Question for y'all

[Guest BizBoy]

Hi everyone!

 

I have completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree (part time) while working full time. Problem was I was so busy with working full time in the begining I tanked my first 8 courses with bad marks. The rest however are A's. I realized quickly through volunteering and organizing fund raisers/working with physically challenged kids for 5 years that I wanted to be in the health care field. Business was not for me, the office politics, working your butt off just to make some fat cat even fatter didn't provide the inner satisfaction that I was looking for. So here I am, I have completed my first year of a second degree in a Bsc with excellent marks attending full time!

 

My question is will the medical schools look at my first business degree as a negative (ie this guy is flighty / he's floating around without direction / business has nothing to do with medicine etc).

 

How will I sell my past as a positive? Also because of the kind of windy road I took I will be 32 when I apply (ie finish the Bsc and write the MCAT) How will this play out in the minds of med schools (with the doctor shortage, cohesiveness with the class of early twenties students etc)

 

Has anyone experienced the process as a "second" career applicant or has any advice regarding my situation?

 

Thanks alot I know all of you must be really busy, I appreciate you taking the time.

 

Good luck to everyone I'm sure everything will work out for the best!!!!

 

BizBoy

[Guest Liana]

I hate to burst your low esteem bubble, but what you've achieved so far will probably be a huge asset to your application when you do apply!!

 

Everyone has poor marks here and there. Having your poor marks isolated within your first courses is the best way to have them, since you can always shrug them off as a learning experience, which your improved recent marks can attest to. A lot of schools get creative when it comes to calculating GPA - some will only count your full-time years, some will count your best two full-time years, others might count every single course you've taken. If you're getting 80s+ in all of your courses now, you should have no trouble getting an interview, provided you do well on the MCAT (which, seemingly, shouldn't be too big of a deal for you).

 

Modern medical schools are looking for a different type of student than the schools of 30+ years ago. They want students who are not only capable of mastering science, but have a passion for helping others, and have knowledge of some area of life outside of science. A business background is possibly one of the most well-regarded non-science areas to have done previous study, because a business sense really is important in current medical practice. It won't be hard to sell your background as an asset rather than a personal drawback.

 

Regarding your age - 32 really isn't that old anymore. There are a number of people on this board who are applying around the age of 30. The students at Queen's informed us that they had interviewed an applicant who was 45, and were very impressed by the extra "life experience". Age might make you reconsider specializing in areas that require lengthy residencies, but there are few barriers these days to older-than-average medical students. You may stand an especially good chance of gaining acceptance into McMaster, which is possibly the school with the most emphasis on non-academic experience (although they still have a heavy emphasis on marks in terms of getting an interview, which again should be no problem for you).

 

Depending on your priorities, you don't necessarily need to finish the BSc (unless it's something you personally want to do). Most schools require the completion of only 3 years of undergrad study, and for many schools, not all years need to have been completed through full-time study. If you wanted to enter medicine as soon as possible, rather than waiting to finish your BSc, you could probably apply to some schools even after your 2nd year (since you've completed a 3rd, albeit, part-time, year with your BComm). I would check with the individual schools regarding who will accept this. However, if completing the BSc is something you want to do, then there's no reason why an extra year or two will hold you back.

 

Good luck!

[Guest mn]

Hi biz boy,

I thought that I should offer some encouragement from someone who has chosen to follow a 'careen' rather than a career. Relax, even I got interviews this year.

I know that I am really sticking my neck out here, but my application contained such glamourous experiences as Adult Equivalency School, portrait artist, mother and hospital cook - yes you heard right - a lunch-lady. And as for the age thing - 33 is a fond memory. I bet things are looking better for you already right? Although I might be getting depressed now.

The main point: any experience can be a learning experience. Put a positive spin on it, there's some worth in everything, even mistakes. Liana so eloquently pointed out the value of an understanding of economics. You must also have acquired keener understanding of the elements that you would like to have in your career by examining what was lacking before. A wide range of experiences will be indispensible in understanding your patients and their situations. Good luck, you're on the right track.

[Guest Carolyn]

Biz boy

 

I have a B.Comm and am now in my last year of medical school - I have never heard a negative remark about it - many of my supervisors have commented on how helpful it will be.... I was also worried about how to swing the massive switch.... My clinical volunteer experiences and the BSc I ended up doing after I changed career paths were very helpful in the interview process, and helped to show that I was pretty darn dedicated to the career switch - sounds like you are on a similar track... Feel free to email me - always willing to help rescue a suit from the depths of despair

 

carolyn

[Guest bizboy]

Thanks alot for the encouragement and advice, it is greatly appreciated.

 

MN to which schools did you apply to?

 

Liana are you in med school already?

 

Carolyn did they really grill you as to why you were making a switch? Are there other business majors in your class?

 

Thank you everyone, I wanted to ask all of you whether or not age was an issue during the interviews etc.

 

Thank you again, all of you have been a resource I am very grateful for

 

bizboy

[Guest Carolyn]

Well of course they asked, but I'd prepared my answer and they didn't grill me on it (I guess I convinced them!)

 

There are 2 other business majors in my class!

 

I don't think age is an issue - at least here at Mac - don't know about other schools

 

Best of luck

 

Carolyn

[Guest mn]

I applied to all 5 Ontario schools, and this is how it worked out:

I had interviews at Ottawa and Queen's. Toronto didn't want to see me, which really didn't surprise me. As I mentioned previously I have a very peculiar background and array of talents - I am likely just too darned odd. And to be honest, the move would have been hard on my family - we tend to favour a smaller town life.

The more disappointing outcome came from Mac and Western, both of which bounced my application right back due to insufficient courses at the senior level (I'm just finishing 3rd year). It turned out that the translation from the Ottawa course weighting system to OMSAS shaved off a bunch of credits and since both schools have more specific requirements in that area, it mattered. The rest of the application didn't even get a reading.

I am told that the discrepancy has been corrected for future Ottawa students but not in time to change things for me this year.

The moral of the story: know the requirements of the schools that you are interested in AND how OMSAS will weight the courses that you have taken.