Should I go down this path? (URM, nontrad, career changer)

[losiro24]

Hello. I'm fairly new to SDN, so apologies if this is the wrong place to post this. Need advice while it's still early in my med school journey.

I'm a nontrad/career-changer and URM (AA female), currently 27 years old. I received my BA from a public research university with a 3.77 cGPA in humanities major. I did lots of volunteering, student leadership, departmental honors, etc. Went on to get my law degree from a top 6 school. I received a full tuition scholarship to attend (awarded based on combo of academic merit and overcoming economic hardship). My law school grades were average. I had my daughter during law school, so I wasn't super involved with on-campus activities; in fact I commuted from over an hour away, so I pretty much went to class, did my work, came home. After law school, I worked three years in Big Law (international law firm) doing corporate legal work. This brings me to now - I have two kids, recently quit my job to stay home with them and to begin working on pre-reqs in the hopes of going to med school.

My goal is to become an OBGYN. It's been my dream job for as long as I can remember (don't ask how I wound up in law school - very long story). I'm also considering going the nursing school route and becoming a midwife, but med school/OB would be much preferred. I just want to know if you all think I will have a chance.

Here is my plan (I hope to apply in 2019 and start school in fall 2020):

- take gen chem and bio at a community college
- take ochem and phsyics at a 4-year university as a non-matric
- possibly take biochem and microbio (or another elective) at 4-year U
- volunteer as a labor doula to low-income women in Chicago (from now until I matriculate)
- volunteer at a hospital as a patient support person (from now until I matriculate)
- perhaps spend application year working as an ER scribe/technician

Here's the rub: my husband is faculty at the University of Chicago (*not* the medical school). Going to med school at U of C or Northwestern would be an absolute dream. That said, all med schools in the Chicago area would be on my list. And if I don't get in to any Chicago schools, I think my husband and I could live apart for schools within a decent driving distance of Chicago (Wisconsin, Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan). I'm also a Seattle native, and have a lot of family support there, so UW would be on my list, although I don't know if I can still claim residency.

Is there a fair chance I get in nowhere in the midwest? *If* I ace all my prereqs and the MCAT (I know, huge IFs), would I have a shot at places like U of C and NW? Or will I not be competitive in Tier 1, given the CC classes and lack of research experience? And if I need to take all my prereqs at CC for family/financial reasons, will I be shooting myself in the foot?

Thanks! I know a lot of this is speculative, but I appreciate any opinions before I take on this huge investment.

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[Faha]

Much depends on your eventual sGPA and MCAT score. if your sGPA is at least 3.5 and your MCAT is at least 512 then you would have a good chance for interviews at U Chicago and Northwestern. If your MCAT is 505 then you could receive interviews at Rush, Loyola, Rosalind Franklin, UIC, Medical College Wisconsin, Indiana and Western Michigan. Do not take the MCAT until you have completed all the science prerequisites (including biochemistry) AND your practice scores are consistently above 505. You need to check with each school to see if CC courses are acceptable.

 

[gyngyn]

Which UiM community do you represent?

 

[vernhart]

This will of course depend on your mcat and sGPA, but other than that most definitely you should have a chance with your plan (call the schools/look into MSAR to ensure they accept community college credit). Also, I would recommend a bit of research during school if you can (5-10 hours a week even). Ik you said you have a kid, so this might not be an option, but I would even be willing to sacrifice a bit from one of the volunteer opportunities to do so (preferably non-clinical). Best of luck.

 

[Goro]

Which UiM community do you represent?

OP states that she is African-American.

OP, Your GPA is fine, and even with a modest MCAT score, one of the schools you listed would snap you up.