Hello, so I’m currently a freshman in community college, a non traditional student I am 23 years old and hoping to transfer to a university in two years to get my bachelors before applying to medical school. I work full time and go to school full time between my course load, working and class I feel like I have no time for all the extra activities that benefit the med school applications like the shadowing, clinical, research, clubs, and volunteering. Was wondering if there was anyone else in the same boat that has accomplished this that could give me some insight and some advice.
Once you transfer to a university, could you decrease your job hours and work a bit at a science lab on campus? Or could you try to work in a setting related to medicine? A doctor’s office, for example, or a hospital?
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I work full time
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What sort of work do you do? Do you have a M-F 8am - 5pm job? Or what? What hours will you be going to school?
Shadowing doesn’t require that many hours. As for volunteering and research, we may be able to suggest more once you tell us more.
Can you cut back on your hours at some point? Possibly change jobs to one that has some sort of field related to medicine?
Will you always have to work full time?
You could take a gap year or two after the 4 year University to prepare for the medical ECs or prep for the MCAT that are required, in lieu of the class schedule. Right now, the most important for you to do is to get high grades for each class for the ensuing college years in addition to your work. You do not have to graduate in 4 years, because med schools do not care how long take you to complete your UG, but the do care if you are getting all As in the classes and have a high MCAT score.
My physician neighbor started his med school in his 30s, after working for over 10 years.
If you envision your MD career only involved in treating patients, the time you spend in some research project would be better spent in clinical, shadowing activities.