Rn 2 md

[RN2MDSECRET]

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I am a 31yr old going back to school to become an MD. I am currently a critical care RN (6yrs), currently taking classes, hope to be completed and ready to go by age 34. What are my chances of getting accepted with a 26-30 MCAT score and GPA of 3.4, worse case scenario. Advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[dragonfly99]

30 MCAT you'd have a shot at MD schools.
26 MCAT probably DO only...DO schools will like your nursing/health care experience as well.
Part of this depends on where the 3.4 GPA is from...if it's Johns Hopkins or Harvard that's different than if it's a random regional state U or community college classes. In general you'd be a lot safer with 3.6+ GPA, though, for MD schools at least.

 

[aRnonymous]

Why not just go for CRNA? Do you really want to be in school for another 4 years and then do 4 or more years residency?

 

[RN2MDSECRET]

Hi
Thanks for the reply, I was actually hoping to attend either Meharry, Howard or Morehouse as top choices. I have been out of school for quite some time and don't know if I can maintain straight A's in the difficult courses like Biochem and molecular Biology/physics. Especially since I still work 12hr shifts sometimes 3-4days a week. I hated physics in undergrad when I graduated with my nursing degree. But nevertheless, thanks for the advice.

 

[RN2MDSECRET]

I am a 31yr old going back to school to become an MD. I am currently a critical care RN (6yrs), currently taking classes, hope to be completed and ready to go by age 34. What are my chances of getting accepted with a 26-30 MCAT score and GPA of 3.4, worse case scenario. Advice would be greatly appreciated





Thanks for your reply. I have no interest in becoming a CRNA. MD is what I am looking for at this point. I have had the priviledge of doing trauma these last 6yrs and it pains me to watch the residents come by and I have to guide them during codes and problem solving because I work night shift and the attendings are home sleeping. I have no doubt I can do it. I just have to get in. My first choices are Meharry, Howard or Morehouse and obviously anywhere I can get in. I don't care about the length of time it takes. If anybody cared about that, MD's would be a thing of the past. If things go as planned I will be practing by age 40/41.
Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Nasrudin]

Well. I understand as you begin an undertaking that requires a huge outlay of time, effort, and resources, it's only sensible to try to estimate the potential yield. The trouble is it's very difficult to get anything real out of the estimation game.

You've got a lot of things going for you. And your academic credentials are not bad. If you do really well with your pre-requisites then you might be standing in the middle of the pack at the starting line. There are some common sense but nevertheless commonly neglected things you can do come application time to really improve your position. Read the column by Dr. Freedman on the main homepage of sdn. I also recommend getting professional assistance when your application time approaches on how to present yourself--these types of things are the intangibles that if done well can actually improve your odds.

But the tangible items--gpa and mcat--only place you somewhere in a bell curve. And as your somewhere in the fat part of the curve. And as medical school admissions is inherently a bad game to bet on. No one could say. Those who would say with any certainty are fools.

Lastly, I actually think you have the most to lose via the speculative process. At best you get inane feedback. At worst other's perceptions of your potential start to affect your own.

Good luck.

 

[zebalong]

While you might not get straight A's you definitely shouldn't settle on mediocre grades and MCAT from the start. You should aim for a 4.0 and a solid MCAT. Your nursing experience won't matter much without the numbers to back it up (around a 3.6 and 30-32 MCAT) unless you go DO or are a minority, DO isn't a bad thing, it is just that they are more number forgiving then the allo programs if that is what you are looking for. It is possible to get 4.0 and do well on the MCAT while doing shift work, i think it has aged me by about 10 years but it is possible. Just get ready for some big adjustments- think of it like preparing for residency...

 

[blueflower77]

Hi sweetheart! I am in the same shoes as you are. I am a pediatric ICU nurse and going for the MD, too. It's really sad that we have to keep this secret from our co-workers, right?! Really sad.... but none the less, I want to extend my greatest appreciation for what you do and want to wish you all the best of luck. I know you can do it, just don't let anyone tell you otherwise. People will be mean to you, they will tell you are too old, too long out of school, not good enough, etc (believe me, I've heard it all!), but don't believe anyone - only yourself. 🙂 I work in a major medical center and our residents and attendings have been very supportive of my plight. They have offered recommendation writing, getting myself into research, etc. THEY are your future colleagues and don't let anyone else who doesn't want to do the same make you deter from your path! 🙂

GOOD LUCK!

 

[MSmentor018]

I am a 31yr old going back to school to become an MD. I am currently a critical care RN (6yrs), currently taking classes, hope to be completed and ready to go by age 34. What are my chances of getting accepted with a 26-30 MCAT score and GPA of 3.4, worse case scenario. Advice would be greatly appreciated.

I am doing the same route, click my name and my postings. I know I've posted info on RN-medicine and other general non trad stuff. feel free to PM for any questions. good luck to you and others in your journey!!

 

[ThinkTooMuch]

just go for DNP. which is basically equivalent to MD at least in primary care and much less time. 😀

 

[MSmentor018]

just go for DNP. which is basically equivalent to MD at least in primary care and much less time. 😀

what's a DNP? nurse practioner? there's a huge difference between the two one graduates from school and then gets a job, the other has a 3-4 yr residency with mulitple rotations then gets job. but you're right, NP is much shorter, less rigiorous training, and even cheaper....but not even close to being a physician...not even close

 

[ThinkTooMuch]

sarcasm.

