Switching from IT to Med??

[Dayzed00]

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Hello,

I'm a 26 soon to be 27 yr old female with a undergrad in IT. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about going to medical school for various reasons. My main question is, where do I go from here? Do I apply to a school just to study for a year for all the prerequisites for med school then study for MCAT and apply for med school? My other concern is while I'm taking courses for pre-med, will I be in classes with 18-22 yr olds?

If someone has asked a similar question, I apologize, please point me to that topic.

Thank you in advance. 🙂

Lucy

 

[crazydiamond]

Hi, I'm also a female in IT. I'm a little different in that I have a biology degree, but never really used it since I made my way into IT right after graduation. I'm currently in an MBA program (MIS concentration), though.

Well, you're going to have to take the pre-reqs one way or another so you don't have any choice but to go back to school to get them. Then study for the MCAT and apply. And yeah, you'll probably be in classes with 18-22 year olds, but such is life. They'll be a lot of younger people in med school too, so might as well learn to not let it bother you. So yeah, you pretty much have it right. 🙂

 

[Dayzed00]

Thanks Crazydiamond! 🙂 Where are you in the process?

So I basically have to apply to a school just to fulfill the pre-reqs and then take the MCAT and apply to medical school? I wonder if it's better to just take the pre-reqs at a local university to save money and concentrate on getting into a decent med school?

 

[Lacheln]

Hello,

I'm a 26 soon to be 27 yr old female with a undergrad in IT. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about going to medical school for various reasons. My main question is, where do I go from here? Do I apply to a school just to study for a year for all the prerequisites for med school then study for MCAT and apply for med school? My other concern is while I'm taking courses for pre-med, will I be in classes with 18-22 yr olds?

If someone has asked a similar question, I apologize, please point me to that topic.

Thank you in advance. 🙂

Lucy

Hi Lucy,

Same here, I even started my pre-reqs when I was 27. The basic pre-reqs you need are a year of bio, a year of general chemistry, a year of organic chemistry, and a year of physics (all with labs). Some schools also require additional courses such as english, calc, biochem and/or genetics, but that varies so you would have to do some research. It usually takes 2 years to do all the basics, because they are sequential. You also shouldn't plan on taking the MCAT before you've had the bulk of the basics, which means you're looking at a 3 year plan - 2 to do the classes, then take the mcat and apply to start a year later.

You can do the classes at the local U, you don't need to go through a formal program. As for the student age, it depends on where you take them of course. I did mine through an extension school at night, so the class age was higher (I'd guess 22-23 on average, but with plenty of people my age too.)

Anyway, the boards here have a ton of information. Keep reading and doing your research, and good luck!

 

[8744]

Hello,

I'm a 26 soon to be 27 yr old female with a undergrad in IT. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about going to medical school for various reasons. My main question is, where do I go from here? Do I apply to a school just to study for a year for all the prerequisites for med school then study for MCAT and apply for med school? My other concern is while I'm taking courses for pre-med, will I be in classes with 18-22 yr olds?

If someone has asked a similar question, I apologize, please point me to that topic.

Thank you in advance. 🙂

Lucy

Is it a real undergraduate degree or it an IT degree from Devry or another community-type program? If it's a legitimate BS or BA you will need to take the pre-requisites which you can do individually or in a formal "post-bac" program. Individually is more difficult because it's harder to get plugged into the schools pre-med apparatus (advisors, pre-med-committees) but it can be done and was the route I took eight years ago (so take my advice for what it's worth).

If it's a "Devry-type" you are screwed and you have zero chance of getting into medical school until you get a rigorous degree from an acreddited college or university.

You are not that old but consider that you may not matriculate until you are 30 or possibly later. Naturally as I am looking backwards from what is almost the end of an eight-year ordeal I do not envy the long slog through This Mother****er you have ahead of you. Make sure you shadow a few doctors and maybe a resdient or two to see what it's all about.

