Post-Bacc Pre-Med Course Plan.... opinions?

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
1

<p>Hi all,</p>

<p>I graduated with a BA in Psychology and was planning on pursuing my PhD in Clinical Psych but have since decided I would prefer to pursue medicine and probably pursue a specialization in psychiatry, neuropsychiatry, or neurology. There are no formal post-bacc programs in the area, so I am planning on doing an informal post-bacc at a local 4-year state university. Here is my course layout with the intention of applying in the 2009-2010 cycle for entry Fall 2011 (all are at the same 4-year state university unless otherwise mentioned) -- please give any thoughts you have:</p>

<p>Summer 2009 (10 units)
Gen Chem I/Lab (hopefully at university, but may have to be at community college)
Gen Bio I/Lab (community college -- not offered at the local university in summer)</p>

<p>Fall 2009 (10 units)
Gen Chem II/Lab
O-Chem I/Lab
*considering taking an evening EMT-B course all semester in order to prepare for some additional clinical experience. What do you think?</p>

<p>Spring 2010 (10 units)
Gen Bio II/Lab
O-Chem II/Lab</p>

<p>APRIL MCAT -- first attempt if practice tests indicate I am ready (each section score is 10+)</p>

<p>Summer 2010 (8 units)
Human Anatomy & Physiology I&II/Lab (community college -- taken in parallel, mostly to strengthen a retake of the MCAT as well as to give some background prior to med school)</p>

<p>AUGUST MCAT -- retake MCAT if April MCAT score was not adequate or was not ready</p>

<p>Fall 2010 (6 units) <--Would you recommend adding a chemistry class to this semester (e.g., analytical) or, perhaps, a physics course to enhance my physical science knowledge?
Biochem I
Cell Bio</p>

<p>Spring 2011 (8 units)
Biochem II
Genetics/Lab</p>

<p>APRIL MCAT -- one final attempt if previous two went poorly and/or did not get admitted for Fall 2011; would result in 1-year delay of entry to med school (Fall 2012)</p>

<p>My prior collegiate background includes a year of physics (B first semester, but I took that during HS as a college course in dual enrollment and A second semester, which was my seniors of college) as well as an A in a neurobiology course in the psychology dept (cross-listed in the bio dept). My overall GPA in college was a 3.8 and my GRE was over the 90th percentile, so I am expecting the verbal aptitude on the MCAT to be high (12 would correspond to my GRE Verbal as would an S on the MCAT Writing to my GRE AWA). If my PS score were to correlate with my quantitative on the GRE (the closest correlation I would expect between a science subscale on the MCAT and a subscale of the GRE), I might expect around an 11. Finally, if my BS score, after taking a Bio major's worth of Bio classes is similar to my Psych GRE, I might expect around a 13. I realize, of course, that I cannot really expect those correlations to hold, but they have generally held across subjects, which makes them a (very) rough indicator of the type of MCAT score I might expect with proper preparation.</p>

<p>In addition to the coursework, I have been working full-time at a residential facility for in-patient psychiatric youth (conduct d/o, MDD, BPD, Bipolar d/o, PTSD, etc.). It is classified as a residential treatment facility (not a psychiatric hospital) so I actually do medication administration, direct care (crisis management, run therapeutic groups, direct childcare, etc.), and have done some case management. (I intend to continue working full-time there unless my classes force me to drop down to part time.) I am also doing an informal practicum at a local hospital under a neuropsychologist. The plan is for me to work with him as well as to do some work with psychiatrists, neuropsychiatrists, and neurologists during the practicum, which will likely be on-going until I go to medical school. I also may try completing an EMT-B certification and getting a job at the hospital in the ER.</p>

<p>If you have any thoughts on my course layout or planned clinical experiences, I would definitely like to hear them!
Also, if there is anything I am missing in my preparation, please let me know.
Thanks!</p>

2

<p>The only issue I see is that you’re planning to take Gen Chem II the same semester as Organic I… are you sure the university allows that? A lot of schools require that you finish Gen Chem II before organic.</p>

<p>Also, med schools generally prefer that you take pre-reqs at a 4 year school rather than at a community college. I know undergrads who have held out on pre-reqs until reaching a 4yr college, or have retaken pre-reqs that they already took at a CC. Might be different as you’re a non-traditional student… maybe someone else can clarify this, but it could be an issue.</p>

3

<p>For non-trads, I’m willing to give a bit of leeway on where courses happen, simply because, they generally have other stuff going on (ie, the OP is going to continue working full time). Plus, in general, non-trads aren’t desperate to end up at ‘top 20’ med schools like so many of our HS senior pre-meds claim to be. Taking courses at a CC is less than ideal, but if that’s what we have to work with, that’s what has to be done. The biggest thing though is that there’s zero room for error. You absolutely must get A’s at CC courses. One B isn’t the death of you, but really, really try to avoid it for those CC courses.</p>

<p>I think overall your course selections are good, covering the pre-reqs but also giving you a chance to demonstrate the ability to handle upper level science courses. </p>

<p>EMT…meh. It appears that you have and will have enough clinical and patient experience to assuage any concerns. Given that you’re going to keep working, and doing school, I think it’s important to not put too much on your plate. If your grades started slipping, the EMT course, or the time working as an EMT would be the first thing I’d cut.</p>

<p>Recognize that the MCAT is no longer limited to April and August with introduction of the Computer Based Test. There’s a lot more freedom. I’d also only plan on taking it ONCE…forget the April of 2010 exam, and put your focus into taking the MCAT in August or September. That also frees you up to slide the Organic I back (since I agree, it’d be unlikely you’d be allowed to take Gen Chem II and Organic at the same time). Replace Organic in Fall 2009 with just Physiology if possible, take OChem 1 and Bio 2 in Spring 2010, and then Organic 2 and genetics in Summer of 2010 along with MCAT prep. There’s really little need for Anatomy so taking just the phys portion would be of greater yield if the option is there to take the subject on it’s own. I realize this may not be an option. Regardless, Genetics is probably higher yield than physiology anyways. A good MCAT review course should be able to give you the important facts for any physiology that’s likely to show up.</p>

<p>Basically, I just don’t like the idea of setting the MCAT up to be “I can just take this as many times as I need to”. While the AAMC removed the barriers to taking the test more than 3 times, I’d be surprised if any admissions committees don’t find multiple attempts to be a major flaw. That goes the same for your April 2011 MCAT…you should only take that if your MCAT score was the obvious reason for you not getting accepted to the graduating class of 2015. If you get a 31, I’d leave it be unless something weird happened like you ran out of time and left portions of the test unanswered.</p>