Doomed from the Start?

[Thales]

Here's a little about me. I am 21 years old and live in Gulf Shores, Alabama. For most of my life I have been dead set on either becoming an Epidemiologist or working with computers. I decided at some point during High School that I wanted to finish early, and so I received my GED a few months after turning 17, and immediately went into college for Computer Programming. After a year in college I was convinced that the military was the best route to go to get schooling paid for, so I took the ASVAB and received an 93 out of a possible 99, so I went with Counter-Intelligence. During my enlistment in the military I went through the combat medicine training and was absolutely fascinated by it. I became obsessed with learning about the human body and spent any downtime reading anything I could find about it or medicine. I even considered changing my M.O.S. to Operating Room Technician, but I unfortunately received a medical discharge due to frequent sleep-walking and sleep-talking. I was essentially unsuitable for deployment.

After returning home just shy of a year of enlistment I took whatever jobs I could find, and started planning a more longterm career. So I decided that I would try to get my feet wet in some field of medicine. I ended up enrolling in a local technical college and received my EMT-B certification. Unfortunately I was financially derailed shortly after and had to pursue a more immediate career, which happened to be in sales, not the most nurturing place for someone interested in medicine. Luckily my boss is one of the nicest women alive, and she just happens to have a Masters Degree in Nursing (her husband is also a pharmacist) so she has helped nurture that interest in medicine. Here I am today, preparing to enter into a two-year pre-medical program with a transition to a BS in something relevant to medicine. I volunteer at the Red Cross in their Disaster Relief program, and also work with a local church group that works in a few nursing homes in the area. The closest medical school is The University of South Alabama.


So, with a GED and such a different work and educational background, is it an unrealistic dream to want to work in the medical field as a Doctor? I know that I am capable of scoring well on the MCAT, the practice tests I've taken have shown me as much.

Hopefully I am posting this in the correct forum and haven't violated any rules.

Thanks;
Thales

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[deleted74029]

Your varied background would probably help you more than hurt you. Just get in a 4 year institution and take the pre-reqs and build up a good GPA. What kind of program are you currently in?

 

[MilkmanAl]

Yeah, if anything, that would be considerable ammo for your PS and "Why medicine?" response at interviews.

 

[DonkeyD]

Absolutely. You are DEFINITELY not "doomed" by any means. You've got life experience, you've honorably served your country, and you have a great story about how you decided on medicine. Your personal statement is half written already! Do well in your college courses and do well on the mcat and you'll be in great shape.

 

[Thales]

I'm currently in a pre-medical set of courses, essentially I get the basics of english, math, anatomy, etc. and transition into a four year program. I am definitely interested in biology or microbiology as a major, so that will more than likely be the route I go.

I appreciate all of your replies, they are encouraging. I was a little bummed out after speaking with a family friend who is in his first year of residency, he essentially said I would have to do tremendously well on the MCATs and get a perfect GPA to overcome my decision to pursue a GED. I scored a 3,782 out of 4,000 on the GED, so I thought that would help.

Thanks again everyone, I'm enjoying this forum so much, I'm glad I stumbled across it today.

 

[deleted74029]

I'm currently in a pre-medical set of courses, essentially I get the basics of english, math, anatomy, etc. and transition into a four year program. I am definitely interested in biology or microbiology as a major, so that will more than likely be the route I go.

I appreciate all of your replies, they are encouraging. I was a little bummed out after speaking with a family friend who is in his first year of residency, he essentially said I would have to do tremendously well on the MCATs and get a perfect GPA to overcome my decision to pursue a GED. I scored a 3,782 out of 4,000 on the GED, so I thought that would help.

Thanks again everyone, I'm enjoying this forum so much, I'm glad I stumbled across it today.

I'm really surprised a resident would say that. If you have a degree from an accredited 4 year institution with a fairly good gpa and MCAT like 3.5/30 it really doesn't matter what you did in high school.

Not trying to be nosey, but what MCAT practice exams have you taken and how have you done?

 

[Thales]

My wife bought me the Kaplan practice test book.

-fin
Thales

 

[inthedumps]

Thales, your friend who told you the line about having to overcome huge obstacles because you have a GED is dead wrong.

My story: Didn't graduate high school. I don't have a GED, high school diploma equivalency or anything of the like. Went to college after junior year of HS. Did well in college, wasn't the top of my class by any means. Worked a couple years in public health (epi kind of stuff). Got into the med school of my choice. Got a good residency. There's a lot to be said for life experience. And coupled with good solid academic performance many medical schools hold such experience in high regard.

Good luck!

 

[HumidBeing]

Your GED won't get in your way when it comes time to apply to med school. Your college grades and MCAT scores will do the speaking for your academic performance.