When I attended Purdue University, some of the lower level liberal arts (e.g. communications, psychology, art) were taught by graduate student TAs who were typically PhD students. These were classes that had such huge enrollment that there wasn’t enough lecture hall space & faculty to teach them all. More frequently, many other lower level courses (Chemistry, Physics, Life Sciences, Calculus, etc.) were taught in huge (400+ student) lecture hall sections. Each of those sections would then break out into smaller recitation sections that were taught by all manner of TAs (including undergraduates on occasion).
Once one made it into the sophomore year, the classes became smaller (<100) and more intimate. You actually even got to meet tenured faculty every once in a while! I even took a dual-division course (classes that included a mix of graduate and undergraduate students) where I would meet my professor for a bi-weekly racquetball appointment to talk about progress on my research reading. 
I am led to believe that traditions haven’t changed much since I was there. Initially, the school felt a little cold & impersonal, but I never felt like I’d been left to the wolves. Study groups, tutoring, and office hours with TAs or profs were always available. I can’t speak for other large 4-yr schools, but I’ve always assumed that most large institutions yielded similar academic experiences.
I suspect that adcoms prefer 4yr schools to CCs because of the implied competition for the leading segment of the bell curve. It does seem to separate the serious players from the chaff.
I’m aware I will need to explain my credit hours at the CC to adcoms. At this point, this is what I feel is best. This will allow me to get involved, touch base with my study habits, adjust back into the school arena, and move forward with my dream. Out of all my planned post bacc work, less than 20 credits will be done at the CC, while I will have more than 40 at the 4 year and a BA to boot. I think I will be in pretty good shape with the plan I have.
I think there comes a time in one’s life that you must make the decision for yourself, what is going to work and what you believe will get you to where you want to be. Yes, it is not ideal to be taking ANY credits at the CC, but this is what will work for my situation. I agree with Mary, there is no one way path to getting into med school, especially as a non-traditional applicant. With all of your insight from this original post, I’ve already modified the plan in regards to the actual classes and will move foward with it.
~20 credits at CC (Chem and Bio)
~40+ credits at 4 year/alma mater (OChem, Physics, Upper Bio, BioChem) [alma mater requires moving plus OOS tuition - YUCK!]
~shadow a surgeon at his private practice
~volunteer at a hospital for clinical experience
~volunteer for a local service group
~have fun!
I know I can do this, and I will.
- anbvian Said:
I think there comes a time in one's life that you must make the decision for yourself, what is going to work and what you believe will get you to where you want to be. Yes, it is not ideal to be taking ANY credits at the CC, but this is what will work for my situation. I agree with Mary, there is no one way path to getting into med school, especially as a non-traditional applicant. With all of your insight from this original post, I've already modified the plan in regards to the actual classes and will move foward with it.
~20 credits at CC (Chem and Bio)
~40+ credits at 4 year/alma mater (OChem, Physics, Upper Bio, BioChem) [alma mater requires moving plus OOS tuition - YUCK!]
~shadow a surgeon at his private practice
~volunteer at a hospital for clinical experience
~volunteer for a local service group
~have fun!
I know I can do this, and I will.
From what I hear, ochem is the big one that they really want to see done at a 4-year anyway. Your plan is sound, good luck!
Hey Posterboy,
I’m new just research the possibility of going back to MS. I’m 30-Masters Plant Pathology, BS Biology, and a teacher. My wife and I only have one child. How do you support your family? There’s probably discussion on here about that.
I would find one med school you want to attend and then request a meeting with someone on the admissions committee and/or dean of the school of medicine for that school. Ask them what they like to see on their application and what will make you competitive. If they have a post-bacc program, I would go to that school. If they don’t, then find out what feeder school is considered credible to them. If you don’t get in, then at least you have a credible transcript for applying to other med schools. But I would target one school in particular and go from there.
First my handle is Richard B…
Have you noted “Richards rules”?
First our circumstances are VERY different… I had NO previous degree… I paid cash for an associates of nursing 10 years ago, before that I was a heavy equipment operator and a TRUCKER. Having been declared “non college material” from the “professional educators” way back in high school. So when I started going for this in 2000 it was for my first undergraduate degree, I had NO previous college loans or grants so I had my full amount, Kathy worked some the first year and after the first year being a full time student with NO income: the legal definition of “po folks” we qualified for ALL kinds of stuff.
I have NO idea what your financial picture is or any idea of your monthly expenses?
My wife was “full in” from the start, we slashed expenses (even cable TV), paid stuff off. She grew up on a farm in North Dakota and knew how to squeeze a nickel til it made noise. We knew what it was to be poor so this was not as much of a come down than for some
A big Mortgage? SELL IT (you WILL be moving sooner or later anyway)
Big Car paymants? TRADE THEM
Designer cloths? WalMart
etc. etc
I am the kind of non trad who had no fancy bacc or masters degrees (in some ways it made the ego swallowing a SNAP)
Richard
Thanks Richard B!
Folks like you are really inspiring. Teacher’s pay even with the degrees is just about making it. Being poor is nothing foreign to us. I don’t remember the last time I bought lunch or went to a movie. Last year we didn’t even buy Christmas gifts. I’m conerned that with out the little I make now, it will be even more of a challenge when I go back to school. We’re trying now to eliminate debt. My wife’s finishing classes to take up teaching while I’m in med school. In any case, I believe we’ve got to try. Got a great deal on the house (teacher perk) paying 44K for a home worth 3x as much through gov’t program. Thanks for the advice. Good luck in the rest of your endeavors!
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