Life as a Nontraditional Medical Student
Вставка
- Опубліковано 13 лип 2024
- As a non-traditional medical student (ie someone who wasn't a pre-med major and didn't intend on medicine being their original career) you might be afraid that you don't have what it takes to make it through medical school given your different background. But as a non traditional student myself (engineering background), I can tell you that while it may be hard at first, it will ultimately set you apart and give you a valuable set of skills and life experiences that will serve you well in medical school and your future career as a doctor.
-Brian
MUSIC:
Sunkissed by Ikson @ikson
Music provided by Free Music for Vlogs • (Free Music for Vlogs)...
My class in one of the oldest and finest medical schools in the country (yes, I'm prejudiced) had a concert pianist and an engineer. They did just as well as everyone else. Frankly a "pre-med" background is of little help in medical school. After all, think about it, the faculty cannot take the risk of assuming that you all know anything specifically. Medical school is not difficult per se. It is tedious. An important skill is the ability to assimilate large amounts of information in a relatively short time. Some have a knack for it. For others it's a learned art. But everyone does learn to do it. Truth be told it's really fun.
Thank you for this comment.
My sentiments exactly. I get this as an objection from people a lot. They think im full of B.S. when I talk about taking a major in communications. Jokes on them.
@@adhdlivingyourdreams9515 If "communications" taught you to stand up and express yourself clearly and concisely in grammatically-correct English, it will serve you well in life.
Awesome video! I'm an engineering manager with electrical engineering background. Currently working on taking my prerequisites for medical school. Never took any biology, psychology or even chemistry in college but I'm excited to challenge myself! 👍
how is this going? looking to do the same
Yep. Same here with Science but am going to tackle chem, Biochem, and Genetics for my MS in Genetics Counseling.
how are you taking your pre requisites?
How are you taking? Can you share with us
@@hudaali4856 in the end I didn't get a good MCAT score and therefore, didn't get accepted to any MD schools. Overall, I took 76 units of pre-med units plus 100+ hours of volunteer and shadowing. I decided not to reapply next cycle and now, I'm back to work. I landed my dream job, which I'm incredibly grateful for. Being a pre-med student was tough, but I enjoyed every bit of it. Best wishes to anyone who wants to grow! ❤️
I'm 30 and look forward to attending med school in two years. Coming from criminal justice background but have a biology/medical education.
Feeling really bad about being so behind. Pray for me folks.
You think you're behind? Well, I will be applying to medical schools in about 2 years, at age of 39. Hope that makes you feel better! You will do just fine.
I'm right there with you 31 y/o on schedule to take MCAT a year from spring
Good luck y’all! You got this!!!
Billy White will also be starting med school at 32 in 2 years. My background is in Nutrition
/Dietetics. Good luck to you!
You’re not behind. You’re right on time. The experience you have is impressive and you should think highly of it.
Engineering to med is certainly a journey. Much respect to you. You deserve a cigar doc (although you probably won’t agree with that last part 😃😃).
I Joined the Navy, and honestly thought Id be so behind everyone who started this journey out of high school, that theyd be enjoying life when I'm just getting started. Moving forward, I think the military equipped me with some essentials skills that ill need to continue on my path.
TwoTomatoes you and I both (Army though) I’m rooting for ya
did you go to med school? what did you major on in college? please answer, i rlly need info about this as i plan to join a military academy in college and go to med school. :))
Same. I was a sonar technician in the navy that ended up doing network administration/IT more than sonar. I had no idea at the time that I would be prepping for the MCAT and hopefully matriculating in '22. Good luck m8
this is inspiring. I'm a mechanical engineer too.
Yes. But wouldn't a mecheng background prepare you well (in some fashion) for Orthopaedics and biomechanics? Western Michigan University, for example, offers mechanical engineering students the option of a biomechanics course, since they also have a med school. I would hypothesize that an engineerung background is probably advantsgeous in surgery in general, but I really dont know for sure, tbh.
Thank you for the video. I’m taking a study break from my mcat, my thoughts kicked in and here I am watching your video. I’m currently 25 yo who took the premed path since my freshman year. I’ve done great as a premed in terms of gpa, volunteer and ECs until my senior year where I felt that I was missing out on life. I stared partying, traveling, meeting people from all over the world and worked in several fields to gain life experience. I left Texas to live In California and then lived In Europe for another year. I turned down a Phd position position in California as well because I felt that it wasn’t for me. I came back to Texas, worked and traveled during this year, joined a molecular bio lab again and started studying for my MCAT. I keep getting thoughts that I’m behind and that all my peers are ahead of me, in addition to the fact that my friends are telling me that I’m too old for med school now. Do you think 26 or 27 is too old to start medicine?
