Hello - thank you everyone for your discussions on this website. If this website and others like it didn’t exist, I probably would have written off this idea a long time ago.
I’m 26, almost 27 - graduated 2006 with a BA in Political Science and 2007 with a Masters in Public Policy/Public Health. Undergrad GPA 3.6, Science 3.2, graduate GPA 3.9. As an undergraduate I took some pre-medical courses, but decided to follow another path for a variety of reasons. Undergraduate grades - 8cr Physics (A/B), 8cr Bio (C+/A), 8cr Orgo (B, C+). My C+ in bio is because I had a family member commit suicide, which was traumatic, and my family did not have the resources to get me mental health care. Our university had a reputation for unenrolling students with mental health needs that sought care in their counseling center, so I never recieved counseling. I had a tough semester where I made poor choices because I was trying to deal with that alone. My C+ in orgo was because my University saw orgo as a ‘weeder’ course. I was near the top of my class, and over 50% failed - so I know I learned the material, but my transcript doesn’t show it. I plan on retaking both Bio 1 lecture and Orgo 1 & 2 lecture (I’ve been told I can skip retaking the labs - hooray!)
I went into college with a 5 on the calc BC exam, and a 4 on the chemistry exam. I recieved bad advice from our school’s premed advisor that AP credit was sufficient, so I didn’t retake those courses. I also have taken several statistics courses (for the humanities/economics), english, philosophy, etc…
Currently I work for a large gov’t entity working on the business side of health care. I’ve worked hard to get where I am - a challenging but interesting and well-compensated position with lots of potential to move up quickly. My job requires only occasional travel and is regularly 40 hours per week. Overtime is rare.
However, medicine has been pulling at my heart strings for a long time. I’m having a really difficult time finding good information to help me formulate a plan to be successful. I thought you all could help…
I’ve signed up for Chemistry 1 + lab this semester. If that goes well, next spring I plan to take Chem 2 + lab and Physiology + lab. Summer I will take calculus, and next fall I will take Organic Chem 1 (lecture only) and Bio1 (lecture only). Spring 2013 I’ll take orgo2 and another science course (biochem/cell bio/microbio). Over the summer of 2013 I’ll take another science course depending on the course schedule. That should round out my prereqs and demonstrate recent science coursework (provided I do well).
I do not have any children, and I do have a wonderful supportive husband. Some limitations - my husband is finishing his PhD, so I cannot begin to work part time as I am the sole breadwinner for our family. We have a mortgage and a car loan and student loan to pay (thank God no cc debt), so I am able to pay for the prereq coursework in cash.
I would love to hear from people who have been successful, especially people who worked full-time during their premed coursework. I would also love to hear your thoughts on my proposed plan (above) - let me know if you think it’s reasonable. Specifically, I have the following concerns:
-Is two courses per semester do-able with work?
-Do prereqs expire? I’ve seen some school websites that say they expire in 7-10 years. This means I would need to re-take ALL the courses I took as an undergrad. This makes me want to wait until my husband finishes his degree (and gets a job), and I could potentially go back to do a full-time formal post-bac program. If they do expire and I keep doing my a-la-carte program, even my new courses will start to expire as I work to retake all my courses - which makes me wonder if it’s worth the effort at all. I’ve looked at several school websites that I may be interested in - many don’t say anything - but is there an unspoken rule about this? My premed advisor at my postbac school said there was no time limit, but I’ve found several schools that do have posted limits - so now I’m wondering about the quality of all the advice he’s provided. I’m a little scarred from my previous bad advising experience 
Anyway, I really appreciate any words of advice you may have. Please don’t tell me to quit my job though - I’ve heard that already, and it’s not an option right now. If you read this and think ‘hey, there’s no way’ or ‘hey, this is totally do-able’ - I’d really appreciate your feedback. I don’t have a lot of people being very supportive right now (even my mother-in-law is telling me I’ll be middle aged before I start my career and when are we going to have children???)
Apologies for the very long post - but thank you for your thoughts.
Hi and welcome. My own DIY post-bacc experience is a few years old, but I basically did it the same way you’ve planned. Two courses plus labs per semester until the basics, MCAT and application process were done. I then cut back to one course per semester, plus or minus lab during the glide year, to concentrate on wrapping up work, moving, etc. I worked full time through all of it, quit work the spring before I started med school.
A lot of other OPMs recommend stopping work to concentrate on school, and their reasons are pretty compelling. It shows dedication and gets you prepared for the rigorous grind of first year med school. I must admit I was NOT prepared to study that much during those first few weeks, and it was pretty stressful trying to make the transition to full time student. Not sure I would do it the same way or recommend it, but it can be done.
