RN to MD Progress/Support Thread

[vancouverrun]

Hello Everyone,

Short and to the point. I'm a 43 year old RN/paramedic (7.5 years, with both emergency department and ICU experience). My backstory is long and complicated, and I won't bore you with the details. However, I applied to medical school once before in 1995-96, and it went nowhere. I decided to redo my premedical coursework and the MCAT (which is quite different now), and my stats are competitive. So far, I have 11 interview invitations (7 MD, 4 DO....5 completed, 6 pending). I have been accepted to two schools, and I have committed to one of them (an MD school). So, to my fellow RNs that are aspiring to medicine, it CAN happen. It isn't easy juggling 12 hour night shifts and daytime coursework, but it is doable. My middle aged dinosaur self is going to medical school in the fall (so to anyone who thinks they are "too old"...look at me as an example). Super pumped !!!! I wish each of you the best in your journey.

Wow! What a super inspiring journey towards medicine, and your experience will make you SUCH a good doctor! Congratulations! Someone once said, "You will be the same age if you tried, than if you didn't".
Any tips on studying for the MCAT?
Did you apply throughout the country? I am guessing you are in USA (I am in Canada).
Any tips? What changed the second time around?

Again, very inspiring story. Congratulations!

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[ICUBlue]

Anyone else having to cut back hours significantly to handle school and feeling like they're struggling to keep up w the pace on the few days they do work? PRN is so much more difficult than full time I'm finding.. So much of what we get good at is repetition! Anyone else having a similar experience?


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[bornunderatree]

Anyone else having to cut back hours significantly to handle school and feeling like they're struggling to keep up w the pace on the few days they do work? PRN is so much more difficult than full time I'm finding.. So much of what we get good at is repetition! Anyone else having a similar experience?


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I was able to maintain full time work on top of classes and volunteering. I have a very supportive leadership team at work that was willing to work with my school schedule. I definitely did some 48+ hour stints awake despite it all. Coffee is your friend!

 

[brainnurse]

Anyone else having to cut back hours significantly to handle school and feeling like they're struggling to keep up w the pace on the few days they do work? PRN is so much more difficult than full time I'm finding.. So much of what we get good at is repetition! Anyone else having a similar experience?


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Hi, ICUBlue! I cut back on hours towards the end. I was lucky that my husband supported this decision and wanted me to focus on getting into medical school. You are right. Repetition really makes our jobs so much easier. I understand the stress. Do what you need to do for yourself and for your aspirations. Good luck!

 

[irishRN2doc]

Anyone else having to cut back hours significantly to handle school and feeling like they're struggling to keep up w the pace on the few days they do work? PRN is so much more difficult than full time I'm finding.. So much of what we get good at is repetition! Anyone else having a similar experience?


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Stayed full time throughout the process but only took 2 classes at a time. I echo what the previous poster said about constantly being awake for long stretches of time. Not ideal, but you can make it work if that is your only option.

I definitely agree that it's possible to "get rusty" if you are working sparingly. I feel like being a nurse and pursuing medical school is like a tug of war. Just play it safe and plow through, good luck!

 

[ProCal2016]

I remained full time, but did my three shifts as weekend option, night shift. Thus, I work every Friday/Saturday/Sunday and then attended class part time during the week. Monday mornings usually really sucked, since I went right from shift hand-off to campus for class, then went home to bed. There have been Monday lectures that I do not remember at all. It hasn't been ideal (and working every weekend has gotten old), but overall it worked out for me. The worst part has been having to transition back and forth between night hours on the weekend, and daytime hours during the week. I've managed to do it simply because that is what I had to do in order to reach the goal. Like one of the other posters, I only took, 1-2 classes at a time, too. I have been lucky to have very supportive managers. I told them confidentially what I was doing, and we worked out a way to do it. They have been great, not to mention that weekends always tends to be short staffed. My working that shift consistently helps them too. It's been a win/win situation.

 

[sunshinefl]

Anyone else having to cut back hours significantly to handle school and feeling like they're struggling to keep up w the pace on the few days they do work? PRN is so much more difficult than full time I'm finding.. So much of what we get good at is repetition! Anyone else having a similar experience?


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PRN is more cognitive workload I've noticed. I work so infrequently now that I have to shake some of the rust off my brain on certain things each shift. I definitely understand what you're saying. I was working 24 hrs/week (2 12s) but I've cut back significantly. I work like 1-2 shifts a month now, more during breaks between semesters.

 

[ICUBlue]

It's encouraging to hear others who have experienced the same situation. Thanks for your responses.

For me personally, working more than I am now just isn't an option. With volunteering, full time classes, research, and shadowing, I'm busy 7 days a week right now pretty much. Trying to knock out almost everything in a year. Luckily I have a very supportive wife and I am able to work less than part time. Kudos to anyone who can make all this work at once!




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[FCMike11]

Wanted to share a positive interview experience I had recently.

I worked full-time throughout all pre-reqs. Was only able to take 8 to 12 credit hours a semester, maximum. Always thought I was at a disadvantage compared to other pre-meds taking 15 hrs consistently.

So anyways, in this interview, the interviewer told me multiple times he appreciated how I was able to balance things (elaborated a little more on my personal). My application does a good job highlighting my multiple obligations but I never really knew how it played into things. Just wanted to share with you guys (im sure a lot of similar situations) that these experiences are very valuable in proving you can handle multiple obligations through work, personal and school life.

Additionally, I have gotten compliments on my LORs and was very fortunate to cultivated good friendships in the process to have good LOR writers. Try to keep that in mind when taking pre-reqs especially (can be hard to go back and connect once out of class).

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[JungleeBilli]

Quick question,

Do you think volunteering and/or shadowing would be considered an ESSENTIAL part of your application if your GPA and MCAT scores are strong, good LORs and you have years of experience as an RN?

 

[FCMike11]

Quick question,

Do you think volunteering and/or shadowing would be considered an ESSENTIAL part of your application if your GPA and MCAT scores are strong, good LORs and you have years of experience as an RN?

It wasnt for me. I did have a small ampunt of shadowing (~ 20 hrs). I had a volunteer activity ive done over some time, but nothing huge. Just get solid LORs and with your work experience, my experience has been it has been a non issue ( 6+ interviews, never been mentioned).

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[JungleeBilli]

It wasnt for me. I did have a small ampunt of shadowing (~ 20 hrs). I had a volunteer activity ive done over some time, but nothing huge. Just get solid LORs and with your work experience, my experience has been it has been a non issue ( 6+ interviews, never been mentioned).

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Thanks a lot for replying and easing my anxiety!

 

[Lovescience1]

Greetings,
I am looking for some advise from experienced RNs. I work in a cardiac unit (advanced med/surg). I am planning to switch to ED or ICU within the next year or so. However, at the same time I'm working on pre-med prerequisites. Would you recommend me to switch or to stay at where I'm at to make sure I have good grades? Long term goal: definitely to become a doctor. Reason for switching: I want to be exposed to more advanced/complicated patient care.