You definitely aren't too old. You just have to accept that you will be a bit different from your classmates and it's important to think ahead to what age you'll be when you finish all of your training. It's more than just 4 years to get through med school. When you factor in residency and fellowship it can be a lot longer depending on your speciality. All of those life experiences give you an advantage in some sense so it definitely won't limit your possibilities. If it's truly what you want to do then don't worry about your age or what anyone else thiks. Think ahead to when you're 50 years old and what you want to look back on as having done with your career. If that answer is medicine then keep working towards it.
Thanks for watching the video! Always like hearing they are helpful !
Brian, thanks for sharing your journey on being a non-traditional medical student. Your video inspired me to not be afraid of my nontraditional background but to use it to my advantage. I recently just graduated with a B.S. in Athletic Training in May and just started working as an ATC in a Physical Therapy clinic. Aside from work, I am in the process of studying for the MCAT and applying for a few post-bacc programs to finish my pre-requisites (I was not able to fit all of the pre-req classes with my athletic training curriculum).
It was during my sophomore/junior year of undergrad that I considered continuing my education and going the medical school route. Throughout my athletic training rotations, I worked with different types of physicians and thats where my interest for PM&R sparked. My goals are to get into medical school and eventually become a PM&R physician.
Anyway, thank you again for all of your videos! You are such an inspiration :)
Good for you!! It's never too late to go back to school and that's great that you have the motivation to keep working at it for what you really want. It's a really long journey but it goes by quickly and is worth it in the end. I have a classmate here at Mayo who was an athletic trainer before med school and is now a PMR resident too! Appreciate you watching the vids :D
This is the best most inspirational video I’ve ever seen 🙏 thank you. I’ve been thinking of going to medical school for years but I feel like I don’t have what it takes. Everyone makes it seem like it’s so extremely difficult. Im non traditional, 31 years old have been working as a paramedic for 9 years and going to school for the past two years. I’ve been working 80-100 hours a week pulling 24-48 hour shifts at a time in a busy EMS system plus going to school. Last semester I did fulltime school (online classes) and job and coaching a running/self esteem building program for school girls, and have a 4.0 GPA so far, finishing up my sophomore year but haven’t declared premed yet because everyone makes med school sound like it’s something unattainable, and you have to be superhuman to get through it but I’m really good at memorizing information and it sounds like there’s a lot of that in med school plus I have a lot of healthcare experience and I’ve had so many coworkers tell me to go to med school because I’m really good at my job but being old and non traditional is making me really doubt myself and my ability to succeed in medical school.
Jenny I'm 36 and I have been a paramedic for 12 years. I am working on my own path to med school. You're not too old and don't worry about the non traditional aspect. You will bring many enriching life experiences with you in med school and this will add the great diversity of your med school class as a whole.
As a psychology major pursuing a medical career in oncology, this video is very helpful. Thank you.
Will be attending medical school at 32 after obtaining my bachelors in Nutrition and Dietetics. Started school later in life. While I regret not going when I was younger, it’s still a goal of mine. I started school up again a couple years ago with only the desire to be a dietitian, however I feel I can help more people by being a doctor WITH a background in nutrition. I definitely lack confidence right now, hopefully that builds over time.
I'm a non-traditional medical student. I just started my first year in the university as a Health Management student. But I just felt deeply that I should be a medical student.
You can do it
I'm in my 3rd year of Computer Engineering and I've had for the past year med school in the back of my head for a major part of the year. Your video has been an amazing help.
Thank you for this explanation. My story is a bit similar. I’m a late starter in school. I am 31 years old and still have 2 years left to graduate college with a psych major. Just 2 years ago I began to wonder about MD degree in the hopes of becoming a psychiatrist but I keep telling myself that it’s impossible bc of my background and age but I’m feeling a little more confident in trying this out. I’ll probably have to take a year break just so I can take my science courses that I need before applying.
