I am 22 year old girl with a 3 month old son and a GED. I want to become a surgeon just want to know if it’s still possible for me, how and where do I start!
Sure, it is possible if you are a good student and test taker. But it is a very long time to go to school, especially if you have to support your son and don’t have a partner or parents who can help with childcare & expenses.
You need to get a four year degree before you can apply to medical school. You could start at a local community college for your first two years (or as long as it takes to get an associates degree). Then transfer to a four year school to finish your degree.
For medical school admission you don’t need a specific major for your undergraduate degree, but there are a required set of courses you must take (you can Google them) and do very well in as an undergraduate to be considered for med school admission. You also would take the MCAT test near the end of college; a high score on that is very important for med school admission.
There is something to be said for not being a biology major for your undergraduate degree. It is pretty hard to get a good job with just a 4 year bio degree, and there are a lot of people who major in that, don’t get into med school, and then struggle to find a job. I’d major in something more marketable and still take the med school courses.
Finances could be a big challenge for you. You should research Pell grants and federal student loans. If you have taken the SAT or ACT and have very good scores, there might be other options open to you. Some women’s colleges (Smith, for example) specifically have programs for non-trad students with high academic potential.
There are a lot of other jobs in the medical field that require less education than med school. If your path to med school doesn’t work out, consider trying for some other job in that field.