Looking to switch careers

[SkyLord]

Hello,

I'm sorry if this is a question that has been asked previously, I just have a difficult time reading through all of the posts listed because I currently have Lyme Disease and it's hard to read sometimes.

Here is my situation. I graduated from a trade school almost 10 years ago with a Associates specializing in Computer Sci.

My fiancée and I are both suffering from Lyme Disease and because of the situation that we are in I have decided on becoming a Doctor specializing in Internal Medicine.

Now here is my question, or truthfully MANY questions... What would the best steps to take be to become a doctor in this field? I know I need to finish my bachelors degree, however I find conflicting info from the net advising me as what to do. Some info says to finish my degree in Comp. Sci., take the MCAT and hope to get accepted. While other sites recommend that I pretty much start over to get my bachelors degree and then apply for Med. School. I have been seeing info on getting a degree and pursuing a field in Nursing, then switching to Med. School also. I'm really puzzled as what to do.

Also if I were to take most of my classes online from a school such as University of Phoenix would that hinder my chances of getting accepted to certain Med. Schools?

You see I'm 30 now (31 next month) and I don't want to be 40 by the time I get our of Medical School. I'm just not sure what the correct steps would be to pursue this.

Thank you all in advance.

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[Travisgee]

Im not sure how having lyme disease is relevant.
Medical schools are very competitive, and are so because they can be. So consider well how you recieve your post education. I personally think that certain courses taken online would be extremely difficult. Im thinking chemistry, physics, and biology in particular. I am 28 now, and I have at least 3 to 4 years worth of damage control and preparation before I can apply to med school. This would make me 31 to 32 years old at application time. I justify pursuing this dream even at this later stage in the "game" by telling myself that I will be 40 whether I'm a doctor or not, so I sure as hell should try and be a doctor. I want no regrets on my death bed.

How badly do you want this?

 

[DrMidlife]

...I currently have Lyme Disease and it's hard to read sometimes.

As I understand it, you'll always have Lyme disease, correct? Please be aware that reading for full comprehension, way beyond the point of exhaustion, is inherent in medicine, not just during school, but forever. Is this feasible for you?

Here is my situation. I graduated from a trade school almost 10 years ago with a Associates specializing in Computer Sci.

My fiancée and I are both suffering from Lyme Disease and because of the situation that we are in I have decided on becoming a Doctor specializing in Internal Medicine.

Awesome story for your application essays, as long as you have a good handle on managing your disease, long term.

Now here is my question, or truthfully MANY questions... What would the best steps to take be to become a doctor in this field? I know I need to finish my bachelors degree, however I find conflicting info from the net advising me as what to do. Some info says to finish my degree in Comp. Sci., take the MCAT and hope to get accepted. While other sites recommend that I pretty much start over to get my bachelors degree and then apply for Med. School. I have been seeing info on getting a degree and pursuing a field in Nursing, then switching to Med. School also. I'm really puzzled as what to do.

You need a bachelors degree, and you can major in anything you want. Truly.

If your goal is medicine, it's irresponsible to study nursing. This takes a seat away from somebody who would actually use the degree. Furthermore, a nursing degree does not include the prerequisites for med school, so the only real benefit to nursing as a major is the fallback career.

If you LOVE computer science, go ahead. You will need at least one additional year of school, however, to finish the med school prereqs, beyond the CS curriculum.

Most people pick a major that includes the prereqs, which beyond the usual math and English and humanities, are one year each (with labs) of physics, general chemistry, organic chemistry and biology. The more upper-div science you take, the better.

But the important thing is to get a degree in something for which you'll have sustainable enthusiasm, thus get good grades. Because the MOST important thing if you want to go to med school is to get GREAT GRADES. By which I mean get GREAT GRADES. In other words, GET GREAT GRADES.

Also if I were to take most of my classes online from a school such as University of Phoenix would that hinder my chances of getting accepted to certain Med. Schools?

Disastrous idea, imho. If your have any option whatsoever other than online courses from a for-profit corporation that is primarily known for delivering terminal masters degrees in evening programs, the other option is better.

