Really need advice please...

[FinVsMed]

This is a little about my background. I graduated in 2009 with a BS in Finance from PSU and started a career with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney as a financial advisor, managing clients multigenerational wealth. I thought it would be an emotionally rewarding career, but I realized there was way too many variables. Sure you help people, but as a rookie, I have to worry about my quarterly goals, the stockholders, and other variables that really cloud my thinking. It took a lot of hard work to get into this career, many exams, much training, but I am not sure I want this to the rest of my life. I come from a family of doctors and have always had a passion in the back of my head for the field. I am debating starting a post bach pre med program.

My situation is as follows. I had the typical story of being imature in college and not knowing my direction. I also had a family issue my sophmore year which slightly contributed to a few really bad semesters that really brought my GPA down. All in all, my GPA is about a 2.5. It is not a direct link to who I am. I am ashamed of it, but I must live with my mistake and learn from it. My last year of college, I matured. I did well, got a great internship at Merrill Lynch, and got very close with many of my finance teachers. Starting a career at Morgan Stanley required passing difficult exams, such as the Series 7. I am a Jr. partner in a team that manages almost 100 million and I am doing very well. My resume is quite impressive for being 24 years old in Finance. I also have 4 years of experience in the medical field working as a dental assistant and 5 years of running my own company while in college, which had to be sold in order to start at Morgan Stanley. I am making very good money now, but that is not my motivation. I need to know I am doing the right thing for people, and sometimes I am not sure I am.

My question is, what are my chances of getting into a Post Bach Pre Med program? I am willing to do whatever is needed in order to get into a program. Please help me out. Thank you all a lot.

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[drimpossible]

I think your chances of getting into a post-bacc program are pretty good. Your gpa is low, but you have an upward trend, post-bacc programs should view that in a positive light.

Are you NYC? If you are, unless you're confident that you can bang with the big boys, I would focus on programs like CUNY or Hunter College before jumping into a program like Columbia, which grades on a curve against stiff competition. In addition to being significantly cheaper, the public programs are pretty good. You're going to need to kick serious ass regardless. It doesn't sound like you can afford any more B's. Good luck.

 

[FinVsMed]

I think your chances of getting into a post-bacc program are pretty good. Your gpa is low, but you have an upward trend, post-bacc programs should view that in a positive light.

Are you NYC? If you are, unless you're confident that you can bang with the big boys, I would focus on programs like CUNY or Hunter College before jumping into a program like Columbia, which grades on a curve against stiff competition. In addition to being significantly cheaper, the public programs are pretty good. You're going to need to kick serious ass regardless. It doesn't sound like you can afford any more B's. Good luck.

I am actually outside of Philadelphia, so very close to Temple, Pcom, Drexel, and Penn. Thank you for the compliment. What do you think my chances are with those schools?

 

[drimpossible]

I think your "chances of getting in" should be a secondary concern. I think you probably have a decent shot at most of them. I think the more important question is which place gives you the best chance to succeed, and the best ROI? I have found that you don't need a top shelf post-bacc program to have a great shot at medical school. That being said, you need to do extremely well at whatever place you choose. Try doing some searches about the programs you mentioned and see what people have said about them. I know Penn offers a designated post-bacc program, but do the others? Remember, if there is a public option in Philly, it will probably be 25% of the cost of the schools you've mentioned.

 

[FinVsMed]

I think your "chances of getting in" should be a secondary concern. I think you probably have a decent shot at most of them. I think the more important question is which place gives you the best chance to succeed, and the best ROI? I have found that you don't need a top shelf post-bacc program to have a great shot at medical school. That being said, you need to do extremely well at whatever place you choose. Try doing some searches about the programs you mentioned and see what people have said about them. I know Penn offers a designated post-bacc program, but do the others? Remember, if there is a public option in Philly, it will probably be 25% of the cost of the schools you've mentioned.

I know that Temple and Drexel both have programs that if you keep a certain GPA and get a certain score on the MCAT, you are automatically accepted into their Medical school. I understand that the public option is a lot cheaper, but my mentality is that there is nothing worth more than a great education so I'm prepared for 6 figure debt haha. Thank you so much for your advice. Anyone else have any imput?

 

[badb100d]

drimpossible's advice is spot on. Unless you're considering a very selective postbac like Bryn Mawr, Scripps or Hopkins you should not have too much trouble gaining acceptance to a postbac as the programs have little to lose by admitting you. Many have very specific standards before they will give you a committee letter and their med school admissions stats are based only on candidates they actually support with a letter.