 

[Octagonecology]

To the OP...are you applying as URM? The only reason I mention this is your choice of schools. I think past data indicates you are probably comptetitive for the list you have mentioned.

If you continue to do well in your coursework and study hard for your MCAT, you will open up even more possiblities and a broader school range.

Good luck to you!

 

[bigpharmD]

what's a DNP? nurse practioner? there's a huge difference between the two one graduates from school and then gets a job, the other has a 3-4 yr residency with mulitple rotations then gets job. but you're right, NP is much shorter, less rigiorous training, and even cheaper....but not even close to being a physician...not even close

I suggest you google DNP if you are not familiar with it...you will love it

 

[PhillyBoyInTN]

would this be an accurate heirarchy?

MD/DO
DNP
NP/PA

 

[dragonfly99]

would this be an accurate heirarchy?

MD/DO
DNP
NP/PA

a DNP is a NP. Some of the NP schools are just switching to giving a doctoral level rather than master's level degree.

 

[MSmentor018]

a higher level degree seems to be the norm these days. PA's now are required to get a masters, PT's are being pushed for PhD. NP's to PhD. this is from the AACN website on DNP program:
"Considerable emphasis is placed on a population perspective, how to obtain assessment data on populations or cohorts, how to use data to make programmatic decisions, and program evaluation"

LOL....I think I'll pass.....

dragonfly- my friends who are PT's and PA's and had to get a PhD still perform the exact same job, same pay, only "doctor" title on the door. is there a clinical relavence in obtaining an PhD as a practicing clinican or is this a keeping up with the jones's phenomenon?

 

[Justine]

Just FYI, NP's aren't being pushed to get PhDs. This is a common misconception. They are being pushed to get DNPs.

DNP=NPs putting research into clinical practice

PhD=research oriented nursing

 

[PBM]

I am in the same boat (see my NP to MD post). Just curious...did you need to take all of the pre-reqs? Where did you take them? Do you have family or financial obligations as obstacles? What is your game plan? Your advice would be greatly appreciated 🙂

 

[MSmentor018]

yeah a good chunk of the sciences.....had to take physics, chem, org, biochem. the nursing credits did not count towards anything for medicine. the only thing AAMCAS will consider for pre reqs is your pre nursing stuff, eng, history, soc....etc. and a few from military training transferred. I don't believe your masters gpa will off set your pre reqs. but ask someone in the mentor forum b/c I am not sure. I did them all at augusta college-now a state univ. a very, very low cost and affordable school. no family, 2 dogs, no financial obstacles, no problem getting a federal loan for med school. I think the key is to save up before you start b/c you can only get $40,000ish/yr or so from the govt, most will go to school....so use the rest wisely. you could always take private loans if needed. game plan is do the best I can on the boards next month, enjoy 13 more months of rotations, then enter emergency medicine residency....not sure where yet.

click my name and my postings. I know I've posted info on RN-medicine and other general non trad stuff. . good luck, you're already on your way to medicine...it starts with the dream! if you have any questions/need help...etc. feel free to PM me

 

[njbmd]

I am a 31yr old going back to school to become an MD. I am currently a critical care RN (6yrs), currently taking classes, hope to be completed and ready to go by age 34. What are my chances of getting accepted with a 26-30 MCAT score and GPA of 3.4, worse case scenario. Advice would be greatly appreciated.

You know that your MCAT needs to be in the 30 and above range and that your uGPA of 3.4 is going to be well below the average for medical school matriculants. With that being said, you NEED to get that uGPA up by taking post bacc coursework. You can do one class at a time but your emphasis HAS to be on doing high quality scholarship. Figure out why you don't do well in your coursework and solve those problems. You can't afford any MCAT score in the 20s period even a 29.

Why not just go for CRNA? Do you really want to be in school for another 4 years and then do 4 or more years residency?

If a person does not enjoy anesthesia, a shorter time in school isn't going to make much of a difference. The OP is looking to expand his/her options and not to narrow them. CRNA is a good option if someone wants to do anesthesia only but an MD/DO gives the bearer of that degree options that a CRNA degree does not.

Hi
Thanks for the reply, I was actually hoping to attend either Meharry, Howard or Morehouse as top choices. I have been out of school for quite some time and don't know if I can maintain straight A's in the difficult courses like Biochem and molecular Biology/physics. Especially since I still work 12hr shifts sometimes 3-4days a week. I hated physics in undergrad when I graduated with my nursing degree. But nevertheless, thanks for the advice.

Do not look at previous averages for Howard, Meharry or Morehouse and think that they are going to be a "slam dunk" for you. You first need to meet the missions of their charters and you need to get your grades up. Scanning the MSAR to find schools that have lower averages and then "settling" for the grades that you have outlined above is likely not going to make it. With the economy being bad, every schools numbers increased.

You cannot affort to "hate" any pre-med course. You have to master this stuff period. When you get to medical school, there will be courses that you like better than others but you have to do well in all of them (no easy feat under the best of circumstances). Look at physics as just a step toward accomplishing your goal that you will take and do well in. In other words, drop the emotional reaction to any subject matter because it sets you up not to do your best.

If you have been out of school for a while, rather than doubt yourself, get the study skills and strategies that you need. These types of classes abound so take advantage of them. Start slow and do excellent work. If you settle for nothing less than the best, you will achieve the best.