What happens to all of the pre-meds that don't make it into med school?

[SpecterGT260]

I believe most of them do other programs in that order...PharmD, DDS, DPM, PA, Nursing as a last resort.

I would have gone into a PhD program. No idea how many others out there like me there are, but I emphasize research so for me this would have been more like eating half of my cake rather than getting none and having to pick a different flavor.

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[Mavii]

I believe most of them do other programs in that order...PharmD, DDS, DPM, PA, Nursing as a last resort.

Your post makes no sense.

 

[SpecterGT260]

Your post makes no sense.

It makes perfect sense (per the OP, anyways). You can disagree, but I wouldn't claim the post was too confusing, because.... that doesn't really reflect on him at that point.

 

[Temperature101]

Your post makes no sense.

Are you having trouble to comprehend my broken english?

 

[Temperature101]

It makes perfect sense (per the OP, anyways). You can disagree, but I wouldn't claim the post was too confusing, because.... that doesn't really reflect on him at that point.

At least someone understood what I was trying to say...

 

[Mavii]

It makes perfect sense (per the OP, anyways). You can disagree, but I wouldn't claim the post was too confusing, because.... that doesn't really reflect on him at that point.

No, unless he was responding to someone in particular, I meant him giving an order in which people will apply to specific fields if they can't get into medicine. Pharmacy, podiatry, and dentistry are entirely different fields. You can't really say someone would apply to pharmacy school before dentistry. Or to podiatry school before nursing school, etc.

 

[SpecterGT260]

No, unless he was responding to someone in particular, I meant him giving an order in which people will apply to specific fields if they can't get into medicine. Pharmacy, podiatry, and dentistry are entirely different fields. You can't really say someone would apply to pharmacy school before dentistry. Or to podiatry school before nursing school, etc.

He didn't mean a numerical order (or at least I didn't read it that way). "In that order" can also mean "in the way of", shorter vernacular for "things of that order". In this case, order is "medicine".

 

[Temperature101]

Your post makes no sense.

From talking to many of my classmates (premeds) when I was taking my prereqs. I did find out that a lot of them have pharmacy as plan B, some have DDS and others have podiatry. Of couse, these are anecdotes. I probably did not make myself clear in my previous post, but that was the idea I was trying to convey.

 

[Mavii]

He didn't mean a numerical order (or at least I didn't read it that way). "In that order" can also mean "in the way of", shorter vernacular for "things of that order". In this case, order is "medicine".

Ahhh, when he said "nursing as a last resort", I looked at it again as numerical order

 

[dudestheman90]

.

 

[SOMBound13]

Originally Posted by dudestheman90
Hey guys let me tell you that getting into medical school is only for the few chosen ones. I did my bachelors degree, spent 4 pain-staking years doing the pre-med curriculum but i just didn't make the gpa needed for medical school.

I'm now embarking on a nursing curriculum and will be starting next fall, which will take me 2 years to complete. I'll be 25 by the time i finish. Now my best advice to premeds is to sacrifice your soul in under grad so you don't end up like me. Yes many pre-meds will not get into medical school. You need a plan B and even in some instances a Plan C, in case you don't get into medical school. I do believe becoming a DNP/NP is your second best option if you couldn't get into med school. It allows you to remain in the medical field and perform a role similar to a physician although not exact. Although you won't have that same prestige level as a physician, it's as close as you can get and it's better than nothing. I decided not to go the PA route since you'll be working underneath an MD/DO, an NP allows you to practice under your own license. My plan C would of been PT school, but i ultimately decided that's a role very different than i wanted to pursue. I want to treat, diagnose, prescribe type of role. So thank god plan B worked. Now again i have to stress, don't end up like me and so many others. If i was MD/DO quality i would have gone that route immediately. There are other rewarding careers, but def! MD/DO was my Plan A. So my best advice to premeds, unfortunately you really need backup plans. Sadly we dont always get what we want in life, but you really need to self-reflect and ask yourself what will i do if i don;t get in. Have at least 2 backup plans. For me, the Caribbean was just to risky and costly and told myself it would of been a very bad idea. You have to make a list of the pros and cons of each field and see which 1 would suit you best if med school didnt work out. Good Luck

??

