REAL HELP NEEDED

[silvercholla]

I am a post bac pre med student working full time. Most of you know my deal already,so I won't rehash it. But I have a new concern. I am volunteering at a local ambulance vollie corp and I will be doing some other stuff at Mt. Sinai and Lincoln in the Bronx. But that's off the point I want to know in order to offset the crappy work I did back when I was an immature noodle head, how should I organize taking prereqs. This is what I thought but I was told that I would be pushing it mentally and physically wise.

Semester 1
Bio 1
Chem 1

Semester 2
Bio 2
Chem 2

Summer
Orgo 1
Physics1 <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

Semester 1
Orgo 2
Advancd English (I actually did well there)

What do you guys think? My numbers are awful from before. So just think of something really bad and you might have it. I want to be able to do this in about 3years. And yes I have thought of other options and yes I know that the work is difficult and demanding and yes I know what I am getting myself into and no I do not want to look into something else because (surprise) this is what I definitely want to dedicate my entire life to. And yes I have grown up there are a lot of things that caused me to look at my life and becaome a responsible adult. So no lectures I know what I am getting myself into. I just want to be able to get into it Thanks again much love. <img border="0" alt="[Lovey]" title="" src="graemlins/lovey.gif" />

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[maitai]

i think it's a good idea to take more than one course at a time, because med schools want to know that you can handle a heavy load of sciences, not just do well in one at a time. that said, you've got a full plate of other activities, and you don't want them to harm your gpa. you said you want to do this in about 3 years, but there are only 1.5 years of courses there. i'm going to assume you have to work full-time for money, so maybe you can save the volunteering for the next 1.5 years after your prereq's, while you apply. and hopefully your job is medically-related so it'll help you out too. if you can swing it, i'd work part-time, take 2 classes at a time, and maybe do some light volunteering. good luck!

 

[silvercholla]

I am actually in the Financial field right now because it was the only job I could find. (NYC job market is not good) I am applying to more medically related jobs but nothing so far. I said three years because that was what was suggested to me instead of the 2 years or so that I was planning on doing. I would like to do it sooner but I don't want to rush and screw things up at the same time. I am doing all of the volunteer to pad my app because of the crappy undergrad years. I want to show that I can handle the work load both in grades and in patient care. Any advise is welcome (and much needed). I have a lot (like 25, don't ask longer story) letter of recommendations from people I have worked with post bac who know my work ethic. I just need to know that I am not wasting my time, and that I am not rushing things just to go forwad. I appreciate what you wrote and I printed it for my own reference ( I hope you don't mind)

 

[silvercholla]

BUMPITY BUMP BUMP

And one more thing. I see that a lot of people have research experience. I work full time so how exactly can I do research?

Thanks again for any help

 

[SMW]

Research is not a necessity for admission to medical school. I did zero research (even though I never worked) and was admitted to 5 schools and waitlisted at 6.

 

[silvercholla]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by SMW:
•Research is not a necessity for admission to medical school. I did zero research (even though I never worked) and was admitted to 5 schools and waitlisted at 6.•••••So research is just for padding and self growth and experience then?

 

[racergirl]

Your schedule looks fine to me, but I agree that three years of course work (post old crappy grades) will be better than just two with minimal prereqs. I would spend an extra year taking advanced Bio courses like cell bio, immunology, etc, just to show you can cut it. Your EC plans look good. Don't sweat the research thing. If the opportunity comes up then great, but it's not necessary.

By the way, I don't know your "story", but I think I was once in your position--making up for a horrible undergrad past--and I got into med school, so it's doable! Feel free to PM me if you wish. GOOD LUCK!

 

[silvercholla]

BUMP

 

[UCLA2000]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by silvercholla:
•I am a post bac pre med student working full time. Most of you know my deal already,so I won't rehash it. But I have a new concern. I am volunteering at a local ambulance vollie corp and I will be doing some other stuff at Mt. Sinai and Lincoln in the Bronx. But that's off the point I want to know in order to offset the crappy work I did back when I was an immature noodle head, how should I organize taking prereqs. This is what I thought but I was told that I would be pushing it mentally and physically wise.

Semester 1
Bio 1
Chem 1

Semester 2
Bio 2
Chem 2

Summer
Orgo 1
Physics1 <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

Semester 1
Orgo 2
Advancd English (I actually did well there)
•••••That looks like a manageable course load. If you need to take other courses at the same time, make sure they're non science ones.

 

[silvercholla]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by UCLA2000:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by silvercholla:
•Advancd English (I actually did well there)
•••••That looks like a manageable course load. If you need to take other courses at the same time, make sure they're non science ones.•••••I was thinking about that but I didn't think it was doable. Thanks for the info.