Although you feel the clocks ticking (biological and career) you do still have time. Lots of women start their families either in med school or residency. A lot of non-trads enter med school while their children are young, and a few of us wait until the nest empties before we start.
As for time limit on pre-reqs, that varies between schools. Seven to ten years is probably the most lenient you can expect, but even that is probably too much. You don’t want to base your MCAT prep on biology you learned in 2005. If you stay on the schedule you posted, you should be OK. Just be sure to check the pre-req requirements of all schools where you intend to apply, and make sure you have everything. Some schools require only one semester of biology/lab plus biochem, some will require two semesters of bio, with biochem recommended but optional. I’d also check the lab requirements.
Thanks - I’ve had such conflicting advice on the ‘expiring’ prerequisites thing. My pre-med advisor here at my 4-yr post-bac university says he’s never heard of prereqs expiring. However, some school websites specifically say that prereqs expire. I spoke to one school this morning that said they prefer pre-reqs not be retaken even if they are 10 years old, but rather prefer to see upper level courses.
So I’m confused.
If I must re-take EVERYTHING, I’m debating holding off on the pre-reqs until my husband is done with his PhD, and then looking for a full-time program. I understand the point about dedication - but I also have a responsibility to my family (ie, I agreed to support my husband while he was in school). It’s a shame that doesn’t hold much weight… Not everyone can just quit their jobs - nor is that wise in this economy and in a medical school climate where the pure odds are that you will not be successful. Of course if you are successful then it doesn’t matter. But if you aren’t… was the opportunity cost worth it? (can you tell I am an economist? 
)
Any thoughts or recommendations you might have on delaying until I may be able to go full-time would be appreciated. Of course, that won’t happen until I’m 29 or so - and there might be a few more members of my family by then.
- newoldpremed Said:
So I'm confused.
If I must re-take EVERYTHING, I'm debating holding off on the pre-reqs until my husband is done with his PhD, and then looking for a full-time program. I understand the point about dedication - but I also have a responsibility to my family (ie, I agreed to support my husband while he was in school). It's a shame that doesn't hold much weight... Not everyone can just quit their jobs - nor is that wise in this economy and in a medical school climate where the pure odds are that you will not be successful. Of course if you are successful then it doesn't matter. But if you aren't... was the opportunity cost worth it? (can you tell I am an economist?
)Any thoughts or recommendations you might have on delaying until I may be able to go full-time would be appreciated. Of course, that won't happen until I'm 29 or so - and there might be a few more members of my family by then.
Rule 1: Take a breath.
1) There is no standard across schools on prereqs expiring. I use the rule of thumb based on experience and reading of websites that if you have been out of school for 5 or more years, you want to show advanced or updated work in the biological sciences.
2) Your MPH will not be any help in terms of GPA but since you work in the field it will add to the pattern of motivation and commitment.
3) Your introductory bio is 10 years old and should be repeated (I think you are planning that). You need yo follow that with at least 2 advanced courses in bio if not more.
4) your chem, both intro and orgo need to be repeated (I think you are planning that)
5) about 1/2 the med schools require a semester of calc. With your statistics courses, you may be able to let that slide.
6) I strongly urge you not to take Calc in the summer in a compressed time where they cram 15 weeks of schooling into 5 weeks, especially while working full time. You'll crash and burn.
7) remember you dont simply have to do the courses but do well in them. You may need to relearn how to be a student (to study, to take notes, how to take exams). So you may want to start with a single course.
8) you might be able to get by w/o retaking physics as a prereq but you do need non-calc physics knowledge for MCAT.
9) MCAT score carries as much weight as GPA, so you should consider when you take that, how you will prepare for it, and schedule a prep class in with your other commitments.
10) Also understand that applying early in the cycle (ie June) with a known good MCAT score is optimal. I say this as many nontrads try to cram in a summer course then an MCAT then apply late in the cycle and I consider that approach risky.
11) As for formal post baccs, I am not a big fan of formal programs that do all prep in a single calendar year. I think for most nontrads with family, work and other commitments it is difficult.
12) Dont worry about your age, you are a veritable baby in this forum with members starting school in their 30s, 40s, and even 50s.
13) A mother-in-law criticizing a daughter-in-law? I'm shocked, shocked to hear!
Link to "I'm shocked, shocked!!!"
In sum, I think you can do two courses a term while working full time and apply in two years IF
-your student skills are excellent, especially discipline for studying and exam taking.
-you focus in MCAT and plan that into your schedule from the start