Thank you everyone . We will look into the medical assistant option at our community college.
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In the name of thoroughness, there is one option I want to mention:
going to the Caribbean for medical school.
There are a couple of medical schools located in Caribbean countries that have a fairly decent track record of producing graduates who do match back to the US for medical residency and whose grads practice in the US.
Not all of these schools require the student to complete their bachelorâs degree first, only the pre-reqs. Also these schools are less interested in their students having all the typical pre-med ECs. (research, community service with the disadvantaged, paid or volunteer clinical experience, physician shadowing, leadership roles in their ECs.)
I tpersonally donât recommend going to a Caribbean med school because they have high drop out/fail out rates. (About 30-35% of students fail to finish vs. 3-4% of USMD students and 7-8% of USDO students) Successful Caribbean med students must have excellent study & time management skills, be self-directed and persistent, and willing to work very, very hard. However, two of the âBig Fourâ Caribbean med schools seat classes 2 or 3x/year so that a student who graduates early from college doesnât have to wait to start.
There are a couple of caveats about Caribbean med schools. One is that these schools are all private and for-profit (and therefore probably more expensive than your in-state med school). The other is how well the graduates of these schools succeed in matching to a US residency. (Assuming your son wants to practice medicine in the US.) Not all Caribbean med schools are created equal. Some are (much) better than others and it will require careful research into the graduation and residency placement rates of various schools.
Going to a Caribbean med school is risky. But it will shorten the MD process for your child by 2-3 years.
How is your S graduating by the age of 20? Did he enter college with a lot of credits from HS? Will medical schools accept these credits?
My daughter entered college as a second semester sophomore and could have also graduated early, but she did not. She spent a lot of time researching different medical schools (and other programs) and made a list of which schools accepted her credits. She learned that medical schools accepted certain credits, but not allâŠand not most.
This is a little off topic, but might be important in terms of medical school applications for this student.
He is graduating from undergrad at age 20. How is he doing this? Is he using AP credits, Dual Enrollment HS/college courses. Or did he graduate from HS at age 16.
If he is using college courses taken in high schoolâŠwere they taken at a four year college or a community college? If any were medical school prerequisite courses, has he taken any upper level courses at his bachelors college?
Has he checked to see if medical schools of interest will accept these courses? IIRC, some medical schools are very less receptive to courses taken at community colleges, for example. And most do require upper level courses be taken as part of the bachelors program.
Just curious how he is fulfilling his major requirements and graduating at age 20.
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He was a dual enrollment student , so graduated with high school diploma and Associates degree in spring 2021
SoâŠwere any of the required courses for medical school applicants taken at the community college? If so, did your son also then take upper level courses in the same area at the bachelors college? I ask, because there are medical schools that will not accept community college coursesâŠand will expect upper level courses at the bachelors college for any courses taken at the CC.
@WayOutWestMom can better explain.
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Indeed there are medical schools that will not accept CC credits for pre-reqs.
Additionally, there is an expectation that CC credits taken as dual enrollment will be supplemented by additional UL electives in the same department as the CC credits if the student wants to be considered a strong applicant for admission. CC coursework is considered less academically rigorous and less competitive than coursework taken a 4 year college.
Please consult MSAR for CC credit policies at each med school your son may want to apply to.
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-For example -So he took chemistry at CC and did Organic chemistry 1&2 and bio chemistry in undergrad , is that what you mean by upper level courses?
UL mean more advanced, as in course work offered to students have completed a intro level class in the same discipline.
OChem may or may not count as an UL supplement to gen chem.
General chemistry is an intro level course in inorganic chemistry. Ochem is an intro level class in organic chemistry/biochemistry. Some med schools may expect a UL class in inorganic, analytic or physical chemistry to supplement gen chem.
Again, please consult MSAR and/or directly contact an individual med school to ask. Policies vary widely.
You may find this pinned thread helpful: FAQ Pre-med courses, AP/IB/etc. credit and college/DE courses, etc.
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Actually med school statements on how they perceived CC coursework
SUNY Upstate College of Medicine
Frequently Asked Questions | College of Medicine | SUNY Upstate Medical University
âApplicants should avoid taking more than one or two prerequisite science courses during the summer and avoid taking them at community colleges.â
Ichan School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
http://icahn.mssm.edu/education/medical/admissions/regular-track/requirements 1
Q: Can I take my courses at a community college, or must I take them at a four-year college or university?
A: We have no requirement about where you take courses, though the Committee on Admissions does take that into consideration in evaluating your application.