You know what would be kind of neat? Post your perceptions of the medical profession and as you progress through the application process, medical school, and residency update SDN with additional posts to show how your perceptions haver either changed or stayed the same. I was kind of doing that with my blog but I quit for not the least of which reasons that just the act of writing about This Mother****er was making me bitter and I thought I'd give it a rest.

I'm actually working on a "Anti Personal Statement," the Personal Statement that should be mandatory at the end of residency to complement the AMCAS admission personal statement and will post it when SDN hosts my blog archives (206 articles, approximately 500 pages).

 

[crazydiamond]

Thanks Crazydiamond! 🙂 Where are you in the process?

So I basically have to apply to a school just to fulfill the pre-reqs and then take the MCAT and apply to medical school? I wonder if it's better to just take the pre-reqs at a local university to save money and concentrate on getting into a decent med school?

You're welcome. Officially, all I have to do is take the MCAT. I was going to apply this cycle but then I had a baby and decided to push it back another year, so I won't be applying until next year. In the mean time, I'll be finishing up my MBA and taking a few of biochemistry and biology classes since it's been 7 years since I've taken any.

Panda brings up a good point. Despite the fact that most med schools say an undergraduate degree isn't necessary, for all intents and purposes it is. Very extremely rarely someone gets in without one. So you're going to need a BS/BA if you don't already have one. Then the pre-reqs on top of that.


So Panda, I have to ask. I was a long-time follower of your blog. Given what you know now, having been through most of it, do you regret your decision to go into medicine? That's probably the one thing that's been keeping me back for years: is it worth it? I'm happy in IT, with a nice job, plenty of room for growth, and a decent salary. I don't want to bail ship if IT will end up being a better deal, but at the same time I don't want to grow old regretting that I never went into medicine. I've heard many people say "if you'll be happy doing anything other than medicine, do that instead". Yeah, I'm there now. But there's only one thing I want more than IT, and that's medicine.

 

[8744]

You're welcome. Officially, all I have to do is take the MCAT. I was going to apply this cycle but then I had a baby and decided to push it back another year, so I won't be applying until next year. In the mean time, I'll be finishing up my MBA and taking a few of biochemistry and biology classes since it's been 7 years since I've taken any.

Panda brings up a good point. Despite the fact that most med schools say an undergraduate degree isn't necessary, for all intents and purposes it is. Very extremely rarely someone gets in without one. So you're going to need a BS/BA if you don't already have one. Then the pre-reqs on top of that.


So Panda, I have to ask. I was a long-time follower of your blog. Given what you know now, having been through most of it, do you regret your decision to go into medicine? That's probably the one thing that's been keeping me back for years: is it worth it? I'm happy in IT, with a nice job, plenty of room for growth, and a decent salary. I don't want to bail ship if IT will end up being a better deal, but at the same time I don't want to grow old regretting that I never went into medicine. I've heard many people say "if you'll be happy doing anything other than medicine, do that instead". Yeah, I'm there now. But there's only one thing I want more than IT, and that's medicine.

Sure I regret it. Every day. But I will finally make some money at it in less than a year and I will, more importantly, finally be clear of This Mother****er (residency training, I mean) so who knows how I will feel about it then? Now, I know that the mantra around SDN is that the delayed gratification makes it all worthwhile but it will have been eight years which is a large chunk of anybody's adult life and it has so not been worth it for that time.

The other thing you all have to realize in regard to "only doing medicine if you wouldn't be happy doing anything else" is that This Mother****er is just a job. An interesting one that pays well and is very useful to society but it is still just a job and one that can be and is in fact something of a grind. You may grow old regretting that you did go into medicine and wish you had done something that made you happier...although happiness with any career is an elusive thing.

Do I like being an Emergency Physician? Sure. It's kind of cool and I get a lot of respect from friends, family, and people in general. Do I enjoy my job? Sometimes but I'm usually very glad to be done with my shift and do not linger in the department any longer than necessary.

