Well, I’ve formally started on the Great Adventure of getting into Medical School.
To introduce myself:
Name: Tom
Age: 33.5
Location: GA
Family: Wife + 8 kids (11mth to 13yrs)
Current Degrees: BS in Comp Sci, Masters in Int’l Management
GPAs: Under-2.79, Grad-3.0; intend to earn 4.0 on Science preReq’s to offset undergrad GPA.
Current Work: Upper Management for large Japanese mfg company (till 12/4/09).
Plans:
Spring/Summer '10–Science PreReqs & MCAT
Fall '10–Apply to Med School
Fall '11–Matriculation (crosses fingers).
Thanks,
Tom
Welcome!
Seems like a really, really fast sprint into med school. My advice is to slow down a bit. Your undergraduate GPA is poor, your graduate degree is poor per grad degree standards, and now you aim for 4.0.
TBH, I know of exactly… /scratches head … 0 people who did the pre-reqs required for med school in two semesters. None.
It’s okay to take this slow. My ugrad GPA is worse than yours. Think one step at a time, not Thanksgiving dinner with Christmas rolled in with DQ for dessert.
Hi, Tom! I’m a newbie here, too; just registered a few days ago. I’m also just beginning my journey toward med school. I’m planning to do a post bac program starting next fall to do my med school prerequisites, with an eye toward starting med school in 2012, most likely (like you, crossing my fingers on that one!).
I don’t really have any advice (don’t really feel qualified to give it at this point), other than to agree with jkp2117. You really want to nail those basic sciences and do well on the MCAT to offset your previous low GPA, which means dedicating time and energy to those courses. Just my opinion. Best of luck! Hope to see you around the board. Take care.
~ Terra
Hi Tom!
Here’s the schedule I’m working on for a 2012 matriculation plan (at age 42):
Fall 2009: Biology 1, Chemistry 1
Spring 2010: Biology 2, Chemistry 2, Physics 1
Summer 2010: Physics 2
Fall 2010: Organic Chemistry 1
Spring 2011: Organic Chemistry 2
Summer 2011: MCAT
Glide year:
Fall 2011: Biochemistry 1, Genetics
Spring 2012: Biochemistry 2, Cell Biology
Summer 2012: Relax, get a tan, drink a margarita(s)
Grades:
Undergrad: 2.51
Grad: 3.5 (18 hours only…certificate program)
I developed this gameplan based on reading all the inputs on this website. I may tweak it a bit (examples: move the MCAT to April/May 2011 instead of Summer 2011, possibly add upper Biology classes at same time as Org…but I’ve read warnings about Org!).
I’m enjoying being back in school! I have a focus and enthusiasm in the course material that I did not have when I was 19. A’s on each test seem to be the natural result.
Best wishes to you!
Layne
Cool! Love this way of introduction + planning…
Here I go:
Name: Vanessa
Age: 35
Location: GA
Family: fiance, 2 cats, new house(new mortgage, wow!)
Degree: Occupational Therapy (earned in 1996, in Brazil)
GPA: No idea… Different in Brazil I guess it’s a 2.8 or 3.0
Work: Wound Care
Plan:
- Summer 2009: Phys I - Fall 2009: Phys II
- Spring 2010: English Comp I and Calculus
- Summer 2010: Getting Married + English II
- Fall 2010: Chem I + Calculus II
- Spring 2011: Bio I + Chem II
- Summer 2011: Bio II
- Fall 2011: Organic Chem I (and II?)
- Spring 2012: Organic II (or apply for MCAT if done with Org II on fall).
Glide year 2012 (whatever that means LTap93):
- Biochem I and II
The only thing I would like to say is “Prepare for the bumps in the road”. What I mean is that sometimes you will not be able to do as planned. For example, I was ready to take Chemistry now, but my school only offers evening classes in the Fall. So be it… re-design and continue! Keep that in mind and you will eventually get there.