for me. I would not advise doing research for the sole purpose of strengthening your app, but I do think that seeing the "other" side of medicine has been a valuable experience.

2. 8 months seems like an awfully long lag time to me. I thought that the major benefit from my prep class was that I became really conditioned to take the test due to the full-length practice exam schedule, and I think you'd lose that by taking it so early. If you can arrange to take the class closer to the test; I'd suggest it. I took a big financial hit and took a leave of absence from the beginning of February to the April MCAT, and I think it was worth it for me.

Best of luck to you in this maddening process and feel free to contact me if you have any other questions!

 

[MollyMalone]

DarkSide,

Your feedback is greatly greatly apppreciated. The majority of research oppurtunities advertised at my school aren't topics that have a ton of appeal to me right now. i.e. toxicology. if i can find a study that fits my interests i'll probably be more aggressive with pursuing a research position. what's the best place to look? i'm thinking NIH website?

Taking the August MCAT is a possibility also. my concern was most resources highly advised taking the April MCAT because your application would be one of the earlier ones considered. However I won't complete the physics series until June 2007. I was hoping the prep courses would give me relatively enough preparation to score a strong physical science piece.

Anyways, I have O chem lecture to run to right now. But congrats on your acceptance! The patients that will have you as their doc will be very fortunate!

Thanks!

If your school is anything like mine, there are probably many more opportunities than are advertised, so it's worth your while to investigate a little more. I searched through faculty profiles and web pages until I found a few that I thought would be interesting to work with. I then ranked these based on how much I thought their LORs might help me (i.e. all other things being equal, I ranked an extensively published department chair higher). I then emailed my top choice out of the clear blue sky and told him about my background and that I was interested in working in his lab. I didn't have to contact any of my other choices -- he agreed to meet with me and then extended an invitation to come and work there (I chose to work for credit but I could have gotten paid instead).

I don't know if that's the best way to find a research opportunity, but it worked well for me. Perhaps others could chime in on a way to find research spots -- that might be a topic worthy of its own thread.

As far as the prep class goes, I'm a little confused, so let me see if I understand you correctly. You want to take the April 07 MCAT and you'll be done with physics in June 07. You were thinking of taking a prep class during the summer of 06. Good so far? If so, then I think your best option, if you are a good independent learner, is to take a prep class during the spring of 07, see how you're doing on the practice exams, and then decide to take the April or August MCAT based on that. If that's not feasible for some reason, then I think I'd recommend the August exam and a summer 07 class. This all assumes, of course, that the test continues to be offered in April and August -- I know it will be offered four times a year at that point, but I don't know what those times will be.

 

[Mike MacKinnon]

Well... since we are talking about MCAT plans !

What do you 2 think of my plan at this point.

DONE: Chem I & II, Bio I, English Comp I & II

Have to do: Bio II, Physics I & II, Ochem I & II.

I am taking Bio II now will be done in april. Plan to take match class to prep for physics and take Physics I & II in the summer sessions. Then Ochem I in sep - Dec.

At that point, I think i will register for the April MCAT and take a prep class. I think I will take Ochem II AFTER the Mcat is done which will give me the Jan - April time to take a MCAT prep class.

This make sense? I think then, the Ochem II will be much easier if im not concurrently trying to study for the MCAT.

what do you guys think?

 

[peabos]

 

[peabos]

Hmm. . . I think I will let anyone who has actually taken the MCAT to give you a true opinion. I see the rationale behind postponing the big Ochem class to devote more time to preparing for MCAT. I believe most (if not all) offers are made to students who score double digits in all sections.

I guess be just be certain you know the O Chem content you haven't covered well enough to score a strong biological science number. Good luck!

Well... since we are talking about MCAT plans !

What do you 2 think of my plan at this point.

DONE: Chem I & II, Bio I, English Comp I & II

Have to do: Bio II, Physics I & II, Ochem I & II.

I am taking Bio II now will be done in april. Plan to take match class to prep for physics and take Physics I & II in the summer sessions. Then Ochem I in sep - Dec.

At that point, I think i will register for the April MCAT and take a prep class. I think I will take Ochem II AFTER the Mcat is done which will give me the Jan - April time to take a MCAT prep class.

