Pre-med RN

[slipchot]

In a nutshell: how would my being a working RN for two years affect my med school application?

My other statistics include my being an undergraduate dev. and cell biology major at UCI with a 3.8s/3.9c GPA and a 38S on the MCAT. I recieved my RN degree when granted a three-year deferment after completing the majority of my GEs at the end of my sophomore year. My ECs aren't all that snazzy-- roughly 100 hospital volunteering hours and 15 hours of work a week in my freshman and sophomore years, 150 lab/research hours but no authored papers as of yet, and no outstanding leadership roles on campus. As an RN I worked at Huntington medical hospital in Pasadena and at the UCI medical center in Irvine.

I tend to assume that my RN experience will recommend me, but I'm not sure how much. If anyone has any insight into how my situation might be recieved and which tier I should realistically aim for, I'd be much obliged. Thanks!

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[Stratego]

I think you can aim at any tier you want, though with a minimal to average research experience, I'd personally avoid the top twenty research giants. Your RN experience with patients will be of value in the application process. The negative will be your need for a coherent and convincing explanation for why you want to jump ship to another medically-oriented career. And you will be grilled on this.

I think you should get in some non-hospital physician shadowing of 2-3 doctors for eight hours each, who are in specialties you aren't intimately familiar with from work. Your ECs must convince adcomms you know what you're getting yourself into. With your work contacts, this shouldn't be difficult to arrange. You might also consider some non-health-related community service. Any leadership is better than none, even perhaps, training new staff at work.

 

[schrizto]

I wouldn't say to avoid the top schools because your stats are pretty good. But I do agree that interviewers will grill you on your decision to change careers. Perhaps talk about certain insights you've gained from your work experience with physicians, because you will have more clinical experience than most.

 

[Doodledog]

I wouldn't say to avoid the top schools because your stats are pretty good. But I do agree that interviewers will grill you on your decision to change careers.

Grill? Perhaps ask for the OP's reasoning and how the insights they gained into medicine from being a nurse affected their decision to apply to medical school.

To the OP: Although adcom members vary in their view of former nurses applying to med school just as they vary in their views of everything else, it is my perspective that a former nurse with your type of background and scores would be competitive at any medical school in the country.

Apply where you'd like to go. Be open about what you did and didn't like about nursing and what prompted your change of mind. Adcoms will likely be interested and receptive to your insights.

good luck

Tildy

 

[RogueUnicorn]

Grill? Perhaps ask for the OP's reasoning and how the insights they gained into medicine from being a nurse affected their decision to apply to medical school.

To the OP: Although adcom members vary in their view of former nurses applying to med school just as they vary in their views of everything else, it is my perspective that a former nurse with your type of background and scores would be competitive at any medical school in the country.

Apply where you'd like to go. Be open about what you did and didn't like about nursing and what prompted your change of mind. Adcoms will likely be interested and receptive to your insights.

good luck

Tildy

really? because the general SDN vibe seems to be that negatives shouldn't be brought up.

 

[schrizto]

really? because the general SDN vibe seems to be that negatives shouldn't be brought up.

Well, there has to be a reason for the decision to make a career change. The OP should be honest. For example, one of the possible reasons could be that the OP desired a job that was more mentally stimulating/challenging and had more autonomy, which is perfectly acceptable.

Grill?

Maybe I have a too antagonizing view of interviewers :S.

Anyway, the OP's numbers indicate he/she is serious about what they are doing.

 

[MilkmanAl]

You really need to be careful about the advice you dole out. You speak as an authority, but have you even started college yet? It's fine to learn the ropes where numbers are concerned, but to give pointers on subjective issues is not a good plan at all. Even other pre-meds will have more insight on these matters due to advising sessions and general life experience.

Anyway, OP, I can't imagine having better clinical experience than being a nurse. Everyone else has pushed some patients around a hospital for a few dozen hours, but you've done the real thing. You've also had a "real" job which makes a big difference. As Tildy said, you will likely be competitive everywhere. Good luck!

By the way, are you applying this year? If so, get those apps in immediately. Even a superbly qualified candidate such as yourself won't get in if there aren't any spots left!

 

[slipchot]

Thank you for all the advice! All of it (especially the interviewing tips) are a huge help.

Al-- because of some bad timing of events in my personal life, I'll be holding off on applying this year. Maybe I'll be able to build up the research aspect of my application and/or get some shadowing and leadership experience in the meantime.