Postbaccalaureate at a junior college or a 4 year?

[doctor4dapoor]

1) How do you go about doing post-docs?

2) Can I do my post-docs at a JC?

I have a BA in English Lit with no sciences whatsoever. And even in that my GPA is like a 2.5.

Do I have a chance of getting into med school? If so can I pursue my entire pre-meds at a Junior College or should I go to a 4 year? If I should go to a 4 year, how do I go about getting my pre-meds in this manner? Do med-schools look down on such an applicant?

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[doctor4dapoor]

To do post-docs at a 4 year, do I need to apply to that 4 year and get in just like a high school student needs to? How does that work?

I graduated with a BA in English from a UC school 5 years ago with a 2.7 GPA. I didn;t take any pre-med courses at all.

 

[mrmandrake]

I'm assuming you mean a post-bacc. I think some people apply towards a degree and then just drop out once they have met the premed requirements. If your school has an extension program you can take classes through that and not have to apply like a high school student.

To do post-docs at a 4 year, do I need to apply to that 4 year and get in just like a high school student needs to? How does that work?

I graduated with a BA in English from a UC school 5 years ago with a 2.7 GPA. I didn;t take any pre-med courses at all.

 

[notdeadyet]

1) How do you go about doing post-docs?

Terminology:

post-doc is things done post-PhD. Not relevent here.

pre-med is your status until you get into medical school. Sometimes also thrown around by folks in undergrad in lieu of an actual major in the false hopes of impressing people.

pre-reqs are classes you need to take in order to get into medical school. Almost always consists of one year of Bio, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and Physics. Often also consists of one to two semesters of Math. Often also consists of an upper-division science course, often Biochemistry.

post-bac is post-baccalaureate. This refers to programs in which you study only science classes and associated courses to help you get in to medical school.

If you go to your local community college and take night classes, you can call yourself a pre-med (though most folks assume you're a full-time undergrad). You are definitely satisfying pre-reqs, but it's not a post-bac program in the sense people understand. It's a do-it-yourself'er and there's no crime in that.

 

[notdeadyet]

2) Can I do my post-docs at a JC?

Yes you can. A few folks will probably cry out that you shouldn't, that schools refuse them, and that schools turn their nose up at them, but that's an exaggeration.

Here's pretty much the undebatable truth:

You should satisfy your pre-reqs at the best possible college you can.

That's it. If you have the option of doing them at Cal State LA or UCLA, do them at UCLA. If you have the option of doing them at Santa Monica Community College or Cal State LA, do them at Cal State LA.

But you can get in to med school taking them anywhere. Just take them at the best place you can. There are a very small handful of schools that refuse community college credits for pre-reqs. But they are a small minority (I applied to 37 schools and didn't have a problem) and are often less than stellar med schools (I know of two in-state only schools that don't take them, yet UCSF doesn't have any problems with it).

Do them at the best school you can. If your options are limited to a community college, so be it.

 

[notdeadyet]

I have a BA in English Lit with no sciences whatsoever. And even in that my GPA is like a 2.5.

Do not do your pre-reqs at a community college.

An allopathic medical school (one that confers an MD) is going to be a long shot for you, and will only be possible if you are willing to go back to school for several years (three minimum, I'd reckon) and get essentially straight A's. Even doing that, would bring your GPA up to just over 3.1 or so, which would still make your odds remote.

Since you are coming from way behind, you want to do everything as right as possible. This means straight A's from a good program. Community colleges are fine, but you need every competitive edge you can get and a community college isn't viewed as competitive as is a four year.

Keep an open mind to osteopathic medical school (one that confers a DO). You have the same scope of practice as an MD and their acceptance criteria is much more flexible than MD schools. You will still need to spend a year or two buffing up your app, though.

Do med-schools look down on such an applicant?

Med schools will look down on the fact that you spent four years in college and came out with a 2.5. How much they will look down on this will largely depend on how long it's been. If you graduated last year, it's hard to use the excuse "I was young and foolish and know better now."

Med schools do not look down on folks who major in liberal arts, folks who do post-bacs or folks who decide on medicine later in life. If anything, they like seeing folks do this outside the norm.

It's going to come down to how bad you want to be a doctor. If you're willing to make some huge sacrifices and spend a good few years getting prereqs and beyond done and done well and are not fussy on the path you will take to become a physician... you have a shot. If you want to cut corners, rush the process, or are picky how you get there... not so good.

Best of luck with the process.