Someone give me a hand here, please.

[Halligan]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

I need someone to shed some light on me. Please.

I'm a volly FF, hopefully a ripe paramedic here shortly, and I've got my AACOMAS application complete. I want to be a DO (obviously).

Problem...
I did 2 years at a big university, on campus. Finished my third and final year (about a wopping 35 credits) online. I've got an 'online' degree, but it's in Public Safety - something I'm passionate about. So, technically, I screwed myself, right? The degree s not from a diploma mill - it's actually from a long established school with most of their degrees on their ground campus.

All my ducks are in a row, otherwise. Good LORs, 2 years of solid research (in an actual laboratory, not online ), great clinical experience, a load of volunteer hours, etc etc. I don't want to bore you with this....

Where do I go from here??? Anyone?

Am I ok with this degree for applying? Am I going to have to go back and get a second bachelors??? Should I start a master's in the sciences instead?

Thanks in advance.

 

[cfdavid]

I need someone to shed some light on me. Please.

I'm a volly FF, hopefully a ripe paramedic here shortly, and I've got my AACOMAS application complete. I want to be a DO (obviously).

Problem...
I did 2 years at a big university, on campus. Finished my third and final year (about a wopping 35 credits) online. I've got an 'online' degree, but it's in Public Safety - something I'm passionate about. So, technically, I screwed myself, right? The degree s not from a diploma mill - it's actually from a long established school with most of their degrees on their ground campus.

All my ducks are in a row, otherwise. Good LORs, 2 years of solid research (in an actual laboratory, not online ), great clinical experience, a load of volunteer hours, etc etc. I don't want to bore you with this....

Where do I go from here??? Anyone?

Am I ok with this degree for applying? Am I going to have to go back and get a second bachelors??? Should I start a master's in the sciences instead?

Thanks in advance.

Assuming you've taken the MCAT, go ahead and apply. If the degree granting institution is recognizably "online", then this may hurt you. Otherwise, just apply and see what happens. Let them tell you if it's a problem. If you properly focus on your strengths and since you have some good experience, you'll have plenty to write about (and talk about in an interview) in your application and personal statements.

Do YOU think the online program was easier? Do you think it's prepared you properly? Those are the questions I'd ask myself. Also, just in case, do you have a valid reason for not doing the traditional route (remember your audience....lol)?

If this causes you a problem, I'd do another bachelors from a "normal" university.

 

[Halligan]

Assuming you've taken the MCAT, go ahead and apply. If the degree granting institution is recognizably "online", then this may hurt you. Otherwise, just apply and see what happens. Let them tell you if it's a problem. If you properly focus on your strengths and since you have some good experience, you'll have plenty to write about (and talk about in an interview) in your application and personal statements.

Do YOU think the online program was easier? Do you think it's prepared you properly? Those are the questions I'd ask myself. Also, just in case, do you have a valid reason for not doing the traditional route (remember your audience....lol)?

If this causes you a problem, I'd do another bachelors from a "normal" university.

Thanks for your response. I'm pretty uneasy about my degree being online, but, like I said, It's one thing I am very passionate about. Obviously, I'm more passionate about becoming a doc, and want to do what it takes to get there (going about it the right way, of course). The institution is not recognizably online. They've just recently started up their online sector, because students want to take more courses than what they have to offer on campus. The ground campus class sizes are very small, so they don't offer all of the classes on campus every semester (so people can opt to take them online). The course work is exactly the same as if it were on campus. So, it's not necessarily easier. It's easier in that I didnt have to put up with all of the down-time of going to class -mingling, sitting through a boring lecture, etc.

I wasn't set on becoming a doctor originally. There were other things that I needed to get done first for myself - becoming a FF and getting my medic patch to name a few. I knew I wouldnt be a happy doctor if I didn't "try" other interests first. Now, I'm ready to move on.

Do you think I'd have to get an entire second degree, or just take a some courses the "traditional" way?

 

[apnea]

Don't apply just yet, call up whatever schools you're interested in and see what their take on it is. If everywhere you'd apply to balks at the idea of online classes, you're gonna waste a lot of money applying 🙁

If you do end up having to go back, i'm pretty sure you'd just have to retake the pre-reqs.

 

[Halligan]

Don't apply just yet, call up whatever schools you're interested in and see what their take on it is. If everywhere you'd apply to balks at the idea of online classes, you're gonna waste a lot of money applying 🙁

If you do end up having to go back, i'm pretty sure you'd just have to retake the pre-reqs.

I may just do that.

I didnt take any of the pre-reqs online. I've still got to take 1 - ochem II.

Wow, do I feel like a complete idiot!!!

 

[apnea]

haha, most parts of the application process and beyond are designed specifically to make you feel like a total jackass. Good job, you're ahead of the game 👍

i think, actually, you're probably doing yourself a favour here. The schools i talked to were ok with non-prereq courses done online, but they want you to also prove to them that you can handle regular, in class lecture/lab work like most other students. So if you can take ochem in person and show them that you can hack it in class too, i think you'll be just fine.

 

[Dr JPH]

I agree with contacting a few schools you are interested in and seeing what they have to say about your degree.

What are you numbers like? GPA, MCAT?

Its hard to get a feel for what your application would be like without at least a little more information.