Having gone the expensive route myself, I would not discourage anyone outright. But I would say to think long and hard beforehand about your choice to pursue medicine. Being focused on your goal and committed to it will make the process easier to handle. Also, you need to be honest with yourself about your academic abilities. You may need to treat studying like a full time job in order to ace your classes (which you have no choice but to do). Remember, postbac is giving you a chance to redeem yourself, you don't want to mess it up.

That being said, there is a postbac forum on SDN with lots of info about various programs. I believe the Penn program is an extension school so it might be a good option for you combining prestige, rigor and better tuition rates.

 

[FinVsMed]

drimpossible's advice is spot on. Unless you're considering a very selective postbac like Bryn Mawr, Scripps or Hopkins you should not have too much trouble gaining acceptance to a postbac as the programs have little to lose by admitting you. Many have very specific standards before they will give you a committee letter and their med school admissions stats are based only on candidates they actually support with a letter.

Having gone the expensive route myself, I would not discourage anyone outright. But I would say to think long and hard beforehand about your choice to pursue medicine. Being focused on your goal and committed to it will make the process easier to handle. Also, you need to be honest with yourself about your academic abilities. You may need to treat studying like a full time job in order to ace your classes (which you have no choice but to do). Remember, postbac is giving you a chance to redeem yourself, you don't want to mess it up.

That being said, there is a postbac forum on SDN with lots of info about various programs. I believe the Penn program is an extension school so it might be a good option for you combining prestige, rigor and better tuition rates.

Thank you so much for your input. In order to get into my current job in finance, I needed to take the same approach for studying for my exams. I had 3 major certifications to take, the series 7, the series 66, and the life and health insurance exam. I studied 8 hours a day for each by reading, reviewing, and practice problems. I understand that time managment is most of the battle and having the control to sit and study as a full time job is key. Can you go into more detail on what a committee letter? Sorry for not being to educated on this topic. I appreciate all your help so much.

 

[badb100d]

The committee letter is a letter your pre-med advisor will write on your behalf when you're ready to apply to medical school. They are basically giving your application the support of the entire school, it's a vote of confidence in you. Hence, there are usually strict criteria to meet before getting one. The committee letter may also be bundled together with your other recommendation letters, different schools do different things.

Good luck to you in whichever postbac path you choose!

 

[PostHaste]

Hi Fin. Sorry, I don't have any advice for you on post-baccs and your chances; I'm a newb on all that. One thing that did jump out at me from your post was this:

I thought it would be an emotionally rewarding career, but I realized there was way too many variables. Sure you help people, but as a rookie, I have to worry about my quarterly goals, the stockholders, and other variables that really cloud my thinking.

Taking what you said at face value, I'd recommend you spend a little more time on this. Physicians, especially young ones, don't practice in a vacuum. There are financial performance metrics already in place for many types of practices (ie, # of patients/day for a dermatologist or RVUs billed for a hospitalist), and it's only going to be more common and convoluted as Medicare moves more towards a full pay-for-performance model. There's going to be more time spent on paperwork and proving yourself while still being constantly told to see more patients.

I only bring it up because it's one of the big things I'm struggling with. I went from automotive engineering to healthcare process engineering in the hopes that I'd have more of a chance to help people. It's just more of the same - find ways to make more money for whoever's on top. I want to shift to medicine so I can have more autonomy and more of a chance to help people, but I've finally figured out the truth that there is no such thing as a paid job that is truly and fully altruistic. You just have to come to terms with how much helping you can live with.

Alright, that's enough out of me and my soapbox today. Good for you for taking the first steps (admitting to yourself that you're in the wrong place). It took me 10 years to get there.

 

[FinVsMed]

Hi Fin. Sorry, I don't have any advice for you on post-baccs and your chances; I'm a newb on all that. One thing that did jump out at me from your post was this:


Taking what you said at face value, I'd recommend you spend a little more time on this. Physicians, especially young ones, don't practice in a vacuum. There are financial performance metrics already in place for many types of practices (ie, # of patients/day for a dermatologist or RVUs billed for a hospitalist), and it's only going to be more common and convoluted as Medicare moves more towards a full pay-for-performance model. There's going to be more time spent on paperwork and proving yourself while still being constantly told to see more patients.

I only bring it up because it's one of the big things I'm struggling with. I went from automotive engineering to healthcare process engineering in the hopes that I'd have more of a chance to help people. It's just more of the same - find ways to make more money for whoever's on top. I want to shift to medicine so I can have more autonomy and more of a chance to help people, but I've finally figured out the truth that there is no such thing as a paid job that is truly and fully altruistic. You just have to come to terms with how much helping you can live with.