It took you four years to realize that you didn't have the GPA for a MD or DO school? It would seem that you would have realized that by sophomore year.

 

[SpecterGT260]

??

It took you four years to realize that you didn't have the GPA for a MD or DO school? It would seem that you would have realized that by sophomore year.

I didnt start studying hard until sophomore year. I didnt have anywhere near the GPA I needed at year to.

 

[Arbor Vitae]

Biotech/pharma industry.

 

[Temperature101]

Hey guys, no i didnt see myself in any other field. I knew i didnt want to be a PA since I would work underneath someone all my life. I didn't like PT since it has to do more with rehabilitation science then medicine. I didnt want to become a pharmacist since I can't see myself behind a counter all day. I didnt want to go to dental school since its overly expensive, 80-100k per yer + interest, plus i dont like working in people's mouths all day. I saw that becoming a DNP/NP or even CRNA would be be best alternative for me. It's similar to a physicians role and allows me to work/stay in the medical field. Plus the field in itself presents vast opportunities of areas and specialties you can work in, even non-clinical areas like teaching, research, and pharmaceutical/medical sales, and public health. The sky's the limit. These are my own reasons why i didn't pursue any of the other fields and chose nursing. I factored in both time, type of job and financial constraints into my thinking. You still need a decent gpa for nursing, id say 3.0 is the minimum for any health care profession. But in all honesty, you really need backup plans, 50-60% of med school applicants get rejected per year. This is not to sound mean, but its better to be prepared now than later. good luck

If I get your post, it seems like you have/had a 3.0+ GPA...With that GPA, you could have used grade replacement and try to get into DO...

 

[Sephiroth]

Dentistry is not a fallback. Dental Schools blacklist anyone who has previously applied to medical school. Dental school is up there with good DO schools, lower tier MD schools in terms of stats. That said, if I was better with my hand I would consider it. 35 hours a week, many don't do residency, and lots of opportunities to give back. A friend of mine works 30 and volunteers a day or so at a free dental clinic. She's very happy and I'm jealous.

That's what I thought. Thank you for confirming that. (btw, didn't know dental schools blacklist prior med applicants)

Sure, if you're dumb enough to admit that you took the MCAT and applied to medical school.

My dentist had applied to medical school before going to dental school. I'm guessing as long as you do things to show interest in dentistry and leave off stuf relating to med school and don't talk about it, it wouldn't come up. I don't think they have access to med school application lists.

 

[PennDippody]

Did you consider podiatry school?

This

I have a few Podiatry fiends that are attending or in residency and, from what I've seen, it serves as a fantastic alternative. The attending contests that he "chose it over MD" but I seriously doubt it as I have never once seen this happen. The resident actually said to me, " I reached for the stars and grabbed the closest one." I thought that was pretty funny and practical too. Anyway she had a great application except for her MCAT (24) that she took back when there were only two a year. Not getting accepted into any med schools and not wanting to take anymore time off, she opted for podiatry. FWIW she was valedictorian of our High school and graduated Magna Cum Lade at an upper tier private school.

I'd definitely do it before becoming a NP or PA. Never mind the lower admissions standards - it is more of a supply and demand thing. Plus the pod schools are money making machines much like many law schools now. I'd say the biggest danger would be not matching to a residency as there are more grads than there are decent residency spots in total from year to year (another law school analogy). If you make it past that, though, it is really just another specialty but with somewhat milder pay and limited scope of practice. You still diagnose and treat patients, reside over other hospital staff as any other doctor might and, if you are so inclined, are able to go into surgery. Both my friends (the resident and the attending) are on podiatry services at large medical centers in Texas. The resident is at work pretty much every single day and does only surgical procedures - Bunionectamies, hammer toes, calcaneus fractures, charcot reconstruction - you name it. She was actually on call on NYE this past December while we were all out and she had to go in for a gunshot wound to the foot! Cant get much more applicable than that, I guess. The attending is a program director for his hospital's podiatry service and heads-up a pretty lucrative practice there as well. I couldn't say what he makes but I can tell you from how he spends his money, he obviously has a lot to spare. If you could allow yourself to look beyond or avoid some biases found here and in certain work environments, it could be very rewarding.

