What is/are your backup(s)?

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gooloogooloo

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I know we all have completely devoted and dedicated ourselves into this premed committment, but I personally wonder if it's more practical to have something backup in case medical schools reject me. What I mean is, other than reapply in the next year, maybe getting a MS degree or a JD degress first. In fact, MS degree and JD degree are both pursuable for pre-med track people, since law schools only ask for LSAT.

By considering these backup options, however, require you to study for GRE and LSAT as well. So my question is, does any of you, like me, is thinking about applying more than medical school at the same time? Let's say, dental school, pharm. school, law school, osteopathic school and grad. school.

And do you also study for GRE and other exam?

If so, does this has any negative effect on medical school application process or the study plan in general. You know, what will you answer to the addcom in the interview if they ask you, "where else do you apply? What? Law school? What? Osteopathic school? What? Pharm School? What? Nursing School?"

You got my idea?

By the way, I sort of eliminate the possibility that someone might want to apply to business school, since it requires work exp. and very different course req.

So, is this wise to have a backup plan like another pro. school?

thanks

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I wonder what I'm gonna do if I don't get in as well. Hard to know. After you've sweated it out for several years and have come to the conclusion that you don't want to be anything but a physician, you kind of don't want to think about it. But, there is other stuff out there. Perhaps you should spend the year trying to find it. Everybody I know talks about post-bac and grad school for the year. What would be wrong with hanging out in Europe for a couple of months, working, reading some books, etc. I mean, if your grades are good and your MCATs are decent, take a year off. EVERY physician I talk to tells me to travel before I get into med school because its not like I'll have the opportunity again.
 
Two words:
exotic dancing
 
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err.... My family cannot sustain that kind of spending for me. It's sad, but money is always a big issue. In fact, if it isn't, I might just donate 50 millions to a mid range medical school (like UC Davis or UIUC). I guess they will accept me if I have 20+/3.0

only I wish
 
Four words: tossing dollars at CoalBoy :) --Trek
 
My backup is to go into pharmacy. I'm going to apply to med school and pharmacy at the same time, and then see what happens! Most med schools like you to have a backup plan, so I don't think it can hurt your application at all to say you're applying to a different professional program as well.

I know people who have nursing, dentistry, and optometry in mind as their back up's to medicine. (Okay, so optometry's probably harder to get into than medicine, I don't know which one is their first choice).
 
Sorry, I did not mean to imply that you should take some expensive world tour. Truth is, money is an issue for me too. But think about it, you could have a year off. Do you want to incur the expenses of preparing for the LSAT, taking the test, applying to their schools? And then, potentially getting stuck in a career that you don't love. Taking a $1500 student loan to travel and moving your stuff back home is definitely the way to go. I am 23, so unless I decide to go to grad. school, which I will NOT do, I have to work full time so that I can have health insurance. I have a 3.8, hospital and research experience, 25 on the MCAT (okay not so great there), but like what else is there to do academically? You might as well take some time off, visit family, WORK and pay off some of your loans, and see what it is like to get a good night's sleep for a change. I hear that sleep is a good thing.
Good luck!
 
Backup...who needs a backup? Have a wee bit of faith.
 
I think that pharmacy, dental, and PA schools are the most popular where I went to school (for those who wanted a backup plan, and didn't want to think about reapplying).

I don't think it would be that much harder to prepare for the tests - aren't they sort of similar... someone told me that after you have studied for the MCAT, the DAT seems a lot easier than expected (except for some 3-D perception section).
 
I majored in CS partly as a back up... though mainly because I just LOVE it.
 
Substitute teach in high school for a year. :)
 
My backup plan is applying to medical schools i have a good chance to get into. ok, i guess i dont really have a backup plan. heh.
 
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Here is a tenative back up plan if I don't get into med school. Continue working at my lab, go on rounds with my doc, consider applying to PH schools, and start AMCAS for 2003 (god only knows how long that will take!)

But, I'm playing the optimist right now. I've only had two thin letters, had four interviews, and have two more scheduled :)
 
Failure is not an option. I hope. --Trek
 
Just a word of advice:
THINK HARD BEFORE YOU CHOOSE PHARMACY! Most of us are not happy and wish we had done somthing else. Research it well and make sure you want to dedicate 3 years of school plus a fellowship/residency. I'm not bashing the profession but am only giving you the advice I wish someone had given me.

drdrtoledo pharm. d. BS pharmacy
 
chica,
I am in a very different situation than most of you folks here. I am sort of like an international student since I am alone by myself in the US. Every week and every penny I spend are earned by my hard working parents. Not doing anything costs them a lot of money already. And they need me to be able to make money asap. Even though a spending for my educaiton is the top priority for them, I definitely cannot take my sweet time not studying anything, otherwise it will be very dishonoring.
My family and I are both legal residents of US, so there is no problem getting into med schools due to citizenship issue. However, I don't really have a State of residency, since my supporters- my parents- don't live in any state in US. If according to the state they pay tax, then it will be CA.

Anyway, I am sort of off my topic into another big question I wanted ask. Perhaps later.
 
csgirl,

so are you studying for GRE too?
 
Originally posted by drdrtoledo:
•Just a word of advice:
THINK HARD BEFORE YOU CHOOSE PHARMACY! Most of us are not happy and wish we had done somthing else. Research it well and make sure you want to dedicate 3 years of school plus a fellowship/residency. I'm not bashing the profession but am only giving you the advice I wish someone had given me.

drdrtoledo pharm. d. BS pharmacy•

So what is it about pharmacy that you are unhappy with? It is fewer years than are required to become a doctor, and generally is a less stressful lifestyle afterwards, from what I've heard.. I'm trying to find out as much about pharmacy as I can, so any insight is greatly appreciated!
 
