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Started by BlaineZey
BU Medical Sciences
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Idk if there’s a question in there.. but it sounds like you want to start pre reqs at a CC while working full time, then switch to a formal post bac? Or you’re trying to decide between a formal post bac and a DIY/CC post bac??
 
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BlaineZey said:
I'm sorry, I rambled and forgot to ask anything.

I was wondering if doing pre-reqs at a CC and then upper div in a formal post-bacc is appropriate? If it doesn't sound like a good plan, I just wanted some guidance on what to do instead. My school counselor was utterly useless and I'm a bit lost on if my thinking is correct.
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First check with the med schools you are thinking of applying to to see if they accept pre reqs from CC. You can check the MSAR. If they do not accept CC classes, then take post bac courses at a 4 year university.
 
BlaineZey said:
I'm sorry, I rambled and forgot to ask anything.

I was wondering if doing pre-reqs at a CC and then upper div in a formal post-bacc is appropriate? If it doesn't sound like a good plan, I just wanted some guidance on what to do instead. My school counselor was utterly useless and I'm a bit lost on if my thinking is correct.
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Haha no worries.. I am just finishing a DIY CC post bac. I work full time and a formal post bac just wasn’t an option for me. I think the issue with your proposed plan is that most post bac programs are designed for career changers and thus, they include the prereqs, and they may not let you just take the upper level classes. You could always ask though.
 
Doing a formal post-bacc program after CC courses sounds like a good plan. I took many pre-reqs (approximately half) at two different community colleges and did a DIY post-bacc thereafter at a university. I worked full-time for the vast majority of the time. It hasn't been an issue with the medical schools to which I applied. I even took many of them as a dual-enrollment student as a teenager, and the medical schools accepted them.
 
Since it looks like you won't be applying for at least two years, you should take the time to do clinical and volunteer work. You can have the best grades and MCAT in the world but your chances of getting into med school will be incredibly low without relevant experience.
 
BlaineZey said:
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And you're right on putting a strong focus on clinical and volunteer work. That has been my biggest concern if I'm working full time and in school full time.
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One thing that you could do is to use your summer vacation and/or school breaks (don't take full summer sessions) to volunteer at a camp for sick children. I've done this. The local Leukemia society has a summer camp, the childrens' hospital has one, the epilepsy foundation has one. You can research those in your areas and get pre-approved and then get vacation for a week or two from your job to be a camp counselor. Do this 2-3 summers and you'll have a lot of hours and something that you can point to with longevity. Plus, using your vacation at a camp for sick kids isn't the worst vacation ever and might even be fun. They are usually held at pretty camps or something like that. Here's a local (to me) one that always has openings -link. And here.
 
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