Teacher career change advice

[dr.midi]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some advice on how to move towards a career in medicine after being a high school biology teacher this past year. I'm wondering what next steps I should take to pursue the MD pathway.

I'm currently a high school biology teacher in Texas, but I was pre-med for almost all of my undergrad years from 2009 to 2013. During my final years of undergrad, I began to seriously question and doubt my motivations to do medicine which led to decreased academic performance. I applied to a few medical schools my junior year (2012), but was rejected due to a falling GPA during my last few semesters.

In 2013, I decided to switch career paths and work for a year at a K-8 school as a teaching assistant to explore education as a career option. Later, I decided to go to grad school for a Masters Degree in Teaching at Eastern Michigan University. In 2016, I received a teaching job in Texas and relocated there for the job. This past year was my first year of teaching high school biology which was enjoyable overall with some difficulties. After some reflection, I realize that my current salary is not sufficient for my life goals and that my talents/gifts might be better suited for a career in health/medicine.

Currently, I'm reconsidering going back towards the medical school pathway and wondering what it would take to be a competitive medical school applicant within the next couple years. My plan for this summer is to volunteer again in a hospital setting to explore a career in medicine and gain a renewed sense of passion for the medical profession. I also plan to practice for the MCAT to retake it.

A few questions I am wondering about:

• Since I took some graduate level coursework, will I still need a post-bac in upper level sciences to show that my GPA has increased? I didn't take many upper level sciences in graduate school.
• What do I need to do to strengthen my application in terms of showing a renewed commitment to medicine?
• How can I get letters of recommendation if my recent graduate education was with education professors, not science professors...? I'm thinking about asking colleagues/supervisors in my workplace.

Also, I'm hoping to minimize the amount of student loans I need to take out, and I'm looking into medical schools in Texas which seem to have a few affordable medical school programs.

Here are my stats:

• • Undergrad GPA: 3.502 at the University of Michigan
    • Excluding final semester (grades decline): 3.682
  • Science GPA: 3.23
    • Excluding final semester (grades decline): 3.48 science GPA
    • I completed the basic pre-medical requirements for science and math
  • GPA by semester:
    • Sem 1 (Fall 2009): 3.9
    • Sem 2: 3.947
    • Sem 3 (Fall 2010): 4.0
    • Sem 4 3.764
    • Sem 5 (Fall 2011): 3.112
    • Sem 6: 3.243
    • Sem 7 (Fall 2012): 3.808
    • Sem 8 (Winter 2013): 2.200 - failing classes due to lack of motivation, depression regarding career
  • MCAT scores (2011)
    • 31Q
    • Physical: 09
    • Verbal: 11
    • Biological: 11
    • Writing: Q
• Credit hours i have at the moment
  • Undergrad Credit Hours: 144 credit hours (including transfer credits)
  • Graduate Credit Hours: 30
• Graduate school GPA (Masters of Art in Teaching, Eastern Michigan University)
  • 3.7
  • 30 credits
• Volunteer Experience
  • about 500 hours during summers of 2009, 2010 (telehealth)
  • Hospice Student Companions - volunteering weekly for hospice care during 2011
• Shadowing Experience:
  • about 50 hours with Primary Care doc in Detroit, MI during summer 2010.
• Research experience

• 2 years as undergrad research assistant in UM Health System researching lupus disease pathway and genetic factors (2010, 2011)

Thanks everyone!

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[dr.midi]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some advice on how to move towards a career in medicine after being a high school biology teacher this past year. I'm wondering what next steps I should take to pursue the MD pathway.

I'm currently a high school biology teacher in Texas, but I was pre-med for almost all of my undergrad years from 2009 to 2013. During my final years of undergrad, I began to seriously question and doubt my motivations to do medicine which led to decreased academic performance. I applied to a few medical schools my junior year (2012), but was rejected due to a falling GPA during my last few semesters.

In 2013, I decided to switch career paths and work for a year at a K-8 school as a teaching assistant to explore education as a career option. Later, I decided to go to grad school for a Masters Degree in Teaching at Eastern Michigan University. In 2016, I received a teaching job in Texas and relocated there for the job. This past year was my first year of teaching high school biology which was enjoyable overall with some difficulties. After some reflection, I realize that my current salary is not sufficient for my life goals and that my talents/gifts might be better suited for a career in health/medicine.

