Hello

Hi everyone, my name is Brandi and I am new to OPM. I was introduced to this site a few days ago and I have looked around and finally registered. I am very excited to have found such a wonderful site where everyone seems nice, and supportive. It was comforting to know that there were many more out there that are in the same boat that I am: Trying to get started in pre-med classes and working full-time while doing it! I am happy to be here and look forward to talking with everyone.

Hi, and welcome! I’m working full time (actually I was able to cut down to an 80% appointment this year, which has been great) and taking one or two classes at a time. I’m taking the second semester of Organic Chem (with TWO mornings of lab) by itself. Let us all know if you have questions. It’s a very friendly bunch.

Hi Brandi,
welcome! This is a terrific resource for opms, so don’t hesitate to ask any questions. I’m 29 and finishing up my second year of prereqs at my state university. I have two semesters of physics left, and then the MCAT. I’ve been working full time too, so I know what it’s like to try and juggle schedules.
Good luck,
Orb

Greetings and welcome to OPM
There is a great bunch of people here and I am sure you will enjoy your time here.

Getting started in classes and working can be a challenge. Make sure you don’t overload yourself. You want to do the best you can. Also getting clinical volunteer time if you don’t have any yet is a great thing for your application. Getting started early and becoming a regular is a big plus.
Good luck and welcome.
Amy B

Greetings & salutations! Welcome to OPM! I am one of three of OPM Alumni/physicians…Nat is about to be 3rd year surg resident @ Cleveland Clinic, Tony is about to be a 2nd year EM resident @ UMass & I am about to be a 2nd year anesthesiology resident @ Dartmouth. All years of medical school are well represented, including those who have chosen the non-US route, & you couldn’t throw a stick in here w/o hitting a pre-med! So, throw your questions out onto the table & prepare to receive wisdom in quantity!

Welcome!

Hello Amy B,
thanks for the insight . I am trying not to overdo myself. I will be taking a bio and lab this fall and a healthy lifestyles class. I need to take at least 6 credits to keep my student loans in deferrement. I actually found weekend classes, so my bio class/lab is on saturday. This was nice for my work schedule. I have also called today at the hospital that I work for to get myself some volunteer time maybe every other weekend or a couple of evenings during the week. I currently work in an occupational/physical therapy clinic and I do get a lot of patient exposure, but I think volunteering is still something that will look good.
How did all of you first start out? This will be my first pre-med class…the bio and lab.

Hello Dr. Kelley!
Nice to meet you. I want to thank you for your nice words of encouragement. I know I am pretty nervous starting out, because I really don’t have much of a science background and I’m hoping that I can ‘ace’ a subject that I haven’t taken in over 15 years or more.
I have to work full-time while doing the pre-med sciences, and in order for me to be able to do that, the only school with evening classes (at least the pre-med ones) is a comm college. I already have my BA so that should be OK, as long as I pad my application with good grades, do well on the MCAT, have good letters, etc, right?
It is nice to meet you, and I’m sure you’ll be ‘seeing’ a lot of me.
Congrats to the other OPM alumni as well.

Hello orb,
Glad to see others in the same situation with working full-time and doing school. Your almost there for the MCAT, congratulations. This is one site that I think I’ll have no trouble asking questions and replying, I enjoy this site so far.

Hi Denise
Thats nice that you were able to cut down a little on your work. I too will be taking only one-two classes at a time to fit within my schedule. Might as well go slow and do well, right?
Nice to meet you and I’m sure we’ll talk more.

Brandi, just FYI, doing your prereqs at a CC won’t be a problem for many medical schools, but some will balk even though you have a BA. If you’ve got some ideas about where you eventually intend to apply, you can contact the schools you’re interested in and find out now. For many, it won’t be a problem as long as the rest of your application is strong. But a few are sticklers about it; it’s better to be forewarned. Welcome to OPM!

Brandi,
Welcome to OPM! You will find all sorts of information here as well as meet loads of great people. If you haven’t thought about it already, make plans to attend the annual convention in Denver. I think you will find its a blast and well worth it!
Kathy

Welcome and good luck!