taking my time....

Hello all! Since I attended the OPM Conference a couple of weeks ago, I re-evaluated my current situation/stats and I realized that I don’t have an incredible amount of work left to do to apply to Med School. With that being said, I also realized that I really need to take my time doing that work! Prior to attending the Conference, I had this ‘bright’ idea of ‘cramming’ everything that’s left to be done into this coming school year and applying in June 2010 for 2011 entering year (keep getting this feeling that I’m not moving fast enough), all while working full-time and running a home care agency on the side. Listening to some of the speakers helped me to realize that ‘cramming’ isn’t such a ‘bright’ idea after all. So, I will add an extra school year so that I can ‘successfully’ complete the extra post-bacc courses I need and the MCAT and get some addtl. time with the clinical/hands-on exposure. I’ll apply in June 2011 for 2012 entering year. No need at all to rush things…

That’s one of the first lessons I gleaned from this site; it’s a marathon not a sprint.


Good luck on the journey!

Thanks Campkel!

That’s a very difficult call to make – I know because I’m looking down the barrel of the same decision! But in the end, undermining your application (or quality of life) just to shave a year off this interminable timeline is a poor tradeoff in my opinion. I think you made the right call.

Thanks Hawkunit,


I grappled with it a little because I kept thinking, “gosh I’ll be 39 entering school instead of 38!” Then I thought, “so what!!!” LOL! Seriously, I realized the potential harm I could do to my grades and scores by rushing/cramming versus just simply taking a little more time to ensure sucess. Dr. McElhiney(sp?) who spoke at the Conference repeatedly said how non-trads can’t have mediocre/poor post-bacc grades/mcat scores. It’s one thing to attempt to explain mediocre/poor grades earned 15-20yrs ago but not now.

Hey futurdoc2BE,


That’s probably a very mature thing to do, especially when you are not only taking a full-load of school, but having various other responsibilities taking up your time.


Right now, I am looking at applying next June after finishing organic and physics. I’m kind of in a wait and see mode. If I do really well, and feel confident that I can do really well on the MCAT next April…However, if I feel that I might want to show the adcoms I am in it for the duration, I might wait until I actually finish my BA which will be the following spring in which I will add some advanced science classes. I want to them to see that I am consistent with this goal. I’ll then do a one-year masters at USF.


I want to have to choose what medical school I want to attend, I don’t want to go to the only medical school that will accept me.


Time will tell! Only two things I am certain about right now…taking organic chemistry and physics, and attending the 2010 OPM Conference.

Ok, question for y’all on this topic. I was not at the conference so maybe it was covered. I have been debating at what pace/volume to complete my schooling. I know that GPA is everything, especially in a situation like mine where I’m trying to bring up a bad GPA from 12 years ago. However, I have also been told that Med Schools want to see that GPA repair (especially science) done taking a full academic load to better show your capabilities for a medical school curriculum. With this in mind I had planned on taking a full course load over the next 2 years including summer semester to show settle any doubts. I will have to work full-time as well but figured that was just a necessary evil to deal with. Did the presenters at the conference say to take 1 class at a time to obtain the highest GPA possible? Again, I had been told by others that only take a class or two at a time could actually be looked at negatively as not being “intense” enough to prove new academic credentials. Thanks for taking the time to educate a newbie!

Okay, well first, do not take any of your prereqs over the summer, unless it is the second of the season, it goes over the whole summer (no six -week courses), and you had a strong first sequence.


If you take two of your prereqs at the same time, that would be a full load, because you will be in both class and 2 labs. To make it a full-time schedule, just add another class but not a high intensity class…not to say a fluff class, but one that you will be interested in but not carry as much stress on you. Many schools like to see some kind of social science class or humanities class.


It is definitely going to be tough if you have to work full-time, but if you must, you must. In that regards you need to take more than one class, unfortunately.


How flexible is your job? Is it a high stress job? Maybe if this is your first semester back, you might consider just taking one class to see how you are able to manage your time. Maybe then the next semester you can add another class.


I’m actually at the point that I have to put my all into school, thus leaving my position. It won’t be easy, but I only have myself to worry about.


Best of luck!

Krisss,


I am the one who posted on your lurkers thread about changing over from paramedic to monitor tech. So the job will definitely not be stressful compared to my current position (other then lack of sleep from weird hours). I believe you need to have 12 hours to be full-time time correct? Since I have a bachelors already I wasn’t going to do any more humanities courses. My plan was to do the prereq’s along with additional science course like A&P, Micro, etc… The nice thing with some of these course is that I have covered the content in Paramedic school, I just didn’t get University credit for them. As for the summer I am planning on taking it light. It would either be a couple of “lighter” bio courses or Gen Chem 2 depending on what I can get into this fall. If I do Gen Chem 2 over the summer I would be taking that course by itself so that I can commit the appropriate amount of time to it.


Thanks for the response.

HAHA–I started a thread last week that said almost exactly the same thing !!


I don’t get the huge rush. I’ve waited 13 years… what’s another year?

  • jjcnbg Said:
Krisss,

I am the one who posted on your lurkers thread about changing over from paramedic to monitor tech. So the job will definitely not be stressful compared to my current position (other then lack of sleep from weird hours). I believe you need to have 12 hours to be full-time time correct? Since I have a bachelors already I wasn't going to do any more humanities courses. My plan was to do the prereq's along with additional science course like A&P, Micro, etc.. The nice thing with some of these course is that I have covered the content in Paramedic school, I just didn't get University credit for them. As for the summer I am planning on taking it light. It would either be a couple of "lighter" bio courses or Gen Chem 2 depending on what I can get into this fall. If I do Gen Chem 2 over the summer I would be taking that course by itself so that I can commit the appropriate amount of time to it.

Thanks for the response.



Go for it then...especially the A&P as it'll help on the MCAT more so than the micro. I took both in the past, and it was actually taking the A&P that really pulled me back to the medical field.

I found that the hardest thing about working nights is how to live when you are not working nights...your sleeping gets all out of wack. Best of luck to you...Aug 23rd will be my last night of work...can't wait! Enjoyed the job, hated the hours.

There is a rule of that thumb that at least one semester/term should be full time to show medical schools you can deal at least that workload. That also serves to show you if you want to work that hard. Lastly, as a cost savings technique, since most schools have a flat tuition after 12 credits, you can add a class or two (assuming you are ready for them and can handle the work load.


I see “Rule 5: Do Not Risk Bad Grades By Taking Too Much” and “Rule 8: be wary of premature application” are well-ingrained in this thread.



Thanks for the reply’s everybody. I just want to make sure I leave NO DOUBT! What’s frustrating is that I have obtained a 4.0 in both EMT-I school and Paramedic school but since it was a certificate program that does not college ties the credit does not transfer. It was those years of school that gave me the confidence to try but at the same time I feel like I wasted years of hard work, studying, and exam taking not to have any credit for it but oh well. At least I have a paramedic license, good references, and lot’s of patient contact to show for it.


Thanks again for all the feedback guys and Krisss was right it is better to come out of anonymity and participate. I feel less alone and more confident with each post.

You may not be able to get credit for your hard work in the transcript portion, but it may be worth mentioning that you received top grades in the Work/Activities area of the application.

Minan, I agree with you. What is the big rush?