Non-Traditional: Advice Please?

<p>I'm a rising senior physics major at a liberal arts school. I began an internship in medical physics this summer but have come to realize that working with machines is not something I'm interested in. I would rather work with people, and will soon be shadowing a radiation oncologist. </p>

<p>If it turns out that I feel radiation oncology is something I definitely want to do (I've been doing a lot of research on it so far and am excited to begin shadowing), I'll need to go to med school. I'll have to be a non-traditional student, because as a physics major, the only pre-reqs I have fulfilled are physics, calc, and the english requirement. Thus I'd take a year or two off after graduation to finish the requirements.</p>

<p>My problem: GPA. I have a 2.96 total gpa with a C in Quantum I and a C+ in Multivariable I. The rest of the time I've been a straight B student in the sciences, though I got an A- in Advanced Laboratory I. I did attend two years of community college during high school and got an AA degree with a 3.94 gpa (not factored into current gpa). I am confident that anywhere outside of my school I can get an A for my prereqs.</p>

<p>A thing to note - I do go to a school famed for grade deflation, where for the last 10 years the students accepted to med school had an average gpa of 3.38, ranging from 2.66 to 3.96.</p>

<p>Knowing that my school has such a wide range of gpa acceptances I feel comforted, but everything I've read online about the importance of gpa still makes me quite nervous. I'd like any advice for the late premed route (particularly for my situation), and to know if med school appears to be a viable possibility for me. I also would like some information on community college classes and their appearance to the med school admission committees, as I can only afford community college for the pre-reqs after graduation.</p>

<p>I’m sending a PM. My D1 followed a path almost identical to yours. (Physics major, non-trad, radiation physics, rad oncology…lowish GPA.)</p>

<p>[Nontraditional</a> Students - Student Doctor Network Forums](<a href=“Nontraditional Students | Student Doctor Network”>Nontraditional Students | Student Doctor Network)</p>

<p>Check it out.</p>