Currently, I'm reconsidering going back towards the medical school pathway and wondering what it would take to be a competitive medical school applicant within the next couple years. My plan for this summer is to volunteer again in a hospital setting to explore a career in medicine and gain a renewed sense of passion for the medical profession. I also plan to practice for the MCAT to retake it.

A few questions I am wondering about:

• Since I took some graduate level coursework, will I still need a post-bac in upper level sciences to show that my GPA has increased? I didn't take many upper level sciences in graduate school.
• What do I need to do to strengthen my application in terms of showing a renewed commitment to medicine?
• How can I get letters of recommendation if my recent graduate education was with education professors, not science professors...? I'm thinking about asking colleagues/supervisors in my workplace.

Also, I'm hoping to minimize the amount of student loans I need to take out, and I'm looking into medical schools in Texas which seem to have a few affordable medical school programs.

Here are my stats:

• • Undergrad GPA: 3.502 at the University of Michigan
    • Excluding final semester (grades decline): 3.682
  • Science GPA: 3.23
    • Excluding final semester (grades decline): 3.48 science GPA
    • I completed the basic pre-medical requirements for science and math
  • GPA by semester:
    • Sem 1 (Fall 2009): 3.9
    • Sem 2: 3.947
    • Sem 3 (Fall 2010): 4.0
    • Sem 4 3.764
    • Sem 5 (Fall 2011): 3.112
    • Sem 6: 3.243
    • Sem 7 (Fall 2012): 3.808
    • Sem 8 (Winter 2013): 2.200 - failing classes due to lack of motivation, depression regarding career
  • MCAT scores (2011)
    • 31Q
    • Physical: 09
    • Verbal: 11
    • Biological: 11
    • Writing: Q
• Credit hours i have at the moment
  • Undergrad Credit Hours: 144 credit hours (including transfer credits)
  • Graduate Credit Hours: 30
• Graduate school GPA (Masters of Art in Teaching, Eastern Michigan University)
  • 3.7
  • 30 credits
• Volunteer Experience
  • about 500 hours during summers of 2009, 2010 (telehealth)
  • Hospice Student Companions - volunteering weekly for hospice care during 2011
• Shadowing Experience:
  • about 50 hours with Primary Care doc in Detroit, MI during summer 2010.
• Research experience

• 2 years as undergrad research assistant in UM Health System researching lupus disease pathway and genetic factors (2010, 2011)

Thanks everyone!

Hey everyone, I wanted to bump this thread with a summary of my previous post

[tl;dr] Looking for advice on becoming a competitive medical school applicant. Currently a high school biology teacher, completed all pre-med prerequisite classes in undergrad. GPA declined in last semester of undergrad due to reconsidering career, but achieved 3.7 GPA in grad school for education. Just finished first year of teaching. Current plan is to get more volunteering hours that are recent in hospital setting and retake MCAT.

Other stats: MCAT in 2011: 31Q (P - 9, V - 11, B - 11); Undergrad GPA: 3.50; Science GPA: 3.23; Volunteer hours: 500 hours in Hospital setting (2009-2010) and Hospice Student Companions in 2011; Research - 2 years of undergrad research assistant

 

[GreenDuck12]

Welcome to the forums!

Based on what you wrote above, it looks like you may have two challenges: the first is your stats and the second is your narrative/"why factor" for medicine.

First, your cGPA is on the low end for allopathic schools and your sGPA is outside the range. Your need to address this in order to become a more competitive applicant and not get auto screened out. Take some upper division science classes as well as any pre-reqs you struggled in both to raise your sGPA and show that you can handle the rigors of medical school.

Alternatively, or additionally, look into osteopathic medical schools that allow for grade replacement. It sounds like your GPA took a drop the last few semesters. Osteopathic medical schools allow students to retake classes and keep the higher of the two grades. Using this, it is possible to replace a bunch of C/D/F grades with A/B grades.

Next up is the MCAT. Your first score was good but not with below average sGPA and cGPA. Ideally, if you have a below average GPA you want to have an above average MCAT score (for the schools you are applying to). You're going to need to retake it and with the redesign that took place in 2015, you have the opportunity to improve your score.