Not to mention, and this is a subject for a whole SDN forum, most of modern American medicine is useless and unnecessary. A lot of what isn't useless is only marginally effective and could be eliminated with no effect on any health care statistic you care to measure. We waste money in huge bucketloads and I am personally responsible for the expenditure of millions that may as well have been flushed down the crapper for all the good it did. It kind of wears you out to know that the tests, studies, and consults you are ordering are largely unnecessary and that most of your patients, while they may have legitimate medical problems, are terrifically over-doctored and over-medicated.

Not to mention the absolute insanity, and I mean utter and complete lunacy, of modern American critical care and the ridiculous amounts of money and resources that are poured into futile care. Sometimes I am ashamed of the things we do at the behest of the all-powerful patient's families who, having been granted full autonomy without any responsibility, casually demand that "Everything Be Done" for patients who are dead except for the formality of a heartbeat and a little brainstem activity.

 

[alpha62]

Is it a real undergraduate degree or it an IT degree from Devry or another community-type program? If it's a legitimate BS or BA you will need to take the pre-requisites which you can do individually or in a formal "post-bac" program. Individually is more difficult because it's harder to get plugged into the schools pre-med apparatus (advisors, pre-med-committees) but it can be done and was the route I took eight years ago (so take my advice for what it's worth).

If it's a "Devry-type" you are screwed and you have zero chance of getting into medical school until you get a rigorous degree from an acreddited college or university.

You are not that old but consider that you may not matriculate until you are 30 or possibly later. Naturally as I am looking backwards from what is almost the end of an eight-year ordeal I do not envy the long slog through This Mother****er you have ahead of you. Make sure you shadow a few doctors and maybe a resdient or two to see what it's all about.

You know what would be kind of neat? Post your perceptions of the medical profession and as you progress through the application process, medical school, and residency update SDN with additional posts to show how your perceptions haver either changed or stayed the same. I was kind of doing that with my blog but I quit for not the least of which reasons that just the act of writing about This Mother****er was making me bitter and I thought I'd give it a rest.

I'm actually working on a "Anti Personal Statement," the Personal Statement that should be mandatory at the end of residency to complement the AMCAS admission personal statement and will post it when SDN hosts my blog archives (206 articles, approximately 500 pages).

I work in the real world. The "real" degrees are dead. Only the suckers that are in over 100K in debt for their fancy pedigree are selling this. Yeah, so you might not get into medical school, so what, misery loves company. You could get into an allied health program and that would give you a ticket into this medical nightmare of a sytem.

It's not where you came from, it's what you know, what you can produce. Many of my pts have degrees from Devry, ITT tech and they are wealthy independent consultants. Best of all, they don't have to beg insurance companies and the gov't for payment like the perpetual victims on this board.

My brother in law graduated from ITT on the GI bill and he makes a very nice 6 figure salary working 4 days out of the week working tech in Austin.

I barely touch pts anymore, it's all computer crap. Take your IT training, go get some medical education if you want, put them together and let these smucks work 80 hours a week for an ever decreasing paycheck which is hellbent for socialism anyway.

 

[Simplify]

I just left "the real world" two years ago and University of Phoenix, Devry, ITT Tech, et al. are still considered second-hand degrees. Unless the establishment has spun on its head in such a short time, a degree from a state university or well-established private university will carry far more weight.

Furthermore, don't think you're getting a free ride at places like University of Pheonix or ITT Tech. You can easily spend $40k on an education at either institution, and in the end you're still getting something that people tend to look down upon. That may not be right or fair, but when fighting perceptions the war never is.

I attended UoPhx for 9 months in pursuit of an IT degree and I looked closely at ITT Tech as well. They're both more expensive degrees than a state run institution in Oregon.

 

[alpha62]

I just left "the real world" two years ago and University of Phoenix, Devry, ITT Tech, et al. are still considered second-hand degrees. Unless the establishment has spun on its head in such a short time, a degree from a state university or well-established private university will carry far more weight.

Furthermore, don't think you're getting a free ride at places like University of Pheonix or ITT Tech. You can easily spend $40k on an education at either institution, and in the end you're still getting something that people tend to look down upon. That may not be right or fair, but when fighting perceptions the war never is.

