Hello! I know this is long, but I’m hoping it is at least clear…
I’m a 41 year old student getting ready to walk for my Associate of Science, and I have been accepted into a pre-med neuroscience program to start in the fall. I will likely add a psych minor, as I have many credits that already check the boxes for it and my ultimate goal is best described as a marriage of neuro and psych trauma research and care.
I’m excited, but a big change in life paired with listening to the OMP has me spiraling over which of two options makes the most sense. I have a couple weeks until my advising meeting and I just want to know my direction so I can focus.
I’m going to be a single mom in the very immediate future. The dad is very present and will likely have kiddos often, and contribute to their needs… but there will obviously be an increase in obligation on me over having a partner in the home (though a reduction in stress, if I’m being honest). My end goal has not changed, but now I’m wondering if switching to a BA or BS in pysch (with some neuro electives the program counts for the degree) to get that degree wrapped up and then doing a post bacc for the pre-req/ pre-med courses afterwards makes more sense?
With the credits I have, I would graduate after about 1 - 1.5 years with the Psych bachelor’s and then have about 1.5 - 2 years post bacc afterwards, whereas the pre-med neuro plan is about 3 years total if I’m realistic about course load with mom life.
So I would be applying for med school pretty much at the same time either way (not that the difference between med school at 44 vs 45 matters much!). The appeal of the BA/Post Bacc option would be that my next year would contain very few maths or sciences because those needed for that degree are all done via my AS; so they would be primarily the classes with more flexible scheduling/ locations and less brain load. It gives me time for the dust to settle from the divorce and a degree to put on a resume to secure work more fitting for my new life before going full ham on the heavy hitting courses in the post bacc. Plus, due to the timing of things, I would likely have a gap semester between then that would give me a little more time to slide some clinical, research, shadowing, etc into a busy life without sacrificing completion times.
It would mean not having that distinction of being a pre-med student that I see some internships and opportunity listings requiring until the post bacc started, and I’m not sure if that will limit my time to get them in? Or if it would reduce the options I might have for neuro exposures because on paper I’m not a neuro med student yet? Or would having the BA on my resume as I get into the post bacc work actually help me stand out for opportunities?
It would also mean having a little less neuro coursework under my belt when I apply to med school over what I would have if I just stuck with the pre-med neuro BS as it is now… which leaves me 3 years out until I have a degree.
Is there any benefit or hindrance involved in going either route? There’s a war raging in my head right now over this, so any help in a cease fire is much appreciated!