Debating whether or not to start down the non-trad premed path?
Maybe you had decent grades/gpa as an undergrad, but it was X yrs ago, and you’re not sure if you still have what it takes?
Perhaps you didn’t have the greatest grades AND you’re older (or, shall we say, “more refined”)? And by older, I mean born in the 70’s…60’s.
I was situation #2. Two years ago I attended the OPM convention, and met a bunch of people that were doing it or had done it. They gave me a tremendous burst of confidence, and provided a wealth of info on the process.
I’m going to finish my last postbacc semester (required classes) shortly. I finished undergrad with a sub-2.9 gpa. I’ll be finishing my postbacc with only one B+, and my cGPA is 3.1+ now.
If you’re having a bad case of the FUD’s, I hope this might help in some way.
If I can do it…
Way to go olderguy. Similar story. I attended the OPM conference in Washington (and then Chicago and then Las Vegas). Now I am just wrapping up my first year of med school. It’s an achievable dream.
If any of you are at that point of making a decision - do I follow my dream - attend the OPM conference in Orlando this year. The info and support you will get will make all the difference in the world.
Lynda
- In reply to:
Here's the funny thing though as you get father along you learn how to beat those FUD moments. You think they don't just let people into US medical schools that they can "gamble" on. It's not like they looked at my application and said "aww heck he's woth the risk". NO, they look at every application and say "we can make him a Dr.". So if these strangers have confidence in me then screw FUD.
When you are doing your applications and you need letters of rec, your professors aren't going to write a letter for someone they don't think will get accepted. So screw FUD.
They don't just let anyone into post-bacc programs or closed classes, so screw FUD.
And when you started feeling lost in your career and wondering what you are going to do next and your spouse, loved one, or mentor says "Go take that Bio class, see whats out there." It's not becuase they think you are fooling yourself or that they are placating you, it's because they know you and know what you can do. So SCREW FUD.
FUD will probably be a part of this process every step of the way, but you always have to remember is that if this is your true path FUD will always be beaten.
I posted this a while back in a thread about FUD and thought it would go good as well.
Also much like OlderGuy, I had a pretty bad undergrad, but I just finished BioChem with the highest grade in the class and a 3.9 in my post-bacc work. And I will be at DMU next year starting MS-1. This guy right here went from thinking he had no chance at med school 3 years ago to a guy who had to CHOOSE between 5 acceptances. Remeber, IT CAN BE DONE.
All,
your stories are inspirational and reassuring. I keep thinking I have next to little chance to get it and reading you helps tremendously.
To be honest, I thought of dropping the process altogether many times, even now as I fill up the application process. All this info, all this scrutiny, like “what the hell have you been doing for all these years, and why are you applying just now?”. I feel defensive, having to justify misshaps and other issues along the path.
Well we’ll see. When FUD kicks in, it really does screws up your mind!
Thanks for the pep talk, I (and am sure others), never get enough of these.
Very inspiring stories. Makes me want to re-do my post-bacc, as I have lots of B’s and some C’s.
redo-it-all,
That was one of the biggest barriers I had to confront with applying to medical school, and it keeps coming back causing me uncertainty or anxiety as I go before each new “audience” (like starting clinicals in June).
What helped me was reframing the way I look at the years before medical school. Start from accepting the viewpoint that THIS (medicine) is what you are meant to do right now, and look on all the intervening time up till now as the culmination of experiences designed to prepare you for the excellent physician you are going to be.
Your story becomes one of the challenges confronted and strengths or qualities developed by each life experience so that NOW you are uniquely qualified to pursue this career. They wouldn’t want you to have missed some of those experiences because of the valuable (fill in the blank: leadership skills, passion for primary care, research experience, etc) ___which you now bring to the table.
I keep telling myself this when I have a new attack of FUD.
Kate