I attended UoPhx for 9 months in pursuit of an IT degree and I looked closely at ITT Tech as well. They're both more expensive degrees than a state run institution in Oregon.

I've got a second rate degree from a community college. I make more than my office partner with the overpriced sheepskin. Yeah, I've been doing longer, but but I don't put any more hours in than the other guy. I just know how to bill more.

It's all about hustle. Got a state license ? you're in. I haven't missed a day of work in about 20 years and if I'm not at work, I'm either dead or in a Mexican Jail.

 

[8744]

I've got a second rate degree from a community college. I make more than my office partner with the overpriced sheepskin. Yeah, I've been doing longer, but but I don't put any more hours in than the other guy. I just know how to bill more.

It's all about hustle. Got a state license ? you're in. I haven't missed a day of work in about 20 years and if I'm not at work, I'm either dead or in a Mexican Jail.

Besides, IT isn't really "Engineering" at all, a term that has expanded to include so many activities that the real meaning of the profession has been lost. In my particular field (structural engineering), you need a four-year degree to practice independently because you can't sit for the professional licensing exam without it, nor can you work as a consulting engineer in any state (with one or two possible exceptions) without professional licensing. Our mistakes kill people so standards have been set up to protect the public safety.

We have, by the way, almost the same debate in the real engineering world between our "mid-levels" (Design Draftsmen and the like) and real engineers that we have in the medical world between mid-level providers and physicians. The Design Draftsmen insist that they know just as much as real engineers and can do everything we can but they are as full of crap as a Nurse Practioner or PA making the same claim in the medical world.

In other words, the OP asked our advice about getting into medical school and it would be disingenuous to say that an IT degree from Devry is going to cut it. It won't and never will. Formal education and demonstrated success in a rigorous degree program is a reasonable entrance standard for medical school, by the way. The curriculum is not easy.

 

[NonTradMed]

I was a programmer for a couple of years before embarking on the medical journey. So I guess I am in very similar shoes as the OP. I was lucky in that I did all my premed stuff back in college (was computer science major and premed) and left school to work because I felt academic burn out. I eventually made my way back to medical school and I don't regret that decision at all.

Anyways, if you haven't gotten your prereqs in, you need to do that first. If you have a four year degree from a 'brick and mortar' university, then you are set to take the MCAT after you finish your required classes.

Yes, you will be in with students much younger than you. But what of it? You will also be in medical school with students younger than you. But I don't think people care too much. Your experience will be helpful in deciding your medical career. I think having worked for a couple of years gave me a perspective on the grinding reality of work that few medical students understand.

Medical education is a long journey, but I think it's a misnomer to say that you 'give up your life' for it. Many people who vie for high powered positions work long hours in their early years. Medical school is similar in that regard, albeit you pay for that experience rather than getting paid. But I still have time to have fun, meet people and enjoy my life. I guess if you have kids, that may be a different story since it does take alot of time away from family.

As for the online vs. brick and mortar school debate---there's no debate here. Online schools are still looked down upon by medical schools. Go to a local institution, preferably one with a decent reputation for the sciences and is well known in the area. Fair or not, adcoms tend to be biased towards schools they know have good science programs.

Now, I'm not sure why people assume that going to a private school must put the student in debt. I came out with $20k in debt at a top 20 private institution. Scholarships are not hard to get at many wealthy, top-notch schools because they have big endowments.

(Also, I've noticed that the kids from Cal Tech/MIT/etc tend to do better than other schools when it comes to getting their students placed in the elite companies with the six figure salaries, so there must be something about attending a well known, rigorous institution that helps).

 

[alpha62]

If you absoultely insist on going into medicine, you will have one advantage.
Station your practice near a tech center. You will have a unique understanding, and perhaps tolerance, of the tech population, that is running thin with me.

You are more than welcome to take my panel of tech geeks. They are some of the most life force sucking beings on the planet.

these anal compulsive control freaks come in with a complaint of constipation, then produce an excel spread sheet tracking their BMs for the last 24 months.

