Session 60

Taken directly from the OldPreMeds.org forums, today's question comes from a 30-year-old nontraditional student with a professional background in pharmaceuticals and now she's looking at changing her career and committing to medical oncology.

OldPreMeds Question of the Week:

"I am so happy to have found this community. I am 30 years old with a professional background in pharmaceuticals, formerly a QC Chemist, and currently an oncology R&D project manager, and an academic background in microbiology, a B.S. with a GPA 3.3/4.0, and business MBA 3.8/4.0.

Fairly recently, difficult life experiences have helped align my priorities and have increased my desire to help people who are suffering. Because of my interest in solving complex problems, my desire to aid people in life and death situations and my passion to contribute to a relatively nascent scientific field, I believe that I can best serve patients as a medical oncologist.

Although I really enjoy my current job, I feel a strong urge to contribute to the enrichment of patient's well-being on a more intimate level. My goal is to decide whether or not to commit to the medical school route by the end of February. To aid in this decision, I have spoken to a NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) resident and an Oncology Fellow, and am setting up time to shadow physicians.

I am also trying to better understand what would be required for me to be a strong medical school candidate. I would apply in 2018. Does anyone have suggestions they’d like to share? I believe I’d need to take some classes to boost my undergraduate GPA and would need to attain a very strong MCAT score, and would need to start volunteering in a clinic. I want to be sure that if I applied to medical school in 2018 I will be seriously considered so I can start my training as soon as possible."

Here are my insights: [03:10] Shadowing, Volunteering, and Clinical Experience

The poster has a great background for wanting to enter medicine. She has been exposed to one side of medicine but found a passion to work closer with patients.

I would be wary of talking to residents and fellows and medical students about their experiences because you're practically talking to them at the worst possible times in their life. A fellow is probably a little bit less stressed out but the resident is going to be super stressed out so they may not have the best advice for you. Medical students are also going through a tough time in their life. Hence, I am here to give you an advice, who is on the other side where things have already calmed down and you’re done with training.

If you're interested in that, the best thing to do is to start shadowing physicians so you can get one-off experiences and their points of view. The best way to tell you if you're going to like the life of a physician is to experience it yourself though shadowing, seeing, and observing in the sense of what it's like to interact with patients. Volunteering is important as well as getting that clinical experience, being around patients and interacting with them. Making sure that you like being around sick people is very important.

[05:15] MCAT and Coursework

You're going to need a good MCAT score. Your GPA is okay. Having a Microbiology degree, 3.3 is not a great GPA so retaking some of your courses will help boost your GPA assuming you do well in those classes.

Do what is easiest for you. Taking them at a community college is fine especially when you're working full time. Taking night classes offered at your local four-year university is fine too. Taking those classes will help prepare you for the MCAT which is going to be the biggest hurdle for you.

[06:00] Final Thoughts

Shadow. Make sure this is right for you. It's not the end of the world if you don't get in considering that it sounds like you like your current job. But if you truly want to go down this path and really decide to be a physician, then even if you don't get in your first year, figure out why and reapply.

Links:

OldPreMeds.org

MedEd Media Network

Shoot me an email at [email protected]