Discouraged...clarifying

[Beekeeper]

Hi everyone!

 

I'm currently in my third year of nursing and have discovered that it is not quite what I am after in the field of health care. Medicine has always been another thought and I am keen on applying and removing myself from a program where I'm not content.

 

Seeing as how I do not have any of the pre-requisite courses (our elective options in nursing are few), Mac and NOSM are the only schools that I could apply to at the moment. I'd like to increase my chances of admission so I suppose I'll have to do another year to get in the pre-reqs and compelte the MCAT.

 

I just realized, however, that I have never had a single year of 'full-time' study while in the nursing program. As an example, many of our courses are half-credits and even combined with the full-credit courses do not make up what qualifies as 'full-time' study. This is primarily because our clinical courses are pass/fail, we do not receive a grade and I can only assume that these are not counted in the application for med school. This is very discouraging. Is there even a point to trying? Or will I have to do another two years of actual full-time study after my nursing degree is completed?

 

Thanks for your advice in advance!

[TonesRN]

It really depends on which specific school you are applying to because they each have different admissions criteria. With regards to Mac and NOSM, once you have completed your bachelor's degree, you automatically qualify. These schools don't care if you finished your degree in full-time or part-time study. So you would definitely be eligible for those schools. Many other schools, however, do require you to have full-time years (Ottawa and Western are examples), so part-time years wouldn't count. You should check with the admissions office at each specific school that you're interested in applying to and find out directly from them what is required for admission.

 

Pass/fail courses obviously won't be used to calculate your GPA, but they are used for credit towards a full-time courseload. For example, if you took 8 semestered courses and 2 pass/fail semestered courses, then this would count as a full-time year, although your GPA used for that year will only comprise of 8 courses. Hope this clears things up a bit.

[Beekeeper]

Thank you very much for your response! That certainly clears things up and I'm glad those full-year clinical courses are considered. I was getting worried! By the end of my degree, I will have had 3 years of full-time study (15 full credits), with one of the years missing half a credit due to taking a summer course.

 

I have a further question about getting in the prerequistes...is it okay to take these in the summer? Obviously they won't be used in the calculation of the GPA, but otherwise can one get them in this way?

 

Noticing your name, TonesRN, are you attempting to make the switch from nursing to medicine as well? Or have you already done so?

[TonesRN]

I have a further question about getting in the prerequistes...is it okay to take these in the summer? Obviously they won't be used in the calculation of the GPA, but otherwise can one get them in this way?

 

Noticing your name, TonesRN, are you attempting to make the switch from nursing to medicine as well? Or have you already done so?

 

Hey Beekeeper,

 

Nope haven't made the transition yet, but still remaining hopeful Yes it is ok to take the prerequisites at any time, although, as you said, it USUALLY won't be used in the calculation of the GPA. But it will be used in the calculation for Mac and NOSM because these school pretty much count everything you've taken at any time.

[The Law]

Don't be discouraged!

Some schools definitely don't require you to be full time studying, and many accept pass/fail courses for credit. As for UWO, yes, they do require full time study... however, as you mentioned you were going to do an extra year of study to make sure you get all your electives in. What you could do is ensure taking a full year of courses in your 4th year (5.0 credits) and then in your extra year, take a full year of credits too... that way you will qualify as having had full time studying and will be eligible to apply to UWO since they only require 2 years of full time studying.

[Beekeeper]

Thanks for the advice everyone! If I do a full elective next year, I will have 3 years of full course work, with second year falling short by half a credit - taking that psych course in the summer between first and second year doesn't seem like a great plan in retrospect .