Civilian Paramedic

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ROSC

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Just looking for a little advice/ insight.

No prior service Back ground.
Civilian NREMT-Paramedic
ACLS
PHTLS
CCT
FPC
and many more ... you guys get the theme
10 years of experience

Currently on assignment for a Remote medical Care provider in the Gulf of Mexico. With higher Autonomy and skill set.
Excellent EC's
Very Strong Letters of Recommendation
Very Strong Experiences and Volunteer work

Very much a non trad (Worked at night on a high Volume CCT Unit while obtaining the degree)
3.2 cGPA 3.15 sGPA
I have applied ED this cycle to a state school that favors in state applicants very heavily >95%

My Dilemma is the MCAT score I received. I am in the process of revising my approach and have contacted Next step and will be taking their Diagnostic when I go on days off this next rotation. I scored below my goal and below what I feel will secure me an interview. I admit I made a lethal mistake while preparing. I took hundreds of practice problems, but failed to take a FL practice exam and with out a doubt my score suffered.

The reason for this post is I am considering enlisting in Reserves, possibly AF of Army depending on possible MOS opportunities and incentives. I will be unable to complete and worthy post bach or MS program with my Work schedule. Anything offered online is moving laterally I fear and not forward. I feel that serving my country and gaining valuable leadership experience would further compliment my application for next year's cycle. I also plan on attacking the MCAT on all fronts with outside help and guidance from experts.

Any insight and advice would be greatly appreciated.
Please refrain from character bashing that is repetitively seen in other sections of the forum.


God bless you all and thank you for your service!!

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Maybe I'm vision impaired, but I don't see your MCAT score there anywhere. It's hard to talk about a number, when there aren't any.

As painful as it appears its much worse to live it..... I scored a 488.
I was comfortable with content. My approach and timing were part of the pitfall.
Also my fiance's Grandmother passing away 2 days prior to the test didn't help much either.
 
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Don't get in stateside with MD or DO, head to eastern europe with US rotations. Carib is too expensive now.
 
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If you want to be a doc Be very careful re reserves, can be very difficult getting deferments. Spend the time to study & do GPA repair. There are a few schools that value experience, esp on the DO side.

Take the time to get into a US school... I wouldn't even think of going abroad esp w residency merger coming up...

Gl, the road into med school is pretty tough, but definitely manageable. There's a free mcat study resource through SDN, give it a go, and take a bunch of timed practice tests till you're scoring where you want to be. Definitely a skill taking that exam...

--6 yrs EMS (3 paramedic) just commissioned for HPSP w Army
 
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Do not go abroad for medical school. Put it out of your head.

That way lies debt and high odds for no US residency position.

If your dream is to be a doctor and the only path open to you is the IMG route, get another dream.
 
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Do not go abroad for medical school. Put it out of your head.

That way lies debt and high odds for no US residency position.

If your dream is to be a doctor and the only path open to you is the IMG route, get another dream.

Not necessarily true. Even AMGs can have trouble getting residency.
He'd just have to join after completing residency. Not too terrible.
 
If you want to be a doc Be very careful re reserves, can be very difficult getting deferments. Spend the time to study & do GPA repair. There are a few schools that value experience, esp on the DO side.

Take the time to get into a US school... I wouldn't even think of going abroad esp w residency merger coming up...

Gl, the road into med school is pretty tough, but definitely manageable. There's a free mcat study resource through SDN, give it a go, and take a bunch of timed practice tests till you're scoring where you want to be. Definitely a skill taking that exam...

--6 yrs EMS (3 paramedic) just commissioned for HPSP w Army
Thanks for the input, very much appreciated
 
Not necessarily true. Even AMGs can have trouble getting residency.
He'd just have to join after completing residency. Not too terrible.
but IMGs have worse trouble than MD/DO students stateside so what you're saying isn't really an argument for going abroad.

OP, don't go abroad. Fix your MCAT enough to go stateside or be something else.
 
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but IMGs have worse trouble than MD/DO students stateside so what you're saying isn't really an argument for going abroad.

OP, don't go abroad. Fix your MCAT enough to go stateside or be something else.

Worse based on what? AAMC match statistics?
It doesn't speak specifically on individual effort, rather a gross generalization.
 
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but IMGs have worse trouble than MD/DO students stateside so what you're saying isn't really an argument for going abroad.

