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deleted1242438
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I am a nontraditional student who wishes to reapply to medical school in the next couple of years.
Here's a rundown of my academic history... This is a long one.
I received a BS in Biology with a minor in Psychology and have a GPA of 3.807 from that institution. While there, I was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, was on the executive board for Alpha Epsilon Delta (a nationally recognized pre-medical society), completed around 1500+ hours of research, was published on two different papers, and various other things.
After graduation, I spent a year working as a crisis counselor answering calls for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline as well as other contract crisis lines. I earned my EMT-Basic certification, but ultimately decided to pursue crisis counseling instead of working as an EMT.
I then applied to, was accepted, and matriculated to a medical school with an MD program. I started school in the Fall, but then fell ill and realized I couldn't continue (bad luck/timing). I withdrew due to medical problems before earning credit.
I would be lying if I didn't say I didn't know what I would do from then on. I always wanted to find my way back to medicine, but I didn't know how (figuring out how to apply again is difficult - a lot of things go into a successful application, and I know that I have to build from the ground up).
I decided to pursue topics that I was interested in (in med school, my goal was to become a psychiatrist). I became a Behavioral Health Technician, working with children with Autism using ABA therapy. Then, I ended up getting my masters in Psychology and successfully defending my thesis (topic on novel characteristics of disordered personality). I graduated with a 3.895. I then thought that pursuing a PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience was a good idea. I applied, was accepted, and matriculated into a program. I completed some coursework (GPA from that institution was a 3.5 - theoretical statistics was like pulling teeth), but then decided that I missed patient care too much and the decision to pursue a PhD was ultimately bringing me farther from what I actually wanted to do.
I left the program and am currently earning my BSN (nursing coursework GPA 4.0) so that I can get experience in the clinical setting and support myself as a nurse while I reapply to medical school. I am working as a Mental Health Technician in an inpatient psychiatric unit (geri and acute), and would like to work as a Psych RN (I'll work as an ER RN if I can't get a job in Psych) after graduation. I have just signed on to coauthor a publication with my old Major Professor from my Grad Psych program and will probably publish before I apply.
I am constantly frustrated by the limited scope of practice and lack of depth in my classes as a BSN student. I loved med school when I was in it. I loved the depth of knowledge and I was excited to continue with training. It was suggested to me that I pursue a psychiatric nurse practitioner degree, but I'm not personally comfortable making prescribing/treatment decisions with significantly less training and a much smaller global knowledge base.
I plan on shadowing an internal medicine doctor, and start volunteering again as a crisis counselor.
When I applied last time, I only took the MCAT once. I took it cold. I didn't do a single practice question. My plan was to just figure out what the test was like, study, and then take it again for real. I ended up getting a 507. I was told that it would be silly to take it again, so that was the MCAT I applied with. This time, I plan on studying for 4 to 5 months while working as a nurse before attempting it. I've been looking at mean scores now, and everything has gotten so much more competitive - not a fan.
I feel like I'll be seen as "damaged goods," but I still want to try because that's where I've always wanted to be. I believe that gaining medical training will make me the best provider I can possibly be. I know a lot of people feel comfortable with it, but I feel like if I were to go the nurse practitioner path, I would be doing a disservice to my patients. I want to practice independently with acute/medically complicated patients. I want to constantly be challenged and feel confident in my abilities. I want a deeper understanding than what I've been getting, and I want a well rounded medical education.
If anyone could give any advice, things I should work on to build a stronger application, do I actually look like damaged goods, anything really. In everything I've seen online, I've never heard of someone else with a story like mine. It's unique, and that makes it more difficult for me to figure out how to proceed. I got in once, I can do it again, but I want to be smart about it.
Here's a rundown of my academic history... This is a long one.
I received a BS in Biology with a minor in Psychology and have a GPA of 3.807 from that institution. While there, I was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, was on the executive board for Alpha Epsilon Delta (a nationally recognized pre-medical society), completed around 1500+ hours of research, was published on two different papers, and various other things.
After graduation, I spent a year working as a crisis counselor answering calls for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline as well as other contract crisis lines. I earned my EMT-Basic certification, but ultimately decided to pursue crisis counseling instead of working as an EMT.
I then applied to, was accepted, and matriculated to a medical school with an MD program. I started school in the Fall, but then fell ill and realized I couldn't continue (bad luck/timing). I withdrew due to medical problems before earning credit.
I would be lying if I didn't say I didn't know what I would do from then on. I always wanted to find my way back to medicine, but I didn't know how (figuring out how to apply again is difficult - a lot of things go into a successful application, and I know that I have to build from the ground up).
I decided to pursue topics that I was interested in (in med school, my goal was to become a psychiatrist). I became a Behavioral Health Technician, working with children with Autism using ABA therapy. Then, I ended up getting my masters in Psychology and successfully defending my thesis (topic on novel characteristics of disordered personality). I graduated with a 3.895. I then thought that pursuing a PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience was a good idea. I applied, was accepted, and matriculated into a program. I completed some coursework (GPA from that institution was a 3.5 - theoretical statistics was like pulling teeth), but then decided that I missed patient care too much and the decision to pursue a PhD was ultimately bringing me farther from what I actually wanted to do.
I left the program and am currently earning my BSN (nursing coursework GPA 4.0) so that I can get experience in the clinical setting and support myself as a nurse while I reapply to medical school. I am working as a Mental Health Technician in an inpatient psychiatric unit (geri and acute), and would like to work as a Psych RN (I'll work as an ER RN if I can't get a job in Psych) after graduation. I have just signed on to coauthor a publication with my old Major Professor from my Grad Psych program and will probably publish before I apply.
I am constantly frustrated by the limited scope of practice and lack of depth in my classes as a BSN student. I loved med school when I was in it. I loved the depth of knowledge and I was excited to continue with training. It was suggested to me that I pursue a psychiatric nurse practitioner degree, but I'm not personally comfortable making prescribing/treatment decisions with significantly less training and a much smaller global knowledge base.
I plan on shadowing an internal medicine doctor, and start volunteering again as a crisis counselor.
When I applied last time, I only took the MCAT once. I took it cold. I didn't do a single practice question. My plan was to just figure out what the test was like, study, and then take it again for real. I ended up getting a 507. I was told that it would be silly to take it again, so that was the MCAT I applied with. This time, I plan on studying for 4 to 5 months while working as a nurse before attempting it. I've been looking at mean scores now, and everything has gotten so much more competitive - not a fan.
I feel like I'll be seen as "damaged goods," but I still want to try because that's where I've always wanted to be. I believe that gaining medical training will make me the best provider I can possibly be. I know a lot of people feel comfortable with it, but I feel like if I were to go the nurse practitioner path, I would be doing a disservice to my patients. I want to practice independently with acute/medically complicated patients. I want to constantly be challenged and feel confident in my abilities. I want a deeper understanding than what I've been getting, and I want a well rounded medical education.
If anyone could give any advice, things I should work on to build a stronger application, do I actually look like damaged goods, anything really. In everything I've seen online, I've never heard of someone else with a story like mine. It's unique, and that makes it more difficult for me to figure out how to proceed. I got in once, I can do it again, but I want to be smart about it.
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