My desire to be a doctor is certainly strong. However, I'm a person with back-up plans. My back-up plan if MD route didn't work out I could still get my DNP in Adult Gerontology Acute Care. For this specialty of DNP program, I would need to have at least 2-3 years experience in ED/ICU/OR. Hope it's not too confusing to you. Thank you so much in advance.

 

[FCMike11]

Greetings,
I am looking for some advise from experienced RNs. I work in a cardiac unit (advanced med/surg). I am planning to switch to ED or ICU within the next year or so. However, at the same time I'm working on pre-med prerequisites. Would you recommend me to switch or to stay at where I'm at to make sure I have good grades? Long term goal: definitely to become a doctor. Reason for switching: I want to be exposed to more advanced/complicated patient care.

My desire to be a doctor is certainly strong. However, I'm a person with back-up plans. My back-up plan if MD route didn't work out I could still get my DNP in Adult Gerontology Acute Care. For this specialty of DNP program, I would need to have at least 2-3 years experience in ED/ICU/OR. Hope it's not too confusing to you. Thank you so much in advance.

Makes sense to switch. Shouldn't change your studying habits if you are working the same hours. Maybe the additional stress but it will be a decent barometer of how you can handle multiple obligations.

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[JungleeBilli]

Greetings,
I am looking for some advise from experienced RNs. I work in a cardiac unit (advanced med/surg). I am planning to switch to ED or ICU within the next year or so. However, at the same time I'm working on pre-med prerequisites. Would you recommend me to switch or to stay at where I'm at to make sure I have good grades? Long term goal: definitely to become a doctor. Reason for switching: I want to be exposed to more advanced/complicated patient care.

My desire to be a doctor is certainly strong. However, I'm a person with back-up plans. My back-up plan if MD route didn't work out I could still get my DNP in Adult Gerontology Acute Care. For this specialty of DNP program, I would need to have at least 2-3 years experience in ED/ICU/OR. Hope it's not too confusing to you. Thank you so much in advance.

Hey,

I actually work in med surge as well and chose that over ed or icu right out of school cos it makes it easier for me to do my pre-med coursework. In those other units there are specialty training classes that I would have needed to take in addition to my pre-med classes. But then again pre-med is my only plan now (becoming an RN was my backup plan) so the situation differs a bit.

 

[FCMike11]

Hey,

I actually work in med surge as well and chose that over ed or icu right out of school cos it makes it easier for me to do my pre-med coursework. In those other units there are specialty training classes that I would have needed to take in addition to my pre-med classes. But then again pre-med is my only plan now (becoming an RN was my backup plan) so the situation differs a bit.

True. Just depends. I had a few obligations to work (BLS/ACLS, NIH) but i found it manageable.

I actually worked nights throughout my pre-reqs. Was tough sometimes (slept in my car/library a lot) but there are some nights where you can study some. Basically my schedule wouldn't accomodate anything else. Was so fortunate to have an awesome manager who supported my school with a flexible schedule. Was glad when I was finally done with those classes and I could work days.

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[Lovescience1]

True. Just depends. I had a few obligations to work (BLS/ACLS, NIH) but i found it manageable.

I actually worked nights throughout my pre-reqs. Was tough sometimes (slept in my car/library a lot) but there are some nights where you can study some. Basically my schedule wouldn't accomodate anything else. Was so fortunate to have an awesome manager who supported my school with a flexible schedule. Was glad when I was finally done with those classes and I could work days.

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I work nights right now as well. It works well for my school schedules right now, more money to pay for premed courses and save for med school. So, sounds like your manager was supportive and aware that you were doing pre-med courses? I haven't told anyone at work that I'm working on pre-med track yet, they only know that I'm finishing my BSN. Not sure how my colleagues would react if they knew I was scheming to join the "dark side", hahaha. Just kidding. I want to join to force to support nurses even more, not bully like some MDs would.

 

[pediatricnurse7]

Hey guys!
Just a quick update:

So I just finished Peds and Maternity and I didn't get a 4.00 gpa this semester. I finished with a 3.6something which means that my cumulative is a 3.47something. I am feeling a bit discouraged because I think I did a mistake with nursing. I feel as though I should have stopped right after fundamentals to only focus on the pre-requisites I have left for med school. I truly thought at that time that I wanted to become a pediatric nurse and take it from there...but after interacting with many nurses and observing their daily tasks....I know that I don't want it nearly as much as I want to become a D.O. I don't think it is right to give up right now since I am a semester away to sit down to take the NCLEX (another nightmare I am dreading). I guess my main question is.....has this every happened to anyone? This feeling of unhappiness because nursing is just "it"? I am angry at myself for waving the white flag a bit too soon on med school. I'm starting to think that I was impulsive. Who knows?! >.<

In terms of getting ready to apply to med school, I need physics and organic chemistry which I am going to take during the summer and then sit down to take the mcat during next fall. Today actually, I sat down for an interview at a pysch hospital for a nursing assistant position. I must say that as I walked through the unit I realized how miserable I would be committing my time to such job. This is making me lean towards rejecting the position tomorrow morning...but I don't know if I shouldn't because this would may look good for medical school (this is not taking into account that the pay rate is lower than at my 2 other jobs!)......because I can go on and on, I wanted to know someone's input. How should I prioritize this winter break? Should I continue studying for the mcat? Should I go back to shadowing my pediatrician d.o.? How do I show that I am good enough for med school? Would volunteering at a hospital do it?? Or am I just, IDK,.... a bit old for that,24, and may need a greater challenge?? HELP!

 

[raewants2beadoc]

Hey guys!
Just a quick update:

So I just finished Peds and Maternity and I didn't get a 4.00 gpa this semester. I finished with a 3.6something which means that my cumulative is a 3.47something. I am feeling a bit discouraged because I think I did a mistake with nursing. I feel as though I should have stopped right after fundamentals to only focus on the pre-requisites I have left for med school. I truly thought at that time that I wanted to become a pediatric nurse and take it from there...but after interacting with many nurses and observing their daily tasks....I know that I don't want it nearly as much as I want to become a D.O. I don't think it is right to give up right now since I am a semester away to sit down to take the NCLEX (another nightmare I am dreading). I guess my main question is.....has this every happened to anyone? This feeling of unhappiness because nursing is just "it"? I am angry at myself for waving the white flag a bit too soon on med school. I'm starting to think that I was impulsive. Who knows?! >.<

In terms of getting ready to apply to med school, I need physics and organic chemistry which I am going to take during the summer and then sit down to take the mcat during next fall. Today actually, I sat down for an interview at a pysch hospital for a nursing assistant position. I must say that as I walked through the unit I realized how miserable I would be committing my time to such job. This is making me lean towards rejecting the position tomorrow morning...but I don't know if I shouldn't because this would may look good for medical school (this is not taking into account that the pay rate is lower than at my 2 other jobs!)......because I can go on and on, I wanted to know someone's input. How should I prioritize this winter break? Should I continue studying for the mcat? Should I go back to shadowing my pediatrician d.o.? How do I show that I am good enough for med school? Would volunteering at a hospital do it?? Or am I just, IDK,.... a bit old for that,24, and may need a greater challenge?? HELP!

