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Ah, that spreadsheet of yours has a macro virus on it. You need to reupload the spreadsheet with macros disabled.Good day. This is my first time using SDN though I have read some stuff on here before so I know how it all works generally. You guys/gals give great info so thank you for all the hard work you community leaders put in to make life a little easier for us. sorry in advance for the wall of text.
I am a junior at a regular public university in the midwest, and I have recently been taking steps to pursue a career in medicine. I became a rehabilitation science major in my school's Kins department because I was so fascinated by exercise science as an 18 y/o, and wanted to pick a major that would feed into a career as a PT. If i could go back in time I think I would have majored in philosophy or maybe physics, but I generally really like learning everything so its not a big deal. After shadowing PTs a good 100 hrs and generally learning about the field, I am finding that I do not "fit" with them that well. There are many aspects of their role that I really love, but when I think about all the science courses I would never get to take, or all the other aspects of the human body I learned in A/P that they just never touch, it makes me think that I am meant to become a doctor. I am fascinated with and often dumb-struck by some of the amazing processes that go on in living organisms and the ways that scientists have leveraged those processes to improve human health. nobody else in my cohort has such a love of science, and most PTs tell me they hated physics adn chemistry in undergrad. I also believe that comming from a good home and doing well in school, it is my duty to take my education as far as I can to do the most good I can, thus my recent decision to make a run at the medical field.
I am writing to get general help and tips making a plan of attack for the next few years to give me an excellent chance at getting into a med school, because I am a bit new to this process. I love hearing second opinions so if there is anything you want to say, please do.
important factors:
- I have a 3.75 gpa after 4 semesters
- I have half the med prereqs as they line up with PT pre reqs pretty well, Ill attach a excel sheet. not sure if the numbers it gives are correct but courses and grades are.
- I was on track to graduate in 3.5 years when I was pre-PT, but now that I have to take the second semester of gen bio, Ochem1/2 and biochem It will probably take 4
- I have about 100 hrs shadowing PTs, and 2 full days shadowing doctors. I shadowed two family med docs, one of which had a fellowship in pain and specialized in orthopedics. I am extremely interested in this and I am sure I will probably shadow at least another hundred hours just for fun.
- I have about 150 hrs working a PCA for a fairly independent quardrapelic guy. got to know him pretty well. I learned to operate E-stim bikes, assist with ADLs, intermittent cath, and such. he is a pretty cool guy too, so I plan to work with him intermittently in some regard for the foreseeable future.
- I volunteer assisting kids w/ disabilities do exercise for one hr/wk. I was introduced to this through my curriculum and like it so much that Ill probably keep doing it until I move away. (I know schools like to see volunteering)
Current plan:
- I am in gen biol1 with lab right now, and my adviser told me it is the hardest course pre-PTs take here because it is a weed out course for bio majors. I am only in 14 credits because he said it is hard, but it has been pretty easy so far.
-I plan to take bio2 next semester, and Ochem1 first semester senior year, then Ochem2 and biochem1 last semester so i can make sure I ace them.
- I am going to take my last 2 gen-eds during breaks so I can clear out my last semester to just have biochem+ Ochem2. this should give me plenty of time to study for a june 2021 MCAT date during the last semester. I generally do bad on standardized tests because I am a bit slow (i only got a 32 ACT), so I would like to get at least 200hrs of just practice test+ analysis to build strategies.
- I have research methods as a senior class so i will have a bit of research experience. I also want to do some in the bio department here for fun but our school doesnt have loads and loads of opportunities so I am not sure about that
- next semester I have a practical class called "community fitness" where in I will use my skills I have learned take do assessment and corrective exercise prescription under supervision of a clinical ex phys and cardiac rehab professionals for three clients the whole semester, from 5:30AM-8:30AM, five days a week. I am excited for this (besides the daily 4:30 wake up bell) and would be likely be willing to do this as a volunteer in future semesters, but I am not sure if schools would care about it because it is considered "coursework".
- I plan to PCA until 100-200hrs/yr until i start grad school.
- during the gap/app year right after i graduate I would like to do pottery. My old high school has a pottery room that has summer classes and I know the guy who runs it well enough that I think he would let me work for him. I am not sure what to do during this year exactly so advice would be nice.
- I like MD and DO equally. DO is very interesting due to my kinesiology/PrePT background. cant ever see myself doing surgery so I dont care about going to a "good school".
Thats my story and my plan. sorry it was so long but I think it takes that long to fully explain my situation. Any advice about my career switch choice, or with my strategy to get into med school would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks again for going above and beyond t counsel us.
You're really at the beginning of the journey, so what you propose seems reasonable. I think your timeline is a bit aggressive and will need very high commitment to see through. Your gap year also needs some professional volunteering or experience time that is relevant to the health care field.