OP, don't go abroad. Fix your MCAT enough to go stateside or be something else.
At this point I do not have much consideration for pursuing Medical School Abroad for various reasons.
I am confident that I can achieve the Score that I need to be competitive at my state school.
My question or area that I was looking for advice in would be the enlisting as a Reservist for the 2 year option that is now available.
If anything I feel that it would strengthen my Application and experiences, not to mention the skills that I have developed in the civilian world ..... maybe useful in the military world.
By test prepping for the remainder of this year.... the following year that applications would take to cycle. My obligation would be up just prior to matriculation in 2019.

These are just thoughts at this time.
 
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Not necessarily true. Even AMGs can have trouble getting residency.
He'd just have to join after completing residency. Not too terrible.
With expanding US MD and DO classes, and no comparable expansion in residency positions,I think it's crazy to go the IMG route. JMHO.
 
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International by far isn't my plan A.
However, it may end up being a parachute in another year or two.
 
At this point I do not have much consideration for pursuing Medical School Abroad for various reasons.
I am confident that I can achieve the Score that I need to be competitive at my state school.
My question or area that I was looking for advice in would be the enlisting as a Reservist for the 2 year option that is now available.
If anything I feel that it would strengthen my Application and experiences, not to mention the skills that I have developed in the civilian world ..... maybe useful in the military world.
By test prepping for the remainder of this year.... the following year that applications would take to cycle. My obligation would be up just prior to matriculation in 2019.

These are just thoughts at this time.
I think anything that slows down or risks a good mcat is not your best long term plan here. If the primary goal is being a doctor work only your primary goal. If you just want to be a kick ass paramedic, enlist. If you want to be a doctor. study.

International by far isn't my plan A.
However, it may end up being a parachute in another year or two.

It's not a parachute. It's a crappy plane with no parachute. Right now you are safely on one side of an ocean with a stable but humble career. You are looking across the ocean at something you want more but are having trouble getting a seat on a good plane (US md/do schools) that can get you there safely. The carribbean is like a crappy plane that may destroy you if you aren't one of the 30-50% who make it to the other side.
 
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I think anything that slows down or risks a good mcat is not your best long term plan here. If the primary goal is being a doctor work only your primary goal. If you just want to be a kick ass paramedic, enlist. If you want to be a doctor. study.



It's not a parachute. It's a crappy plane with no parachute. Right now you are safely on one side of an ocean with a stable but humble career. You are looking across the ocean at something you want more but are having trouble getting a seat on a good plane (US md/do schools) that can get you there safely. The carribbean is like a crappy plane that may destroy you if you aren't one of the 30-50% who make it to the other side.
Excellent advice.... I like what you did there.

Thank you very much.

My plan moving forward of course is an emphasis on FL exams. I will get a customized study program with Next step hopefully improve my score as much as possible. Enough to earn a seat at my state school.
 
Just looking for a little advice/ insight.

No prior service Back ground.

...

The reason for this post is I am considering enlisting in Reserves, possibly AF of Army depending on possible MOS opportunities and incentives. I will be unable to complete and worthy post bach or MS program with my Work schedule. Anything offered online is moving laterally I fear and not forward. I feel that serving my country and gaining valuable leadership experience would further compliment my application for next year's cycle. I also plan on attacking the MCAT on all fronts with outside help and guidance from experts.

Any insight and advice would be greatly appreciated.
Please refrain from character bashing that is repetitively seen in other sections of the forum.


God bless you all and thank you for your service!!



I didn't read all of the comments, so I don't know if it was mentioned, but....

1) Don't join because you think it will boost your app. That's not a good reason, and you will hate serving if you don't have legit reasons for wanting to serve.

2) Serving only helps with med school apps when you're competitive already. I.e. if you have the stats for whatever school, and you interview.. then you might beat out the person who has identical/similar stats, but it won't get you in or even an interview by making up up for low GPA AND low MCAT.
 
At this point I do not have much consideration for pursuing Medical School Abroad for various reasons.
I am confident that I can achieve the Score that I need to be competitive at my state school.
My question or area that I was looking for advice in would be the enlisting as a Reservist for the 2 year option that is now available.
If anything I feel that it would strengthen my Application and experiences, not to mention the skills that I have developed in the civilian world ..... maybe useful in the military world.
By test prepping for the remainder of this year.... the following year that applications would take to cycle. My obligation would be up just prior to matriculation in 2019.

These are just thoughts at this time.

Fwiw when I expressed interest in this same exact pathway & reached out to my milmed network they shared a resounding no to reserves -- at this point imo you've got an enormous cache of experience.

Probably best option would be a post bacc -- gotta show you can academically handle the load. There are a bunch of 'official' ones -- to support yourself financially you can take out grad loans to cover cost + living expenses. Pm me if you want some more details/whatever.

IMO we need more medics getting into medicine
 
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