Alright, that's enough out of me and my soapbox today. Good for you for taking the first steps (admitting to yourself that you're in the wrong place). It took me 10 years to get there.

Very well said and very interesting. I agree with you. I just have a true feeling in my heart this is the right step for me. Nothing against Wall Street, but I guess I'm not the right person for the industry. Thank you for the comment.

 

[FinVsMed]

Does anyone else have an opinion. I'd really appreciate it.

 

[badb100d]

Fin, what do you want to know more about? Getting into a postbacc should not be too much of a struggle, exceptions are often made for GPA's lower than 3.0, especially since you have a compelling reason and likely show an upward trend as an upperclassman. You seem to have made up your mind about pursuing medicine, and regardless, that is something you have to decide for yourself. If you're concerned about your actual chances at med school, nontrads have been successful with all types of backgrounds. If you have a specific concern, please ask.

 

[FinVsMed]

Fin, what do you want to know more about? Getting into a postbacc should not be too much of a struggle, exceptions are often made for GPA's lower than 3.0, especially since you have a compelling reason and likely show an upward trend as an upperclassman. You seem to have made up your mind about pursuing medicine, and regardless, that is something you have to decide for yourself. If you're concerned about your actual chances at med school, nontrads have been successful with all types of backgrounds. If you have a specific concern, please ask.

My specific concern is my GPA. It is something I really regret and really does not explain who I am. I am worried that my current upward trend is not "good enough." I really believe I have done a lot for a 24 year old and have worked hard to prove myself. I know that once I get in, it will be a struggle, but I welcome this challenge more than anything I have ever encountered. My finance major GPA is actually much higher, being a 3.36, which is not bad. I just am concerned they won't be able to look beyond my negative cumulative GPA to all the positives I have done.

 

[badb100d]

Fin, I certainly don't think that your GPA is an insurmountable hurdle. Plenty of postbacs are career changers and bear the scars of a different life and mindset in their GPA. (Trust me on this one )Since you have a degree in finance I will venture a guess that you have few to no science courses on your transcript. This is an advantage for you as you pretty much have a clean slate to start with in terms of your science GPA, which is important and calculated separately from your overall GPA. By excelling in postbacc you should walk away with a great science GPA and a much improved cumulative GPA.

In terms of getting into a postbac with your GPA, as I indicated in my earlier post, I don't think it will be too much of an issue. I believe most schools have an additional area on their applications where you can explain low grades and talk about any extenuating circumstances. With a great personal statement and a good letter of recommendation or two I don't think many schools will have difficulty looking past your GPA. Make them see all the great things about you! That being said, it is always wise to be ready with alternatives. So apply to as many formal postbac programs as you're interested in and also get the paperwork started for enrolling in an informal (DIY) postbac at your 4 year university of choice (where your GPA will be a non-issue). As you can see from the forum, people have been successful following either route. At the end of the day the important thing is to get the pre-med courses done, don't get too wrapped up in the name/prestige. Just do high quality work and the med schools will take notice! Hope this helps! Anyone else feel free to add.

 

[FinVsMed]

Fin, I certainly don't think that your GPA is an insurmountable hurdle. Plenty of postbacs are career changers and bear the scars of a different life and mindset in their GPA. (Trust me on this one )Since you have a degree in finance I will venture a guess that you have few to no science courses on your transcript. This is an advantage for you as you pretty much have a clean slate to start with in terms of your science GPA, which is important and calculated separately from your overall GPA. By excelling in postbacc you should walk away with a great science GPA and a much improved cumulative GPA.

In terms of getting into a postbac with your GPA, as I indicated in my earlier post, I don't think it will be too much of an issue. I believe most schools have an additional area on their applications where you can explain low grades and talk about any extenuating circumstances. With a great personal statement and a good letter of recommendation or two I don't think many schools will have difficulty looking past your GPA. Make them see all the great things about you! That being said, it is always wise to be ready with alternatives. So apply to as many formal postbac programs as you're interested in and also get the paperwork started for enrolling in an informal (DIY) postbac at your 4 year university of choice (where your GPA will be a non-issue). As you can see from the forum, people have been successful following either route. At the end of the day the important thing is to get the pre-med courses done, don't get too wrapped up in the name/prestige. Just do high quality work and the med schools will take notice! Hope this helps! Anyone else feel free to add.

That is great advice. Thank you so much. I'm looking to get into a structured postbac program that directly gets me into a med school when meeting certain requirements. Temple and Drexel are two that are very close to me that offer that option. Thank you again.

