Working in a toxicology lab and going for medicine :D

[TaylorGang]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hey guys,

I got a job at a high complexity drug testing lab and started last April. It's been 8 months and its not the worst job I guess. I was hired as a lab tech but im basically running the entire lab. I perform initial screening and conformational testing on patient samples with a liquid chromatography / mass spectroscopy system. It is a full time job and I basically built the lab in regards to setting up instruments and most importantly validation of the instrumentation and methods. It's been a great learning experience and im curious if this is the kind of lab experience medical schools look for in applicants??? Its not your traditional research lab experience. We work mostly with pain management clinics. Fortunately, theres a lot of down time which allows me to study for the MCAT. Im 24 and would love to be an anesthesiologist. Just don't know how to start studying for the 2015 MCAT. With a 3.2 cGPA in Biochem, what do I need score on the MCAT to get a good chance at making medical school? Is UTSW even possible for me? And yes im a Texas resident.


Thanks,

 

[docycle]

blackandyellowblackandyellowblackandyellowblackandyellow....

You seem to be more of a lab worker than a researcher. You are, however, practicing and showing proficiency in techniques used in research. So I don't know if this would count toward research.

You're also not in contact with patients, so I don't think it counts as a clinical experience.

But eh, as something to put on the resume, it's fine.

EK, Kaplan, Khan. Make outlines of all subjects. Study them lots. EK FL + AAMC FL. if(aamcFL <= desiredScore) keepStudying(EK,Kaplan,Khan);else if(abilityToKeepStudying == false) goDoSomethingElse(nursing, PA,CRNA,AA,OD,dentistry,pharm); else takeMCAT();

You're probably going to be a DO, by the way, if you end up doing well (but not jesus level) on your MCAT. Hope you're cool with that.

Oh yeah, and you need to do well, because you're GPA isn't good.

Look into the Caribbean in case you bomb things and are cool going 200k in debt and potentially not matching.

 

[TaylorGang]

blackandyellowblackandyellowblackandyellowblackandyellow....

You seem to be more of a lab worker than a researcher. You are, however, practicing and showing proficiency in techniques used in research. So I don't know if this would count toward research.

You're also not in contact with patients, so I don't think it counts as a clinical experience.

But eh, as something to put on the resume, it's fine.

EK, Kaplan, Khan. Make outlines of all subjects. Study them lots. EK FL + AAMC FL. if(aamcFL <= desiredScore) keepStudying(EK,Kaplan,Khan);else if(abilityToKeepStudying == false) goDoSomethingElse(nursing, PA,CRNA,AA,OD,dentistry,pharm); else takeMCAT();

You're probably going to be a DO, by the way, if you end up doing well (but not jesus level) on your MCAT. Hope you're cool with that.

Oh yeah, and you need to do well, because you're GPA isn't good.

Look into the Caribbean in case you bomb things and are cool going 200k in debt and potentially not matching.

Lol nice one. Yeah probably will end up a DO but im planning on re-taking courses and applied to UNT's masters in medical sciences program. If I get a high enough GPA in those advanced courses I think I can become an MD. At the end of the day it depends on MCAT score. Never would be dumb enough to hit up the Caribbeans. I'd rather go to law school and do patent law lmao.

 

[DrDorianTurkleton]

I'm glad you share that sentiment about Caribbean schools! 🙂 And good on you for realizing that you can still achieve your goals along the DO route with hard work and dedication. Hope you knock the MCAT out of the park 🙂

 

[Dr Tony T. Chopper]

Forgive me for saying this but there seems to be a tad bit of embellishment lol. You are doing fine, shoot for grade replacement on the DO route like others have suggested and you will be a physician at the end of the day.

 

[Pholaffle]

This type of experience isn't really research, which most people refer to when talking about working in labs. That's more hypothesis driven than processing patient samples for a clinic. Nonetheless it's still unique and it sounds like it's having a great impact on you professionally and personally.