Of course this is all done on company time and now you know it costs 50 millon dollars to produce one Missile made from $ 10,000 worth of parts

 

[alpha62]

I just left "the real world" two years ago and University of Phoenix, Devry, ITT Tech, et al. are still considered second-hand degrees. Unless the establishment has spun on its head in such a short time, a degree from a state university or well-established private university will carry far more weight.

Furthermore, don't think you're getting a free ride at places like University of Pheonix or ITT Tech. You can easily spend $40k on an education at either institution, and in the end you're still getting something that people tend to look down upon. That may not be right or fair, but when fighting perceptions the war never is.

I attended UoPhx for 9 months in pursuit of an IT degree and I looked closely at ITT Tech as well. They're both more expensive degrees than a state run institution in Oregon.

If the company or the VA is picking up the tab, I wouldn't care about the costs. I think Community colleges are still the best deal for the money, at least to get a start.

I've never paid one penny for school. My daughter never paid for Nursing school for an ADN degree. She'll let the company pick up the BSN, then the Masters d. She makes as much as many BSNs because she's got the hustle not to take no for an answer by starting out in Neonatal instead of buying that crap about slaving in medsurg first, that's just a labor racket.


I am still at a loss as to why you would go in debt for a big name school, only to wind up working on pimps, junkies, and ******.. in their neighborhood.

You may sleep in your $500,000 condo, but you Live at work.

 

[Lacheln]

(Also, I've noticed that the kids from Cal Tech/MIT/etc tend to do better than other schools when it comes to getting their students placed in the elite companies with the six figure salaries, so there must be something about attending a well known, rigorous institution that helps).

No question. I firmly believe that there are quality students at every institution, people who push themselves to take advantage of everything they have access to, and those people will be a success. At the end of the day, however, some institutions are just more rigorous than others, and schools/employers recognize that. Choosing a route that you know is stigmatized is shooting yourself in the foot unnecessarily.

 

[8744]

If the company or the VA is picking up the tab, I wouldn't care about the costs. I think Community colleges are still the best deal for the money, at least to get a start.

I've never paid one penny for school. My daughter never paid for Nursing school for an ADN degree. She'll let the company pick up the BSN, then the Masters d. She makes as much as many BSNs because she's got the hustle not to take no for an answer by starting out in Neonatal instead of buying that crap about slaving in medsurg first, that's just a labor racket.


I am still at a loss as to why you would go in debt for a big name school, only to wind up working on pimps, junkies, and ******.. in their neighborhood.

You may sleep in your $500,000 condo, but you Live at work.

I have to say, where I will be practicing in less than eleven months $500,000 will buy you a 4000 square foot house with a much land as you care to own but probably five to ten acres with a pond, a barn for horses if your tastes so incline, and a pool...ten minutes commuting time from downtown. There are other places to live besides the Southern California and the North East.

The deal with being a physician over a mid-level is you can make more money, you get a lot more respect, and if you play your cards right you can get into a specialty like Emergency Medicine, Pathology, Radiology, or the like that is not that intensive on the hours.

 

[8744]

...these anal compulsive control freaks come in with a complaint of constipation, then produce an excel spread sheet tracking their BMs for the last 24 months...

Kind of like the little old ladies that present me with their log books of blood pressure readings that they have been meticulously recording every four hours. I once handed a book back to a lady and said, "You don't really have to keep track of it so closely."

"Then how will I know what my blood pressure is?" she replied.

"Exactly," I said.

 

[alpha62]

I have to say, where I will be practicing in less than eleven months $500,000 will buy you a 4000 square foot house with a much land as you care to own but probably five to ten acres with a pond, a barn for horses if your tastes so incline, and a pool...ten minutes commuting time from downtown. There are other places to live besides the Southern California and the North East.

The deal with being a physician over a mid-level is you can make more money, you get a lot more respect, and if you play your cards right you can get into a specialty like Emergency Medicine, Pathology, Radiology, or the like that is not that intensive on the hours.

