What are some good alternatives if you don't get accepted after undergrad?

[PsxDcSquall]

Hello all I am just another slightly lost premed looking for some advice. I am currently going into my senior year of college (starting Fall 2008). These past 3 years I have had my mind set on going to medical school, you know the whole drill taking all the science classes, shadowing physicians, participating in research.

I have pretty much just planned to apply to medical school and hope for the best. Even at the start of my junior year graduation seemed so far away but now all of a sudden it really doesn't. I am sitting here now realizing I don't really have a solid backup plan (mostly because I really don't know of any!).

Well anyway here are my stats: I attend a State School (Salisbury University), I have a 3.93 undergrad gpa with around a 3.95 Math/Science GPA (only had 2 Bs one in a history class and one in a genetics class). I have been a Varsity Athlete 5 out of 6 semesters of college (3 years of cross country 2 years of track) and plan to participate in at least cross country in the fall (undecided about track in the spring). I have gained some research experience over this past year and am working in a lab this summer (hopefully I will have a publication by the end of the summer). I have also have shadowing experience (not as much as I would like however). I am also active in a few other clubs on campus (yoga club, medical career club)

As for the MCATs I am taking them on Friday. I have an average of about a 28-29 on my practice tests (I wish I had a little more time to study now but its too late to change the date). So I am just going to take it and hope for the best!

So anyway back to my original question, what are some good backup plans for those who don't get in on their first try. Other than SMPs such as the one at Georgetown I don't really know of much to do if I have to take a year off before I try applying again. I have a premed adviser and I plan to meet with her after I get my MCAT scores but I figured I should do some research on my plan B options. Basically I just want to know what are some good post graduation premed programs, and what the requirements are and what they do to increase your chances of getting into medical school!

Thanks for anyone who is able to help!

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[deleted74029]

Well with your grades I don't think an SMP would be right for you since most people who do those are low GPA/high MCATers, I'd focus on getting that MCAT up and getting some kind of job doing clinical work. EMT, CNA, Phlebotomists etc.

 

[Blade28]

Are you planning on applying once you get your MCAT score back?

Remember, applying early and widely is key!

Best of luck.

 

[pianola]

Well with your grades I don't think an SMP would be right for you since most people who do those are low GPA/high MCATers, I'd focus on getting that MCAT up and getting some kind of job doing clinical work. EMT, CNA, Phlebotomists etc.

Listen to this person.

 

[Caesar]

Hello all I am just another slightly lost premed looking for some advice. I am currently going into my senior year of college (starting Fall 2008). These past 3 years I have had my mind set on going to medical school, you know the whole drill taking all the science classes, shadowing physicians, participating in research.

I have pretty much just planned to apply to medical school and hope for the best. Even at the start of my junior year graduation seemed so far away but now all of a sudden it really doesn't. I am sitting here now realizing I don't really have a solid backup plan (mostly because I really don't know of any!).

Well anyway here are my stats: I attend a State School (Salisbury University), I have a 3.93 undergrad gpa with around a 3.95 Math/Science GPA (only had 2 Bs one in a history class and one in a genetics class). I have been a Varsity Athlete 5 out of 6 semesters of college (3 years of cross country 2 years of track) and plan to participate in at least cross country in the fall (undecided about track in the spring). I have gained some research experience over this past year and am working in a lab this summer (hopefully I will have a publication by the end of the summer). I have also have shadowing experience (not as much as I would like however). I am also active in a few other clubs on campus (yoga club, medical career club)

As for the MCATs I am taking them on Friday. I have an average of about a 28-29 on my practice tests (I wish I had a little more time to study now but its too late to change the date). So I am just going to take it and hope for the best!

So anyway back to my original question, what are some good backup plans for those who don't get in on their first try. Other than SMPs such as the one at Georgetown I don't really know of much to do if I have to take a year off before I try applying again. I have a premed adviser and I plan to meet with her after I get my MCAT scores but I figured I should do some research on my plan B options. Basically I just want to know what are some good post graduation premed programs, and what the requirements are and what they do to increase your chances of getting into medical school!

Thanks for anyone who is able to help!

The 28-29 MCAT is the only week part of your application, get it up and you are as close to a shoe in as there is. But even a 28-29 isn't going to kill you. You still have a good shot at some schools.