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Prerequisites, Requirements and Policies | Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine M.D. Program 1
The School of Medicine accepts prerequisites completed at the community college level. In order to be competitive in the selection process, we encourage prospective applicants with community college prerequisites to supplement these courses by taking advanced courses in related subjects at their four year institution.
University of Florida College of Medicine
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions » FAQ » Medical Admissions » College of Medicine » University of Florida
Q: Can I take the prerequisite courses at my local community/junior college?
A: In order to create the most academically competitive application you should take all prerequisite courses at the most competitive bachelorâs degree granting institution where you can gain entrance. You should try to complete your pre-requisite courses at a four-year institution
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
https://www.einstein.yu.edu/educatiâŠpplication-procedure/course-requirements.aspx
Whereas course work at a four-year college or university is our benchmark, if a student chooses to meet a competency component via an alternate route such as through laboratory experience, through an advanced placement course, a course taken at a community college, a course taken abroad (during a semester abroad for which the undergraduate U.S. degree-granting institution gives credit, or for which AMCAS will verify and report the grade), or an online course, he or she should seek guidance from his or her advisor to ensure that the option meets the above guidelines as well as the rigorous academic standard required by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
George Washington University
MD Program Frequently Asked Questions | The School of Medicine & Health Sciences
Do you accept community college credits?
Yes. The Committee on Admissions does accept coursework taken at a community college; however, it is preferable to have the pre-medical coursework taken at a four-year college or university.
Florida State University College of Medicine
http://med.fsu.edu/?page=mdAdmissions.admissionRequirement
Listed below is the pre-requisite coursework required for all matriculates to the FSU COM. Advanced Placement, CLEP, and dual enrollment credits fulfill the course requirements. However, courses taken in a traditional classroom at a four-year institution are considered to be more academically competitive.
Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
MD Program Admissions Requirements | Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
Two pre-requisite science courses can be fulfilled with AP credits, community college courses or through a study abroad program.
Texas A&M Health Sciences Center College of Medicine
Medical School Admissions
Policy on AP Credits, Credits by Exam, and Dual Credit
We generally prefer that applicants take the prerequisite courses at 4-year accredited colleges and universities rather than utilize advanced placement credits, credits by exam, dual-credit, pass/fail course work or community college courses. We do not dismiss these credits; and, if they have been taken, we will accept them toward meeting the prerequisites. In fact, if an applicant has placed out of a required level course, we will also accept another course in that discipline at the same or higher level. Again, our preference is that applicants take graded courses at 4-year institutions, particularly the prerequisites in the biological sciences and the chemistry series.
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
http://www.medschool.vcu.edu/admissions/md/faq/#q43
Are community college classes accepted as prerequisite course credit?
They may be, but the Admissions Committee generally expects students to complete all prerequisite courses at a four-year undergraduate institution.
Yale
https://medicine.yale.edu/education/admissions/apply/premed.aspx 1
Pre-medical courses must be completed in a U.S., U.K., or Canadian college or university. U.S. Community College courses are acceptable, provided that the courses include laboratory work and are comparable in content to courses at four-year colleges, universities, or institutes of technology.
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
http://www.medschool.vcu.edu/admissions/md/faq/#q43
Are community college classes accepted as prerequisite course credit?
They may be, but the Admissions Committee generally expects students to complete all prerequisite courses at a four-year undergraduate institution.
Weill Cornell
http://weill.cornell.edu/education/admissions/app_faq.html 2
Can I take my prerequisite courses at a Community College?
It is not recommended.
Carle Illinois College of Medicine
Community college credit is accepted and Advanced Placement credit is accepted when succeeded by a higher-level course in the same subject at an undergraduate institution.
Creighton University SOM
Creighton University School of Medicine has no defined prerequisite course requirements. However, as preparatory to the MCAT and a rigorous medical school curriculum, we recommend the following recent (past 3 years) coursework in an accredited 4-year college/university in the United States or Canada
Since there are literally several dozen applicants for each available medical school seat, itâs important for every applicant to build the strongest, most compelling application portfolio possible. Using CC creditsâwhich are perceived to be less academically rigorous and less challenging-- to fulfill admission requirements is not a way to build a strong application.
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@Willwin i would very very strongly suggest that your son immediately make an appointment to talk to the medical school advising folks at his college. They will at least be able to give him some direction regarding courses he needs to still take to be a competitive applicant to medical schools.
Itâs very possible it might take him more than one additional year if he needs to take additional upper level courses. If he graduates undergrad at age 21, it really wonât be a big deal if it means he has fulfilled the course requirements for medical school.
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