Where do I start?

[Ivory]

---

Members don't see this ad.

First off, if there is a similar thread here, please forgive me as this is my first day to the forums. Glad to be here!
I will give a brief description of my personal life before I go on. I am a freshman in CC knocking out some core classes and then finishing up my science and maths in University TX. My parent raises 3 children and takes care of his mother so financially he cannot support me; I, myself, live in my car; It's not too bad, I have a high top van where Ive engineered in some running water, Mobile electricity, full size bed, solar panels, all that good stuff. I do not really have anything to fall back on, so I have made my grades super-top-priority. I had planned to work towards a BSN degree but over the past year I have concluded medicine is for me.
I will more than likely take the military scholarship to pay for medical school in exchange for service (Yes, I do understand the odds of getting my preferred specialty and I also understand that pay difference v. private sector, but I love America, Dammit) but here is my problem... I don't know anything nearly in regards to pre-med. I want to list my planned curriculum and have you all here critique it. I am 22 and a freshman, my grades are top priority so I am ready to work through summers and heavy class loads.

Upcoming Summer: CompositionII, History, Government (this should finish my core classes)
Fall: Pre-Cal, Into to Bio (w/Lab), ChemI (w/Lab)
Spring(Starting at University):Bio(lab),ChemII (Lab),Calculus, Anthropology
Fall: BioChem, O.Chem, Sociology, Physics
Spring: (MCAT), PhysicsII, Trigonometry, O. ChemII (Genetics?)
Fall: Med School!

Thanks for letting me consume too much of your time.

Best,
Ivory.

 

[Oso]

First of all, I know it's not my place, but I do hope you're able to find a more comfortable place to live in the near future.

How are your grades so far? I mean your classes look fine... I don't see anything problematic. I assume you're also working to support yourself?

Keep in mind that while grades and MCAT are important, your extracurricular activities will also make up a significant part of your application. Most successful applicants have physician shadowing, clinical volunteering (hospital or hospice), non-clinical volunteering, research, and (oftentimes) clubs/fun activities. I know it can be difficult to do well in school, work, AND take part in these activities, but having weak extracurricular will not do your application any good.

For now, I'd say take it one semester at a time. Your schedule looks fine, just make sure to work hard and do as well as you can. Also try to start some of the activities I mentioned earlier. Lastly, while it's fine to look into the military scholarships, I don't think it's a decision you have to make right now. It seems like you would be eligible for a lot of need-based financial aid, and you could also receive some nice scholarships, depending on the strength of your application/where you apply. Just something to think about. Good luck.

 

[kyamh]

Hey Ivory, if you are worried about paying for medical school, it doesn't sound like you ought to be - your family situation is the poster child for prime financial aid candidacy. Then again, if military is your thing.. 🙂

It sounds as though your plan is pretty solid. Why are you taking Trig during your last Spring semester? If you already will have a semester of Calculus, you should be fine...take a statistics course if you would like to take more math but PreCalc/Calc is the year of math schools will look for.

You are also missing the fact that it takes over a year to apply to medical school. You will need to take the MCAT a year before you want to matriculate. You will take your MCAT, apply in June/July, write secondary essays July/August, interview September-February, choose a school in May, and attend in August. This means that you either have to take the MCAT a year early or spend another year doing something other than school before matriculating.

Try and shadow some physicians but don't waste your time doing too much. If you can put in a solid 30 hours with some combination of primary care and specialist shadowing, more hours won't help you. Ideally, you will find part time work in a clinical setting (admin assistant at a clinic, for example) if you are looking for work for pay. On top, find one clinical volunteering gig for a couple hours a week (nothing more is necessary) as well as something "else". For the "else", find something you are interested in. Maybe you can be a tutor for engineering courses? Sounds like you are mighty handy 😉

Good luck!

 

[Oso]

You are also missing the fact that it takes over a year to apply to medical school. You will need to take the MCAT a year before you want to matriculate. You will take your MCAT, apply in June/July, write secondary essays July/August, interview September-February, choose a school in May, and attend in August. This means that you either have to take the MCAT a year early or spend another year doing something other than school before matriculating.

+1

somehow misread the OP's timeline, but yes the app cycle takes a year.

 

[Ivory]

How are your grades so far? I mean your classes look fine... I don't see anything problematic. I assume you're also working to support yourself?

Keep in mind that while grades and MCAT are important, your extracurricular activities will also make up a significant part of your application. Most successful applicants have physician shadowing, clinical volunteering (hospital or hospice), non-clinical volunteering, research, and (oftentimes) clubs/fun activities. I know it can be difficult to do well in school, work, AND take part in these activities, but having weak extracurricular will not do your application any good.

For now, I'd say take it one semester at a time. Your schedule looks fine, just make sure to work hard and do as well as you can. Also try to start some of the activities I mentioned earlier. Lastly, while it's fine to look into the military scholarships, I don't think it's a decision you have to make right now. It seems like you would be eligible for a lot of need-based financial aid, and you could also receive some nice scholarships, depending on the strength of your application/where you apply. Just something to think about. Good luck.

Right Now my gpa is embarrassing,However I lost my job and my room-mates went awol, this is when I had to move into my beautiful van. I don't believe in excuses but I couldnt keep up with everything when **** hit the fan.
I have no problem with the scholarship, I was going to enlist earlier in life; money isn't everything. . .
..and as for shadowing/ volunteering. I plan to get some clubs/ hospital volunteer time in during the school year, I started to look for physicians to shadow where I live now but the ones I know all told me I needed to be apart of a health program and I need to find a private practitioner. Odds for find one to shadow and a place to volunteer are both going to be difficult in Austin, or so I here.

thanks,
Ivory.

