Beyond repair??

[Chaps]

I'm 26 and am presently training to be a pilot in the Canadian Forces. I eventually want to be a doctor, but am in no hurry to do it (one career at a time!!). Academically, I've been weak, so in the mean time I will have to work on fixing that - if I'm not beyond repair. What can I do? I have completed 3 years of a BA with only a 2.5 GPA (there were fails - I was a lazy student in the past!!). I hope to bring that closer to a 3.0 on the final few courses. I'll have to do this via distance education too because of my job. Will this pose a problem? The military is very flexible with education, and will sponsor me to do anything considered to be academic progression. What are your suggestions to get me prepared for med school over the next few years? Thanks.

[jpryor]

I have a foot in both of your worlds. I assume you're training for fixed wing (I was rotary). By all means, complete that training first. As far as your academic credits go, think in a "before" and "after" scenario. There are many successful physicians who had less than stellar academic performance as teenagers and young adults, but reached a level of maturity and academic accomplishment later. Just don't shoot yourself in the foot trying to accomplish too much too fast. Once things have settled down in your life, begin taking science courses. Internet courses are okay for some courses, but they require a lot of self-discipline to sit down in front of the computer each night. If the military is amenable, classroom instruction is better for those of us who find too many good reasons to get up from the computer. I'd start off with one science course--an easy one--like Biology (with lab). If you do okay with that, consider adding an additional course the next semester. Just don't get in a hurry and add too many courses so that your GPA suffers. Once you have the prerequisites completed (and a good science GPA) I'd apply with confidence to the schools of my choice. Rather than counting against you, your improvement shows the maturaity and inate abilities medical schools look for.

Good luck...and keep the shiny side down.

[Nate-MD]

We had a crazy ex-Navy pilot in our class for two semesters. Boy was insane.... but somehow top of the class. I'd like to tell you that his military training had something to do with it, but i'm sure that it's actually one of the several near death experiences that gave him a new perspective and focus on life. Then he decided that he missed flying and left school. Oh well. Good luck regardless.