I can get you a good deal on a McMansion in Michigan. Now if you can just find a patient that has any insurance to pay you.

Respect ? Over-rated. Sorta like buying a $40k dollar car so you can impress some ******* at a stop light you'll never see again.

 

[NonTradMed]

Wait, are we debating on the merits of a medical career vs other health care careers or giving encouragement to someone who is interested in transitioning from IT to medical school? I thought the OP was asking for comments on the latter....

 

[Lokhtar]

I have an IT degree too (from a 'real' school), and I'm in the middle of this process. I'm a non-trad who has been working as a Software Engineer for six years now.

There are a lot of us!

 

[alpha62]

Wait, are we debating on the merits of a medical career vs other health care careers or giving encouragement to someone who is interested in transitioning from IT to medical school? I thought the OP was asking for comments on the latter....

How's this then... Relax, don't do it.

 

[8744]

I can get you a good deal on a McMansion in Michigan. Now if you can just find a patient that has any insurance to pay you.

Respect ? Over-rated. Sorta like buying a $40k dollar car so you can impress some ******* at a stop light you'll never see again.

I don't know why people call large, well-designed, and well-built houses "McMansions." Some people like living in "McApartments" in New York, some people like living in "McCondos" in San Diego, and some of us like living in large "McHouses" in Louisiana with four or five "McAcres" and a nice "McPool" for the kids to play in during those sweltering Baton Rouge summers.

Respect is not over-rated. The difference between being an Emergency Physician and driving an expensive car is that anybody can buy an expensive car well beyond their means but becoming an Emergency Physician takes real intelligence and a great deal of effort. When I walk into a patient's room, the families of the patients generally stand up and listen respectfully to what I have to say, using my title of "Doctor" and not "Buddy," or "Guy." If you do it right, being a physician places you in a special relationship with the public.

As another example, I was recently on an airline flight minding my own business when the flight attendant asked if there were any doctors on the plane. Although it turned out to be nothing and I decided that the plane wouldn't have to divert to the closest airport, the decision to divert was entirely up to me and if I said to the pilot, "Put her down because we have to get this guy to a hospital now," he would have done it with no questions asked.

I also have gotten out of a couple of tickets because the Sherrif Deputies recognized me from the Emergency Department.

Now, I am not so shallow that I will make more of this kind of respect than it may be worth but it is a benefit of the job. Of course, to get the respect you have to act the part and you can lose it quickly if you don't give your patients the respect that they deserve.

Medicine is not a perfect career and I am not exactly thrilled at all aspects of it but that's not to say there are no benefits to it. I would also note that Mid-levels do not occupy some sanctified plane where they will continue to be paid well as reimbursement to physicians declines. If the ship sinks we will all go down together.

 

[Simplify]

I don't know why people call large, well-designed, and well-built houses "McMansions."

Agreed.

Respect is not over-rated. The difference between being an Emergency Physician and driving an expensive car is that anybody can buy an expensive car well beyond their means but becoming an Emergency Physician takes real intelligence and a great deal of effort. When I walk into a patient's room, the families of the patients generally stand up and listen respectfully to what I have to say, using my title of "Doctor" and not "Buddy," or "Guy." If you do it right, being a physician places you in a special relationship with the public.

I couldn't agree more.

 

[alpha62]

If you do it right, being a physician places you in a special relationship with the public.

The "public" watches about 40 hours of TV a week and they voted to send over 4000 soldiers to their death in Iraq. Lord, protect me from the public.


I also have gotten out of a couple of tickets because the Sherrif Deputies recognized me from the Emergency Department.

Me too. That's why I keep my old military ID right next to drivers license. That and I treat cops for the clap and keep it quiet.

I would also note that Mid-levels do not occupy some sanctified plane where they will continue to be paid well as reimbursement to physicians declines. If the ship sinks we will all go down together.

Yeah, the ship is going down, but it doesn't hurt nearly as much when a canoe sinks vs. a Cabin Cruiser

 

[Simplify]

Alpha, you might want to edit your post so your comments don't look like Panda's...