 

[kyamh]

Right Now my gpa is embarrassing,However I lost my job and my room-mates went awol, this is when I had to move into my beautiful van. I don't believe in excuses but I couldnt keep up with everything when **** hit the fan.
I have no problem with the scholarship, I was going to enlist earlier in life; money isn't everything. . .
..and as for shadowing/ volunteering. I plan to get some clubs/ hospital volunteer time in during the school year, I started to look for physicians to shadow where I live now but the ones I know all told me I needed to be apart of a health program and I need to find a private practitioner. Odds for find one to shadow and a place to volunteer are both going to be difficult in Austin, or so I here.

thanks,
Ivory.

Sounds like you are working towards all the right goals. Personally, I would stay away from school clubs and focus your time elsewhere. Clubs rarely help your application very much, unless you work up to a leadership position in the club.

 

[Ivory]

Hey Ivory, if you are worried about paying for medical school, it doesn't sound like you ought to be - your family situation is the poster child for prime financial aid candidacy. Then again, if military is your thing.. 🙂

It sounds as though your plan is pretty solid. Why are you taking Trig during your last Spring semester? If you already will have a semester of Calculus, you should be fine...take a statistics course if you would like to take more math but PreCalc/Calc is the year of math schools will look for.

You are also missing the fact that it takes over a year to apply to medical school. You will need to take the MCAT a year before you want to matriculate. You will take your MCAT, apply in June/July, write secondary essays July/August, interview September-February, choose a school in May, and attend in August. This means that you either have to take the MCAT a year early or spend another year doing something other than school before matriculating.

Try and shadow some physicians but don't waste your time doing too much. If you can put in a solid 30 hours with some combination of primary care and specialist shadowing, more hours won't help you. Ideally, you will find part time work in a clinical setting (admin assistant at a clinic, for example) if you are looking for work for pay. On top, find one clinical volunteering gig for a couple hours a week (nothing more is necessary) as well as something "else". For the "else", find something you are interested in. Maybe you can be a tutor for engineering courses? Sounds like you are mighty handy 😉

Good luck!

Do you think I would be in a good place, knowledge wise, to take the mcat a year earlier?

 

[Oso]

Right Now my gpa is embarrassing,However I lost my job and my room-mates went awol, this is when I had to move into my beautiful van. I don't believe in excuses but I couldnt keep up with everything when **** hit the fan.
I have no problem with the scholarship, I was going to enlist earlier in life; money isn't everything. . .
..and as for shadowing/ volunteering. I plan to get some clubs/ hospital volunteer time in during the school year, I started to look for physicians to shadow where I live now but the ones I know all told me I needed to be apart of a health program and I need to find a private practitioner. Odds for find one to shadow and a place to volunteer are both going to be difficult in Austin, or so I here.

thanks,
Ivory.

What I meant about the military scholarship was that it's only one option, and may not be necessary if you're only doing it for financial reasons. Also, there are applicants who manage to work in a clinic/physician office, so you could find a paid job that also counts as clinical experience (interacting with patients). I think it may be helpful to try to find something like that. I would focus on shadowing and volunteering before clubs, they're kind of like the icing on the cake. Is there a university hospital nearby? I think they would be more willing to let students shadow, as they're accustomed to having all kinds of students pass through.

 

[Ivory]

What I meant about the military scholarship was that it's only one option, and may not be necessary if you're only doing it for financial reasons. Also, there are applicants who manage to work in a clinic/physician office, so you could find a paid job that also counts as clinical experience (interacting with patients). I think it may be helpful to try to find something like that. I would focus on shadowing and volunteering before clubs, they're kind of like the icing on the cake. Is there a university hospital nearby? I think they would be more willing to let students shadow, as they're accustomed to having all kinds of students pass through.

I will look into it.

 

[Oso]

Do you think I would be in a good place, knowledge wise, to take the mcat a year earlier?

you need to have organic chem, physics, and (probably) biochem in order to take the MCAT, so Idk if that would work out.

If you were to take the MCAT your final year and take a gap year, it may help you a bit. It would allow you to include your senior year grades on your app (which could help bring up your GPA) and also give you time to work during the gap year and save up money/ pay of any debt.

 

[Ivory]

If I were to study in free time over courses I hadn't taken yet in order to take the MCAT a yr earlier than planned, is there a downside to taking it again? If anything, maybe it would be beneficial to have the exposure?
For the HPSP I have to score an 8 on each section of the MCAT to qualify; Im not sure how much off that is from med school application threshold.

 

[GreenBlade]

What I meant about the military scholarship was that it's only one option, and may not be necessary if you're only doing it for financial reasons. Also, there are applicants who manage to work in a clinic/physician office, so you could find a paid job that also counts as clinical experience (interacting with patients). I think it may be helpful to try to find something like that. I would focus on shadowing and volunteering before clubs, they're kind of like the icing on the cake. Is there a university hospital nearby? I think they would be more willing to let students shadow, as they're accustomed to having all kinds of students pass through.

Austin does not have a University Hospital. You might have to travel to San Antonio for UTHSCSA or Waco for Baylor.

 

[Ivory]

Austin does not have a University Hospital. You might have to travel to San Antonio for UTHSCSA or Waco for Baylor.

I have no problem traveling. I live in a van 🙂