thanks for your time and help

[aspire25]

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Thanks, sorry to argue

 

[Dral]

Short of SMP, I think focusing on DO is your best bet. You could maybe intelligently add in some MD schools, but I'll let others such as Faha or Goro help with that.

What do you have in terms of clinical experience/volunteering?

Being in the military and starting a successful company will certainly catch people's attention.

 

[Dral]

Not having the research box checked is ok for a non-trad typically.

The online only coursework and lack of clinical experience is a little shaky. I'm not going to say it's a deal breaker though. I'll let others give their opinion on that.

What about letters? Will you get them from online professors and the docs you shadowed?

 

[Faha]

Do you have a state of residence?

 

[Faha]

Hi. Yes, despite living abroad, I am still a resident of a state. I'm currently a resident of North Carolina.

It is difficult to predict where you could receive interviews. With no clinical volunteering/employment your chances for interviews are limited.
You could receive interviews at DO schools and I suggest these:
AZCOM
TUNCOM
UIWSOM
ATSU-KCOM
KCU-COM
DMU-COM
MU-COM
CCOM
ACOM
WCU-COM
PCOM (all schools)
LECOM (all schools)
NYITCOM (both schools)
Touro-NY
WVSOM
NOVA
For MD schools you could try these:
North Carolina
East Carolina
East Tennessee
Roseman
Alice Walton
Belmont
Methodist (when it opens)
TCU
NOVA MD
Wake Forest
Ponce (St. Louis)
Dartmouth (reach- but like military veterans)

 

[Faha]

Thank you so much for taking the time to make a list and provide advice!! It's definitely tricky as a nontraditional as I'm not sure I can find a lot of people with a similar background to compare to. So it is really appreciated. I probably should have reached out before beginning the process, but I wanted to actually put in the work beforehand, thinking if I actually completed the courses & MCAT and received the scores I was looking for, it could make acceptance more of a reality. Of course last year with a 2.0 undergrad I figured I'd just get laughed at if I reached out.
I feel like my situation is completely unknown. I'm really proud of my postbacc grades and MCAT, but maybe my undergrad from 15 years ago and inability to partake in clinical volunteering/work will be the dealbreaker.
Btw, thanks for bringing Methodist to my attention. I wasnt aware of that opening.

Your situation is so unique that it is difficult to give advice. @Goro has a list for reinventors and it includes all DO schools. Your opinion @Goro?

 

[Faha]

Also, honestly, I didn't realize how important clinical volunteering was. I dont have a ton of resources. I'm kinda on an island so I only researched profiles of other older applicants and somehow it didn't seem like a deal breaker. If I can secure a way to visit the states this summer, would that be something I could try to take care of in a few weeks to a month? Do you know what a minimum amount of hours would look like for an old nontraditional like myself? Thanks for any reply🙂

Yes. You only need 150 hours of clinical volunteering with patient contact to avoid being screened out at schools. However, you need the hours before you submit your application. You could accumulate those hours in a month. November is not late for a DO application and even early August would be fine for a MD application. You could also greatly expand your MD list with 150 hours of clinical volunteering ( ER tech, hospice, hospital volunteering)

 

[Faha]

Thanks again! I'm so sorry to keep taking your time! Are the 150 hours a hard cutoff set for all ages? If someone is an old nontrad working guy in their late 30s like myself, would I still be expected to accumulate 150 hours?

Yes.

 

[sardinetoast]

I think it would be almost impossible to convince an admissions committee that you want to go to medical school, and why, without clinical hours. I'm curious about what your "why medicine" is if you have no clinical experience outside of shadowing?

I'm a non-trad, working a full-time corporate 9-5. I've spent countless nights and weekends getting clinical hours, using up all of my PTO and then some to make it work. I don't think being non traditional gives us a pass from the requirements of medical school, it just means we have unique paths and stories that got us to this place...

 

[Nontrad_FL_LGBT]

You have to meet all the requirements. I worked full time and spent ~40 hours a week also doing my premed stuff. It sucks, but you have to figure something out.

Additionally, medical schools tend to prefer longer standing experiences. Getting all your clinical experience done in a month then hanging your hat of it probably won't look great either.

 

[sardinetoast]

Your curious about my why? It's extremely personal but it relates very closely to what I do now in terms of impact on community. However, are you saying you had no clue why you wanted to be a doctor before you volunteered? Because I certainly do.

Of course I knew my why before volunteering, however my why was confirmed over and over and over again and strengthened during the hundreds of clinical hours and gave me many strong examples to write about it in the endless essays expected during the application cycle.

Unfortunately, clinical experience is just part of the hundreds of hoops we have to jump through during this process. I can be empathetic that you are in a difficult situation, but I don't believe ADCOMs will be unless you have a very extreme X factor. I think people commenting that you just have to figure out a way to get clinical hours are just trying to be realistic, and also make sure you don't waste money applying without something that is basically a hard requirement.

