If You Could.....??

Okay I’m new here. I should be painting my bathroom but I’ve spent the last 3 days scouring this board!!!


My background-I went through a medical program when I was a junior in High School through the state of Maryland. They were grooming us to be Health Care providers for Rural Communities. We toured med schools and shadowed several medical professionals. I wanted to be a doctor ever since I can remember. No guidance as to an education or support from good ol’ ma and pa’ so didn’t do anything with the resources available to me. I ended up in the Air Force. After an 8 year stint and serving in the first Gulf War I decided it was time to leave.


Present day: Program Manager for a software project, single, and by most peoples standards, Successful! WRONG! I still WANT to be a doctor.


I stumbled upon this site and it has changed my way of thinking! I can’t thank all of you enough!


Dilema: I don’t even have an associates degree. YUP I managed to fall into a high paying job without it.


I’ve been going to a community college now for 4+ semesters my major is listed as a Pre-Psych. I have managed a 3.0 while traveling 3 weeks out of each month. I can do so much better but just was unsure where I was even going with my education until now!


I am currently going to school on the remainder of my GI Bill. It runs out soon and I may be eligible for further aid through another VA program.


So I’m debating after reading so much about Community College Credits of just packing it up, selling the house (errr renting in todays markert) and applying to a University. Or should I do the AA degree and transfer and end up taking a lot of the Pre-Reqs for Med School again at the University???


If I go to a university I would be starting as a Freshman at the young age of 36.


In reading the boards a lot of people aren’t in a position to do this and have to go to CC because of Family etc.


I’m wondering if it is just a better approach(less risk) to just make the leap and possibly lose the credits I’ve received to date??? Funny to try and decide this as I’ll be enrolling in 9 more credits tomorrow. But better late then never!


Also I’m curious to know how most people decided which Undergrad and which Med School they wanted to go to?

I can only answer your last question. Which med school was decided by locale. And a few other factors for me. I will gladly move anywhere that accepts me, of course, but the dream school is in Philly. My children’s godmother is there so I know I’ll have my husband and her to help with the kids if needed. My son’s pediatrician actually went there I found out later. Since I adore the ped, and think she’s an excellent physician, I figure the school must be good as well.


Now to figure out how to make myself look irresistable to PCOM.

i was almost set to start my prereqs at a CC… until emergency and richard talked me down from it - and i am really glad that they did.


all you have to do is consider this logic:


there is but one spot left at a med school you and person x are applying to.


you got a 4.0 at the CC and a 30 on your mcats. you volunteer lots too.


person x got a 4.0 at a university and a 30 on his/her mcats. they volunteer just as much.


(point being everything is exactly equal between you two, except one took classes at the CC and the other at a university)


who wins the spot? if i am admissions, the person who went to the university wins every time (all else being equal).


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so this begs a “dirty harry-esque” question - “do you feel lucky oldpremed?”


why take a gamble at a CC when you can just take a breath. slow down. get into a university.


notwithstanding some other unmentioned excuse, you have no real reason to NOT take your prereqs at a 4 year institution… no family to tie you down (not that they do that, just ask richard) and no other real obligations other than to be your best.


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i was just reading through Malachi this weekend - and as many will use this book to talk about tithing money… they miss the greater point.


G-d doesn’t want your sloppy seconds or thirds, he wants the best you can possibly give… and this is no different in your own life.


do you want to just give yourself something substandard? i mean, obviously you have started to think about your future and how you want to serve whatever community you end up in… becoming a doctor then is your best you can do… so why not do WHATEVER it takes to do your best in that process?


for me, i realized this just recently… i CAN do very well in prereq classes and i know that i stand a very good chance at getting into a medical school - because i believe that this is the best i have to offer for my family, my community, my country and my G-d… anything less is just that.


but the road to becoming a physician is not easy by anymeans… nonetheless, it is incredibly straight forward - as richard points out, simply from point A to point B…


so in my case, i have to swallow my pride and dillusion that i am privilaged because i have a BA, a MPA, and a MSHSA… nope, i’m not they mean nothing at this point because i need to start at square-one (their value will really come in handy later though). during undergrad i will likely have to work a job that doesn’t even come close to matching what i am capable of… i will have to humble myself and sit in classes with kids (quite literally) that are 8 or 9 years younger (many on here would probably say the same thing about having to be in a class with me, im only 26). but in all of this, i am going to do my best… and part of that is foregoing the CC and getting into the university of choice (Rutgers or SUNY Stony Brook) that has a great program and awesome connections with their respective medical schools.


i HAVE to get the best possible grades i can… i CAN’T take this new chance for granted - like i did my first time in undergrad (party party party, study… oft forgetting the last part… but i still did very well)… this time around i am really going to give everything i have.


but i suppose this is now a soapbox… but really, physicians are the best of the best, med school students are the best of the best… and anything less (again), is just that.


but i didn’t even need to tell you all this, you already know it - serving our country (thank you so much for that, i really appreciate it), making it in a world that essentially requires college education to get high paying jobs… you’ve already applied your best in every other situation in your life… so i am sure that you will do the same here and will end up in a good four year university with a solid premed program that has connections with a respectable allopathic/osteopathic med school…

People kept telling me that I should have went to a community college but i just didnt see the point due to most if not some of your credits being lost while transferring to a university. One of your Gen chems will be lost and one of your gen bios if not some of your maths.

Almost,


Seems like a high risk and a time set back however, taking over and getting an A both times seems like double the effort! The older I get the less I like doing things hastily and then having to reaccomplish them! Thanks for the input

I am sticking with the state schools, I hope, PCOM is nice, but all the private schools are soooo expensive. I will be applying to UMDNJ (x3).


Lou

UMDNJ is on my top five list actually. I just need to figure out exactly how far from Bristol it is in case I need my friend to babysit occasionally.