Good video. Here's an alternate perspective: When I was undergrad (electrical engineering), we had a meeting with a few engineering graduates who went on to medical school. They said thinking like an engineer was a drawback during medical school, as you don't have time to figure out how and why things work. Instead, it's best to just memorize what's being taught. Of course, once formal schooling is over, one has a bit more time and can return to more of an engineering mindset.
This was incredibly helpful! I did a BA in undergrad, did peds emergency research, had a moment and thought medicine wasn't for me, worked in a major finance firm, and decided at that moment, Medicine is my path et voila, here I am. About to tackle this new MCAT format.
hi. any update? are u a physician now?
This is helpful for me. I'm a student planning on returning for my MS in Genetics Counseling and possibly my doctorate in Human Genetics. I need to take some classes (Chem, Biochem, and Genetics) and I am in my mid 30's. I have a passion for Genetics so am excited about taking Chem Biochem and Genetics and gaining experience.
Ehi Brian thanks for the video! I'm a psychology student from Italy who's going to get a master degree in applied cognitive psychogy. I started this academic path because I was interested on what could make as humans. For my bachelor degree I wrote a thesis on the anti-smoking campaigns adopted in Italy recently and to understand also why people pursue bad habits and so creating damage for themselves. Then I quit smoking. But recently I had some doubts on my life as a psychologist. Infact one day I just asked on my self "Is this the life you want? Are you truly happy with this?" My answer was "with only this not I want to do more"
So I had the courage to think which career will permit me to apply my values (the phisical exercise, the health, the capacity to live fully our life and the opportunity to help people
to change and use their 'functionality' and the feeling for being happy by doing this )
I cried a lot because I was realizing that I wasn't pursuing what for me really counts. So I decide that this year I will try to get inside the school of medicine. I just look inside me in the depth. I want to become a phisiatrist. And I already know that what I've learned the past years will make me unique in my approach as a doctor. Because people who suffer for muscolar disease, injurjes of every type and so on cannot remain as the same in their psychological reality. And as a phisiatrist I would like to give them back those identities Because even if a disease is not treatable if you take care of a person you always win. Thank you however, you inspire me a lot because you are the demonstration that is never too late to follow our values and goals.
Woot RHIT! I remember working out with you in the SRC! So great to see you flourishing!
Hey Grant! Yea I remember! Appreciate it, hope you're doing well man!
Many thanks really!
Love this 🥰🥰🥰
I came to this video considering whether 3 gap years was too long in my case, but after reading other comments and watching this video I realize my problem isn’t that significant
Thank you Brian,
Could you please tell us how many years gap between your undergraduate and MD, and what was your GPA? And did you take post bac
Avionics and cybersecurity background here looking to make the jump into medicine. I’ll be applying to a post bac for pre med in a few months. Let’s see how this goes.
Can you please talk about your MCAT journey, and in general how you approached applications? As in, how did you present yourself in a way that makes you just as competitive of an applicant compared to pre-med majors who had been volunteering in hospitals and labs for years? I'm also non-trad and would love to know!
You have to indentify the aspects of your non traditional background and highlight those as strengths. For example, if you were in business, you probably are much more effective of a communicator than folks who sat in a chemistry lab through college. As long as you can show with your grades and academics that you can handle the rigors of medical training, admissions boards won't really care about what major you were. The stuff those pre meds learned won't be any more helpful when it comes to learning anatomy and pathology and then cutting it on the wards as residents. I hope to get into more mcat stuff in the future but that was all so long ago now and I'm not sure how much help id be. Happy to try and answer any specific questions though here! Thanks for watching!
I'll complete my associates degree in chemistry this may 2020 . my plan is to transfer to mechanical engineering so I can work first. All my premed classes will be done by the time I complete my AS degree.
I'm currently in law school here in the Caribbean. I'm 25. I plan to go to med school in 10 years. Always wanted to be a Doctor-Lawyer-Singer-Actress. Lawyer is the third leg that I'm on. ☺ Very excited! I especially want to see how I manage it when I get married and become a mum in the future. We shall see!
That sounds unique good for you
@@mohamedkamara8225 😊 thank you. I got called to the bar in 2021.
I am 37, have a PhD in mathematics, currently work in finance and have discovered this is not what I want to do for the next 30 years. I feel like I have finally discovered what I want to do. Neurology. I want to help understand how and why we process information the way we do and how help fix the issues that arise as we age. Aging is a double edge sword, we obtain for information but lose the processing capacity. This is what I want to do and I feel like my mathematics training is a perfect vehicle for examining this.
