Hi everyone,
I just found this site today and it looks like a great place with people who can offer some advice. I’m 27 living in Southern California. I have a B.S. in aviation management and was set on being an airline pilot, but my heart isn’t in that. I really want to become a doctor and work in an ER. My GPA is good, 3.5 with a 3.8 in the science classes.
I start working on this last summer by taking a few classes by enrolling into a post-grad nursing program (They required some of the same classes as pre med)this allowed to me to receive financial aid. But now I feel like I’ve ran into a dead end. I can no longer get financial aid as a graduate student taking undergrad classes. I am self employed, my business has become almost non-existent so paying out of pocket is not a possibility. I could afford to take some classes at a community college, but I have read that medical schools frown upon taking your science classes there.
It feels like I’ve tried everything but keep hitting dead ends, with money, with school admins who brush me off because I haven’t done things the normal way. Has anyone else had similar troubles? Do medical schools really care about community college transcript. I know there are a lot of post grad nursing programs but does anyone know of post grad medical school programs? I really appreciate any advice this community could give.
As far as I know, you can take undergraduate courses in a “post-baccalaureate premed” pregram (which is NOT grad level), and be eligible for 1 yr of financial aid (about $12,500), if the courses are required for admission to a profession school (medical school).
If you have been using this provision for your last year of classes, I’m not sure what recourse you have. But the person who would know would be the financial advisor for a formal post-bacc program. So I would check those out - at least as sources of information.
http://services.aamc.org/postbac/
is the web site with info about programs in each state, along with a brief description of each one. Worthwhile calling and talking with some folks.
A lot of people do “do-it-yourself” post-bacc programs, but taking the courses piecemeal may not enable you to get any financial aid.
Kate
- Toph Said:
I can tell you from experience that if you have a 4 year degree and take some classes at a community college it should not matter just as long as you get good grades in those classes. Also be sure to do very well on your MCAT so that there is no question as to your knowledge of the basic sciences.