 

[EdLongshanks]

Does anyone else have an opinion. I'd really appreciate it.

Ok Fin, here's my opinion. You annoy me. I'm not sure why you annoy me and I'm not claiming to be right in my annoyance. The reason I'm posting this is only to mention the possibility that you approach to the "Why Medicine?" question can be irritating. You come across ( in this thread only, and only to me) as a spoiled brat who, after begging for the shiny silver toy, has now decided the toy that he was given is not really what he wants. He wants the gold one now.

 

[FinVsMed]

Ok Fin, here's my opinion. You annoy me. I'm not sure why you annoy me and I'm not claiming to be right in my annoyance. The reason I'm posting this is only to mention the possibility that you approach to the "Why Medicine?" question can be irritating. You come across ( in this thread only, and only to me) as a spoiled brat who, after begging for the shiny silver toy, has now decided the toy that he was given is not really what he wants. He wants the gold one now.

You are certainly entitled to your own opinion and I welcome both optomistic and pesamistc opinions alike. That is the point of a forum. To clarify, so I can gain your "aproval," I am the making the switch for many personal reasons. My "shiny silver toy" that I no longer want is my current field of work. I do not like the direction the finance world is going, specifically wealth managemnt. I'm told to help people, allocate their wealth according to their risk, goals, passions, and prepare them to handle changes in their life and the economy, yet do it in the one single way that hits my rookie requirements and so the shareholders get the most residual income. That one single way is far from appropriate for every single family and person. If I always do what is right, or close to it, I'll get fired for not hitting my goals, but my job isn't about me, its about my clients, right? I guess you can call that moral hazard, but my stubborn views don't agree with that approach. So yes, I don't want that "shiny silver toy." Is it fair to assume your silver toy is software engineering?

To clarify, I never begged for anything in my life, I have earned it. I may not have had the best grades, but I certainly doubt that most people could overcome the GPA hole that I created and could get to where I currently am. I am not saying that I am amazing or perfect, but I am saying that if I want to make the personal sacrafice to change my career and become a doctor, I am certainly entitled to persue any "gold one" I want. I am sorry for annoying you.

 

[MacVA]

All in all, my GPA is about a 2.5. It is not a direct link to who I am. I am ashamed of it, but I must live with my mistake and learn from it. My last year of college, I matured. I did well, got a great internship at Merrill Lynch, and got very close with many of my finance teachers. Starting a career at Morgan Stanley required passing difficult exams, such as the Series 7. I am a Jr. partner in a team that manages almost 100 million and I am doing very well. My resume is quite impressive for being 24 years old in Finance. I also have 4 years of experience in the medical field working as a dental assistant and 5 years of running my own company while in college

My question is, what are my chances of getting into a Post Bach Pre Med program? I am willing to do whatever is needed in order to get into a program. Please help me out. Thank you all a lot.

As a prior financial professional myself, let me give you my two cents. Medical schools won't care too much about your prior finance background. The dental assistant gig and the fact that you run your own company may help you a little.

Now for the important stuff, your 2.5 GPA is going to be hard to overcome. How many credit hours do you have right now? What is your science/math gpa currently?

The competitive post bacc programs w/ linkage are fairly difficult to get into with a 2.5 GPA. You need some serious GPA repair work and are looking at 4 years of doing part time school work to get it up there. At least you are are 24 and have all the time in the world...

 

[FinVsMed]

As a prior financial professional myself, let me give you my two cents. Medical schools won't care too much about your prior finance background. The dental assistant gig and the fact that you run your own company may help you a little.

Now for the important stuff, your 2.5 GPA is going to be hard to overcome. How many credit hours do you have right now? What is your science/math gpa currently?

The competitive post bacc programs w/ linkage are fairly difficult to get into with a 2.5 GPA. You need some serious GPA repair work and are looking at 4 years of doing part time school work to get it up there. At least you are are 24 and have all the time in the world...

I actually turned 25 today, haha. Thank you for your opinion. To my understanding, a lot of the post bacc programs are for career changers, so wouldn't then want to see you were doing well in whatever career direction you chose prior to making the change?

 

[MacVA]

A short answer is "No"; they really don't care how successful you were in a prior career unless of course the prior career is something like medical research, pharmacy, nurse, etc.

 

[FinVsMed]

A short answer is "No"; they really don't care how successful you were in a prior career unless of course the prior career is something like medical research, pharmacy, nurse, etc.

Okay, I understand. Thanks for your advice. It was helpfull. I hope the schools I apply to in Philadelphia care a little bit.