No Science Background - Career Changer

[iwanttobeadoc]

First post here. I am in the process of changing my career. I have absolutely no science/health background. I've been out of school for about 5 years. My undergrad GPA was 3.3 with a few/no science related courses. A few volunteer experiences in college, but thats about it. Here are my questions.

How competitive are post bacc programs? Especially in New York? Do I have a better chance since I have no science grades to relate to? I get the impression that it's not as competitive as obviously medschool or even undergrad. Do they still look at my SAT scores? Mine was around 1900~2000

How do I find hospital volunteer work? Where do I start with no experience in the health field? I don't want to quit my full-time job until I get a taste of the hospital/patient interaction life but I need some kind of experience to apply to a post bacc program.

Any advise or insights on best MCAT study books?

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[Warderino92]

To find hospital work just go into the hospital you are interested in volunteering at. They should have a volunteering department you can talk to that will take you through things like blood and tb tests that are required before you can start volunteering so it won't be the next day. You have at least 4 semesters of coursework ahead of you if you haven't taken any pre reqs so I wouldn't bother with MCAT books for now.

 

[AnotherLawyer]

First thing you have to do is decide formal post-bacc or DIY. There is a very small group of post-baccs (like 3 or 4) that have outstanding success getting students into medical school. If you can get into one of those, and you can afford it, that is what I would do. Otherwise, I would do a DIY, spending as little money as possible.

 

[sedgeshaveedges]

I started a post-bac program at 28 and will start med school at 30 if I am successful this cycle. So no, it's not too late if you feel pretty certain that medicine is a good path for you.

I did a formal, one-year post-bac because I was an older applicant with no science background and wanted to complete all my pre-requisites as efficiently as possible. I also wanted to the support of a formal program. While it was expensive and I quit my fulltime job to do it (I took out loans), I think it was the best choice for me. Since you have no science background, this would be your quickest option. It is a commitment, though, and most programs won't accept you without some healthcare exposure, so as you've said, look for volunteer options as soon as possible to make sure you like the field and can prove that you've explored it.

Every program I applied to asked for my SAT scores and undergraduate transcripts and some also asked for my high school transcripts. They also required a personal statement and interview. I think the competitiveness and quality of programs varies and I don't know much about the New York schools, but the better programs seems to look for students with a record of academic success, at least some exposure to healthcare, and the ability to articulate "why medicine and why now." While you don't have to be as refined in your thinking as you do for actual medical school applications, being able to demonstrate why you're interested and that you have an idea of what you're getting yourself into is important.

 

[Fancy_Feast]

I did a DIY post-bac at a state school...I worked 30 hrs/week while taking 2-3 classes per semester. It took me around 3 years to finish. If you are financially equipped, you can finish your classes much faster. While extension classes can be a good option, make sure they will allow you to meet lab requirements.

Whenever I doubted my decision to return to school, my mom, who is an advisor, would say, "You're going to be 35 anyways, you might as well be a doctor."