I will have to go back and get the prerequisites over the next few years (while saving money, hopefully I can do med school debt free or 1/2 debt free).
Does anyone have advice for a person like me.... ie, probably over 40 entering med school with an absolutist idea on logic and reason to a subject that is inherently non-computable?
Just do it!!
Not sure if you’ve ever heard of Humans of NY, but I recently read this story about a woman close to 40 who went to medical school and it was very inspiring. I think it’s just the thing to read in making you feel like it’s never too late to chase your dreams. Here’s the link:
instagram.com/p/B_sdLpzn06B/?igshid=m4zsdx6psbsh
Don’t let go of your dreams. Believe in yourself. Do whatever it takes to make your dreams into reality.
PLEASE DO IT!!! You will be an asset in whatever field you choose.
Go bro you are the best. They'll be blessed to have you.
Could you recommend job title and career path for international MD (med school+MS Epidemilogy/ Public health) in USA? ??
I quit my pre med program because I just didn’t feel like I fit in with the other students. Nearly everyone was coming right out of high school and seemed ahead of the curve (I was 25). On the other hand, I hate that I gave up my lifelong goal to become a medical professional. I’m 29 and I’m terrified to go back to college because I fear it is unrealistic. I also have a concern that I won’t get into medical school because of a spotty college history. Do you have any advice about that? 🙂
Ashleigh O'Hara a goal is never unrealistic if you have the correct mindset to make it possible. :) if you believe you can do it and it has been your lifelong goal then go for it! We only live once! There are still people at 60 years old going to college! You are never too old too learn; However, motivation and determination can fade away over time. You can do it! Either way there is also certification programs that take a shorter amount of time at affordable trade schools (medical assistant, patient care technician).
I'd you want it, do it now. At the worst, have a major that will work if you can't get into any school .. which you can even if that takes a few years itself while you work. Don't wait until you're older like some of us...
Hey, engineer here. 👋🏻 I hope after 2 years you’ve found resolution in your career. Like you, I always felt like I just settled into my career because I “fit the mold” or didn’t fit in with any others. I’m 27 and will have been out of school and working for 4 years now. It’s everything I hoped it wouldn’t be and imagining 38 more years of this is a nightmare. Going to bed every night, unfulfilled by what you do, and being resistant to risk/change is a quick path to an unhappy life. I’ve always wanted to become a surgeon but was constantly lacking the finances, motivation, and time to tackle medical school and the plethora of its challenges. Sounds like excuses, right? Maybe, but after a short work experience in a hospital, hours of watching Dr. Webb, and doing my due diligence in research, I know that no other career can give me that immediate, sincere, and gratifying feeling of helping others and simultaneously witnessing the fruits of your labor. It’s nothing like starting at a computer screen all day in a cubicle. As a result, I will be heading back to school this upcoming year with enough drive to make a Bugatti look slow. I can’t change the path I’ve walked but I can lay the stones for the steps ahead. All of this to say, I chaotically encourage you to find what really makes you happy regardless of the odds. Growing old knowing that you could’ve at least tried should be a feeling no one has to experience.
Hi Brian. I’ve been an working as an engineer for 4 years now and I’m considering switching to medicine. I don’t have my bachelors yet (long story) or most of the prereqs. What cause you to switch paths and how did you know it was right for you? The idea of starting from the beginning again at 24 really scares me. I’m worried about the money, about putting off having kids, and if this is even what I want to do. Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated.
Thanks!
I just didn't enjoy the engineering jobs I had an I really enjoyed learning about medicine and the body. At the time I was single and to be honest had I been married or with a family I probably would not have switched. I think it helps to look at why you don't enjoy engineering and if thats because of just your current job or engineering as a whole. I didn't have anything holding me back from the jump so I just went for it. Email me and we can chat more briansutterer@gmail.com
My dream was to become a pediatric. I’m almost done with my bachelor in Bilingual Education for Elementary school, I love working with children. I really want to attend medical school after taking some prerequisite and study for my Mcat but I don’t know where to start. I also fear that as a teacher i won’t bring nothing to the table if I ever get accepted into a medical school. I’m a little afraid that having a background as a teacher will not be impressive for medical schools. Do you think teachers have a potential to be accepted into a medical school such as an engineer, business major or other careers that fall under humanities? Thank you!
