Please assess my options.

[kabukivision]

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Hello everyone,

I have found myself in a peculiar situation and would really appreciate your advice.

I'm a fourth-year transfer student at UCLA studying political science. I entered community college as a pre-med (Though I have always been a political science major) and completed Macrobiology, Gen Chem 1, and worked my way up to become Director of Program Development for the school's Pre-Health Club. I also did a paid summer internship my freshman year for Kaiser Permanente and shadowed in the emergency room.

I lost the path right after transferring because I fell in love with a girl at UCLA. I continued to work hard (80-page, year long PoliSci research thesis, an article in the Undergraduate Law Journal) but I abandoned the pre-med track as I foolishly began to think medicine was a lifeless and boring profession.

Needless to say, my excitement for medicine has returned and has returned with force. However, I have lost two years that I could have used to finish requirements (Micro, Gen Chem 2, year of physics, orgo, calculus) and to gain research and clinical hours.

I have no requirements left for my major, and I have two quarters left if I want to graduate in four years. Now I am at a loss as to whether I should do a post-bacc, try to extend my undergraduate time, or just resign myself to not pursuing medicine (though this was would be devastating). I am expected to graduate with a 3.9.

I know this is a complicated questions, but any thoughts as to the best path available to me is appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[RedTurpentine]

You seem to have two questions. (1) Should I pursue medicine? (2) How should I pursue medicine?

To (1).

This is all very personal, dude. If it’s true that giving up medicine would be “devastating” to you, then I would recommend you pursue medicine. That being said, how robust is your feeling? Is it based on what you’ve felt talking with dozens of patients, on providing them with pre-medical support? Is it based on shadowing a local congressman hours into the night, feeling the thrill of helping to pass a bill that will affect millions of lives?

I’m a non-traditional student headed towards med. My advice is this: **** the professional expectations placed on you as a young man or woman, go out into the world and figure out what moves you (and, frankly, what you can get paid for — you need to take care of yourself). If you’re unsure, try to wear a lot of hats in a short amount of time (leverage work, free time, whatever), and follow your passion gradient as you go.

To (2).

You should probably calculate whether extending your undergrad to complete med requirements is cheaper (in time, money) than a post-bacc. I imagine you’re also asking whether extending your undergrad is viewed more favorably on apps than a post-bacc, and this is where I take my leave!

 

[kabukivision]

This is very reasonable. Thank you.

 

[Blueprint Med School]

Something you might want to consider on the post-bacs side: many career changer post bacs (for students who didn't take the premed requirements in undergrad) offer many competitive linkages. One of the most notable post-bacs is Bryn Mawr's, which offers linkages to many prestigious medical schools and boasts some impressive acceptance statistics. If you're not sure what a linkage is, essentially, it is a contract between you and the medical school stating that if you get a certain GPA in the post-bac, a certain MCAT score, and interview, they will let you matriculate directly into medical school after the post-bac, which will let you save a year of your life.

Even if you aren't interested in doing a linkage, programs like these have direct relationships with medical schools which may look better to adcoms than a DIY post-bac.

Best of luck,
Kevin W, MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors