Hi everyone, I just found this site and it seems there is much knowledge here that could be useful in my endeavor. I am currently a flight Paramedic with around 50 college credits under my belt. I have around 7 years of fulltime Paramedic experience and have made a bold move to make it possible for me to move forward with my dream. Since paramedics dont make much money, and trying to move forward with school while juggling family and job is nearly impossible…I have taken a position as a flight medic in Iraq so that I can put some $$$ in the bank so I can come home and not have to work while I return to school. I plan on being over here for a total of 2 years. While I am overseas I would like to take online courses. No reason wasting time over here, might as well get as much done as I can online.
What I need is some advice on what online schools would be good to take classes from, the last thing I want is to take classes and find out they arent from an accredited school, and/or that the classes I took weren’t the correct or required ones.
I am currently with a good company that will pay for any classes that I need to take! I have two years to get as many classes done for free and then go home and dive in to my schooling I need before med school.
THANK YOU in advance for any advice I can get to get me to my final goal…DOCTOR 
First I would see if the local brick and motor school to your home has online credits available. Also, I wouldn’t take any of your pre-reqs (except maybe english) online. But if you are persuing a BA you can always take stuff like history, sociology, ect online. I think schools will be more open to this due to your situation. I wouldn’t take any of your sciences online though.
Also if you have to go with an online Univ. make sure the credits will transfer. Call the schools you want to attened for your BA and MD and verify. Back in my first career I wanted to take some classes that weren’t being offered in the semester at an online Univ. I made sure I asked the professor that reviews transfer credits and he said no. So even if a online school says yes and a brick and motor says yes, the departemtn might say no from what I understand. That is why I wouldn’t take anything to important from and online Univ.
You might look into Troy State University. They are a brick and mortar school in Alabama, but they maintain a network of satellite schools throughout the country. I know of them because when we were overseas as a child, my Dad was the enrollment officer for Troy State’s classes that were offered at the Air Force base. They work extensively with the military to offer accredited classes to people in non-traditional situations - like being overseas for a time. Today they have a number of classes offered online.
I agree with BaileyPup, don’t take online classes for any of your science or specific pre-reqs, but use them for those lower level general education/degree requirements. You can work on those and get them out of the way while your overseas, then transfer them into a standing University when you get back. It’s really nice to not have to take stuff like Political Science when your trying to focus on Genetics, you know? But you said you already had 50 hours. Does this mean you’ve already completed your general Ed classes?
I’m thinking that 50 hours is near 2 years.
It would be great if you could get any needed math …at least thru college algebra. Some med schools require calculus-based physics and some do not. There are a LOT of schools that take algebra-based physics, so algebra may be just fine, but if you have mathmatical talent you may want to go on and take calculus.
I’ll suggest a few other courses, but you should check if they can apply to the major that you pick for a bachelors degree.
Statistics can be helpful. Psychology and sociology, and at least 2 semesters of English, one of which is writing intensive. I’m sure you have at least 1 already.
You could consider a nutrition course, which will be useful in practice although not for MCAT prep.
Do plan to reserve your Biology, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics for when you return, as these are lab sciences and should not be taken online.
Kate
great advice! I will keep all of this in mind. I have an idea where I might be going after my bachelors so I will contact them to make sure I get everything right the first time, Lord knows I dont want to have to take any classes twice because I didnt plan ahead!! Thanks again! Nick