I will be following this thread. 👍

 

[cfdavid]

Just make sure your prereq's are all non-online. As for applying, you're indicating that the school is recognizably traditional. So, I wouldn't even make this an issue. If you feel you've received a good education, then that's all that matters in my opinion.

I did much of my first year of medical school via video streaming most lectures, and I'm not alone. So, it seems hypocritical to discriminate against an online degree. Times are changing.

Emphasize your strengths. In an interview, steer the conversation away from any discussion about your degree. This may seem unethical, but that's BS. It's just putting your best foot forward, and deemphisizing what may be perceived as a weakness in your app. Don't lie, but I doubt your degree is going to come up unless it's some weird, obscure titled degree. And if all of your prereq's are traditional, you'll have plenty to talk about if you need to discuss undergrad. Just apply and see what happens.

Like another poster stated though, you might wish to make some calls to see how that may be perceived by potential schools.

 

[Halligan]

haha, most parts of the application process and beyond are designed specifically to make you feel like a total jackass. Good job, you're ahead of the game 👍

i think, actually, you're probably doing yourself a favour here. The schools i talked to were ok with non-prereq courses done online, but they want you to also prove to them that you can handle regular, in class lecture/lab work like most other students. So if you can take ochem in person and show them that you can hack it in class too, i think you'll be just fine.

I went ahead and made the call today - still waiting on a word back from AZCOM. I called ATSU-Mesa, and the advisor told me that it would not be an issue as long as they were from an accredited school. she said it would be traditionally frowned upon if I took the pre-reqs online - but I don't plan on doing that. I need to call other schools, this week sometime...I'll keep you updated.

Thanks again for your help/suggestions.

 

[Halligan]

I agree with contacting a few schools you are interested in and seeing what they have to say about your degree.

What are you numbers like? GPA, MCAT?

Its hard to get a feel for what your application would be like without at least a little more information.

I will be following this thread. 👍

JP,
GPA: 3.6 overall; 3.3 SGPA - and I've still got a sci pre-req to finish. I may also re-take my C in BIO II. I plan to get another upper division science course or two under my belt - so maybe looking close to a 3.4 next year at this time.
I've got A's thus far in medic program - all CC credit, which I haven't factored into that overall GPA (it's about 51 credits) because the scores haven't been completely reported.

MCAT has not come back yet, took it on the 31st of May. Scored fairly consistent 27-30 on the 6 practice exams I took, so I'm hoping for a similar score. I plan to take it again even if I do get a 27 or lower, as I really didnt study as much as I'd like to & think I can do better.

Like I said, everything else is in-line in my eyes. Lots of volly hours, 2 years of immunology research, good clinical work, good LORs.

What's your take? Apply this year - if unsuccessful, buckle down on MCAT and go for a second bachelors? master's? SMP?

Thanks, JP.

 

[Dr JPH]

I say go for the MCAT and apply.

A backup plan could be something like a Post-bacc program affiliated with a school.

 

[Halligan]

Just make sure your prereq's are all non-online. As for applying, you're indicating that the school is recognizably traditional. So, I wouldn't even make this an issue. If you feel you've received a good education, then that's all that matters in my opinion.

I did much of my first year of medical school via video streaming most lectures, and I'm not alone. So, it seems hypocritical to discriminate against an online degree. Times are changing.

Emphasize your strengths. In an interview, steer the conversation away from any discussion about your degree. This may seem unethical, but that's BS. It's just putting your best foot forward, and deemphisizing what may be perceived as a weakness in your app. Don't lie, but I doubt your degree is going to come up unless it's some weird, obscure titled degree. And if all of your prereq's are traditional, you'll have plenty to talk about if you need to discuss undergrad. Just apply and see what happens.

Like another poster stated though, you might wish to make some calls to see how that may be perceived by potential schools.

CF,

Thanks for your input. Definitely uplifting after a couple of sleepless nights over this topic. My dad (w/o a college degree), mentioned the same thing you did about "changing" times and that he has heard of medical schools making lectures available on the internet. Glad it was confirmed by you. I think it's hard to discriminate on an online degree, in that sense. I've received most of my credits traditionally, and just my core classes for the degree online. I would have never received my degree had I taken the courses on campus, as many courses are only offered every third or fourth semester for the public safety program - the class sizes are ridiculously small because it's a "new" degree. It was the degree I wanted. The education was great.

I like your ideas on the interview - In my PS I tried to focus more on the experience I've had as in EMS, and how it's shaped me into my desire to become a doctor. It's not like I'm a car salesman with a degree in public safety - I have a reason to have the degree - I'm in the field. And in my PS I feel like I relate it very well to medicine, and I hope to be able to do that should it come up on an interview (if & when I get that far ).

Gracias!

 

[Halligan]

I say go for the MCAT and apply.

A backup plan could be something like a Post-bacc program affiliated with a school.

Ok -

I know AZCOM has the SMP, not the post-bacc. I'll do some post-bacc work elsewhere, and maybe go SMP if I need to.

 

[Halligan]

ATSU and AZCOM both didn't care. They said they just want to see a bachelor's degree (online, in class, whatever). pre-reqs done in a traditional classroom.

All that worrying for nothing.