Also, I don't want to start an Iraq discussion, but the Senate voted to send troops to Iraq, not the public. The Congress is responsible for a great number of decisions which their constituents may or may not agree with. Regardless, you're generalizing in the sense that your comments suppose that everyone in the public agreed in the first place.

I'm not sure why you're so cynical. Has life really been that bad to you?

 

[alpha62]

Alpha, you might want to edit your post so your comments don't look like Panda's...

Also, I don't want to start an Iraq discussion, but the Senate voted to send troops to Iraq, not the public. The Congress is responsible for a great number of decisions which their constituents may or may not agree with. Regardless, you're generalizing in the sense that your comments suppose that everyone in the public agreed in the first place.

I'm not sure why you're so cynical. Has life really been that bad to you?

Hell no life hasn't been that bad and I'm trying to keep it that way. I think it's better to call BS up front than to foolishy believe and sue later.

I'm not sure why you are so trusting ?

 

[DrJosephKim]

Shine on the MCAT and that will make you a fine candidate!

Many students enter medical school in their late 20's and early 30's. It's never too late.

 

[crazydiamond]

Thanks for your response, Panda.

This has been a fascinating discussion for me. I'm torn, and have been for several years, between following my dream or staying in my satisfactory career of IT by "playing it safe" with few hassles and no debt. I want to be a doctor, but the reality seems to be far too stressful to really enjoy it.

 

[Simplify]

Hell no life hasn't been that bad and I'm trying to keep it that way. I think it's better to call BS up front than to foolishy believe and sue later.

I'm not sure why you are so trusting ?

I don't think my trust (or lack thereof) has anything to do with you being a cynic. It seems to me like you're sort of angry about everything and nothing all at the same time. Maybe this is just where you come to vent, I don't know. In any case, we're off on a tangent that has no bearing on the original intent of this thread.

OP:

I'm an IT -> med student as well. I did have a nice job sitting in a cube at a desk with a good salary and a little upward mobility. I mulled the decision for months before I finally had enough. Let's face it, IT is centralizing as well as heading overseas. Aside from desktop support, most IT work can be contracted out to local companies and then administered remotely at large data centers (which, consequently, employ about 1/100th of the workforce). So your company says let's move to Boonies, U.S.A (where land for the datacenter is cheap) or hit the road. Any reasonably intelligent person can excel at IT and that is why the field is flooded with applicants. Unless you're up in management, I suggest getting out now. If you want to stay, get a masters degree in management information systems and look for positions as director of IT.

Personally, I would rather try and fail than live my life wondering if I could have done it. You can never lose if you don't play the game, but that's sort of a boring way to go out, isn't it? I am taking a huge risk, but I have a feeling that it will pay off by any metric in the end.

 

[DaveinDallas]

Is it a real undergraduate degree or it an IT degree from Devry or another community-type program? If it's a legitimate BS or BA you will need to take the pre-requisites which you can do individually or in a formal "post-bac" program. Individually is more difficult because it's harder to get plugged into the schools pre-med apparatus (advisors, pre-med-committees) but it can be done and was the route I took eight years ago (so take my advice for what it's worth).

If it's a "Devry-type" you are screwed and you have zero chance of getting into medical school until you get a rigorous degree from an acreddited college or university.

Oh, I wouldn't write off the chances of medical school just because of DeVry degree.....I know of people who've been accepted to top osteopathic schools with a DeVry degree and community college prereqs, a couple of 'F's on their record and are currently in their third year of medical school having passed COMLEX Level I.....

It can be done, but it's just a little harder...and involves lots of prayer.....

Actually, you don't need a BS degree to get into UT Southwestern....but you'd better have some strong and I do mean strong prep work......In order to be more competitive, you should take a degree, preferably in medical genetics or biology or one of the traditional premed degrees.....If you're lacking, get the prereqs and go into a postbacc...UNTHSC/TCOM has a great one.....