 

[LikeClockWork]

Try working in a hospital or lab in some capacity. There are lots of research projects out there that need a "gopher" to do the stuff the PhD doesn't have time to do. With a college degree you could probably swing something like this for a year.

 

[brsboarder]

if you land a 29, I think you'll be in fine shape if you apply broadly.

 

[xylem29]

You could also do something a little outta the ordinary like teach yogo full-time for a year or teach english overseas.

SMP programs are meant to help students with lower GPAs. You will not benefit from them, and they're also like $40K. If you like research you could go and take two years off and get a MSc.

Gosh - it always amazes me how similar and different Canada and the USA are in various aspects. Most applicants who finish their undergrad in Canada and who don't get in, go to grad school for 2-3 years and get a masters and then reapply. Getting a clinical job is not as common up here, but I'd say do that if you want to be safe and make some money. I still think that if your app is strong, do yoga or something else other than lab work/clinical work.

 

[guitarologist]

ummm...I think you are a troll.

 

[Quadratic]

People, pay attention to his post. He hasn't taken the MCAT yet. Which begs the question, are you trolling?

 

[PsxDcSquall]

ummm...I think you are a troll.

umm I'm not a troll. What made you think that...I just wanted some honest feedback about what to do if I happen to have to take a year off after undergrad.

Yes that is correct I have not taken the MCAT, I am taking it this Friday. If the MCAT doesn't go over as well as I would like then I need to have a back up plan, something that I have not considered as much as I probably should have. I just wanted to get some good input as to what the best course of action would be next year. Also, if you would read some of the other posts people were saying things like "if you land a 29..." which from that post you can infer that they know I have not yet taken the MCAT.

To everyone who offered me constructive and good feedback so far thank you.

To everyone else...well I guess you don't have anything better to do than to accuse people of trolling on an internet message board (which...and correct me if I'm wrong by definition makes you a troll does it not?).

 

[suwaifo]

ummm...I think you are a troll.

 

[161927]

ummm...I think you are a troll.

agreed

 

[UVAbme2009]

You're not getting published by the end of the summer. You could submit a manuscript today and not have it published until Fall unless it was perfect. Unless you've actually been working in the lab for a while, there's not much you can do in a span of 10 weeks that will get you a publication.

And once again, publications aren't everything.

 

[veaselhaufen]

I strongly advise not taking the mcat yet if you're getting 28-29. With that gpa you probably have the potential to do a lot better. Rescheduling the mcat may cost you an extra 200 dollars or whatever but this is much cheaper than spending extra year(s) applying to medical school. Then again, what do I know? I'm just an applicant aswell

 

[Haemulon]

You don't necessarily have to do something medical/clinical with your year off if you do need to reapply. Although that is definitely a solid option. You really should at least do *something* tangible though, something that you can talk about in your next round of interviews as being valuable to you in some way, even if it isn't medical. Some people work just to save money, some spend time volunteering and getting clinical experience, do SMP's, go to grad school for a couple of years or more, pursue some project that they wanted to do, anything really. It is just up to you to pick something either usefull medically or interesting/usefull to you personally. What you don't want to say is that you did nothing in your year off except play video games and study for the MCAT again. Whatever you decide, it would be a good idea to at least sprinkle some clinical and volunteer stuff in your activities as well, even if it is just shadowing some physicians and volunteering at some community service thing a few times.

For what it's worth, I think the whole admissions process can be way too focused on applicants jumping through hoops that really are of variable importance/significance depending on the applicant. For instance, I really did not get much out of shadowing before med school, but had to do it just to have it on the app. Other people get a lot out of though. It's all so variable and random at times.

Good luck to you though. You are wise to at least be thinking of a plan B. But don't give up on your first try. You may surprise yourself and have a very good MCAT day.

 

[Little Etoile]

It may be too late to reschedule it, but you can go that day and void it. Or maybe you don't even have to show and it automatically voids it. I'm not sure, but you should look into it. Take the extra time to do the MCAT properly. You don't want to have to retake it and it sounds like you have great potential to get a high score the first try if you give yourself more study time. Don't cheat yourself out of that just to get it over with or save some money. That extra couple hundred dollars to schedule it at a later date will be easily made up if you get merit scholarship money from your potential high MCAT/GPA combo!