MD SAHM to MD?

[onbijin]

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I'm a VERY non-traditional applicant with a B.S in biomedical engineering from Duke University (1996) and 20 years away from work outside my home. My husband and 2 siblings are physicians so I know that I've got a long, hard road ahead but at the age of 48 I feel ready to tackle it. I have raised 3 children (now ages 19, 18 and 16) one of whom has multiple medical and mental health challenges including type 1 diabetes since age 2 and feel this gives me a unique perspective. I am well aware, however that most institutions will not see the work I've done at home and in the community as valuable preparation for medical school but I'd like to try to change their minds. I took the MCAT last June and scored a 510 after self-studying using mostly free resources for 8 months. My UG GPA was 3.4 in a quite rigorous BME curriculum at Duke. I have lived and studied and worked in Germany and Japan and have extensive experience working with immigrants. I plan to work in underserved communities in primary care after graduation. Last year I applied Early Decision to Wake Forest University (I live in Winston-Salem) and was rejected. I plan to reapply, but am now considering expanding my application pool. Because I never took OChem, I am limited to schools that don't have specific course requirements. Here's what I'd like to know: Which schools would you recommend I apply to? What are my chances of convincing an adcom that my work as a stay-at-home mother and community volunteer the past two decades has been meaningful preparation for medical school?

 

[wysdoc]

I know someone similar who returned to college, the same college as her 2 youngest kids, to finish pre-reqs and then was accepted to med school in her late 40s.

 

[candbgirl]

Maybe that’s what you need to do first. Take some upper division science classes and try to prove to ADCOMS that you are up to the rigors of med school with several As. Since you have lots of contacts with physicians maybe they could set you up for some shadowing and maybe you could get a volunteer job at a hospital or hospice or clinic for underprivileged people.
I know you want a medical school to take you as is, but that’s not realistic. You won’t be able to convince anybody of anything unless you get an interview. So you have to show them something that will make them want to interview you. Are there any DO schools near you? That might be a viable path to medicine for you. It’s at least worth some research.

 

[onbijin]

I know someone similar who returned to college, the same college as her 2 youngest kids, to finish pre-reqs and then was accepted to med school in her late 40s.

Thank you for that advice. I guess that means your answer to my second question is - not likely? I was planning to do this (take some classes) until the director of admissions at Wake SOM told me that wasn't necessary. I guess that means I should only apply to Wake Early Decision.