This make sense? I think then, the Ochem II will be much easier if im not concurrently trying to study for the MCAT.

what do you guys think?

 

[peabos]

Hmm. . . I think I will let anyone who has actually taken the MCAT to give you a true opinion. I see the rationale behind postponing the big Ochem class to devote more time to preparing for MCAT. I believe most (if not all) offers are made to students who score double digits in all sections.

I guess be just be certain you know the O Chem content you haven't covered well enough to score a strong biological science number. Good luck!

Well... since we are talking about MCAT plans !

What do you 2 think of my plan at this point.

DONE: Chem I & II, Bio I, English Comp I & II

Have to do: Bio II, Physics I & II, Ochem I & II.

I am taking Bio II now will be done in april. Plan to take match class to prep for physics and take Physics I & II in the summer sessions. Then Ochem I in sep - Dec.

At that point, I think i will register for the April MCAT and take a prep class. I think I will take Ochem II AFTER the Mcat is done which will give me the Jan - April time to take a MCAT prep class.

This make sense? I think then, the Ochem II will be much easier if im not concurrently trying to study for the MCAT.

what do you guys think?

 

[MollyMalone]

Well... since we are talking about MCAT plans !

What do you 2 think of my plan at this point.

DONE: Chem I & II, Bio I, English Comp I & II

Have to do: Bio II, Physics I & II, Ochem I & II.

I am taking Bio II now will be done in april. Plan to take match class to prep for physics and take Physics I & II in the summer sessions. Then Ochem I in sep - Dec.

At that point, I think i will register for the April MCAT and take a prep class. I think I will take Ochem II AFTER the Mcat is done which will give me the Jan - April time to take a MCAT prep class.

This make sense? I think then, the Ochem II will be much easier if im not concurrently trying to study for the MCAT.

what do you guys think?

Well, there is probably less OChem II on the MCAT than there is of any other course. I think you can take the class, see how you are doing on the practice exams, and then make a final decision to take in April or August (or whenever, as above). I don't know how it is for any other prep company, but Kaplan will allow you to take the class again over the summer for free if you don't feel ready for the April exam. I don't know if this policy will change when they increase the number of exam dates, though.

Gosh, I really feel for you 2007 MCATers. It would be nice to know exactly when the test is going to be offered.

 

[Heather74]

Well... since we are talking about MCAT plans !

What do you 2 think of my plan at this point.

DONE: Chem I & II, Bio I, English Comp I & II

Have to do: Bio II, Physics I & II, Ochem I & II.

I am taking Bio II now will be done in april. Plan to take match class to prep for physics and take Physics I & II in the summer sessions. Then Ochem I in sep - Dec.

At that point, I think i will register for the April MCAT and take a prep class. I think I will take Ochem II AFTER the Mcat is done which will give me the Jan - April time to take a MCAT prep class.

This make sense? I think then, the Ochem II will be much easier if im not concurrently trying to study for the MCAT.

what do you guys think?

I agree with thedarkside, there is not much Ochem 2 on the MCAT. I have a friend that even took the MCAT without having Ochem 1 and got a 25. I would say that Ochem is the least important of the subjects.

 

[nitecap]

one step ahead

 

[Mike MacKinnon]

Why not go the CRNA route where you would be qualified and ready to enter a program now. You could finish in about 3yrs and start out making equal to many physician's salaries. With 5 years or so of experience you could out earn many MD's, DDS, or DO depending on your geographical location. Not to mention you will finish and start earning at least 5 years sooner as well as total cost of about 90k as opposed to 225k.

Just a thought, not trying to push any buttons.

Hey Nitecap

No offence taken. I dont care about the money. I am not interested in medicine for the paycheck, i am an A-Type personality and that leads me toward leadership roles. CRNA is something i considered but it is not a leadership role, it is another mid level.

It is also the quest for knowledge. I want to "know what i dont know" as it were. Being an CRNA would limit my knowledge as it is a very narrow field. Honestly, i think the same thing of anestesiology in general, place the tube, gas the patient, place the epidural, drug the patient over and over again. Not a bad profession, just to narrow for me.

I did consider it though