The NCLEX is a piece of cake compared to what the MCAT will be like.

Finish nursing school, pass the NCLEX, and get experience as a nurse while you are finishing your pre-med prerequisites...

Just my 2 cents

Good luck in nursing school

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[raewants2beadoc]

Greetings,
I am looking for some advise from experienced RNs. I work in a cardiac unit (advanced med/surg). I am planning to switch to ED or ICU within the next year or so. However, at the same time I'm working on pre-med prerequisites. Would you recommend me to switch or to stay at where I'm at to make sure I have good grades? Long term goal: definitely to become a doctor. Reason for switching: I want to be exposed to more advanced/complicated patient care.

My desire to be a doctor is certainly strong. However, I'm a person with back-up plans. My back-up plan if MD route didn't work out I could still get my DNP in Adult Gerontology Acute Care. For this specialty of DNP program, I would need to have at least 2-3 years experience in ED/ICU/OR. Hope it's not too confusing to you. Thank you so much in advance.

Hi, I'm an ER RN, and also finishing up my pre-med courses. I love the ER. I currently work in a 17 bed ER and we usually have a decent amount of "down time" after around 1am... this allows me to do some extra studying at work.

Switching areas shouldn't change your study habits at home. But, It may add extra stress to your life... it really all depends on what you enjoy. I prefer not knowing what is going to come through the door. I like having change, being busy, and turning over patients. And for me personally working on the floor would be HELL.



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[raewants2beadoc]

It wasnt for me. I did have a small ampunt of shadowing (~ 20 hrs). I had a volunteer activity ive done over some time, but nothing huge. Just get solid LORs and with your work experience, my experience has been it has been a non issue ( 6+ interviews, never been mentioned).

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Congratulations on all the interviews so far!!

Thanks for this info! This was something I've wondered about as well.

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[ERnursetodoc]

Hey guys!
Just a quick update:

So I just finished Peds and Maternity and I didn't get a 4.00 gpa this semester. I finished with a 3.6something which means that my cumulative is a 3.47something. I am feeling a bit discouraged because I think I did a mistake with nursing. I feel as though I should have stopped right after fundamentals to only focus on the pre-requisites I have left for med school. I truly thought at that time that I wanted to become a pediatric nurse and take it from there...but after interacting with many nurses and observing their daily tasks....I know that I don't want it nearly as much as I want to become a D.O. I don't think it is right to give up right now since I am a semester away to sit down to take the NCLEX (another nightmare I am dreading). I guess my main question is.....has this every happened to anyone? This feeling of unhappiness because nursing is just "it"? I am angry at myself for waving the white flag a bit too soon on med school. I'm starting to think that I was impulsive. Who knows?! >.<

In terms of getting ready to apply to med school, I need physics and organic chemistry which I am going to take during the summer and then sit down to take the mcat during next fall. Today actually, I sat down for an interview at a pysch hospital for a nursing assistant position. I must say that as I walked through the unit I realized how miserable I would be committing my time to such job. This is making me lean towards rejecting the position tomorrow morning...but I don't know if I shouldn't because this would may look good for medical school (this is not taking into account that the pay rate is lower than at my 2 other jobs!)......because I can go on and on, I wanted to know someone's input. How should I prioritize this winter break? Should I continue studying for the mcat? Should I go back to shadowing my pediatrician d.o.? How do I show that I am good enough for med school? Would volunteering at a hospital do it?? Or am I just, IDK,.... a bit old for that,24, and may need a greater challenge?? HELP!

1. A 3.47 GPA is not the end of the world. You would be competitive for DO schools and some allopathic schools, as well.
2. You are not too old. If I matriculate, I'll be at least 37.
3. The NCLEX is nothing compared to the MCAT. I've taken both.
4. I feel your pain regarding nursing. I'm jealous of the physicians in my ER. They work hard, but they work hard by using their brains. I work hard using my body. I prefer the former to the latter. I don't like how nursing has turned into a customer service industry and I don't like the feeling of knowing the rest of my life could be spent with me doing grunt work. Every time I round on a patient and chart "Patient lying on stretcher in no distress. Respirations even and unlabored. AAOx3. VS WNL. Bed in lowest position. Call light within reach. Family at bedside." it kills my soul a little more each time. I have one pre-requisite left- the second semester of physics- which I plan to take this spring. I hate physics, but I hate the thought of being a nurse the rest of my life even more.

 

[pediatricnurse7]

1. A 3.47 GPA is not the end of the world. You would be competitive for DO schools and some allopathic schools, as well.
2. You are not too old. If I matriculate, I'll be at least 37.
3. The NCLEX is nothing compared to the MCAT. I've taken both.
4. I feel your pain regarding nursing. I'm jealous of the physicians in my ER. They work hard, but they work hard by using their brains. I work hard using my body. I prefer the former to the latter. I don't like how nursing has turned into a customer service industry and I don't like the feeling of knowing the rest of my life could be spent with me doing grunt work. Every time I round on a patient and chart "Patient lying on stretcher in no distress. Respirations even and unlabored. AAOx3. VS WNL. Bed in lowest position. Call light within reach. Family at bedside." it kills my soul a little more each time. I have one pre-requisite left- the second semester of physics- which I plan to take this spring. I hate physics, but I hate the thought of being a nurse the rest of my life even more.

"I hate physics, but I hate the thought of being a nurse the rest of my life even more." Let this particular statement be your motivation. Let me know how physics goes since I am registering in March if all goes well for I & II along with Orgo (YIKES! >.<). Any suggestions on MCAT books? I am taking it next year as well!

 

[Belizean]

Hello, everyone!
A little about myself, I'm 21, I just graduated from an ADN program, I take my NCLEX Jan. 9th, and I have secured a job in a CVICU in a major hospital in my area. I'll be honest, I had no real exposure to the healthcare field prior to school but I thoroughly enjoy it. While nursing is a respectable profession I feel like I'm in the wrong field. However, I'm a little doubtful of my chances of getting into Medical School. It's not that lack the intelligence, it's just that my GPA has some baggage from duel-enrollment courses not taken seriously and from not caring that much about school. Life experiences have matured me immensely though. My cGPA is a 3.15 and I have 115 credits hours (got an AA Degree prior to the ADN). I think I could realistically pull it up to a 3.5, but anything much higher than that is a stretch simply due to the amount of credits I have accumulated. I could really kick myself right now for listening to poor influences and not putting forth the effort to have a 4.0 because I know I'm capable of doing so, but, oh well. Some things I have going for me is that I have yet to take General Chemistry I or II, Organic Chemistry I or II, Biochemistry, Biology II, and Physics I or II, and I don't have a bachelor's degree. So, my plan is to pursue either Biomedical Engineering or Biochemistry since a BSN wouldn't include those science courses. I'm hoping that the clinical experience from nursing will be looked upon favorably by adcoms, and that a strong upward trend in my GPA will showcase my personal growth and maturity. I'm super happy to stumble upon these forums, and wish everyone the best!

