Hi all, first post here. Sorry this is so long! Appreciate anyone taking the time to read and answer.
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I've taken a rather unusual path to where I am right now in considering medical school and I'm starting to doubt that it's going to be possible for me to do this based on my history so far.
I've thought about becoming a doctor for a long time. I have several relatives and friends who are doctors and the field interests me as something that really has the potential to make a difference in other people's lives. Neurology in particular is what I'm drawn to at least currently - I went through some strange neurological stuff myself back in college and I think that might allow me to better relate to others going through that kind of thing.
Anyway here's the history so far:
- I don't have a hard science degree, I have a BA in Political Science from the University of Arizona. I graduated in 2006 with a 3.657 GPA. The GPA is lower than it probably should be due to the medical stuff that happened to me during my freshman year. I had straight As in all the upper division 300 and 400 level major stuff, including several classes on health care policy. As to why I chose political science: when I went back to school following my illness, I was sort of turned off to medicine on the account of some of the things that happened to me (I won't get into it here, ancient history at this point). Politics is also a big interest for me so I went for that major when I returned to school after the illness.
- In the time between graduating in 2006 and this fall I spent that time attempting to make it as a musician in the band I co-founded toward the end of undergrad. We released three albums, toured nationally, etc - I actually got decently close with it. It was one of those things where if I didn't try it I'd have kicked myself forever. That ended in late 2011 and I spent some time trying to figure out what I wanted to do now - I could easily go to law school with the PoliSci degree but I decided medicine was what I actually wanted to do.
- I enrolled at a community college here that has science class equivalency with the major state universities. I just finished the semester taking some of the initial prerequisites. I took Gen Chem I + Lab and Precalculus. I had solid As all through the semester but the final exams in both Gen Chem lecture and Precalc went badly and I'm seriously worried I probably fell to a B in both classes because of it. This happened because I didn't finish the exams in time, not because I didn't know the material. The chem exam was a standardized thing, 70 questions in 110 minutes and the math test was 30 fully developed problems in 110 minutes. This kind of thing is really my Achillies Heel in school - the SAT and ACT were the same way for me, I had a low math score because I couldn't finish in the time allotted. 4.0+ at a college prep high school and I was denied at all of the more prestigious schools I applied to for undergrad and I think it was soley on the basis of these test scores.
I'm enrolled for Gen Chem II + Lab, Bio I + Lab, and Calc 1 next semester.
- I don't have any "ECs" as they're called here. I do know several doctors who've already told me they'll let me shadow them and I've gotten some preliminary info on applying to do things like being an ER Scribe, volunteering at a hospital etc.
That's where it stands right now
Questions:
1. Have I already made a wrong move in doing community college for prereqs? The main reason I'm doing that is because I can't really go to Arizona or ASU again because they'd require me to be a full degree seeking student. Otherwise the cost is just astronomical and limited to a tiny amount of units per semester to go there as a non-degree seeking stupid. I already have the BA and I'm just trying to avoid having to get a second undergrad degree in Biochem or Biology or whatever just to be able to apply to med school. I was assured that the classes I'm taking are 100% equilvalent to the full university science major courses. I certainly don't feel like they're easy classes or anything like that.
2. If I did in fact get Bs in Gen Chem I lecture and Precalc this semester has that already hurt my chances substantially?
3. Does the fact that I run out of time and don't finish on these types of multiple choice tests indicate that this is probably going to be a major issue for me on the MCAT? How many questions are on it and how much time do you get? Do prep courses help at all with this issue or no?
4. I see people on this forum who have an absolutely huge amount of EC experience and work, a better GPA than I have and so on saying they've been denied a bunch. Am I deluding myself into thinking I'm even qualified for this if it's that restrictive?
Thanks, I really appreciate any advice/insight!
=======
I've taken a rather unusual path to where I am right now in considering medical school and I'm starting to doubt that it's going to be possible for me to do this based on my history so far.
I've thought about becoming a doctor for a long time. I have several relatives and friends who are doctors and the field interests me as something that really has the potential to make a difference in other people's lives. Neurology in particular is what I'm drawn to at least currently - I went through some strange neurological stuff myself back in college and I think that might allow me to better relate to others going through that kind of thing.
Anyway here's the history so far:
- I don't have a hard science degree, I have a BA in Political Science from the University of Arizona. I graduated in 2006 with a 3.657 GPA. The GPA is lower than it probably should be due to the medical stuff that happened to me during my freshman year. I had straight As in all the upper division 300 and 400 level major stuff, including several classes on health care policy. As to why I chose political science: when I went back to school following my illness, I was sort of turned off to medicine on the account of some of the things that happened to me (I won't get into it here, ancient history at this point). Politics is also a big interest for me so I went for that major when I returned to school after the illness.
- In the time between graduating in 2006 and this fall I spent that time attempting to make it as a musician in the band I co-founded toward the end of undergrad. We released three albums, toured nationally, etc - I actually got decently close with it. It was one of those things where if I didn't try it I'd have kicked myself forever. That ended in late 2011 and I spent some time trying to figure out what I wanted to do now - I could easily go to law school with the PoliSci degree but I decided medicine was what I actually wanted to do.
- I enrolled at a community college here that has science class equivalency with the major state universities. I just finished the semester taking some of the initial prerequisites. I took Gen Chem I + Lab and Precalculus. I had solid As all through the semester but the final exams in both Gen Chem lecture and Precalc went badly and I'm seriously worried I probably fell to a B in both classes because of it. This happened because I didn't finish the exams in time, not because I didn't know the material. The chem exam was a standardized thing, 70 questions in 110 minutes and the math test was 30 fully developed problems in 110 minutes. This kind of thing is really my Achillies Heel in school - the SAT and ACT were the same way for me, I had a low math score because I couldn't finish in the time allotted. 4.0+ at a college prep high school and I was denied at all of the more prestigious schools I applied to for undergrad and I think it was soley on the basis of these test scores.
I'm enrolled for Gen Chem II + Lab, Bio I + Lab, and Calc 1 next semester.
- I don't have any "ECs" as they're called here. I do know several doctors who've already told me they'll let me shadow them and I've gotten some preliminary info on applying to do things like being an ER Scribe, volunteering at a hospital etc.
That's where it stands right now
Questions:
1. Have I already made a wrong move in doing community college for prereqs? The main reason I'm doing that is because I can't really go to Arizona or ASU again because they'd require me to be a full degree seeking student. Otherwise the cost is just astronomical and limited to a tiny amount of units per semester to go there as a non-degree seeking stupid. I already have the BA and I'm just trying to avoid having to get a second undergrad degree in Biochem or Biology or whatever just to be able to apply to med school. I was assured that the classes I'm taking are 100% equilvalent to the full university science major courses. I certainly don't feel like they're easy classes or anything like that.
2. If I did in fact get Bs in Gen Chem I lecture and Precalc this semester has that already hurt my chances substantially?
3. Does the fact that I run out of time and don't finish on these types of multiple choice tests indicate that this is probably going to be a major issue for me on the MCAT? How many questions are on it and how much time do you get? Do prep courses help at all with this issue or no?
4. I see people on this forum who have an absolutely huge amount of EC experience and work, a better GPA than I have and so on saying they've been denied a bunch. Am I deluding myself into thinking I'm even qualified for this if it's that restrictive?
Thanks, I really appreciate any advice/insight!
