What to do next? 2 year graduation.

[regorius]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I felt so certain about what to do from a young age I simply applied myself to CS and have done extraordinary in the field as an Engineer (I already have a job and have been working in college remotely as a Software Engineer since my Junior year of High School for good pay). As a result of my success within my field, I never felt the need to fully apply myself academically since I knew I already had a job and didn't have to worry about it.

I went from high school to UFlorida Undergrad. It is now been two years, and I have gotten all the necessary credits to graduate with a BS in Computer Science this semester (and am currently registered to do so). I currently have a nice job as a Software Engineer while also in my last semester for my degree, however, my arrogance has made me wrongfully dismiss a medical career for a long time, and now long-story short I feel that it may be a better career for me. The issue is my GPA is a 3.0 since I have not really cared for it in college, and I would be graduating with only 60 credits actually taken at Uni (rest AP, plus I never once studied for my CS degree, already knew it, as arrogant as that sounds...)

My first year was on campus, and then last year I switched to UF Online due to extenuating familial circumstances. Now that year is over and I am graduating online (UF Online doesn't differentiate itself on transcript).

Right now I am trying to shadow a local doctor at home and see if being a physician is truly what I want, but if it is I am trying to figure out the following:

1. Should I consider dropping my degree request and going back to On-Campus (if the school allows it), or would I be better with just finishing this semester and going back for a Post-Bacc cert?
2. If I do so, should I retake Physics which I got a C+ in (only science course I took on campus, rest were AP)?
3. If I work for 1 year Fall/Spring in Pre-Med and take my MCAT in the next few months, get a good score, shadow a physician, volunteer at the regional hospital, and apply for DO/MD schools would I have a GOOD (Say 70%+) chance of getting into 1 US Med/DO school? (If I get all A's in these next 27 credits I would end with a cGPA of 3.3, AMCAS sGPA of 3.5, AACOMAS 3.79)
4. Should I instead wait an additional year before applying and do the full 4 years at University with a Dual-Degree elective courses/more volunteering and bring myself to a cGPA of 3.5 with the rest the same?
   1. Let's say I go ahead and apply to Med School after that first year and get rejected, but then reapply the next year and the only thing that has changed is the addition of non-Med courses with all A's via a Dual-Degree thus raising cGPA but nothing else having changed, is that bad/probably going to fail again? If so, what should I do in that case?

 

[dial1010usa]

I would suggest finish your degree in CS and keep continuing your current job. At the same time take some science classes at community college and study for the MCAT. Once you complete your pre-req then take MCAT. Yes it better to re-take physics class and get A in ti even though med schools now avg it out but still be better to raise your sgpa. Shadowing a Dr, do some clinical and non clinical volunteers.
Do not rush, make sure raise your GPA. Take a 1-2 gap year.

 

[regorius]

I would suggest finish your degree in CS and keep continuing your current job. At the same time take some science classes at community college and study for the MCAT. Once you complete your pre-req then take MCAT. Yes it better to re-take physics class and get A in ti even though med schools now avg it out but still be better to raise your sgpa. Shadowing a Dr, do some clinical and non clinical volunteers.
Do not rush, make sure raise your GPA. Take a 1-2 gap year.

Would Community College be smart?

I work remotely, I could theoretically go to UF and continue my job - the issue would be taking it slow and not so many Credit Hours that I overload myself.

But again that goes back to:

1. Considering the flexibility I have does it look better to finish and then say take Post-Bacc at FAU (I'll end up spending more money because of bright futures saving me at UF) OR do a dual-degree at UF OR do a masters at UF?
2. My bigger concern and really the big question I have here I guess is if I apply immediately after meeting the Pre-Med minimum with a 3.2/3.3 and get rejected from what few DO schools there are. Will I have hurt myself horribly (I would get file-reviews and follow said feedback and do at most 2 more cycles before I give up in this route) OR am I better doing another year without applying that cycle and having improved my GPA via a non-medical related dual-degree up to 3.5? Thus one full-effort app after the two years with the best I have (w/ not much room to improve with) and only do 1 round of file-review/revise if I don't feel burned out at that point in time?

 

[dial1010usa]

Community college will be cheaper. As I said don't rush and another degree won't be a good idea o required. The requirement is to have a bachelor degree. Don't rush, once you apply get rejected you will be a re-applicant for that school and they always ask what have you improved? It doesn't matter you take 1 year or 2 year, apply only when you are ready.
Your cgpa/sgpa should be >3.0, preferred 3.3+
Mcat should be > 505 for a better applicant.
And DO LOR and on top all the other EC's.

If you want to do master's it is better to be a linkage program.
Go check this out for post bacc and smp.
Postbaccalaureate Programs