What is my best route

[LauraDO]

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A bit about me, going into med. is a second career, I graduated with a 3.6 from Vanderbilt University with a degree in Political Science. After school I worked as a political consultant, fundraiser and campaign manager for about six years both in DC and locally in TN. Last year I decided that I wanted to go into the medical career out of a passion and an interest and so I entered into a Chinese medicine and Naturopathic school in Oregon. I liked aspects of the school and really liked the CAM research studies I worked on but After one year I know I still want to be in the medical field but I also I know I need more than this....so my plan is to go to osteopathic school.

I basically need all of my pre-reqs. I thought I was ok on the inorganic chem but since I tested out of my chem requirement at Vanderbilt due to bringing in ap classes I only had to take one semester of it undergrad so I have to re-do that as well. I think I can handle three science classes at once but 4 is too much so now I have accepted the fact that it will take me two years instead of one, bummer. I 'm trying to decide if I should continue to follow my plan wiht taking orgo, physics and bio and Portland State here this year and then move someplace else or to a post bacc and take another year of classes next year or if I should wait and start a post bacc that has spring admissions so I have congruency in my post bacc program

ideas? places to go? any suggestions welcome

Laura

 

[postbacker]

A structured post bacc for sure, just don't know of any with linkages to DO (sure they exist, just not my area of interest)...you might pose a specific question about post baccs and DO linkages in another thread, though...

 

[drizzt3117]

A structured post bacc for sure, just don't know of any with linkages to DO (sure they exist, just not my area of interest)...you might pose a specific question about post baccs and DO linkages in another thread, though...

Scripps has a linkage to Western University of Health Sciences (DO)

 

[DrMidlife]

Portland State has a nicely organized postbac program, if you want to stay in the area. http://www.pdx.edu/clas/medpostbac.html

If you're looking at osteo because it will be more sympathetic to CAM, you might want to investigate further. I think a med school that's in the same community as a respectable ND school is going to be a bit more open-minded. OHSU and UW are the schools I'm thinking of. I'm only bringing this up because a 3.6 is reasonable for allopathic, and I don't really see osteo vs. allo having much difference philosophically. If one class in OMM is the only academic difference...

Also, if you're liking the northwest, there will allegedly be a new osteo school in Yakima in another year or so. There are pictures of shovels and tractors on www.pnwu.org now...

 

[LauraDO]

well I'm not dead set on osteopathy, really looking for the right program. If I found the right allopathic program then I'd go for it. I don't like the area, I need the sun. I could do the hospital volunteering, but it seems my options as far as post baccs are limited if I start in the spring? I could be wrong, I've looked at this stuff so much it is all mush anymore. So would it totally screw me if I stayed here took physics, orgo and bio and then moved to a competitive post bacc for fall of next year?

I don't nessesarily want a linkage program but if I did it would be Wake Forest