So here is the deal...I have three semester left until I finish my biomedical engineering degree and hopefully matriculate into medical school. I consider myself a rather strong candidate for a state school (3.83 overall GPA, 4.0 Major GPA, no MCAT yet, EMS/ fire experience, admission into several national honor societies and Honors college at my school, research experience)...correct me if I'm wrong. I was strongly considering going to paramedic school during my last semester of college and during the next semester after I graduate. I have been an EMT for almost four years (four years volunteer 911 experience, two years paid 911 experience) and EMS is something that I really love, which is the reason that I want to be a medic. If I went the paramedic school route, I would likely have to take another year between finishing undergrad and starting medical school because it is an 18 month course of study here in NJ with clinicals. Is it worth it? Will medical school come easier to me if I go to medic school first (one of the MD/PhD students that I am currently working with seems to think so)? If my ultimate career goal (at this point) is to complete an EM residency and then an EMS fellowship and become a medical director of a large EMS service, would experience as a medic help me that much more as compared to experience as an EMT? Any advice that anybody could provide would be very appreciated, thanks.
Any medics to MD out there?
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Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention, I was also flirting with the idea of going into the Marine Corps prior to medical school. Please chime in on that too I know, I'm terribly indecisive....about the only thing that I really know that I want to do is go to medical school but I feel like there is alot that I want to do with my life before that
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Well, I'm not in medical school, but the prevailing opinion among those I've informally polled is that medic school won't be particularly helpful during the preclinical years. It will, however, give you a bit of a leg up in the clinical years (especially those ED rotations).
As for whether it's worth delaying medical school for a year, I think a lot of us would probably say it's not. You've established yourself in EMS already as an EMT - there's a lot to be said for that. Finishing medic school just before you start medical school won't give you any time to practice as a medic and really grow into the role. I'd suggest you skip medic school and go straight for medical school. Your time as an EMT will still act in your favor as a medical director - a lot of the rank & file EMS personnel relate better to a PMD who has put in some time on the street.
With the USMC, it seems like your head isn't fully into medicine yet. As such, maybe it's time to take a year (completing paramedic school, if you so choose) to really figure out what you want to do with your life. Plenty of phyisicians will tell you they went through the 'traditional' route and wish they had taken some time off. You never know; you may discover your REAL passion during that time off. Whatever decision you make, make it carefully and be sure it's right for you. Good luck!
As for whether it's worth delaying medical school for a year, I think a lot of us would probably say it's not. You've established yourself in EMS already as an EMT - there's a lot to be said for that. Finishing medic school just before you start medical school won't give you any time to practice as a medic and really grow into the role. I'd suggest you skip medic school and go straight for medical school. Your time as an EMT will still act in your favor as a medical director - a lot of the rank & file EMS personnel relate better to a PMD who has put in some time on the street.
With the USMC, it seems like your head isn't fully into medicine yet. As such, maybe it's time to take a year (completing paramedic school, if you so choose) to really figure out what you want to do with your life. Plenty of phyisicians will tell you they went through the 'traditional' route and wish they had taken some time off. You never know; you may discover your REAL passion during that time off. Whatever decision you make, make it carefully and be sure it's right for you. Good luck!
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Yeah, what he said. Don't delay medical school to do paramedic school. That's probably the consensus you'll get here.
I don't know about the situation in NJ, but your quals seem good enough to get in somewhere. You didn't mention your BCPM GPA, but I assume it's fine based on your overall and major gpa.
I don't know about the situation in NJ, but your quals seem good enough to get in somewhere. You didn't mention your BCPM GPA, but I assume it's fine based on your overall and major gpa.
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This is an old question, so I'm reposting my "old" answer...
I loved being an EMT (and a paramedic) but, as a former paramedic instructor, Adcom member, and now EM resident, [NOTE: I'm actually an attending now, but my opinion hasn't changed] I can tell you it won't help you get in...
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I was a paramedic instructor at a medical center directly affiliated with a medical school. As such, I was asked to teach the third year students "ward skills", e.g., how to defibrillate, start IVs, etc. I would have done so happily, except I had recieved a rejection letter (before interview) the day before! Yep, I can teach there - just can't go there! And not even a courtesy interview...
Even better - the next year when I was teaching an EMT-B course at another facility, I gave my usual talk on "not using an EMT cert. as a tool to get into medical school as I've been a paramedic for years and can't get in", and I had two students who were in the post-bac program at the school that rejected me. They said "that's nothing, one of our teachers told us about a paramedic who got asked to teach ward skills to our M3 class the day after he got a rejection letter from our school. (The teacher) told us that just goes to show how ridiculous the admissions process is..." I wish I had a camera when I confirmed the story firsthand - their faces were classic!
Apparently, word of my story got around. I really would have loved to be a fly on the wall at that adcom meeting.
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i was an EMT and did a lot of volunteer work at a Level I trauma center and with a local ambulance company. it was all during high school and it was the best experience of my life. i didnt continue my EMTing in college because i just felt sodisconnected from that practice that i was used to to what would have been expected of me if i joined the school resuce team (picking up drunk kids every weekend was just not my idea of helping since i was used to doing things like helping deliver babies, being a spanish interpreter, etc.) a lot of those kids who are EMTs got rejected from med school, and im not sure why. just because you are an EMT does not guarantee your admissions. but it is really good that you know what you want to do and why you want to do it.
i sounded just like you: knew where i wanted to do residency, becoming an attending in the ER, and be in charge of the EMS and helicoptors...things changed though. i want to go into dermatology now, but i still respect EMS and Emergency Medicine and part of me wants to still go into it.
with that said, skip medic school and just try your luck at getting into med school.
i sounded just like you: knew where i wanted to do residency, becoming an attending in the ER, and be in charge of the EMS and helicoptors...things changed though. i want to go into dermatology now, but i still respect EMS and Emergency Medicine and part of me wants to still go into it.
with that said, skip medic school and just try your luck at getting into med school.
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if you want to go the military route, ill tell you what a guy who i did research with told me "if i were to do it all again, i would not join the navy now. there is too much war and its not worth risking my life now for the chance to get a better look at during the med school application process."
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