 

[W19]

@Belizean If you can get your GPA up to 3.3+, you will be fine for DO...

Also, if your gut feeling is telling you nursing is not for you, you should try to get out ASAP... I fought with that feeling for a few years when I was a RN and I changed settings thinking I might tolerate nursing if the setting is right, but it did not work. At the end, I had to pull the plug and took the prereqs and apply to med school. 3rd year US MD student now and so happy that I left nursing...

 

[Belizean]

@Belizean If you can get your GPA up to 3.3+, you will be fine for DO...

Also, if your gut feeling is telling you nursing is not for you, you should try to get out ASAP... I fought with that feeling for a few years when I was a RN and I changed settings thinking I might tolerate nursing if the setting is right, but it did not work. At the end, I had to pull the plug and took the prereqs and apply to med school. 3rd year US MD student now and so happy that I left nursing...

Thank you for the speedy reply and the advice. I understand MD is a stretch but I would still like to apply to my state's MD programs (Florida) as well as several from across the nation that aren't as competitive along with some DO schools. As far as leaving nursing, I'm a bit torn on wether or not it would be the best move for me at the moment. Finances are an issue, and my family can't afford to support me at all. I'm afraid of taking out large loans, and with my GPA I feel like it would be very difficult to secure any type of real aid. With this job I hope to be able to pay for classes, living expenses, and be able to network with some physicians. I'm used to working and going to school, this past semester I took 16 credit hours and worked part-time. However, as time comes to prepare for the MCAT I will definitely cut back on my hours, and if accepted to any program I will put in my notice.

 

[pediatricnurse7]

Thank you for the speedy reply and the advice. I understand MD is a stretch but I would still like to apply to my state's MD programs (Florida) as well as several from across the nation that aren't as competitive along with some DO schools. As far as leaving nursing, I'm a bit torn on wether or not it would be the best move for me at the moment. Finances are an issue, and my family can't afford to support me at all. I'm afraid of taking out large loans, and with my GPA I feel like it would be very difficult to secure any type of real aid. With this job I hope to be able to pay for classes, living expenses, and be able to network with some physicians. I'm used to working and going to school, this past semester I took 16 credit hours and worked part-time. However, as time comes to prepare for the MCAT I will definitely cut back on my hours, and if accepted to any program I will put in my notice.

@Belizean....I'm with you in terms of wishing to leave but can't due to finances. Stick with it. Secure your job ( I am trying to get into a hospital as a part time nursing assistant or patient care technician but it is taking me so many rejections because apparently connections matter a whole lot), gain experience, and take advantage of this opportunity. Be that annoying person who listens to your patient's report when a group of medical students are all gathered up and are talking about your patient's diagnosis. When I'm doing clinical I constantly test myself. Yes, I am just a nursing student but because I don't see myself as just a nurse I constantly try to put myself out there to see if I am prepared. Heck, even when I am observing a C-section I am not afraid of asking the surgeon why certain incisions are made the way that they are.......what I am trying to get at is that knowledge is universal and it's never too soon to start thinking like a doctor despite of your current circumstance.Good luck with the pre-requisites. You may feel overwhelmed but know that even after completing 1 course you will feel relieved yet encouraged to keep going!

 

[Belizean]

@Belizean....I'm with you in terms of wishing to leave but can't due to finances. Stick with it. Secure your job ( I am trying to get into a hospital as a part time nursing assistant or patient care technician but it is taking me so many rejections because apparently connections matter a whole lot), gain experience, and take advantage of this opportunity. Be that annoying person who listens to your patient's report when a group of medical students are all gathered up and are talking about your patient's diagnosis. When I'm doing clinical I constantly test myself. Yes, I am just a nursing student but because I don't see myself as just a nurse I constantly try to put myself out there to see if I am prepared. Heck, even when I am observing a C-section I am not afraid of asking the surgeon why certain incisions are made the way that they are.......what I am trying to get at is that knowledge is universal and it's never too soon to start thinking like a doctor despite of your current circumstance.Good luck with the pre-requisites. You may feel overwhelmed but know that even after completing 1 course you will feel relieved yet encouraged to keep going!

@pediatricnurse7 .... Yes, I plan on learning as much as I can while on the job. I will be working for a for-profit hospital so there probably won't be many medical students around to annoy with questions and whatnot, but I hope I'm wrong. I did find out that the Cardiothoracic surgeon whose patients I will be caring for is from one of the major universities in the state. Perhaps I can make him like me, secure a nice LOR, and do a little networking.

 

[Eccesignum]

Hello, everyone!
A little about myself, I'm 21, I just graduated from an ADN program, I take my NCLEX Jan. 9th, and I have secured a job in a CVICU in a major hospital in my area. I'll be honest, I had no real exposure to the healthcare field prior to school but I thoroughly enjoy it. While nursing is a respectable profession I feel like I'm in the wrong field. However, I'm a little doubtful of my chances of getting into Medical School. It's not that lack the intelligence, it's just that my GPA has some baggage from duel-enrollment courses not taken seriously and from not caring that much about school. Life experiences have matured me immensely though. My cGPA is a 3.15 and I have 115 credits hours (got an AA Degree prior to the ADN). I think I could realistically pull it up to a 3.5, but anything much higher than that is a stretch simply due to the amount of credits I have accumulated. I could really kick myself right now for listening to poor influences and not putting forth the effort to have a 4.0 because I know I'm capable of doing so, but, oh well. Some things I have going for me is that I have yet to take General Chemistry I or II, Organic Chemistry I or II, Biochemistry, Biology II, and Physics I or II, and I don't have a bachelor's degree. So, my plan is to pursue either Biomedical Engineering or Biochemistry since a BSN wouldn't include those science courses. I'm hoping that the clinical experience from nursing will be looked upon favorably by adcoms, and that a strong upward trend in my GPA will showcase my personal growth and maturity. I'm super happy to stumble upon these forums, and wish everyone the best!

As I've said to a few other people, when you apply adcoms will see a breakdown of your grades by when they were earned. The distance in time between low old grades and new higher grades can mean a lot. I had a 2.7 from 2002 weighing down a 4.0 in nursing school (ADN) and subsequent 3.9 in a second bachelor's, for a grand total of a whopping 3.2. However in interviews I was told flat out several times that the old grades weren't an issue -- they were obviously old and I had matured enough to where I could prove my academic mettle. That's essentially what someone with poor older grades needs to do -- show that an old you is an old you, and that the new you has their **** together.

