Hi forum members,
Let me first start off by saying…this is a GREAT forum…with tons of inspiring postings – THANK YOU. I’ve been a lurker reading posts for a few years…finally taken the first step to start my pre-reqs this fall (more like GPA booster for now)…so, decided to celebrate my courses registration with this forum registration and my first post.
This is a start to a long journey ahead… Appreciate any feedback and advice…and of course to make “battle buddies” as well.
a Little Background:
long long long time ago…i was a perfect 4.0 highschooler. Received a full ride for college…then in my third year, complacency and foolishness set in…and decided to goof off by traveling with my then girlfriend. Because of my scholarship…i was mandated to stay “full time” credit-wise, so I couldn’t drop any classes. So, with the exceptions of a few no-brainer classes…i received “Fs” in 7 classes and many more Cs, Ds. I busted my butt in my senior year to retake/recover. I managed to still graduate college in 4 years…with a cGPA 3.2, but of course with AMCAS’s no-grade replacement calculation…my GPAs would be 2.3 sGPA, 2.8 cGPA. [DO is an option but I want to do my best to give MD a shot…since I have a bit of time]. Besides math and english…I do not have any of the pre-req courses.
What i do now:
I’m active duty Air Force – statistician and flight test engineer (heavy research and test experience). I’m 36 with 7 more years to retire. I hope to get accepted into med school the same summer i retire…I will be 43. So, until then, i need to boost GPA, take all pre-reqs, and hopefully do well on MCAT. Where I am at right now…there are no opportunities to take any pre-reqs…absolutely no night courses or weekend courses. So, I will just take some GPA booster courses at a local community college this fall. I will move to the DC area in 2 years…where i will start taking the real pre-reqs on Saturdays (the community colleges in Virginia offer everything i need on weekends as well).
My education background:
Bachelor - Mathematics (University of Guam) – yes…my home…and yes, it’s accredited
MS - Operations Research (Air Force Institute of Tech) GPA 3.6
MS - Flight Test Engineering (Air Force Test Pilot School) GPA 3.7
MS - Military Operational Art (Air Command and Staff College) GPA 3.7
Game Plan:
- Between now and then…i can bring my sGPA up to about 3.2 - 3.3…and that’s with about 80+ post-bac credits I plan to take…so, that’s about the highest i can hope for.
- Take all the pre-reqs in person at community colleges in Virginia
- Do volunteering/shadowing 2 years before i retire.
- Take MCAT / apply for school the year before i retire
- obviously no committee letter/package…but hope to have LORs from previous/future professors and also from health professionals as i volunteer/shadow.
Sorry, this post is getting long…but any thoughts and advice would be appreciated as i begin my journey. Thank you all
v/r