 

[HughMyron]

The dedicated ones? They strengthen their apps and get in later.

The others? Dead-end tech jobs because a BS in anything but engineering or compsci is a useless degree. Eventually they figure something else out.

Most of the Grad/Pharm/Vet/Dent people who share classes with us premeds wanted to go into their respective fields, they're not washouts. Not familiar with Pods cause I don't know too many.

 

[PennDippody]

Hugh, is your avatar growing?!

 

[HughMyron]

Hugh, is your avatar growing?!

Yeah u mirin?

 

[circulus vitios]

Depends on their major. Science majors either work in a different industry or go to graduate school and work low-paying jobs for the rest of their lives. Liberal arts majors learn the finer points of coffee brewing or deep fryer operation. Engineers and vocational students probably get decent jobs.

 

[Mavii]

Depends on what their major. Science majors either work in a different industry or go to graduate school and work low-paying jobs for the rest of their lives. Liberal arts majors learn the finer points of coffee brewing or deep fryer operation. Engineers and vocational students probably get decent jobs.

 

[Josh7]

Engineering, u jellin?

 

[dudestheman90]

.

 

[MedPR]

Depends on their major. Science majors either work in a different industry or go to graduate school and work low-paying jobs for the rest of their lives. Liberal arts majors learn the finer points of coffee brewing or deep fryer operation. Engineers and vocational students probably get decent jobs.

Top quality

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[MedPR]

Engineering, u jellin?

Yes. I could have a $70k gap yr job instead of this bs $22k job I currently have.

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[HughMyron]

Liberal arts majors learn the finer points of coffee brewing or deep fryer operation.

No, it doesn't work like that. If you're a liberal arts major, you don't get a job based on your degree, you get it based on what you did in addition to your degree. If you want to be a teacher, you also get an education BA. If you want to be a lawyer, you intern at a law firm and do well on the LSAT. If you want to work in marketing or something, ditto. If you want to be a doctor, you do what premeds do.

If you don't do anything, you don't get anything, and that's when you get stuck at Starbucks. But honestly, that's your fault, there's nothing about the degree that's a problem.

IMO, If you're a dedicated student, there is nothing better than a rigorous liberal arts education. I can honestly say that my philosophy degree was invaluable in getting me to medical school.

 

[Frazier]

Engineering, u jellin?

I'm jelly of that rocket scientist badge.

 

[PennDippody]

.

 

[MedPR]

No, it doesn't work like that. If you're a liberal arts major, you don't get a job based on your degree, you get it based on what you did in addition to your degree. If you want to be a teacher, you also get an education BA. If you want to be a lawyer, you intern at a law firm and do well on the LSAT. If you want to work in marketing or something, ditto. If you want to be a doctor, you do what premeds do.

If you don't do anything, you don't get anything, and that's when you get stuck at Starbucks. But honestly, that's your fault, there's nothing about the degree that's a problem.

IMO, If you're a dedicated student, there is nothing better than a rigorous liberal arts education. I can honestly say that my philosophy degree was invaluable in getting me to medical school.

why so srs brah?

 

[HughMyron]

why so srs brah?

It gets annoying when everyone thinks you're a poorly educated derp just because you're not an engineering major. Also, the whole "liberal arts can't get you a jaerb" meme has to stop. Of course it won't get you a job if you don't do anything outside of your classes. Same with any other kind of major really.

 

[SpecterGT260]

It gets annoying when everyone thinks you're a poorly educated derp just because you're not an engineering major. Also, the whole "liberal arts can't get you a jaerb" meme has to stop. Of course it won't get you a job if you don't do anything outside of your classes. Same with any other kind of major really.

I think a well crafted Venn diagram could help you feel less personally invested in this.

 

[Laboratorian]

What do those pre-meds end up doing it?

Play Xbox all day and get laid.

 

[SpecterGT260]

Play Xbox all day and get laid.

kinda.....

 

[HughMyron]

I think a well crafted Venn diagram could help you feel less personally invested in this.

?? What would a Venn Diagram do?

