Second Bachelors degree?

[868651]

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Hi,
Would a 2nd bachelors degree in Chemistry or Biology do any good toward getting into medical/dental, or pharmacy school instead of completing a post bacc program or attending community college?

What alternative career options can somebody with a BS in Chemistry or Biology obtain if they get rejected from admission to medical school?

 

[868651]

Second bachelors wont help; SMP might

Have you applied? If so give us the complete run down of your background including school list and AMCAS GPA Grid

What is SMP? No I haven’t applied.

 

[21Rush12]

Do you want to be a doctor, a dentist, or a pharmacist? What’s the story here?

 

[868651]

Sorry I misunderstood your first posting. What are you getting your current degree in?

I’m trying to return to my undergraduate school and complete the credits toward a second bachelors degree in Chemistry. Then take the MCAT and apply to a medical school.

 

[868651]

Do you want to be a doctor, a dentist, or a pharmacist? What’s the story here?

A doctor.

 

[DBC03]

Technically, a second bachelor's degree is a post-baccalaureate degree. A formal post-baccalaureate degree (with some kind of linkage) can be much more expensive and is generally only helpful for getting into medical school (and won't help you land a job later). An SMP (Special Master's Program) is something I'm still trying to wrap my head around, but it's a masters degree program where students often take medical school level courses. If the students do well enough, they generally have success when applying to medical school. But if students screw up in an SMP, then they might not ever get another chance - it's really an all or nothing option for those who have really bad grades and need more than a post-bac to get in.

We'll need a little more information on your situation - do you have okay grades? Do you need grade repair? Post-bacs are good for two types of people: those who need the medical school prereqs, and those who need to do major grade repair, but can get by without an SMP. You can go back to school for a second bachelors to get the medical school prereqs and never finish the bachelors degree - you can take only the necessary classes (and then bail - assuming you have a bachelors already). If you need to do grade repair, that's a different situation. I can't comment on what jobs are available for those who major in bio or chem.

 

[868651]

I graduated from Fayetteville State University in 2003 with a BS in Business Administration. My overall GPA was 3.04 and my Science GPA was 1.81. I have no volunteer or health care experience, I just want to change careers. I know I need to complete prerequisite courses to apply and attend medical school, so I figure on returning to my original University and completing a BS in Chemistry.

 

[21Rush12]

You may do well with just a focused Post-Bacc and enough science credits to prove your muster. SMP may be required as well although I’ll defer to the wise gonnif here.