possible MD/RRT, I need your feedback on this please!

[Rudy1223]

Hey I wanted to get some feed back from people whether getting a health carreer before medical school (specifically Respiratory Therapy) would be a good route as compared to your traditional chemistry or biology? The fact is that I want a B.S. in something that I know will be useful to me as far as the medical field is concerned. Not to offend any bio majors but I specifically know of a few bio majors that are reapplying to med school and meanwhile are working at the local supermarket. I don't want that although I am certain that is definetely not the case in many situations. I'm already in the respiratory therapy program (which I think is difficult, as compared to the normal college classes I took) and am doing rotations at hospitals, I guess this was a good route for me to take because I just love the environment and helping others. My point is, do you think medical schools will like that I already have a great deal of medical experience in a health realted field plus have fulfilled their pre-req's? Could this be the diversity they are looking for? I feel very alone in this process for the simple fact that not many people decide to go this route. while it may seem easy for some of you to give your opinion, I find it hard since I am obviously going to be biased about this. Thanks in advance!

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[DocWagner]

Absolutely it would help. I think many programs love the prior medical experience and encourage application. I was a PT prior to medical school, and the background certainly helped.
In fact, many RT's that enter medicine, have great careers as pulmonologists!
Good luck.

 

[IsMD4me]

I am in the same situation, except that I start the RT program in the fall!!! I don't know how plausible this route to become an MD is, but from the guy who answered, I feel a little reassured. However, how long would the process from RRT to MD normally take?

 

[njbmd]

Hey I wanted to get some feed back from people whether getting a health carreer before medical school (specifically Respiratory Therapy) would be a good route as compared to your traditional chemistry or biology? The fact is that I want a B.S. in something that I know will be useful to me as far as the medical field is concerned. Not to offend any bio majors but I specifically know of a few bio majors that are reapplying to med school and meanwhile are working at the local supermarket. I don't want that although I am certain that is definetely not the case in many situations. I'm already in the respiratory therapy program (which I think is difficult, as compared to the normal college classes I took) and am doing rotations at hospitals, I guess this was a good route for me to take because I just love the environment and helping others. My point is, do you think medical schools will like that I already have a great deal of medical experience in a health realted field plus have fulfilled their pre-req's? Could this be the diversity they are looking for? I feel very alone in this process for the simple fact that not many people decide to go this route. while it may seem easy for some of you to give your opinion, I find it hard since I am obviously going to be biased about this. Thanks in advance!

I am an MD with an RRT along with degrees in both biology and chemistry with minors in math and physics. If your scholarship/academics are good, you major is of little importance. You need to major in something that you can do well in rather than looking for what you thing might "impress" an admissions committee.

I can tell you that most respiratory therapy work is at the associates level and that the bachelors coursework is in something other than respiratory specifically. These bachelor's courses are generally things like healthcare management, healthcare sciences etc and are pretty "fluff". Rather than provide the prestige that you seek, they will actually not enhance your application.

If you want to get an RRT, then do so but don't kid yourself that a Bachelors degree in Respiratory Therapy is going to "make you look better" or "make you stand out". With my science degrees, I never found myself working outside of science and thus if you are just looking for a job, respiratory care will suffice. I actually worked as an RRT while getting those degrees.

 

[TexasPhysician]

I am an MD with an RRT along with degrees in both biology and chemistry with minors in math and physics. If your scholarship/academics are good, you major is of little importance. You need to major in something that you can do well in rather than looking for what you thing might "impress" an admissions committee.

I can tell you that most respiratory therapy work is at the associates level and that the bachelors coursework is in something other than respiratory specifically. These bachelor's courses are generally things like healthcare management, healthcare sciences etc and are pretty "fluff". Rather than provide the prestige that you seek, they will actually not enhance your application.

If you want to get an RRT, then do so but don't kid yourself that a Bachelors degree in Respiratory Therapy is going to "make you look better" or "make you stand out". With my science degrees, I never found myself working outside of science and thus if you are just looking for a job, respiratory care will suffice. I actually worked as an RRT while getting those degrees.

Agreed

 

[Van Chowder]

Agreed

Double agreed.

 

[RRTinCO]

I am in the same situation, except that I start the RT program in the fall!!! I don't know how plausible this route to become an MD is, but from the guy who answered, I feel a little reassured. However, how long would the process from RRT to MD normally take?

After 2 years as an RT I decided to go back to school, and it has taken me 5 semesters of coursework to get my prereqs out of the way. The amount of time from RRT to MD would really very depending on how many prereqs you completed prior to your postbac coursework.

+1 for the advice on getting a BS in respiratory care. It really won't do a lot for you (I have one), even as an RT.

 

[IsMD4me]

After 2 years as an RT I decided to go back to school, and it has taken me 5 semesters of coursework to get my prereqs out of the way. The amount of time from RRT to MD would really very depending on how many prereqs you completed prior to your postbac coursework.

+1 for the advice on getting a BS in respiratory care. It really won't do a lot for you (I have one), even as an RT.

Thanks for the advice man! Yea I wasn't planning on doing anything else with the BS in respiratory care but to just become a RRT.. I might even go on to my masters, maybe an MPA(Physician Assistant) or MPH(Public Health) before pursuing med school.

 

[IbnS1na]

What do you think about RN->BA (bio)-> MD route?
i am already working as a RN and almost finish with BA. Anybody did RN-> MD route? i heard adcoms dont like RNs going to MD due to nurse shortage? i know DO schools like prior health field experience, but how about MD schools?

 

[searun]

If you do well on the MCAT and do well on the pre-reqs in the sciences, and take some humanities and prove you can write and think, then your experience in the health care world will be a plus, but if your MCAT sucks and if your grades in the hard sciences suck, and if you have never read a poem and thought about what a poem means, then, well, you have no advantage. So take a poetry class and see how you do.