The other problem you are likely to encounter is your narrative and reason for medicine. Spending a few years in education is great (I'm in my fourth year of teaching) but you want to avoid the appearance of switching away from a profession too quickly (and appearing flightily/flakey) and looking like you are solely interested in the financial side. While recognizing that your current salary level is not sufficient is a legitimate concern, that alone, doesn't scream pursue medicine (and I am not saying that this is the only reason you are interested in medicine but since you mentioned it above, I'm responding to it here). I would think about how your experiences in the classroom have impacted your view of medical care in the United States / Texas / Community you live in, and how you hope to have an impact on health care, your community, or patients like your students.

Now for the good news:
- your cGPA and sGPA is in a range that it can be improved with additional courses
- you live in Texas which has many medical schools that all favor in state applicants
- you have time to figure out if medicine really is the right fit

Hope this helps and best of luck.

 

[dr.midi]

Thanks for your response @GreenDuck12 . I decided to take the MCAT over this summer and ended up getting a very competitive score! I got a 517 (Chem/Phys - 131, CARS - 127, Bio/Biochem - 129, Psych/Soc - 130). This is much better than my original 31Q from a few years ago.

I think this MCAT score will definitely help me get in somewhere. I'm hoping to get into a medical school in Texas since I am a Texas resident and the tuition in Texas schools is very low. My plan at this point is to improve my GPA by doing my best in a special masters program, possibly at UNT MS Medical Sciences Program and concurrently applying to medical school during the next cycle in Summer 2018. My thought is that by showing high performance in upper level science coursework, I'll be able to build a convincing case for my capability to handle medical school coursework.

Do you think such a masters program is needed for my stats? I want to do this program because I want to apply with the strongest credentials that represent my true abilities. I feel like applying to med schools without some additional coursework would make my admissions chances in Texas a long shot.

I'm also planning to continue volunteering in hospice locations and getting other types of shadowing experience. Thanks again for your solid advice.

 

[Blanky]

Congrats on the awesome MCAT score!
I think some shadowing will look good as well as some possible talking points on "why medicine"
Consider taking a couple upper level biology courses in spring so the grades are fresh when you apply.
I hope Texas is good to you!

 

[dr.midi]

Hi guys, so I recently got into University of Cincinnati MS Physiology Program for 2018-2019! I'll be moving to Cinci sometime in August.

Do you guys think that I would be a competitive medical school applicant if I submitted an AMCAS application for this year and then submit my first semester grades? According to UC MS Physiology page, they have about a 50-60% chance success rate for students who apply while concurrently in the program.

You can look at my original post for details on my stats, but here's a quick summary:
- Current High School Chemistry Teacher (2nd year of teaching in Houston TX)
- GPA: 3.502 undergrad (BS Neuroscience) - Graduated in 2013, low GPA during final semester
- sGPA: 3.23 undergrad
- MCAT: 517 (this year), 31Q in 2011 (11B, 11V, 9P)
- Master's of Art in Teaching GPA: 3.7 - Graduated in 2016
- Extracurriculars:

• 500 hours volunteering in Telehealth department at VA Hospital (Detroit),
• Hospice Student Companions club - Univ of Michigan (2011)
• Shadowing 50 Hours with Primary Care doctors in 2010
• 2 years of research experience as assistant in UM Health System (2010, 2011);
• Hospice volunteer for about 12 hours (2018)

Thanks for your help in advance!

 

[Entadus]

Hi guys, so I recently got into University of Cincinnati MS Physiology Program for 2018-2019! I'll be moving to Cinci sometime in August.

Do you guys think that I would be a competitive medical school applicant if I submitted an AMCAS application for this year and then submit my first semester grades? According to UC MS Physiology page, they have about a 50-60% chance success rate for students who apply while concurrently in the program.

You can look at my original post for details on my stats, but here's a quick summary:
- Current High School Chemistry Teacher (2nd year of teaching in Houston TX)
- GPA: 3.502 undergrad (BS Neuroscience) - Graduated in 2013, low GPA during final semester
- sGPA: 3.23 undergrad
- MCAT: 517 (this year), 31Q in 2011 (11B, 11V, 9P)
- Master's of Art in Teaching GPA: 3.7 - Graduated in 2016
- Extracurriculars:

• 500 hours volunteering in Telehealth department at VA Hospital (Detroit),
• Hospice Student Companions club - Univ of Michigan (2011)
• Shadowing 50 Hours with Primary Care doctors in 2010
• 2 years of research experience as assistant in UM Health System (2010, 2011);
• Hospice volunteer for about 12 hours (2018)

Thanks for your help in advance!

