- Joined
- May 28, 2011
- Messages
- 149
- Reaction score
- 5
Greetings fellow postbaccs,
I am in desperate need of advice. I had graduated College back in 2011 with a degree in Biochemistry. Since then the following two years I volunteered full-time at a lab for 2 years and gotten 2 publications. Then due to family issues I had to post-pone my medical school plans and was in desperate need to find a full-time job. I ended up working as a security guard for the past four years now. I am thinking about geting back into the Medical School tract.
A little about myself:
Current Age: 28
Undergraduate College= Hunter College
Undegraduate Major= Biochemistry
Undergraduate Overall GPA= 3.38
Undergraduate Science GPA= 3.1 (scored a b- in Physics 2 and b- in Biology and a b- in Quantitative Analysis which was part of my biochem science requirement, but besides those grades I got Bs and As)
I had 2 years fulltime volunteer research experience with 1 first author publication in a review paper from a peer-reviewed journal and 2 publications as a coauthor.
After leaving my full-time volunteer gig, due to family related issues, I had to find a full time job. I worked odd jobs (fast food restaurant, supermarket) until I landed a steady job working as a security guard.
I want to go back to college. Get my GPA up, get a really high score on the MCAT >520. Get a little more Research Experience under my belt. Volunteer at a hospital in a clinic (I have no clinical experience). Maybe even gain some leadership experience and teaching experience in college and outside college.
My Plan:
July 2017-July 2018 (1 full year) Prepare for the MCAT and try my best to score >520. Many students here in SDN have been out of college for more than 10 years and score >520 on their MCAT. Right now that is my goal.
Around October of this year I plan to apply for a postbacc at Hunter College and if I get accepted, start my program August of 2018. I plan on taking only Upper Level Science Class. The Classes I have in mind are Microbiology, Anatomy and Physiology, Cell Biology, Developmental Biology, Cancer Biology, Neurobiology and Immunobiology. Basically classes that are medical school related that will help me. I plan to take no more than 2 classes a semester for 38 credits. While doing some Volunteering in the Hospital (clinical experience), some more research experience, teaching experience and leadership experience. It shouldnt be too difficult to maintain all As in 38 credits and get that Postbacc 4.0 GPA right? I mean I am only taking 2 classes a semester only.
Do you guys think that if I could pull off everything I mentioned above:
Postbacc GPA with 38 Credits: 4.0
MCAT: 520+
2 Years Volunteer research Experience with publications.
2 Years Volunteer Experience in Clinical Setting.
2 Years of Shadow Experience with doctors.
2 Years of teaching Experience
2 Years of leadership experience
Would it be possible I might get interviews at top schools such as Harvard, Yale, Columbia?
Any recommendations you might have?
Any other postbacc programs you might recommend?
Many people might suggest I do an SMP because if I can score a 520 plus I am better off doing an SMP and saving time. The reason why I dont want to do an SMP is because that requires a lot of money. Also being in the SMP program there is a whole lot of competition in the SMP with your fellow SMP students. I think classes at an SMP will be way harder than taking the Postbacc route where you can take classes at your leisure. I mean the 4 month upper level science classes that I will take in my postbacc will be crammed into 3 weeks at an SMP. Also if I slightly mess up in my Postbacc program meaning I finish with a 3.1-3.3 GPA, I can always resort to an SMP after my Postbacc as a last resort. However if I get a 3.1-3.3 GPA at an SMP, I am basically screwed for life with no redemption.
Also many people might say go the DO route. I am a stubborn person. I know I can do an MD and I will never go down that route (nothing wring with DO, just my personal preference is MD.)
I am in desperate need of advice. I had graduated College back in 2011 with a degree in Biochemistry. Since then the following two years I volunteered full-time at a lab for 2 years and gotten 2 publications. Then due to family issues I had to post-pone my medical school plans and was in desperate need to find a full-time job. I ended up working as a security guard for the past four years now. I am thinking about geting back into the Medical School tract.
A little about myself:
Current Age: 28
Undergraduate College= Hunter College
Undegraduate Major= Biochemistry
Undergraduate Overall GPA= 3.38
Undergraduate Science GPA= 3.1 (scored a b- in Physics 2 and b- in Biology and a b- in Quantitative Analysis which was part of my biochem science requirement, but besides those grades I got Bs and As)
I had 2 years fulltime volunteer research experience with 1 first author publication in a review paper from a peer-reviewed journal and 2 publications as a coauthor.
After leaving my full-time volunteer gig, due to family related issues, I had to find a full time job. I worked odd jobs (fast food restaurant, supermarket) until I landed a steady job working as a security guard.
I want to go back to college. Get my GPA up, get a really high score on the MCAT >520. Get a little more Research Experience under my belt. Volunteer at a hospital in a clinic (I have no clinical experience). Maybe even gain some leadership experience and teaching experience in college and outside college.
My Plan:
July 2017-July 2018 (1 full year) Prepare for the MCAT and try my best to score >520. Many students here in SDN have been out of college for more than 10 years and score >520 on their MCAT. Right now that is my goal.
Around October of this year I plan to apply for a postbacc at Hunter College and if I get accepted, start my program August of 2018. I plan on taking only Upper Level Science Class. The Classes I have in mind are Microbiology, Anatomy and Physiology, Cell Biology, Developmental Biology, Cancer Biology, Neurobiology and Immunobiology. Basically classes that are medical school related that will help me. I plan to take no more than 2 classes a semester for 38 credits. While doing some Volunteering in the Hospital (clinical experience), some more research experience, teaching experience and leadership experience. It shouldnt be too difficult to maintain all As in 38 credits and get that Postbacc 4.0 GPA right? I mean I am only taking 2 classes a semester only.
Do you guys think that if I could pull off everything I mentioned above:
Postbacc GPA with 38 Credits: 4.0
MCAT: 520+
2 Years Volunteer research Experience with publications.
2 Years Volunteer Experience in Clinical Setting.
2 Years of Shadow Experience with doctors.
2 Years of teaching Experience
2 Years of leadership experience
Would it be possible I might get interviews at top schools such as Harvard, Yale, Columbia?
Any recommendations you might have?
Any other postbacc programs you might recommend?
Many people might suggest I do an SMP because if I can score a 520 plus I am better off doing an SMP and saving time. The reason why I dont want to do an SMP is because that requires a lot of money. Also being in the SMP program there is a whole lot of competition in the SMP with your fellow SMP students. I think classes at an SMP will be way harder than taking the Postbacc route where you can take classes at your leisure. I mean the 4 month upper level science classes that I will take in my postbacc will be crammed into 3 weeks at an SMP. Also if I slightly mess up in my Postbacc program meaning I finish with a 3.1-3.3 GPA, I can always resort to an SMP after my Postbacc as a last resort. However if I get a 3.1-3.3 GPA at an SMP, I am basically screwed for life with no redemption.
Also many people might say go the DO route. I am a stubborn person. I know I can do an MD and I will never go down that route (nothing wring with DO, just my personal preference is MD.)