Introducing: Non-Traditional Med Student 101!

NEW SERIES ALERT! Go your own way❤️A piece of advice I find myself giving more often than not. Very recently, I’ve been getting messages from non-traditional pre-med students asking: Do you think it’s too late to ___? Do you think I’m too old to ___? With kids, is it reasonable to ___? Is it worth the money to ___? Before I share my response, what exactly is a non-traditional student? Well, it’s me. And if you’re reading this, maybe it’s you too! A non-traditional student is one who does not follow the typical path of high school, college, med school (with very few breaks). Perhaps you took time to work, get a Masters, complete a post-bac program, or raise a family. Perhaps you had a completely different career path and then decided medicine is for you. All of that is more than ok. Your path is unique to you and it’s never too late or too (fill in your own blank) to make it happen! I didn’t get into medical school until I was 27. I shudder to think what would have happened if I had given up prematurely! Sure, there are people who get into med school right after undergrad. That’s not my testimony.

A lot of people ask me to offer a realistic opinion when I advise. That’s just not something I can do. If you want me to talk you out of a dream that is lofty/borderline crazy, I’m not your girl!😂🙌🏾I truly believe any and everything is possible if you want and believe for it enough! The investment will be worth it! Just go for it and don’t look back! The road can be tough and long especially for non-traditional pre-meds, but I’m a witness: it can and WILL happen for you.

Without further adieu, the topic for today is: How to Get Started! Now that you’ve decided med school is for you, it’s time to hit the ground running. Let’s talk pre-requisites.  Most med schools require:

2 semesters of Biology

2 semesters of General Chemistry

2 semesters of Organic Chemistry (still recovering! Ha!)

2 semesters of Physics

2 semesters of Math

2 semesters of Humanities

2 semesters of Social Sciences

It does not hurt to call the admissions offices of schools you are especially interested in just to ensure you have taken all the correct pre-requisite coursework. It’s also beneficial to take upper level science courses (Biochemistry, Anatomy, etc.) to help get a better feel of what may be expected of you once you matriculate into medical school. Now that you are well-acquainted with your academic record and any holes you may need to fill, you can decide which approach to take. Are you ready to apply right to med school? Do you need a post-bac program where you can take a few classes at a local university to complete pre-req requirements? Could you benefit from a Masters in Science program where you spend time boosting your science GPA? Whatever you decide, get organized and go for it! I did all of the above lol. I needed to take Physics I and II and wanted to take Biochemistry. I also needed to retake Chem II and Organic Chem II because my grades from undergrad were subpar. I completed all of these courses within three semesters at Southern Polytechnic State University, now an expansion of Kennesaw State University. I did not get into medical school the first time I applied, so I decided it was time to go even harder. I applied for a Masters of Science program at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine – GA Campus and completed the two-year program to demonstrate I am capable of upper level science coursework (all of this was after my Masters in Public Health). In order to make the best decisions for my path, I weighed my options using a color-coded spreadsheet. Email me if you want to see an example! This was my holygrail reference when it came to determining program benefits and applying. The most important piece of advice I have when getting this journey started? Get organized! Determine what requirements you have yet to meet and choose (post-bac, Masters, research experience, shadowing, etc.) how to complete them. Most importantly, keep your nose to the ground and keep going!

In this series we are going to discuss how to complete the AMCAS application for med school, recommendation letters, personal statements, how to pay for school (college, post-bacs, Masters, med school), how to survive failure, shadowing and research opportunities, and so much more! Be sure to let me know below in the comments or on IG if there is anything specific you would like me to address. You can expect these posts weekly each Saturday. Can’t wait to share the next post and I truly hope this helps!

xoxo,

Anya

Photos by Tina Smith