And remember, everyone one here has an opinion and better qualified candidates in terms of MCAT or GPA or whatever sometimes get turned down in favor of lesser qualified candidates who have a unique 'thing' on their application.....like living in a foreign country for years....or being a philosophy major....or whatever.....

Best place to find out what it takes is to call up the admissions offices of the schools you are interested in and talk with the admissions advisors....UNTHSC/TCOM and Kirksville COM are really good about working with you and guiding you through the process.....it may take some time and work but you CAN D.O. it.....

 

[DaveinDallas]

Shine on the MCAT and that will make you a fine candidate!

Many students enter medical school in their late 20's and early 30's. It's never too late.

Not necessarily....I know of people with a low 20s MCAT who are #2 in the class....and others who never got in the door with a mid 30s MCAT.....Each admission is situational......

 

[Dayzed00]

Thank you everyone for your response. Your insight has been helpful. 🙂 I graduated from Penn State with a BS degree. Worked for a few years as an IT Consultant and now I'm thinking about medical school. The major reason being, through my own personal illness and being sick of doctors lying to me and taking my diagnosis lightly, I want to study medicine. Plus, I've always enjoyed a couple of electives I took in college (e.g., anatomy). On the other hand, I'm not too sure if I want to become a doctor. I have bad images of doctors from my traumatized past. I know I really enjoy learning about physiology, anatamy, etc. and I enjoy studying alternative medicine which is what I do now as a hobby.

For some reason, I thought the pre-reqs would only take a year, but from what I'm reading, it will most likely take 3 years before I could apply to med school? So if I understand this correctly, for me, it will take 3 years to complete the pre-reqs, take the MCAT, 4 years of medical school, and 3 years of residency?

 

[DaveinDallas]

Thank you everyone for your response. Your insight has been helpful. 🙂 I graduated from Penn State with a BS degree. Worked for a few years as an IT Consultant and now I'm thinking about medical school. The major reason being, through my own personal illness and being sick of doctors lying to me and taking my diagnosis lightly, I want to study medicine. Plus, I've always enjoyed a couple of electives I took in college (e.g., anatomy). On the other hand, I'm not too sure if I want to become a doctor. I have bad images of doctors from my traumatized past. I know I really enjoy learning about physiology, anatamy, etc. and I enjoy studying alternative medicine which is what I do now as a hobby.

For some reason, I thought the pre-reqs would only take a year, but from what I'm reading, it will most likely take 3 years before I could apply to med school? So if I understand this correctly, for me, it will take 3 years to complete the pre-reqs, take the MCAT, 4 years of medical school, and 3 years of residency?

Yep, unless you want to do a specialty residency...like cardio which is 3 years in an IM residency then 3 years of cardio and if you want, 1 or more years of a subspecialty (like interventional cardiology)....It's a marathon, not a sprint.....

 

[alpha62]

I don't think my trust (or lack thereof) has anything to do with you being a cynic. It seems to me like you're sort of angry about everything and nothing all at the same time. Maybe this is just where you come to vent, I don't know. In any case, we're off on a tangent that has no bearing on the original intent of this thread.

OP:

I'm an IT -> med student as well. I did have a nice job sitting in a cube at a desk with a good salary and a little upward mobility. I mulled the decision for months before I finally had enough. Let's face it, IT is centralizing as well as heading overseas. Aside from desktop support, most IT work can be contracted out to local companies and then administered remotely at large data centers (which, consequently, employ about 1/100th of the workforce). So your company says let's move to Boonies, U.S.A (where land for the datacenter is cheap) or hit the road. Any reasonably intelligent person can excel at IT and that is why the field is flooded with applicants. Unless you're up in management, I suggest getting out now. If you want to stay, get a masters degree in management information systems and look for positions as director of IT.

Personally, I would rather try and fail than live my life wondering if I could have done it. You can never lose if you don't play the game, but that's sort of a boring way to go out, isn't it? I am taking a huge risk, but I have a feeling that it will pay off by any metric in the end.

Are you wanting to go into medicine or become a psychotherapist?