Unusual situation? Help?

[DrRainman]

So I have looked through these forums for an answer to my personal, situation and can't find one. In my undergrad years, my first three years sucked pretty bad. I was young and directionless, and generally regarded college as kind of the next step. I got A-s in organic chem, but C's/B's in gen chem and bio.I even managed a D in human phys, although I got an A the next term. I did manage straight A's/A-'s in gen phys. My last year I got straight A's in upper division biology, chemistry, and Anatomy classes. I graduated with a Biology and Political science major (3.35 GPA, most of the good grades were in Political Science, economics, and other non-science classes), and then proceeded to join the Navy and be a corpsman/medic.

I served in Iraq and Afghanistan. If there is one passion I gained from those rather sobering experiences it is that I definitely want to go for an MD. So what I am wondering is what the best route I would have about getting into a med school. I am confident that I now have the discipline necessary to study for the MCAT and get a quality score. Should I go for a post-bac? It seems that most people are less than impressed with the post-bac route. Would going to an island school be a more prudent option? How much help do my experiences in the military help/hinder me? Do US med schools have less than favorable views on having served in an organization that essentially revolved around violence?

I really appreciate any advice that someone could share with me. For the first time in my life I have idealistic drive and amibition, so thanks to all who help me out with it!

[stateofequilibrium]

I don't find your situation unusual at all. There are many people who served and went on to medical school.. or went to medical school and then served. The military itself has its own medical school.

A postbacc would help offset your earlier bad grades, but it seems like you did fine afterwards. The determining factor is most likely going to be your MCAT, at least scorewise.

[SinghMD]

rainman...although i lack all the experience n knowledge that you have gained from your years in the navy, I will say that your situation is not unusual. Around january of this yr, i did this ten week research program at Cornell Medical College in NYC. I had a leader who was a med student there. Through constant chatting with the students there, i found out that one of the students had been employed at IBM for over 12 yrs before he took the route toward med school. you do not need to consider an island med school. For all your classes in which you think you did bad, repeat them while studying for your MCATs. bring up ur science GPA n then apply to U.S. school while keeping God in mind. Im confident that you will end up getting admitted somwhere. dont underestimate your potential even if you feel that ur not a traditional med candidate...in fact, med school ppl constantly look for diff and unique applicants. I think that urs is a very strong and knowledgeable background. ur life in the navy as a medic only helps ur application package...
good luck
pm me if you need any more help. (um, no gross stuff pls. Last time i told someone to pm me, the person wanted me to call them for a lil uncensored chit chat) sigh* the apocalypse is near.
neha

[Dr.Wannabe]

Rainman- (weird, i just watched that tonight...)

I'm a medic in the Canadian Army and just had my first med school interview not even 24hrs ago. I too had sucky sucky grades, but unfortunately never pulled off straight A's afterward, just a few here and there throughout.
What I can tell you is that the military medic experience has been far more valuable to me than anything I learned or did not learn in university, and likewise, it brought me an affirmation that I am doing the right thing with med school no matter where I have to go and how long it takes to get in. Any good school is going to recognize your service before questioning your grades and you can go ahead and tell them about the magnificent training the forces gave you and how you found it so much more relevant in clinic and field settings than anything you would have learned in a traditional classroom. (Hopefully that's true for you too!)

Best of Luck with whatever route you choose!

[medway]

Rainman, If you do good in the MCAT's some of the schools might ask you take some other class or two and your in.