The Backup Plan

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My backup plan is to become a paramedic or a personal trainer in either Newport Coast, California or South Beach, Florida. But there will be no backup plan because I will make it :D
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Crunk Norris said:
Wildlife cameraman. For shows like Planet Earth and Life.
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It's kind of hard to land those sorts of jobs, it's not like anything other than a physician is easy pickings. Many people would give A LOT to be a nat geo photography.

As for me, bounty hunter.
 
ur2l8 said:
It's kind of hard to land those sorts of jobs, it's not like anything other than a physician is easy pickings. Many people would give A LOT to be a nat geo photography.

As for me, bounty hunter.
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Like I said it would be easy...
 
I would become a professor or do something with Physical Anthropology, a subject that has intrigued me for a while now.
 
TheGloaming said:
Ya what is the OP talking about. Who is he to define what the backup plan is? I'm pretty sure he's way off and the backup plan is put into action after: a. you have applied enough times to know you will never get in b. you have a major red flag (crimes, IA) c. you are truly unable to obtain adequate numbers or do not possess the skills to become a physician .... There may be other reasons
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Why waste your money on more applications? If 4-5s years of ECs/LORs did not impress them enough to warrant an acceptance letter, then how much is one year really going to do for you?

I am not cynical but I am a realist.
 
I don't really understand the notion that if you want to go to medical school, that precludes you finding other careers interesting or potentially satisfying. If med school doesn't pan out (and I may well make that decision before, not after, applying) my current Plan B is an MPH or, if possible, a funded MS or PhD program in public health, specifically epidemiology OR a graduate degree in virology, whichever would be more likely to let me work with emerging diseases.

I know I want to do some kind of public health work of the hands-on variety. I would prefer to do that work as a physician, but I bet I could have a fabulous and interesting career as a PhD or MPH too.
 
Backup (really my current plan...I didn't know I wanted to become a doctor until after graduating college) is chemistry grad school, research, teaching. So if I don't do med school, I'll spend the rest of my life on organic chemistry!
 
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Create world peace by planning an alien invasion.

or PhD, whichever seems easier at the time.
 
LaughingMan said:
My "backup" plan would essentially be pursuing a position in Healthcare Administration.

I'm currently pursuing my MPH in Healthcare Admin and will apply to med school. If I fail to get in--I'll pursue an MBA in Healthcare Admin. If I don't get in after that, I'll just pursue a job within that field.

This is seeming more and more likely as I am losing interesting in becoming a physician rapidly.
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You sound just like me. My school has a joint masters program in which you receive both a masters in Business and Healthcare Administration. I've been thinking about switching over to business for a while now. The only thing is, I don't know exactly what health administration entails and I don't know how the health care bill is affecting the job prospects.
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If not health administration, then P.A. School and later a M.P.H
 
Although not sure, I'm considering officer training school and pursuing my dreams of being a fighter pilot. Yes it is more competitive, but I refuse to settle. I fail at one dream, I'm gonna chase a bigger one.
 
zeppelinpage4 said:
Although not sure, I'm considering officer training school and pursuing my dreams of being a fighter pilot. Yes it is more competitive, but I refuse to settle. I fail at one dream, I'm gonna chase a bigger one.
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OTS is no joke. How tall are you though? You need to be short to pilot the jets...
 
Take a job at a chubby strip club. :D

Seriously? Englsh/lit teacher.
 
My backup plan is to make about 35,000 dollars a year being a fish & wildlife bioligist:(
 
NonTraditional3 said:
OTS is no joke. How tall are you though? You need to be short to pilot the jets...
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I'm in within the acceptable range from what I looked up.

My biggest issue is vision. I am certain that I would need to qualify for and successfully get PRK to even have a shot. This is actually why I am currently not following through with the military. Like you said OTS is no joke, and even if I did everything else right, some physical issue out of my control could keep me out of a jet.

However, if I did take time off, I'd probably do more serious research into the possibilities.
 
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I would probably apply as much as I could until I get into medical school. It seems like your question is more like: if medicine is not an option what would be your other career choice?

For me, I would try to get into research most likely in Cell and Molecular Biology or some sort of physiology research.
 
I'm a current sophomore whose currently competitive for DO schools but not MDs yet (I hope to be a competitive applicant by graduation- 3.4cgpa/3.5sgpa(DO)/3.2sgpa atm(MD)). But lately, I've been thinking of possibly changing my career goals due to my inability to deal with stress at times.

My back up plan(s) is either get a Masters in Public Health or go to a Masters program and teach high school Chemistry (my major). At least where I live, Chemistry teachers tend to start around 60k and peak around 120k in later parts of their careers. My AP Chemistry teacher in high school was a former pre med and he's more than happy with his life now. He tutors during summers and teaches all year around. I believe he makes at least 70k at the age of about 30. Seems very happy with his life. He has plenty of free time to himself, good with time management. He used to make sure he got all of his work done during the week, prepped, graded exams/quizzes every friday afternoon right when he got back so he could go out and enjoy his friday nights. He was big on sports and would always tell us on Mondays what he did during the weekend. Seemed like a very relax lifestyle and I think the fact he taught AP students, he didn't have to deal with the occasional immature student.
 
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Once I convince my parents that I'm no good for med school, maybe go into film. Or relearn Arabic and join the C.I.A.
 
Go back active duty but continue to reapply until I am the same age as the oldest applicant ever matriculated. Then I would probably retire. And die.
 
I'm fairly impressed at the revival of this thread from over 10 months ago.
 
Podiatry school FTW! Seriously, average scores for matriculants are ~3.35/23 (that's MCAT).

Maybe dentistry also, but I really would rather be a physician.

_____

But honestly, the OP asked if I didn't get into my #1, #2, or #3 choices for schools what I would do with my tattered and distraught failure of a life (slight exaggeration). Obviously I would see if my #4 - #15 schools wanted me and go there! That's why I applied to more than 3 :).
 
Mercenary. I figure if I can't heal people, I might as well hurt people. Take that, world!

No, but seriously. I looked into Public Health, economics, education, or PhD. I couldn't be a lab tech forever. That job sucks balls.
 
JET program and live a lonely life in Japan. No career other than medicine in the USA looks promising so ill just tap out and chill on a mediocre income for life with a stable job in Japan.
 
TheShaker said:
Probably go to grad school, obtain a PhD, and work at a university where I can bitterly destroy the hopes and dreams of any hopeful premed that reminds me of my younger self.
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Funny I know a few professors that do just this. Med school rejects.
 
Well I am currently getting my masters in public health so I'll probably work in that field and also probably go on to be a CNM (nurse midwife). I have seriously debated between med and midwifery before and think I would be happy doing it if med didn't work out.
 
Probably get either a nursing or technologist's degree, then dive into the Peace Corps like I've wanted the time to do since high school.

Then move to China, teach English, and grow commercial mushrooms.
 
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