I'm doing a double major Bio and Spanish. I'm fluent in Spanish and because I tested out of so many hours of it I only have to take the same amount of hours as a minor in anything else. So if I don't get in, I will teach Spanish for a year, save some cash, reapply, and start it over! But I am not applying for a couple of years.
 
I majored in CS partly as a back up... though mainly because I just LOVE it.

I majored in CS before I was really considering medicine as an option. It's served me well so far.
 
So what is it about pharmacy that you are unhappy with? It is fewer years than are required to become a doctor, and generally is a less stressful lifestyle afterwards, from what I've heard..

Okay, let me do this without being too biased ;) :). The curriculum is now 6 years. When I went you had the option to do 5 years and the pharm.d. was an additional 2 years (graduate school). You currently have the ability to transfer in the 3rd year if you have the prereqs. The way I see it, if you transfer in post grad, that is 4 years undergrad plus 4 pharmacy. Since everyone graduates now with the pharm.d. you are expected to do a residency/fellowship which is another 1 or 2 years. A residency is NOT mandatory if you plan to work at a retail pharmacy (But that is a different thread altogether!)
90% of retail pharmacists said they would not do it again if they had a chance (NY Times 1998). THAT ASIDE, we have 9 or 10 years of school to make 50-75 thousand. MBA, DO, PhD. makes a lot more sense. If patient contact is your choice... definitely stay away. There is little contact with anyone besides your computer. The knowledge is beautiful. No one knows drugs better than you. Unfortunately, it seems that no one cares. It is a poorly respected profession. There is no glory.

On the other hand,
no "on call"... you get home after your schedule and that's it. Pay is better than most regular jobs. Convenient hours (excellent for moms). A lot of opportunites in research and industry. And some good scientific knowledge that is in significant demand. (good job security and you won't be on the market for long) Hope this helps.
If you need more info feel free to email me. [email protected] :D
 
Backup hit home for me this past year when I applied and didn't get in. What I'm doing: post-bac and other stuff to improve my app, and reapply. Personally, I am scared to death of reapplying next year because of the chance for failure *again* (yes, I know if I reapply there's also the chance of success!). Any reapplicants hear me on this?

In the end, if I don't end up in medicine, I'm going into public health. I'd get an MPH in any case, with or without the MD. I'd probably be an epidemiologist, or somebody running a community health organization. I just love the stuff :)
 
One other thing-- I would never consider DO as an option-- purely a subjective bias. Would any of you consider it?
 
Well, I've been out of town for awhile, so I haven't had the chance to check the recent posts. As soon as I saw this post, I just had to answer. My backup is the Scooby School of Pleasure. I was admitted late last month, so now I know that if I don't get in to med school, I'll still be welcome at Scooby's school.

Seriously, I have a variety of backups. I've been thinking about one year MS programs in MPH. Or, I may go to a foreign country for a year and teach English; I love new experiences. OR, I may decide to stalk the deans at my favorite med schools and give out favors...! ;) :D :D
 
pendulum, your last option (the deans) sounds great! you are giving me ideas! you will probably get excellent training for that at Scooby's school. :D :D
i was thinking of doing a post-bac to improve application and work part-time in a lab where i am now. i love the area where i live and would HATE to leave it.
 
Originally posted by kareniw:
•One other thing-- I would never consider DO as an option-- purely a subjective bias. Would any of you consider it?•

why not?
 
I would CERTAINLY consider it!! The goal is to become a doctor any way you can and going DO is a whole lot better than going out of the country.
 
gooloo: Hell no!

Hey, where are you from?
 
Scooby's school is now accepting all applicants because he is going through a state of major depression due to waitlists and being on the rebound.

Apply via private message ;) :p :p
 
MPH, or JD/MPH.
 
I am going to work for AMCAS for a year. ;)
 
I would have had gotten my MBA with a health care specialization while applying to allopathic schools for the second time.
 
gooloogooloo
I hear you about the tough financial stresses - I know my parents will not be able to help me at all - in fact, I am currently helping them out right now. Every cent of med school is going to come out of a loan or scholarship for me, and any additional income I have from tutoring. Have you considered making as much money as humanly possible in one year, if you don't get in this year, that is... in that case, you can alleviate the stresses while trying to broaden your experiences. I don't see how you can be "dishonoring" as long as you are being productive. Are you not planning on reapplying if you don't get in this year? And don't discount that fact that you may very well get in. I know lots of people who felt they had to do some kind of Master's Program (for the wrong reasons - they felt they had to be in school for their parents' sake) and basically ran up $50000 in loans for something they didn't really want to do.
If medicine is what you really want to do, take a year off, assess your weaknesses and address them (MCAT, grades, research, etc.) find some work in a lab or doctor's office/research center, get a part-time job waitstaff or tutoring job, and reapply. It won't be easy, but it might be worth it.

Good luck!
 
lilninja,
thanks for your encouragement. In fact, I will try to get in the first time. If I can't, I probably will also apply for JD or DO school at the same time. It all depends on how my MCAT and 2nd year GPA. If they are not assuring, I will go ahead prepare for the LSAT.

csgirl,
I am from OSU.
 
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