Of course nothing is guaranteed. Some people applying with 4.0 straight out of a first attempt don't get into medical school. The overall picture of a well-rounded person who can handle the rigor of medical school and brings something valuable to the class table is extremely important.

@pediatricnurse7 .... Yes, I plan on learning as much as I can while on the job. I will be working for a for-profit hospital so there probably won't be many medical students around to annoy with questions and whatnot, but I hope I'm wrong. I did find out that the Cardiothoracic surgeon whose patients I will be caring for is from one of the major universities in the state. Perhaps I can make him like me, secure a nice LOR, and do a little networking.

A LOR from an MD means next to nothing unless you're applying to one of very few schools that want one, like Rosalind Franklin (note: does not apply to DO schools; for those you do need to have a DO-authored letter). The LORs you'll need, generally speaking, are at least two from science professors, at least one from a non-science professor, and then a few in the arsenal from people who know you well, and can say strongly that you have qualities med schools want.

Here's the guidance brochure that AAMC puts out for LOR writers, just so you can take an advance peek: https://www.aamc.org/download/332578/data/lettersguidelinesbrochure.pdf

 

[Belizean]

As I've said to a few other people, when you apply adcoms will see a breakdown of your grades by when they were earned. The distance in time between low old grades and new higher grades can mean a lot. I had a 2.7 from 2002 weighing down a 4.0 in nursing school (ADN) and subsequent 3.9 in a second bachelor's, for a grand total of a whopping 3.2. However in interviews I was told flat out several times that the old grades weren't an issue -- they were obviously old and I had matured enough to where I could prove my academic mettle. That's essentially what someone with poor older grades needs to do -- show that an old you is an old you, and that the new you has their **** together.

Of course nothing is guaranteed. Some people applying with 4.0 straight out of a first attempt don't get into medical school. The overall picture of a well-rounded person who can handle the rigor of medical school and brings something valuable to the class table is extremely important.



A LOR from an MD means next to nothing unless you're applying to one of very few schools that want one, like Rosalind Franklin (note: does not apply to DO schools; for those you do need to have a DO-authored letter). The LORs you'll need, generally speaking, are at least two from science professors, at least one from a non-science professor, and then a few in the arsenal from people who know you well, and can say strongly that you have qualities med schools want.

Here's the guidance brochure that AAMC puts out for LOR writers, just so you can take an advance peek: https://www.aamc.org/download/332578/data/lettersguidelinesbrochure.pdf

@Eccesignum .... Knowing that old grades possibly won't hurt me as much as I thought they would is truly encouraging! I do thank-you for the information on the LORs. When I start taking classes again I will ensure that I stand out to my professors, and I hope to befriend the faculty. I could also ask my former nursing instructors to write LORs attesting to my genuine altruism, and inter/intrapersonal competencies. One last thing, I am of mixed ethnicity and from the country of Belize, hence the screen name. My father is caucasian and my mother is Honduran. Could this be used to my advantage in some way?

 

[Eccesignum]

@Eccesignum .... Knowing that old grades possibly won't hurt me as much as I thought they would is truly encouraging! I do thank-you for the information on the LORs. When I start taking classes again I will ensure that I stand out to my professors, and I hope to befriend the faculty. I could also ask my former nursing instructors to write LORs attesting to my genuine altruism, and inter/intrapersonal competencies. One last thing, I am of mixed ethnicity and from the country of Belize, hence the screen name. My father is caucasian and my mother is Honduran. Could this be used to my advantage in some way?

Getting LORs in large classes can be a challenge but you're thinking correctly. For the science ones I would focus on getting professors from upper-div courses. I approached all my academic letter writers (a biochem prof, my research PI/intermediary metabolism prof, my academic adviser/cell bio prof, and an English prof) about halfway through their course (having made sure I was doing well up to that point), let them know I was applying for medical school and would be interested in having them be letter writers if they felt they could be. I gave them the brochure at that point. Ask one or two more people than letters you need; some may not feel they can write you a good letter and you want some backups.

You'll only need one or two non-academic letters. I strongly recommend at least one from a volunteer supervisor or someone else involved with you in a non-work, altruistic endeavor.

As for being half-Honduran, it can potentially help. A strong cultural connection via knowledge of Spanish and involvement with the community (particularly with disadvantaged members of said community) will mean much more than a check-box and no personal connections.

 

[Belizean]

Getting LORs in large classes can be a challenge but you're thinking correctly. For the science ones I would focus on getting professors from upper-div courses. I approached all my academic letter writers (a biochem prof, my research PI/intermediary metabolism prof, my academic adviser/cell bio prof, and an English prof) about halfway through their course (having made sure I was doing well up to that point), let them know I was applying for medical school and would be interested in having them be letter writers if they felt they could be. I gave them the brochure at that point. Ask one or two more people than letters you need; some may not feel they can write you a good letter and you want some backups.

You'll only need one or two non-academic letters. I strongly recommend at least one from a volunteer supervisor or someone else involved with you in a non-work, altruistic endeavor.

As for being half-Honduran, it can potentially help. A strong cultural connection via knowledge of Spanish and involvement with the community (particularly with disadvantaged members of said community) will mean much more than a check-box and no personal connections.

@Eccesignum , I am rather active in my church, and have assisted the private school my church started by building them a website, and doing some other IT things. None of it was formal, so I'm not sure how many hours were involved. I have also assisted in organizing a youth event for a ministry my pastor started, It involved meeting about twice a month and exchanging ideas, planning the flow of the event, securing volunteers, etc.. I am rather leery of wether or not it will be viewed favorably simply due to the religious aspect. Also, I have my doubts about my pastor's letter writing abilities, academics are not his forte. Lol. My mastery of the Spanish language has regressed significantly from lack of use, to the point I can't really consider myself a Spanish-speaking Hispanic. I have considering relearning the language though, it shouldn't be that difficult for me.

 

[Eccesignum]

@Eccesignum , I am rather active in my church, and have assisted the private school my church started by building them a website, and doing some other IT things. None of it was formal, so I'm not sure how many hours were involved. I have also assisted in organizing a youth event for a ministry my pastor started, It involved meeting about twice a month and exchanging ideas, planning the flow of the event, securing volunteers, etc.. I am rather leery of wether or not it will be viewed favorably simply due to the religious aspect. Also, I have my doubts about my pastor's letter writing abilities, academics are not his forte. Lol. My mastery of the Spanish language has regressed significantly from lack of use, to the point I can't really consider myself a Spanish-speaking Hispanic. I have considering relearning the language though, it shouldn't be that difficult for me.

In the end you are who you are. Don't stop doing something you love because you might be afraid of how it looks. Many people find volunteer opportunities through churches, that's common. It's all about how you describe your experiences, as you'll be writing about everything you've done briefly on your application and you may be asked to talk about anything you wrote on an app in an interview. The important thing is how you link your life experiences and what you've learned to your potential to be a good physician.