I definitely think teachers can become excellent doctors. You have great experience with talking to people and trying to learn ways to communicate with diverse groups. Also it's a ton of work being a teacher so that looks good ! As long as you can show good performance in premed topics and do ok on the mcat I wouldn't let it discourage you at all
@@BrianSuttererMD what about a degree in Construction Science at Texas A&M university im not going towards medical school but to PA school.
Lmao. Just like me, these pre-med classes are not that bad. I’m a 27 year old forensic psychologist taking premed course planning to enter medicine within the next couple years. I’ve complete one semester of pre-med courses with a 4.0. I’ve learned to study during my corporate years and have become emotional intelligent which I feel like would help me as a continue throughout school. I don’t feel fulfilled as a psychologist anymore esp. with the blurred line between actual mental illness and just not wanting to live a fulfilling adult life. It’s killing me. I want to be in a position where I can actually see my difference. I’m also a teen mom giving birth at 13.
How chemistry-focused is medical school? It's the only course I find difficult and not interested in.
yo just i found you, I'm a biochem major at rose-hulman hoping to go to IU med in 2023, this is great
Right on!! Dm me on Twitter if you have any qs
@@BrianSuttererMD Will do, Thank you! really cool to my future goals in action
Imagine being an engineer for 13 years and starting medical school at 37 years of age. It's totally a different learning curve. 9 weeks in , I think I am slowly getting the hang of it. You have to work out a study technique that's works best for you. The initial assessment will tell you if your adapted strategy is working or not.
I’m 44 and already a practising Allied Health Professional in the U.K. with 20 years working in that area. I also have a related MSc. Through the years I always wondered if I could do medicine; I don’t come from a background where one ever really considered it and our school didn’t ever raise such professions as real options to us. I’m married with 2 children under the age of 8. I’d love to go to med school, and believe academically i could do it, but I wonder about the fall out from such a path such as not being being around so much for my children and wife and the overall cost of education. It feels like it’d be self indulgent and as such I’ve never really got past this point. However, I’m thinking more seriously about it. Any advice, words of wisdom would be welcome.
Totalavulsion hi, in the Uk if you are accepted into GEM (4 years) you receive partial funding, apart from the first year where you pay 3.5k the nhs bursary and SFE help you for years 2-4. Ofcourse that still means you won’t have a wage for four years but it’s still better than self funding the 5 year course where you’d have to pay 36+ out of your own pocket.
How can international students get med school scholarship in US ?
did you take your prerequisites at community college or did you do a post bac?
I’m trying to figure out that too
Can I go to medical school after having an advance diploma in dental hygine but completing all pre requisite courses
Im currently in the final year of computer science engineering,but I want to get into med school.
Well,may I know in which med university are u in ?
I went to Indiana University med school and graduated a couple years ago
@@BrianSuttererMD thankyou, i am also planning for master's in biomedical engineering in USA,will that be okay as I'm CSE undergrad from India
@@ramyad950 Hii. Did u get into Medicine?
How did you end up completing all the med school pre reqs an an engineer? Did you do a post bacc?
I just took the science courses my junior and senior year and then worked for a year while I applied.
@@BrianSuttererMD ah gotcha, thanks for getting back so quickly. I’m finishing up my BSE in biomedical engineering this May and just kinda figured out I want to be involved with patients and not just working behind the scenes on medical devices so I’m a couple of classes short before I can apply to Med school. Your video about being a non traditional student was really helpful and encouraged me to keep at it
Anyone here taking up med school,with a degree in environmental science?
How did you study for MCAT as a non traditional? How long did it take
FWIW, I didn't study for it at all. My whole educational background was all the prep. I needed. Aced the thing...one of the highest scores in the country.
@@wholeNwon he wasnt asking you...and unlikely
until they dont see what is the promise in the practical life
non traditional dentistry
Lmao. Just like me, these pre-med classes are not that bad. I’m a 27 year old forensic psychologist taking premed course planning to enter medicine within the next couple years. I’ve complete one semester of pre-med courses with a 4.0. I’ve learned to study during my corporate years and have become emotional intelligent which I feel like would help me as a continue throughout school. I don’t feel fulfilled as a psychologist anymore esp. with the blurred line between actual mental illness and just not wanting to live a fulfilling adult life. It’s killing me. I want to be in a position where I can actually see my difference. I’m also a teen mom giving birth at 13.