You see I'm 30 now (31 next month) and I don't want to be 40 by the time I get our of Medical School. I'm just not sure what the correct steps would be to pursue this.

At best (as a fantasy) you'll be 38 when you start residency, which is the hard part. You'll be over 40 when you start earning money, for sure. Don't feel bad; I'll be over 50.

I recommend a book by Iserson called "Getting into Med School: A Guide for the Perplexed" as a thorough reference guide.

Best of luck to you.

 

[SkyLord]

Thank you both for your replies!

In answer to your question Lyme Disease is not something that I will carry for the rest of my life once properly treated. It's a LONG road to recovery though. Lyme is a bacteria, and a nasty one at that but it is curable. The reason that I said that I have a hard time reading at times is because I have neuro-lyme. It affects my ability to read most of the time. I can stare at a paragraph on my screen for a hour until it makes sense.

After going to the ER for my fiancée 3 times, the family physician 4 times, a neurologist, cardiologist, and a ENT we became disgusted. All either diagnosed with Panic attacks, MS, or ALS. I knew this could not be the case because BOTH of us had it. I finally found a BRILLIANT doctor who is aiding in our recovery. My determination comes from the fact that I do NOT want to see anyone else suffer from this disease that has the ability to ruin lives if not properly treated.

I guess I'm somewhat perplexed because I haven’t even thought about college in so long. Lord knows what I did with my SAT results from so long ago.

Thank you also for the recommendation on the book. I'll try to pick that up asap. I've already downloaded the pretest for the MCAP. I guess I'm a bit ahead of myself there.

I've made my goals and my decision that I will be a help to everyone who suffers this horrible disease and I can't think of anything that will hold me back. Well, I need to be fully recovered from Lyme first though.

Again thank you for all of your kind words, advice and support.

 

[Law2Doc]

I can stare at a paragraph on my screen for a hour until it makes sense.

As mentioned, until you get past this issue med school will be an impossibility for you. It involves reading a lot, probably hours every day of your life. And all of your major tests will involve lots of reading on computer under very short time constraints -- such is the state of med school testing. Until you can read productively and efficiently, i wouldn't bother going down this road.

Assuming you arguendo do get past this issue, I think you are wasting your time looking into nursing as a path to medicine, and in looking at the University of Pheonix for prereqs. You need to go into a brick and mortar school for your prereqs. You should not get a degree in nursing unless you plan to be a nurse -- that is not the right path to MD. And this is not a race. It's going to take time. If it takes you until 40 before you graduate from med school, that's just how long it takes. The rules don't change because you are 31 -- you still have to jump through all the hoops and give them the appropriate time they need for you to get A's. For many, that involves slow and steady pace. Doesn't matter though because what's a few more years in a 35 year career? Nothing good in life comes fast and easy. Sorry.

 

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

Thank you both for your replies!

After going to the ER for my fiancée 3 times, the family physician 4 times, a neurologist, cardiologist, and a ENT we became disgusted. All either diagnosed with Panic attacks, MS, or ALS. I knew this could not be the case because BOTH of us had it. I finally found a BRILLIANT doctor who is aiding in our recovery. My determination comes from the fact that I do NOT want to see anyone else suffer from this disease that has the ability to ruin lives if not properly treated.

suggestion or two for down the road..medicine is a club. Exclusive, but it's still a club. I'd suggest being very careful when applying to schools to avoid any indication of unhappiness with your treatments or how bad some of the doctors were.

suggestion 2 - I probably would not have considered pursuing medicine absent the death of a sibling from a long illness years ago. In writing about this in my personal statement, some schools thought this was good in that it showed my motivation for medicine. Others thought it was irrelevant in that it did not show I had a feel for medicine from a provider's perspective, which was quite different from the perspective of a patient's family. My suggestion is to make sure you've got plenty of additional clinical experience at the time of applications, and mention both your experience as a patient and your experience volunteering/working in a clinical setting.

That said, good luck. Mid/late 30's for me as an applicant this year. You've got time!