Non-Traditional Med Student

WayOutWestMom
Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:35:00 +0000

A few things to clear up first. A non traditional student is an older student who does NOT apply to medical school immediately upon graduation, but has a break of 1 or more years after undergrad before applying. Non-traditional really has nothing to do with your college major.

If you are planning on applying to medical schools after your junior or senior year of college then you will not be considered a non-traditional applicant.

If you have taken the necessary pre-req classes (see post #2), you can take the MCAT in the spring of your junior year, and if you score well (30 or above) can apply to medical school just like anyone else. Medical schools don’t really consider your college major too much during the admission process. (However, since you are in a nursing program, be prepared to explain why doctor and not nurse. You will be asked this endlessly everywhere. Probably ought to address this in your personal statement for med school application. The fact that you are a nursing student will be a minor black mark against your application, esp if you applying directly from college and have not worked as a nursing professional for a period of time. Med schools don’t like to ‘poach’ students from other health professions, esp from professions where there is a critical shortage already.)

As for the other stuff—

You will need 3 letters of recommendation from science professors. So go to office hours, answer in class and generally do stuff to get your name remembered! (Do not ask your nursing instructors for LORs!)

You should contact a professor at your college whose work you find interesting and ask to volunteer in his/her lab. Doesn’t have to be a bio wet lab. Can be any research field. Even public health. (D1 did research in high energy physics for 2 years. She’s a true non-trad who will be starting med school in 2 weeks at age 25.)

Since your nursing program will bring into the hospital and put you into lots of patient contact, hospital volunteering will less valuable to your application than for most med school applicants. You can skimp here.

But you WILL need to do some physician shadowing. In part so that you gain better insights into the difference between what a doctor does and what a nurse does AND to demonstrate to medical schools that you know the difference. Again you will have to explain cogently and convincingly why doctor and not nurse.

You should also get involved with community service type ECs. These don’t have to medically-related.

Med schools also look at leadership skills. Holding an office in any of your ECs will help. (Sorority offices or TAs for a class are considered leadership positions, for example. )

If you will be applying as a true non-traditional, then your path will be somewhat different. Graduate, work as a nursing professional taking on as much additional training as you can, study/take a MCAT prep course, take your MCAT and apply.