The main thing they're looking for with volunteering and whatnot is a sustained commitment to humanity, especially involving face to face interaction with other human beings. So whatever it is you love to do, keep doing it through this process.

 

[MalenurseRN]

Hate to piggyback on this thread, but I'm a nurse and hope to apply to med schools in June, 2017. Does anyone know if my nursing classes designated as NUR count towards my science gpa? Does my anatomy and phy classes designated BIO count? Thank in advance.

 

[Eccesignum]

Hate to piggyback on this thread, but I'm a nurse and hope to apply to med schools in June, 2017. Does anyone know if my nursing classes designated as NUR count towards my science gpa? Does my anatomy and phy classes designated BIO count? Thank in advance.

If it's classified as BIO or BIOL by your school, it will count for sGPA. NUR classes generally will count towards overall GPA but not sGPA.

This is how AMCAS classifies courses: https://aamc-orange.global.ssl.fast...ab328dc/amcas_course_classification_guide.pdf

 

[MalenurseRN]

If it's classified as BIO or BIOL by your school, it will count for sGPA. NUR classes generally will count towards overall GPA but not sGPA.

This is how AMCAS classifies courses: https://aamc-orange.global.ssl.fast...ab328dc/amcas_course_classification_guide.pdf

Thanks! I thought that was the case, but I wanted to make sure.

 

[popopopop]

Thanks! I thought that was the case, but I wanted to make sure.

It counts as science gpa under AACOMAS (DO school application). It certainly tanked my sGPA by quite a bit.

 

[DreamerCNM]

It counts as science gpa under AACOMAS (DO school application). It certainly tanked my sGPA by quite a bit.

Do you mean that nursing classes are counted as science classes?


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[popopopop]

Do you mean that nursing classes are counted as science classes?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

Yep.

"
Course Subject GPA Categories that factor into the SCIENCE GPA:

• Biochemistry
• Biology/Zoology
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Organic Chemistry
• Other Science
• Physics

"

Other Sciences =

Acupuncture
Aerospace Studies
Animal Behavior
Animal Science
Astronomy
Athletic Training
Atmospheric Science
Audiology
Biobehavioral Health
Bioengineering
Bioethics
Biological Anthropology
Biomechanics
Biomedical Engineering
Biotechnology
Chinese Internal Medicine
Chiropractic Medicine
Clinical Sciences
Conservation
CPR
Cytology/Cytotechnology
Dental Hygiene
Dentistry
Dietetics
Disease
Earth Science
Electronics
Emergency Med-Tech
Engineering
Environmental Science
Epidemiology
Exercise Physiology
Exercise Science
First Aid
Food Science
Forensic Sciences
Geology
Gerontology/Aging
Gynecology
Health
Health Science
Health Services
Health Technology
Herbology
Human Geography
Human Movement
Kinesiology
Limnology
Locomotion Studies
Marine Biology
Marine Science
Mechanics
Medical Technology
Medicine
Meteorology
Motor Control
Movement Science
Natural Resources
Natural Science
Nuclear
Nursing
Nutrition
Occupational Therapy
Oceanography
Optics
Optometry
Oriental Medicine
Other Health Prof
Paramedic
Pharmacology
Pharmacy
Phlebotomy
Physical Anthropology
Physical Geography
Physical Sciences
Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy Assistant
Physician Assistant
Plant
Plant Sciences
Podiatry
Population Biology
Public Health
Radiology
Respiratory Therapy
Sonography
Speech and Hearing Science
Sports Medicine
Sports Sciences
Surgery Tech
Therapeutic Exercise
Toxicology
Veterinary

http://help.unicas.com:8888/aacomas...-history-2/aacomas-course-subjects/index.html

 

[bkennedy]

Yep.

"
Course Subject GPA Categories that factor into the SCIENCE GPA:

• Biochemistry
• Biology/Zoology
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Organic Chemistry
• Other Science
• Physics

"

Other Sciences =

Acupuncture
Aerospace Studies
Animal Behavior
Animal Science
Astronomy
Athletic Training
Atmospheric Science
Audiology
Biobehavioral Health
Bioengineering
Bioethics
Biological Anthropology
Biomechanics
Biomedical Engineering
Biotechnology
Chinese Internal Medicine
Chiropractic Medicine
Clinical Sciences
Conservation
CPR
Cytology/Cytotechnology
Dental Hygiene
Dentistry
Dietetics
Disease
Earth Science
Electronics
Emergency Med-Tech
Engineering
Environmental Science
Epidemiology
Exercise Physiology
Exercise Science
First Aid
Food Science
Forensic Sciences
Geology
Gerontology/Aging
Gynecology
Health
Health Science
Health Services
Health Technology
Herbology
Human Geography
Human Movement
Kinesiology
Limnology
Locomotion Studies
Marine Biology
Marine Science
Mechanics
Medical Technology
Medicine
Meteorology
Motor Control
Movement Science
Natural Resources
Natural Science
Nuclear
Nursing
Nutrition
Occupational Therapy
Oceanography
Optics
Optometry
Oriental Medicine
Other Health Prof
Paramedic
Pharmacology
Pharmacy
Phlebotomy
Physical Anthropology
Physical Geography
Physical Sciences
Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy Assistant
Physician Assistant
Plant
Plant Sciences
Podiatry
Population Biology
Public Health
Radiology
Respiratory Therapy
Sonography
Speech and Hearing Science
Sports Medicine
Sports Sciences
Surgery Tech
Therapeutic Exercise
Toxicology
Veterinary

http://help.unicas.com:8888/aacomas...-history-2/aacomas-course-subjects/index.html

Do you know if graduate nursing classes are factored in to DO science GPA or just undergrad nursing classes?

 

[popopopop]

Do you know if graduate nursing classes are factored in to DO science GPA or just undergrad nursing classes?

It won't be undergrad gpa. I'm actually not even sure how they'll even look at it as generally anything in a master's program is looked upon as graduate gpa. They make you select which semester of school you've taken it. I don't remember exactly, but it's a very specific set of choices.

 

[Eccesignum]

Yep.

