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Probably not. The application process for med school takes a full year–which means you would need to have all your pre-reqs completed, study for and take the MCAT, get the expected pre-med ECs done and be ready to apply June 1, 2019. That’s an impossible timeline.
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Are you asking if you can self-study as a substitute for completing pre-reqs? If that’s what you’re asking, the answer is NO. If a med school requires 6 credits of social sciences or a semester of biochem or a biostats course, then you’re not going to start med school classes unless you have them. Med schools do not check to see if you’ve completed your pre-reqs until post-acceptance/pre-matriculation --after you’ve submitted a final transcript w/proof of graduation-- so it’s quite possible to get accepted then have your acceptance withdrawn at the last minute for not having all the required coursework completed and verified by your official transcript.
A few med schools (USC, for example) do not list specific course requirements, but require “proof of competency” in organic chemistry, biology, genetics, biochemistry, physics, statistical methods, etc. Proof of competency cannot be satisfied just by having a great MCAT score, you must either have taken upper level electives in these areas OR have done extensive high level independent research (think senior research thesis) in all listed areas. The purpose of competency based admission is to allow applicants skip intro level classes in favor of more advanced classes. Note also that med schools will not accept AP credits as fulfilling admission requirements without supplementing those AP credits with an equal number of more advanced classes in the same dept. Also AP credits must appear on your college transcript and be assessed as equivalent to a course offered at your college if you want to use them as partial fulfillment of a pre-req.
- No research isn’t a deal-breaker so long as you’re not gunning for research intensive med schools (think Top 30 programs).
No shadowing will get your application tossed straight into the trash. You should aim to get at least 40-50 hours of shadowing done in a variety of specialties, especially in primary care fields, before you apply.
You’ll also need clinical volunteering/employment if you have not done any. You’ll need substantial more hours of this than shadowing. (Think triple digits.) Your volunteering needs to be in positions where you have direct patient contact. (“Close enough you can smell the patient.”)
Adcomms will also want to see a track record of regular community service (you’re going into a highly altruistic profession, they want a demonstrated proof of your altruism…) and some demonstration of your leadership potential/skills(because like it or not, doctors lead the healthcare team and you need to show you can do this).
Some comments: D1 made the transition from a physics & math major who decided to pursue med school as a senior to a successful med school applicant and now a 4th year medical resident. It can be done, but…you have to take your time to get all parts in place if you want to be successful. This means having a GPA in range for med school (3.7 or better). You don’t get cut any slack for having a tough major. Or for going to an academically challenging school. A great MCAT will not compensate for a lackluster GPA.
You also need to have all the other boxes checked–shadowing, community service, clinical volunteering, leadership–if you want to get adcomms to take your application seriously. Your stats only prevent your application from being tossed out; it’s your ECs, personal statement, LORs and everything else that get you invited to an interview.
Vanderbilt uses a health profession committee letter for students applying to med school. Not having one will be construed as a red flag on your application. You need to make an appointment with the health profession advising office when you return to campus and chat with them about what they expect from you if you want one.
Last comment–being fascinated by anatomy is wonderful, but its not nearly enough for a successful med school application. Medicine is not anatomy. That’s only a very tiny part. Medicine is mostly about dealing with flawed human beings with all their emotions, prejudices and stupidities on the what is often the very worst day of their lives. Patients will spit and curse at you, argue with you over treatment, ignore your advice, do exactly the opposite of what you suggest and continue to persist in doing the exact same behaviors that landed them in your office in the first place. If that doesn’t sound appealing to you, then maybe medicine isn’t the right path for you.
From the way you’ve worded you post, it mostly sounds like you’re running away from engineering, not running toward medicine. Examine your motives closely.