Change from IT to MEDICINE

[mac umer]

Hellow everyone,I just finished my undergraduate in CIS and have been working as an IT analyst. In last six month, I have discovered that this is not the field I want to pursue my career. I feel very isolated from human kind and nature. I canot see myself working and spending 10-12 hrs on computers. I started college as a pre-med but due to serious financial problems I had to work two jobs during whole my college years and I was forced to change my major. I guess it was a mistake. I regret not pursuing my goal but I had no other chioce. Now i am 27 and planning to go back to finish my pre-med courses and follow my dream. I finished my undergraduate with 3.4 GPA. I am looking for some advice and suggestions. Please tell me if I am making right decision or not. What types of obstacles I will face. Please reply me. Goodluck and God bless you all.

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[DocHaas]

You will be considered a "non-traditional student" by the allopathic schools because of your age. In general the belief is that such students must have really strong "numbers" in order to get into an allopathic school. You may want to consider the osteopathic avenue as they are felt to be kinder to "NT students."

 

[JAKE]

I was in a situation similar to yours about a year and a half ago. I was 28 and working as a network engineer. Medicine was always my dream so I made the decision to go back to school and do the prereqs. My undergrad GPA of 2.58 was quite a bit lower than yours, so I basically had to beg to get into my post-bac premed program. I maintained a 4.0 in the post-bac program, which raised my overall GPA to above a 3.0, and did well on the MCAT. I am happy to say that my decision to go back has paid off. I have had a few interviews already and have been accepted at two schools so far for fall of 2000.

I think coming from an IT background is a definite advantage for yourself and this has been expressed to me by admissions committees during my interviews. For the remainder of my time between now and the start of med school I have taken a job working as a network engineer in a large hospital and it has been a great experience so far!

So my advice is, if you are certain that being a doctor is what you want, then go for it!

 

[tonem]

Jake is right. I am a non-traditional medical student (35 y.o.). My gpa was lower than yours is and my MCATs were only slightly above average. I know of one student in my class w/ a Master's in computer science and a 3rd year that has just completed his PhD in medical informatics or something like that. As far as advise, take the MCATs seriously. You should take as many full length practice exams as possible. Sign up for a prep course if you can afford it. And research schools before you apply to find the ones that are very interested in non-traditional students. Good luck.

 

[ana]

I do not agree that you will necessary have to have higher nos. (gpa or mcat) just because you are "non-traditional." And by the way, you are not THAT non-traditional... I know several medical students that fit that description more accurately (they are in their 30's, have children, etc...). You have a long application process ahead of you, but here is a start:

1. Make sure you meet all your prerequisites. For most schools, 1 year each of physics, chemistry, & bio. At least 1 term each of organic chemistry, biochemistry, and English. If you have gotten less than a C- in any of these prereq classes, you must take them again and get an A. If you passed with a least a C, do not repeat the class. Take a different, more advanced class that you know you will get an A in.

2. Get letters from those professors who gave you A's.

3. Get some clinical experience working with patients.

You can do all this part time, but the best way is to go full throttle with a post bacc program. Although there is nothing wrong with a being a med student in your 30's, believe me (I know from experience), it is tougher and you can make life easier for yourself by getting in as early as you can.

OK, enough of this for now. Let me know if you have other questions.