 

[touchpause13]

Play Xbox all day and get laid.

hahaha that pretty much sums up my gap year plans, although I have been calling it "enjoying married life"

 

[touchpause13]

It gets annoying when everyone thinks you're a poorly educated derp just because you're not an engineering major. Also, the whole "liberal arts can't get you a jaerb" meme has to stop. Of course it won't get you a job if you don't do anything outside of your classes. Same with any other kind of major really.

I know that feel.

 

[sinombre]

hahaha that pretty much sums up my gap year plans, although I have been calling it "enjoying married life"

Not married, but I've been doing this non-stop for the past year. And reading a few books a week. Seriously the best year I've ever had.

 

[lilwayne]

Well, the bandz make them dance.

 

[La Presse]

Well, the bandz make them dance.

"They keep clappin', but they ain't usin' hands."

MD--DDS/DMD--PharmD

I have a powerful feeling that someone in this thread is admiring. Hmm...

 

[Mavii]

Well, the bandz make them dance.

 

[487806]

MCAT - 50% of test takers will get a 25 or below. The average MCAT score for applying med students is 28. From all of the med students who apply, about 45% get accepted. So first, you have the MCAT that weeds you out. Then, some med schools weed you out. What do those pre-meds end up doing it? If you think about it realistically, a ton of our fellow pre meds probably won't get into med scool.

I'll design a rocket and colonize Jupiter.

 

[MedPR]

"They keep clappin', but they ain't usin' hands."

MD--DDS/DMD--PharmD

I have a powerful feeling that someone in this thread is admiring. Hmm...

orly

 

[SpecterGT260]

?? What would a Venn Diagram do?

Demonstrate to you that the truth behind such associations doesn't make it universal and therefore doesn't apply to you or whoever you are championing for

 

[angemon89]

lmao

 

[ShenanigansMD]

Yes. I could have a $70k gap yr job instead of this bs $22k job I currently have.

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Not necessarily. No one is going to hire a full time engineer for one year. And if you lie about it to the employer, then how are you going to take time off to interview? And what do you tell schools what you're up to for the gap year?

"I'm uh... working."
"Where?"
"um... McDonalds."
'How is that preparing you for medical school?"
"I'm... observing how saturated fats are distributed throughout the population."

Well, actually that might work...

 

[TheWeeIceMan]

Not necessarily. No one is going to hire a full time engineer for one year. And if you lie about it to the employer, then how are you going to take time off to interview? And what do you tell schools what you're up to for the gap year?

"I'm uh... working."
"Where?"
"um... McDonalds."
'How is that preparing you for medical school?"
"I'm... observing how saturated fats are distributed throughout the population."

Well, actually that might work...

I agree for the most part, but to be fair, I interviewed for a couple engineering jobs at GE that were full time positions for exactly one year. I told them I wanted to go to medical school and they said it would be no problem.

 

[ShenanigansMD]

I agree for the most part, but to be fair, I interviewed for a couple engineering jobs at GE that were full time positions for exactly one year. I told them I wanted to go to medical school and they said it would be no problem.

Alright big companies like GE probably. But anything midsize to smaller would probably be more of a problem, since training costs would make a bigger dent in their budgets. Especially start ups.

 

[SpecterGT260]

Alright big companies like GE probably. But anything midsize to smaller would probably be more of a problem, since training costs would make a bigger dent in their budgets. Especially start ups.

I am aware of several relatively small companies that hire engineers on contracts. These are very often 6months to 2 years.

It is pretty common. Same goes for programmers. Contractors don't need much training. They are hired to complete a project or a component of a project. Some even work off site depending on the nature of the work.

There are also traveling nurse jobs, for that matter. A little off topic but kinda similar.

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[La Presse]

Not necessarily. No one is going to hire a full time engineer for one year. And if you lie about it to the employer, then how are you going to take time off to interview? And what do you tell schools what you're up to for the gap year?

"I'm uh... working."
"Where?"
"um... McDonalds."
'How is that preparing you for medical school?"
"I'm... observing how saturated fats are distributed throughout the population."

Well, actually that might work...

Twist it and say it's clinical research in an illustrious institution.

 

[Yorick]

Those premeds go to D.O school