"
Course Subject GPA Categories that factor into the SCIENCE GPA:

• Biochemistry
• Biology/Zoology
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Organic Chemistry
• Other Science
• Physics

"

Other Sciences =

Acupuncture
Aerospace Studies
Animal Behavior
Animal Science
Astronomy
Athletic Training
Atmospheric Science
Audiology
Biobehavioral Health
Bioengineering
Bioethics
Biological Anthropology
Biomechanics
Biomedical Engineering
Biotechnology
Chinese Internal Medicine
Chiropractic Medicine
Clinical Sciences
Conservation
CPR
Cytology/Cytotechnology
Dental Hygiene
Dentistry
Dietetics
Disease
Earth Science
Electronics
Emergency Med-Tech
Engineering
Environmental Science
Epidemiology
Exercise Physiology
Exercise Science
First Aid
Food Science
Forensic Sciences
Geology
Gerontology/Aging
Gynecology
Health
Health Science
Health Services
Health Technology
Herbology
Human Geography
Human Movement
Kinesiology
Limnology
Locomotion Studies
Marine Biology
Marine Science
Mechanics
Medical Technology
Medicine
Meteorology
Motor Control
Movement Science
Natural Resources
Natural Science
Nuclear
Nursing
Nutrition
Occupational Therapy
Oceanography
Optics
Optometry
Oriental Medicine
Other Health Prof
Paramedic
Pharmacology
Pharmacy
Phlebotomy
Physical Anthropology
Physical Geography
Physical Sciences
Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy Assistant
Physician Assistant
Plant
Plant Sciences
Podiatry
Population Biology
Public Health
Radiology
Respiratory Therapy
Sonography
Speech and Hearing Science
Sports Medicine
Sports Sciences
Surgery Tech
Therapeutic Exercise
Toxicology
Veterinary

http://help.unicas.com:8888/aacomas...-history-2/aacomas-course-subjects/index.html

Interesting, I didn't know that about AACOMAS. My sGPA in AMCAS and AACOMAS was the same, maybe it's changed since then. Noted for future reference.

 

[bkennedy]

It won't be undergrad gpa. I'm actually not even sure how they'll even look at it as generally anything in a master's program is looked upon as graduate gpa. They make you select which semester of school you've taken it. I don't remember exactly, but it's a very specific set of choices.

Thank you. I actually have completed a graduate degree. I didn't think graduate counted,but it would have been nice because I did well. Thanks.

 

[popopopop]

Thank you. I actually have completed a graduate degree. I didn't think graduate counted,but it would have been nice because I did well. Thanks.

Ok, I just checked one of my transcripts in AACOMAS and it does have a "Graduate Science" line. So although it won't affect undergrad science, graduate science would be its own category.

 

[raewants2beadoc]

Hello, everyone!
A little about myself, I'm 21, I just graduated from an ADN program, I take my NCLEX Jan. 9th, and I have secured a job in a CVICU in a major hospital in my area. I'll be honest, I had no real exposure to the healthcare field prior to school but I thoroughly enjoy it. While nursing is a respectable profession I feel like I'm in the wrong field. However, I'm a little doubtful of my chances of getting into Medical School. It's not that lack the intelligence, it's just that my GPA has some baggage from duel-enrollment courses not taken seriously and from not caring that much about school. Life experiences have matured me immensely though. My cGPA is a 3.15 and I have 115 credits hours (got an AA Degree prior to the ADN). I think I could realistically pull it up to a 3.5, but anything much higher than that is a stretch simply due to the amount of credits I have accumulated. I could really kick myself right now for listening to poor influences and not putting forth the effort to have a 4.0 because I know I'm capable of doing so, but, oh well. Some things I have going for me is that I have yet to take General Chemistry I or II, Organic Chemistry I or II, Biochemistry, Biology II, and Physics I or II, and I don't have a bachelor's degree. So, my plan is to pursue either Biomedical Engineering or Biochemistry since a BSN wouldn't include those science courses. I'm hoping that the clinical experience from nursing will be looked upon favorably by adcoms, and that a strong upward trend in my GPA will showcase my personal growth and maturity. I'm super happy to stumble upon these forums, and wish everyone the best!

Congratulations on finishing nursing school and having a job lined up already! Good luck on the NCLEX!

You haven't ruined your chances for medical school. Stay goal oriented and make A's when you take your pre-med sciences... and whatever other courses you need to finish out a bachelors degree, and kick butt on the MCAT!

The nursing experience will be beneficial. It's a challenge to make A's and work full time hrs while in school, but you would be surprised what you can accomplish when you want it bad enough!

Good luck on the NCLEX!

Sent from my SM-G930R7 using SDN mobile

 

[Belizean]

Congratulations on finishing nursing school and having a job lined up already! Good luck on the NCLEX!

You haven't ruined your chances for medical school. Stay goal oriented and make A's when you take your pre-med sciences... and whatever other courses you need to finish out a bachelors degree, and kick butt on the MCAT!

The nursing experience will be beneficial. It's a challenge to make A's and work full time hrs while in school, but you would be surprised what you can accomplish when you want it bad enough!

Good luck on the NCLEX!

Sent from my SM-G930R7 using SDN mobile

@raewants2beadoc ... Thank-you! I know it will be a long and difficult path, but if it were easy then everyone would do it. I'm feeling motivated, and I am confident in my ability to make the grades. I'm ecstatic about moving to the city in a couple months to be closer to the new job. I feel like it will be a fresh start. Also, I should be able to focus better once I'm out of this crowded household, not having to worry about finances so much, and on my own.

 

[Wonder Woman]

So I'm stealing someone else's idea and making a progress thread for all us RN to MD/DO hopefuls. Feel free to post a little about yourself, where you work, your progress / timeline, interests, or anything else pertaining to nursing.

Myself: 27, male, Florida / St. Pete area, I've worked on a Medical Respiratory floor for almost two years now. I'm sure I could make myself content for a little while if I went to the ICU or ED but eventually I'd want more.

I have a few C's in sciences prior to starting this journey. Never figured they'd hurt me down the road. I started my post bac with Chemistry II and Anatomy and Phys since I never had to take it as a prereq. I finished Organic Chemistry I and Trig this Spring, Organic Chemistry II this Summer B session (I need to ask this professor if he's willing to write a strong LOR since I spent a decent amount of time in his office hours). All A's so far but now I have Physics I this Fall (I was horrendous at Physics in high school like 11 years ago), and I guess Physics II and Biochemistry in the Spring. I'm not sure if I should take those two together. Especially since I'm getting married in January and will likely miss a week of class for the wedding / honeymoon.

Interests: PM&R (SCI, Musc, TBI) is probably my top choice even though I don't have exposure to it at the moment. The idea of working with people who can actually get better and gain some functionality back really excites me. Whereas my floor the majority of these people are never going to stop abusing alcohol, drugs, smoking etc and thus will never get better. It's a pretty decent lifestyle speciality too. Primary care in theory sounds good (working on prevention and managing chronic illnesses as necessary). I played baseball in college for a couple of years until I was basically too injured to give it my best so Sports Med seems appealing too and there are a few routes to that.

Timeline: Finish Physics I, II, and Biochemistry by Spring. Study a few months for MCAT, take in the Fall and eventually apply.

So there's a bit about myself. Feel free to post if you're a nurse or if you're not but have some advice for us.

Thanks

So I'm stealing someone else's idea and making a progress thread for all us RN to MD/DO hopefuls. Feel free to post a little about yourself, where you work, your progress / timeline, interests, or anything else pertaining to nursing.

Myself: 27, male, Florida / St. Pete area, I've worked on a Medical Respiratory floor for almost two years now. I'm sure I could make myself content for a little while if I went to the ICU or ED but eventually I'd want more.

