Longtime lurker, first time poster as pre-med. Apologize for length, want to give decent background for best advice as to where I might have a good chance. As a nontrad, I'm curious as to whether my life experience may be beneficial. Thanks in advance!
Nontrad caucasian male, blue collar background, 1st gen college. Grew up in Michigan, family still lives there. California resident the last 3 years.
Work: First paid job at 11 hoeing and de-stoning (digging and lifting heavy rocks all day) farm fields. Various manual labor jobs throughout teens including painting, masonry, butcher, cashier, farm hand, metal casting foundry, etc. As adult I cleaned foreclosed crack houses, janitor, construction laborer, carpenter. Now work as a pharmacist at a UC medical center, an inpatient psych hospital, and occasional Lyft driver.
Education: stats as above in title. Over 300 credit hours. Magna Cum Laude BSci from MI public uni in general studies with minor in chem. PharmD from UMich.
Shadowing: Level 1 trauma ER: 40 hrs, Forensic Psychiatry: 16 hours, DO Specific: 12 hours
Clinical Experience: I separated this section for experiences where I was actually seeing and managing patients rather than passively observing. For example, I often get consulted to see patients and advise med management. Critical Care: 300 hrs, Internal medicine: 4000 hours. Infectious disease: 200 hours. I taught a cardiac rehab class focusing on medication management which amounted to about 200 hours. I managed patients in a warfarin clinic for a couple summers: 200 hours. 2/3 of my jobs as a pharmacist have been in rural underserved areas, current job is urban underserved.
Research: 2 years clincal pharmacology and nephrology research at UMich. Poster presentation at national convention. No pub yet.
Leadership: held elected position as social committee chair for student government in pharmacy school
Volunteering: Music reviewer and guest DJ at my undergrad college radio station, Dog walker and cat cage cleaner at Humane Society, laborer for Habitat for Humanity, various events for cancer and Junior Diabetes Research Foundation.
Awards: few. Won 3rd place in MI state vocational competition for clock I made in woodworking class. Phi Beta Kappa, Golden Key.
Hobbies: got into jogging and ran first marathon on a whim last year without training, weightlifting, co-captain of my men's league ice hockey team, brief stint at uni level club hockey, ice fishing, backpacking, I enjoy growing and breeding rare heirloom plant varieties, vermiculture, collecting and restoring vintage audio equipment and vinyl, played guitar in a band, learning Mien from my wife. Want to start an apiary at my house this spring if I can find the time.
School List:
Clinical interests: considering eventually practicing in rural environment. Not crazy about research or ending up in a big city. Would prefer to be in CA, MI, or WI to be near family, but going to a reach school would be hard to turn down. Current list based on geographic preference and curriculum/potential fit, but open to all.
All Michigan schools, except maybe Wayne. Mother lives in Kzoo, would love to go to Western Michigan.
All California schools, I realize some are reaches but I'd like to try.
MCW- MKE and Wausau
UWisc? -not wisc resident anymore, but lived and worked in rural hospital there for 2 years.
LECOM-B and Seton- I like PBL
Case- again strong PBL
Ohio State
Penn State
Drexel
UNLV
Rochester
VCU
Vermont
Jeff
Wake
Loyola
Rush
Tulane
Marian
Midwestern AZ
Nontrad caucasian male, blue collar background, 1st gen college. Grew up in Michigan, family still lives there. California resident the last 3 years.
Work: First paid job at 11 hoeing and de-stoning (digging and lifting heavy rocks all day) farm fields. Various manual labor jobs throughout teens including painting, masonry, butcher, cashier, farm hand, metal casting foundry, etc. As adult I cleaned foreclosed crack houses, janitor, construction laborer, carpenter. Now work as a pharmacist at a UC medical center, an inpatient psych hospital, and occasional Lyft driver.
Education: stats as above in title. Over 300 credit hours. Magna Cum Laude BSci from MI public uni in general studies with minor in chem. PharmD from UMich.
Shadowing: Level 1 trauma ER: 40 hrs, Forensic Psychiatry: 16 hours, DO Specific: 12 hours
Clinical Experience: I separated this section for experiences where I was actually seeing and managing patients rather than passively observing. For example, I often get consulted to see patients and advise med management. Critical Care: 300 hrs, Internal medicine: 4000 hours. Infectious disease: 200 hours. I taught a cardiac rehab class focusing on medication management which amounted to about 200 hours. I managed patients in a warfarin clinic for a couple summers: 200 hours. 2/3 of my jobs as a pharmacist have been in rural underserved areas, current job is urban underserved.
Research: 2 years clincal pharmacology and nephrology research at UMich. Poster presentation at national convention. No pub yet.
Leadership: held elected position as social committee chair for student government in pharmacy school
Volunteering: Music reviewer and guest DJ at my undergrad college radio station, Dog walker and cat cage cleaner at Humane Society, laborer for Habitat for Humanity, various events for cancer and Junior Diabetes Research Foundation.
Awards: few. Won 3rd place in MI state vocational competition for clock I made in woodworking class. Phi Beta Kappa, Golden Key.
Hobbies: got into jogging and ran first marathon on a whim last year without training, weightlifting, co-captain of my men's league ice hockey team, brief stint at uni level club hockey, ice fishing, backpacking, I enjoy growing and breeding rare heirloom plant varieties, vermiculture, collecting and restoring vintage audio equipment and vinyl, played guitar in a band, learning Mien from my wife. Want to start an apiary at my house this spring if I can find the time.
School List:
Clinical interests: considering eventually practicing in rural environment. Not crazy about research or ending up in a big city. Would prefer to be in CA, MI, or WI to be near family, but going to a reach school would be hard to turn down. Current list based on geographic preference and curriculum/potential fit, but open to all.
All Michigan schools, except maybe Wayne. Mother lives in Kzoo, would love to go to Western Michigan.
All California schools, I realize some are reaches but I'd like to try.
MCW- MKE and Wausau
UWisc? -not wisc resident anymore, but lived and worked in rural hospital there for 2 years.
LECOM-B and Seton- I like PBL
Case- again strong PBL
Ohio State
Penn State
Drexel
UNLV
Rochester
VCU
Vermont
Jeff
Wake
Loyola
Rush
Tulane
Marian
Midwestern AZ