Congrats on your continued progress! Others may disagree, but I would advise patience with this process. There is no rush to get into med school, even if it feels that way. I suppose you might be viewed as a competitive applicant with only the first semester of grades, but competitive does not guarantee acceptance. I would recommend completing this master's program (with straight A's if at all possible) and then applying the following cycle. Continue to volunteer in both clinical and non-clinical settings, and spend a LOT of time researching the application process. It is time intensive, expensive ($$$), and demands a well thought out strategy.

 

[WIMNFamilyMed]

Do you know how broadly people apply while in the program and anything else about them that you could compare to yourself (like grades or trends). It's not a bad rate but it is not great. They may be spending thousands of dollars and doing 20+ apps to get this rate, or those individuals may be applying regionally or to schools associated with the program (if this exists/is possible, sorry, I dont know any specifics of that school/program/region). Any more info you can get/give might be helpful for others to get a better view of the situation 🙂

 

[WIMNFamilyMed]

Congrats on your continued progress! Others may disagree, but I would advice patience with this process. There is no rush to get into med school, even if it feels that way. I suppose you might be viewed as a competitive applicant with only the first semester of grades, but competitive does not guarantee acceptance. I would recommend completing this master's program (with straight A's if at all possible) and then applying the following cycle. Continue to volunteer in both clinical and non-clinical settings, and spend a LOT of time researching the application process. It is time intensive, expensive ($$$), and demands a well thought out strategy.

I agree, waiting one more year or two will give you odds near 80-100% I would expect for MD, 95-100% for DO, and allow you to apply to a smaller range of programs you are really into instead of all across the board.

 

[Skiiiiiing]

Hi guys, so I recently got into University of Cincinnati MS Physiology Program for 2018-2019! I'll be moving to Cinci sometime in August.

Do you guys think that I would be a competitive medical school applicant if I submitted an AMCAS application for this year and then submit my first semester grades? According to UC MS Physiology page, they have about a 50-60% chance success rate for students who apply while concurrently in the program.

You can look at my original post for details on my stats, but here's a quick summary:
- Current High School Chemistry Teacher (2nd year of teaching in Houston TX)
- GPA: 3.502 undergrad (BS Neuroscience) - Graduated in 2013, low GPA during final semester
- sGPA: 3.23 undergrad
- MCAT: 517 (this year), 31Q in 2011 (11B, 11V, 9P)
- Master's of Art in Teaching GPA: 3.7 - Graduated in 2016
- Extracurriculars:

• 500 hours volunteering in Telehealth department at VA Hospital (Detroit),
• Hospice Student Companions club - Univ of Michigan (2011)
• Shadowing 50 Hours with Primary Care doctors in 2010
• 2 years of research experience as assistant in UM Health System (2010, 2011);
• Hospice volunteer for about 12 hours (2018)

Thanks for your help in advance!

Apply IMO. A 517 solves a lot of problems, wasn't that bad before. 99 percent chance you get into DO, 60/40 MD

 

[Entadus]

Apply IMO. A 517 solves a lot of problems, wasn't that bad before. 99 percent chance you get into DO, 60/40 MD

A 517 solves the expired 31Q. Does it solve the 3.2 sGPA? If OP wants MD, a patchwork clean-up job just won't do. Not sure about DO

 

[Skiiiiiing]

A 517 solves the expired 31Q. Does it solve the 3.2 sGPA? If OP wants MD, a patchwork clean-up job just won't do. Not sure about DO

A 3.2 is about 1.5 SD's below average. The MCAT is about 1.5-2 SD's above average.

CGPA =
SGPA --
MCAT ++
Nontrad science teacher ++ for places that like nontrads
Good ECs +
Good shadowing +


If he applies intelligently (eg to low quartile) and interviews well, I give him a real shot at MD. DO he's a shoe-in at the programs focused on academics...bone whispering programs might not like him, but then again...

 

[libertyyne]

OP is almost on 95%+ odds of matriculating at DO school.
The Graduate degree does squat for ugpa besides a handful of schools who take it into consideration.
OP your volunteering is 5 + years old at this time, i would keep adding hours to that.

If you really want an MD you are better advised in doing a postbac instead of the grad degree.

 

[dr.midi]

Thanks everyone for your helpful posts! Appreciate it!