I have a few C's in sciences prior to starting this journey. Never figured they'd hurt me down the road. I started my post bac with Chemistry II and Anatomy and Phys since I never had to take it as a prereq. I finished Organic Chemistry I and Trig this Spring, Organic Chemistry II this Summer B session (I need to ask this professor if he's willing to write a strong LOR since I spent a decent amount of time in his office hours). All A's so far but now I have Physics I this Fall (I was horrendous at Physics in high school like 11 years ago), and I guess Physics II and Biochemistry in the Spring. I'm not sure if I should take those two together. Especially since I'm getting married in January and will likely miss a week of class for the wedding / honeymoon.

Interests: PM&R (SCI, Musc, TBI) is probably my top choice even though I don't have exposure to it at the moment. The idea of working with people who can actually get better and gain some functionality back really excites me. Whereas my floor the majority of these people are never going to stop abusing alcohol, drugs, smoking etc and thus will never get better. It's a pretty decent lifestyle speciality too. Primary care in theory sounds good (working on prevention and managing chronic illnesses as necessary). I played baseball in college for a couple of years until I was basically too injured to give it my best so Sports Med seems appealing too and there are a few routes to that.

Timeline: Finish Physics I, II, and Biochemistry by Spring. Study a few months for MCAT, take in the Fall and eventually apply.

So there's a bit about myself. Feel free to post if you're a nurse or if you're not but have some advice for us.

Thanks

New to being a member here and not sure how to post without making it a reply, but I LOVED finding this forum. Reading how others have experienced the wild looks or snarky comments when you mention wanting to go to medical to your coworkers makes me feel a LOT better (not that I care what they think anyway). My favorite is "Why don't you become an NP?" *insert eye roll* because that isn't where my passion lies! Currently applying to post-bacc programs to get the party started! Any RNs-MDs in the forum who successfully were accepted to med school and if so any advice?
Thanks!

 

[Eccesignum]

New to being a member here and not sure how to post without making it a reply, but I LOVED finding this forum. Reading how others have experienced the wild looks or snarky comments when you mention wanting to go to medical to your coworkers makes me feel a LOT better (not that I care what they think anyway). My favorite is "Why don't you become an NP?" *insert eye roll* because that isn't where my passion lies! Currently applying to post-bacc programs to get the party started! Any RNs-MDs in the forum who successfully were accepted to med school and if so any advice?
Thanks!

Welcome to you. There are quite a few of us around who are current or accepted (congrats to y'all!) medical students. A lot of great advice has been given in this thread already; if you haven't read through the whole thing I'd definitely advise that first.

General advice is hard to give, because the generic advice is stuff you already know. Git gud at grades, get a solid MCAT score, have your ECs in a row, write a good app. If you tell us a little bit more about your situation we can give you much more tailored responses

One thing though -- you know you don't need to pay all that money for a formal post-bacc, I hope. Some people choose to for good reasons and that's fine, but for most people it's not necessary.

 

[Wonder Woman]

Welcome to you. There are quite a few of us around who are current or accepted (congrats to y'all!) medical students. A lot of great advice has been given in this thread already; if you haven't read through the whole thing I'd definitely advise that first.

General advice is hard to give, because the generic advice is stuff you already know. Git gud at grades, get a solid MCAT score, have your ECs in a row, write a good app. If you tell us a little bit more about your situation we can give you much more tailored responses

One thing though -- you know you don't need to pay all that money for a formal post-bacc, I hope. Some people choose to for good reasons and that's fine, but for most people it's not necessary.

Yeah I've heard that about post- bacc, but I think the structured format will be helpful for me. Plus, the advising will (hopefully) be a huge help.
I'm single, but seeing a guy who says he is supportive of me trying to go to medical school, but we will see when I start getting knee deep in chemistry. I agree with a lot of what I'm reading here that at 20/21 I was not mature nor ready enough to take this step, but at 25 I feel like I've matured and realized how I need to study to get the grades I need. I have also come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter what my friends think and I just stopped bringing it up with them. I plan on taking a full load starting over the summer and try to work weekends if possible. Any study tips for gen chem 1 and financial tips would be helpful! haha Will the AMCAS count anatomy classes as well? Will the graduate level physiology count as well or is it just the chem, physics, and bio chem?

 

[Eccesignum]

Yeah I've heard that about post- bacc, but I think the structured format will be helpful for me. Plus, the advising will (hopefully) be a huge help.
I'm single, but seeing a guy who says he is supportive of me trying to go to medical school, but we will see when I start getting knee deep in chemistry. I agree with a lot of what I'm reading here that at 20/21 I was not mature nor ready enough to take this step, but at 25 I feel like I've matured and realized how I need to study to get the grades I need. I have also come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter what my friends think and I just stopped bringing it up with them. I plan on taking a full load starting over the summer and try to work weekends if possible. Any study tips for gen chem 1 and financial tips would be helpful! haha Will the AMCAS count anatomy classes as well? Will the graduate level physiology count as well or is it just the chem, physics, and bio chem?

AMCAS counts all classes from every post-HS institution. What determines where they count is how they're classified. If your anatomy class is on your transcript as BIO or BIOL it'll count for science GPA. If not (if they were NUR for example) they'll count for overall GPA but not science. Someone on the last page pointed out that AACOMAS on the other hand counts NUR into science, so there are likely other differences between the two as well. If you're planning to also apply DO I'd make a note to check up on that

How graduate level courses are counted depends when they were taken. If it's graduate-level coursework that you took while formally enrolled in an undergraduate program, credit for the graduate coursework is usually counted toward the undergraduate degree requirements. If you were enrolled simultaneously in an undergrad and master's degree program the grad coursework is counted as grad and not undergrad. In professional degree programs (like Nursing) leading ultimately to a bachelor's degree, grad-level courses count as undergrad if I recall correctly. And if it was grad work that didn't count towards undergrad progression at all, it's counted as grad.

Grad GPA and undergrad GPA are ultimately considered separately for MD schools, where undergrad GPA carries much, much more weight. For DO, as a DO admin has confirmed here before, grad GPA is factored together with undergrad.

At least that's how it was last year. You might want to consult the AMCAS instruction manual or call AMCAS to make sure with your specific situation. And again AACOMAS may have other differences (I'm sure someone on here can comment on that).

Financial tips -- save some money, har. I worked two jobs per diem through my second degree and squirreled money into a special account just for application season. I'm glad I did, because the process can be ridiculously expensive (if you end up applying to multiple schools and have to be all over the place for interviews). Then there's moving costs, which can get substantial if you're moving to a high COA area. Start putting away buffer cash now so you don't run up credit cards as much as possible.

Gen Chem 1, ehhh. Depends how comfortable you are with chemistry. A general review book with practice questions and liberal use of Khan Academy got me through GChem 1 and 2 with no trouble. I found GChem boring as hell and OChem/Biochem far more interesting, but YMMV