BTW you guys rock I am getting great advise THANK YOU TAHNK YOU THANK YOU <img border="0" alt="[Lovey]" title="" src="graemlins/lovey.gif" />

 

[Wednesday]

Silvercholla,

I'm a little confused by your plan. I don't see calculus or physics II in it. Maybe you have these classes already? Anyway, you will need them. Also, you have to take the labs for all of these prereqs, which are usually about 3-6 hours a week. Again, maybe you have these, but it not you will need them.

You are working full-time in the financal field and you plan to continue this while taking your classes, right? Where are you taking these classes? I know that at Columbia they have some classes at night but not all schools offer this option.

Since you are trying to make up for bad undergrad grades, you should be really careful how overloaded you make yourself. You HAVE to get excellent grades. Yes, people all over this board talk about how they got in with Cs and Ds and Fs, but if you are trying to prove yourself (which is what you're doing) you MUST not make anymore mistakes with the grades. They are VERY important. I'm sure people will disagree with me, but I definitly stand by this.

You also have to schedule in studying for the MCAT, which is also important to offset a shaky undergrad career.

Finally, taking two science classes during the summer while working may prove impossible. Summer classes are more concentrated and often meet everyday during the day. No matter how determined you are, the scheduling may just not work out.

I know that hurrying the premed part of the process is very tempting, but you might think about not rushing it so much. Learning medicine is a very long process, one year or two doesn't matter that much when you are facing 8-12 years of training anyway. And you wouldn't want to blow it and not get in at all! You may want to talk to a premed advisor at the college where you will take your prereqs, they may have some suggestions about your schedule. If they are the ones telling you that this would be "pushing it mentally and physically" you may want to listen to them.

Good luck.

 

[silvercholla]

Okay now I'm confused. So can I do this or not? I've got a few PM's saying that I can. I'm going to go to Brooklyn College or Hunter because they are one of the few SUNY schools that offer night courses like that with weekend labs. I tool the MCAT some time ago and did okay. But because of the length of time that I tool it they are not admissable. So now I can't take summer courses and work. Am I making an ass of myself by even attempting this? I appreciate you guys input, but if I'm being unrealistic please tell me. I have a lot of great advise from everyone who has answered this post and it is valued. Anyway, thanks guys.

Oh and one more thing. I ordered the Medical School Admission Requirements from AMCAS. And a lot of the schools that I was looking at don't say I need Calculus. Do I really need to take that? If I do I will take it but is it necessary? Thanks Again

 

[bonecutter]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by silvercholla:
•Okay now I'm confused. So can I do this or not? I've got a few PM's saying that I can. •••••Be careful with the advice you receive here. Most posts urge people to go forward even when the plans people put forward may need some adjustment. What Wednesday said rings true. The thought of rushing through the pre med stuff is tempting but fraught with danger. Based on your past performance you may need to do some serious revamping of your study habits. This would be extremely difficult to do with a full school schedule AND a full time job in the financial district. My opinion is that you need to choose which you really want and then dedicate yourself to that endeavor. 'No man can serve to masters. Either he will love the one and hate the other ...' Good luck.

Bonecutter

 

[maitai]

i agree with all the above posters, especially wednesday - i forgot about labs and assumed you had all the other courses you need. you're right in saying that a lot of med schools don't require calc, though. and if you can take the labs on weekends that's great as long as you don't get burned out. it's also true that summer classes are usually every day - maybe you could take 2 semesters, then spend the summer studying for the august mcat, then take another 2 semesters. only you know how much you can really handle at once. think hard, because wednesday's right that you really have to do well in all these courses. i also had a horrible undergrad past - it sucked having to make up for it, but i'll be starting med school in august! good luck!

 

[MaggieD]

I have an undergrad past that makes me vomit when I look at it...try a 1.23 GPA and an academic dismissal from a community college 6 years ago. But I got my sh#t together and now I'm a different person, yada yada yada... The military turned me around.
Anyway, I think I am in a similar situation like yours. I am trying to make up for my past also, amd so far I'm doing quite well. So my message is that IT CAN BE DONE. It just requires lots of hard work and perseverance.
The only other advice I could give is to be wary of that summer with physics and organic. That gives me the creeps. I'm taking a summer physics right now, and I shudder to think of taking organic at the same time. There just simply is'nt enough time for me to do well at both. I guess it depends on you.
Keep your chin up...remember, at least you are different from all the other pre-meds.

 

[silvercholla]

Someone PM'd me and asked me what my MCAT scores were when I first took them. I deleted the message and now I can't remember who sent it to me. Anyway I will post it here, nut like I said before, it was a while ago and they can't be used anymore. So from what I remember B=14 P=11 V=13
I think I got a Q or something on the essay but at the time it was still experimental so it didn't count. I know the Phy is weak but that was my fault. i love bio so much that I kind of slacked on studying for the phy.
I know I have to do better than that to get in. but I've decided not to take the summer courses and instead I am going to concentrate on the MCAT and EC stuff.

 

[silvercholla]

BUMP

 

[silvercholla]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by silvercholla:
•BUMP•••••I hope that PMer so this