Also I may not understand the financial sacrifices to the same magnitude, because I've never made nearly the amount of money you are making....but I sacrificed saving any money for the past 4 years because every penny has been spent on tuition, MCAT prep, etc to prepare for this process. I had to decide I would do anything I could (within reason because I am an adult with bills to pay) to reach my goal, and it was definitely painful at times!

 

[sardinetoast]

Listen, if you read my original comment(I know it is long) I was looking for advice. I dont think I said I dont want to do anything. A respected poster on another thread told me I have to have 150 hours, but when I google it at various medical schools, most suggest 100 hours, so I'm trying to understand why they would say 150. I am questioning if that is 100%, especially for someone with a predicament finding any time for hours. I'd love to do the work. It is a privelege to do the work, not a burden. IAnd further, when I suggested sacrificing my job, I was told it isnt good enough to do it in1-2 months. it is only ok if I take a long time? Why? Doesnt that show hard work and initiative? Isn't it a lack of motivation to take years to volunteer?
I am asking for advice or suggestions, not an easy way out.
If my situation is not an "X factor"what is?

I think you are misunderstanding. What I read from your posts is that even though multiple people have told you the way it is, you want someone to tell you what you want to hear, which is that you don't need 150+ hrs and to spend longitudinal time getting clinical experience. Yes, you can apply now, with what you've done, and maybe some DO schools will give you a shot. If you want your best chance at getting accepted to MD schools especially, 150+ hrs over a long time is just what schools are expecting, and the 1000s of applicants you will be up against will have far more than that over years and years. That's just the way it is, it's not me or anyone else trying to refute you.

Doing 100 hrs over a few months shows that you are "checking a box" not truly committed and interested in the clinical experience. I didn't make that rule, that's just what we see that medical schools prefer. Showing commitment to the same service over years shows you are truly interested in and care about what you are doing to continue going back, week after week.

It seems like you want a specific answer from people, and we aren't giving it to you. I don't know what to tell you about that, everyone commenting here is just speaking from what they have read, seen, heard and experienced over thousands of pre-meds preparing for this process.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

OP: you should reach out to admissions representatives. That's our job. Let us tell you what areas require improvement to maximize your chances. Just understand some of us have admissions experience and are telling you from what we have seen our adcoms determine are important characteristics for incoming students.

 

[aspire25]

OP: you should reach out to admissions representatives. That's our job. Let us tell you what areas require improvement to maximize your chances. Just understand some of us have admissions experience and are telling you from what we have seen our adcoms determine are important characteristics for incoming students.

Thanks for your concern! The original issue was I didnt realize I needed a certain amount of clinical hours. I have come to accept that I was wrong and the hours are necessary. The second issue is some respected members told me it was no problem to complete the clinical hours in a few months since I live outside of the country and coming to the states to complete the hours is a huge financial burden. Yet a couple other posters who I dont think are as informed told me that if I complete my hours in a short time frame I am making a mistake and that I have to go slowy and do my 150 hours over many years. I felt this argument was faulty because if I were an adcom I could see either argument. If an applicant completed 150 hours in a few months, that could also show dedication and hard work. After all, med school and residency will require learning vast amounts of material in short time periods and working for very long consecutive hours. I honestly couldnt understand why someone would randomly argue with me and tell me by trying my hardest, I would be putting myself at a disadvantage. I guess it could be viewed either way depending on the adcom. Some might think I am rushing it, some might be impressed with the dedication. However, if the shoe was on the other foot, I wouldnt tell someone their shot at med school will be ruined unless I was100% sure.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thanks for your concern! The original issue was I didnt realize I needed a certain amount of clinical hours. I have come to accept that I was wrong and the hours are necessary. The second issue is some respected members told me it was no problem to complete the clinical hours in a few months since I live outside of the country and coming to the states to complete the hours is a huge financial burden. Yet a couple other posters who I dont think are as informed told me that if I complete my hours in a short time frame I am making a mistake and that I have to go slowy and do my 150 hours over many years. I felt this argument was faulty because if I were an adcom I could see either argument. If an applicant completed 150 hours in a few months, that could also show dedication and hard work. After all, med school and residency will require learning vast amounts of material in short time periods and working for very long consecutive hours. I honestly couldnt understand why someone would randomly argue with me and tell me by trying my hardest, I would be putting myself at a disadvantage. I guess it could be viewed either way depending on the adcom. Some might think I am rushing it, some might be impressed with the dedication. However, if the shoe was on the other foot, I wouldnt tell someone their shot at med school will be ruined unless I was100% sure.

That's the joy of serving on admissions committees. For me I want to make sure you understand the commitment involved with the debt burden you will assume because failing out of medical school with 400-600K committed does not make anyone feel good.