I just got done looking at pre-med reqs for UNC. Looks like I've got 2.5 semesters worth of stuff to take. I could finish it in 2 semesters and a summer. Depending on how long my credits "last", it could be 2 semesters total. I took both intro bio and first semester organic and inorganic chemistry while I was there. I did well in 2 of those and got a B- in organic. Even if that were good enough (which I'm sure it's not), I'd want to retake organic because I don't remember a lick of it.
Some tips from a Phud who is just finishing a post-bacc and taking the MCAT in a couple of weeks:
- Start slowly; do one course and get used to studying again. General Chemistry or Physics is a good place to start. When I got started, I found that because I just hadn't studied like this in such a long time and because I hadn't taken exams like these in such a long time, my grades suffered a little (not much, but an A- isn't an A when you're trying to impress with your GPA - 3.7 is spitting distance from that magical 3.6 screening cut-off). You have to learn to memorise again, not think around problems too much and not rely on your research skills. Multiple choice questions are the bane of our lives, my friend
No innovation, no papers to read, no literature to search, no collaboration, just simple studying and memorisation for closed-book exams.
- Don't believe that because you did the courses before, you know them well enough today and that will see you through with a little studying. Doing the courses again really does teach you just how much you have forgotten/mis-remembered. Don't re-take organic chemistry again before general chemistry - otherwise you'll find out just how many little things you have forgotten about and you will struggle to keep up. It's not a reflection on you; we just forget things like the Henderson-Hasselbach equation over time. The benefit of doing everything again, however, is that it prepares you really well for the MCAT.
- For volunteering, find some research to do that takes advantage of your background or volunteer position for which you are suited. Don't drop everything and push around wheelchairs for a day each week. It's completely not in keeping with your skills and looks like you are just filling your CV. Get involved with a community mental health project, or even start one. Ideally, check out the UNC/Duke Med web sites and find someone who might be willing to do it with you; maybe even some med students...! Make the most of who you are and contribute positively to your community. That's what the medical admissions folk are looking for, and it's good for the soul
- Shadow some doctors. It takes some time to arrange, but if you can, it exposes you to their lifestyle and challenges. Medical school will have you training with surgeons, PCPs, ER docs and radiologists. You should show that you know what you are letting yourself in for. It's a research project
iow, do a 'feasibility study'.
- "I'm thinking about going to med school to help in my quest to better help my patients. " - Good answer to the eventual "Why medicine?" question. Work out what this means, specifically, and write that out. How will it help? Have you encountered situations in your practice that have led you to believe that your patients would benefit from more medical skill? Will you even serve the same patients afterwards? It's all part of the big "Why change your life to this?" question.
I hope that helps a little bit... Be assured that it really can be done; just take care not to hamstring yourself. If you get it right, you can be stronger than most of the candidates in the field. Remember that your PhD is a valuable asset. Use it in the next year to show that you intend to keep using it and that you can make a difference with it, medically.
Good luck!
