preparing and trying to get on the right track

[MAS88]

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I am currently finishing up my Psychology degree and nursing pre reqs. I spent the first 2 years of college not sure what I wanted to do. Two months before college I had surgery that went horrible and spend 2 weeks in the hospital so I guess my first 2 years of college I just spent living life and trying to have as much fun as possible. I was undecided in a major until the middle of my junior year and started looking at nursing. I had a realization that school wasn't actually meant to prepare me for the real world instead of socialization. I've taken anatomy, physiology, chem 1, bio 1, and got A's and B's.

After zeroing in on my future and volunteering in the ICU and ER at the local hospital the past 6 months I realized that nursing wasn't exactly the path I wanted to take. My entire life until high school I always dreamed of being a doctor and helping other's. I have been picking every DO's brain at my hospital and my primary care doc is a DO. I truly did like the nursing approach to patients and the holistic approach of DO seems to fit in very well with my bed side manners and my compassion. My mother and father are trying to push me to PA school or Nursing school then NP but I know I want to be a DO. I sit on the forms all day so i just had a few questions and was ready to make my first post.

I currently have a 3.35 probably will be a 3.4 at the end of this semester. My grades on my transcripts are quite linear. My first two years it's clear I wasn't mentally here and my last 2 years my upper level courses, my anatomy, my physio and microbio I've received A's in. My true problem isn't can I get into med school it's what is the best way to go about it.

I still need Chem 2, Orgo 1 and 2, Bio 2 and Physics 1 and 2. I have received my psychology degree already and have been readmitted into my university for a Bio major to finish my classes.

My true issue is, I have run out of Florida Prepaid, and used all my Bright Futures scholarship and my parent's told me after these year's I am on my own. While being finically independent for school will drive me to work harder I was curious to know if taking my my last pre reqs at the local state college next to my university would be an issue? It's ridiculous how much cheaper tuition is. I will be taking out loans to get by regardless so is it worth it to stick to the major University or is it acceptable to go to the state college that they partner with? Or is it even possible to maybe split the courses half and half between the 2?
Med school is going to be a nice debt to my name but I am more excited about this journey then I have ever been in my life. I am not considering M.D or Caribbean school because i truly feel that all my prayer's and research have led me to D.O.

Sorry for the lengthy post and any and all suggestions or comments are welcome!

 

[ManBroDude]

1. Go to state college and never look back. Schools frankly don't care*.
2. Get all A's. From now on, get a 4.0 no matter what. Especially in the science classes. Gotta keep up that science GPA.
3. Rule the MCAT. Take it in time to get results back my June of your applying year.
4. Apply to MD and DO as early as possible (aka June). You'll want to make sure all your bases are covered, you'll never know if an amazing opportunity comes your way.
5. Try to attend a state school or take advantage of in-state tuition. The name on the front of the med school matters less than the total amount of work you put into your education and board scores.
6. ????
7. Profit! You just saved a gajillion dollars and now you're free to go into primary care without spending 30 years paying back a crushing debt load!

* Unless you're applying Mayo and Harvard MD programs, the name of your undergrad frankly doesn't matter. And really, the reason you'd apply to those programs is you know in advance you want to go into something ultra-competitive like plastics, ENT, rads, etc. and be set for life. But the risk/debt/reward ratio won't apply to you since you're not sitting on a 4.00 anymore.

 

[jinobi]

Apply to US MD too, there are some schools with a great emphasis on primary care. Just because DOs have a "holistic' model of health doesn't mean that MD schools produce soulless bastards who are solely focused on symptoms, lol. The holistic approach and attempt at being unbiased apply to medicine in general - there's only so much time to get a HPI from a patient, and you have to at least appear empathetic to get the right info from a patient.

Go state, get straight As. Take a good amount of time off for MCAT, you'll want to do well so you have all the advantages you can when applying.

 

[MAS88]

thank you both so much! I'm not completely ruling out M.D schools, just from my research D.O schools seem to be a better fit for me and my approach and I believe my chances of getting in are better. I could careless what initials are at the end of my name as long as I am doing what I love and am helping others. I would love to go into family medicine, or be an emergency room physician. I am checking into NSU and Lake Erie's Fl campus as they are the only 2 in Fl.

Just so that I am clear, you believe I will be just as well off attending the state college (was a community college 2 years ago but FL got rid of community colleges except a few) vs the University as long as I am achieving A's from here on out (of course my goal).

I know once I have the foundation and pre reqs done I am going to dedicate my life to mastering the MCAT bc I know that is a HUGE determinant in school's choices.

 

[MAS88]

I am just concerned as I see on this forum and other board's that many people are against not taking there sciences at a University.

 

[ManBroDude]

I am just concerned as I see on this forum and other board's that many people are against not taking there sciences at a University.

Does your state college offer undergrad research opportunities? Of course it does. It can't possibly suck that bad then. What I think you're confusing are state colleges vs community colleges, and yes, I think SDNers tend to think it might look bad taking all your science pre-reqs at a CC because it's "easier". Whatever that means. Mind sharing the state college name?

 

[MAS88]

Seminole State College.... previously Seminole Community College

I do believe they have research programs there I know I have seen posters for it in the science building.


The tuition is SO MUCH cheaper than University of Central Florida.

 

[jinobi]

Ahh. So they renamed it to Seminole State...because they started to offer a grand total of one Bachelor's of Applied Science in Interior Design. :rollseyes:

Best bet is to call up some local schools like NSU and LECOM-Fl. Ask what they think about taking science pre-reqs at SSC vs UCF. Then call up some other schools and ask, though I'd doubt they'd know that SSC used to be a community college.

 

[MAS88]

thank you all for your input!

 

[Ochemlover45]

You could fool people that don't live in a 100 mile radius of Orlando that it is a real college.
Make you to hit up Twin Rivers Country Club on your way to and from class!