Pre-med mamas?

[alaskanmomma]

Are there any pre-med mamas in here? Or any mamas in med school already? Any advice or experience you'd like to share :)?

[pinksprklybarefoot]

I'm in pharmacy school, which is pretty similar. I plan on being a clinical pharmacist (not a community one that works at Walgreens). The pre-reqs for both are about the same, the application process is fairly similar, both degrees are doctoral, and at my school they try really hard to promote interprofessionalism and make all of us first-year professional students (med, pharm, dental, vet, etc) take a class together. I can answer most questions, or at least point you towards the answer.

Good luck! It is a long road, but it will be worth it in the end.

[AndrewsMother]

Supposedly I am, but I now I am not sure if I want to take the MCATS.  I want more children, and I would miss volunteering at my son's school.  I want to be a doctor, but I also want to be a hands on mom.

[r0semary]

I'm similar to AndrewsMother, except I already have my undergrad. I'm considering doing some post-bacc classes to get the necessary med school pre-recs (I need a year of bio, chem, o chem and physics). I really want to be a Dr, but I'm worried I won't be with my kids enough. I have one and want 2 more. Looking forward to hearing from other medical mamas!

I have found a decent site called mommd, that is for female med students, MD's and OD's, it has some great forums and info on there.

[mambera]

I was just coming by to recommend the premed forums on mommd.com also.  You'll probably get more input there.

[PreMedDad]

Hello All,

I am a PreMedDad and hope you don't mind me posting on your site.  My son was recently admitted to med school and he found the process grueling. Applying to med school was his idea, and along the way, I tried very hard not to be a helicopter parent. However, I was supportive and encouraging...especially when he was down.  

I learned a lot from this, including the fact that of professional schools in the US, med schools are among, if not, the hardest to get into.  If your daughter or son remains focused throughout college, studies hard, prepares for the MCAT, is committed to medicine for the right reasons, he or she will likely be admitted.

If you have specific questions about the process, I would be happy to add my two cents.  Good luck to all you pre-med mamas and your children...and dads too!

[singin'intherain]

I'm entering my last year of undergrad next year, and am at the point of deciding which way I want to go. I've been on track to take the DAT this summer, but now I'm not sure if dentistry is really what I want. My heart is in primary care, but as a 39 year old mother of many kids, I'm trying to be realistic. Dental school is four years, then I could be working. Med school is four, plus another three of residency. What worries me is that residency- I've heard it's brutal.

Heading over to mommd.com!

[dentmom3]

Singin' - just wanted to offer perspective from the dental POV.  I graduated dental school in 2000.  I have practiced 2 days a week since my youngest was born (3 days a week before that).  There is much flexibility and more family friendliness in dentistry than you will find in medicine.  That seems to be a big consideration for you.  It's not just the residency that is the hard to manage part.  It's the call hours, the hospital rounds, etc. and those don't end with residency. 

But the biggest difference to me is one that relatively few people consider.  Dentistry is very hands on.  All procedures, all the time.  Many women in medicine go in to primary care, which is not a procedure oriented career.  So to me the big question is, do you want to work with your hands all day, or not?  The answer to that question might be the biggest help in choosing the right path for you.

[singin'intherain]

Dentmom,

This is what I'm really trying to hash out right now, before buying any more study materials for the DAT! You make a good point about working with your hands- I used to be an auto mechanic, so the whole "hands on" aspect to dentistry really appeals to me. It seems to have a little bit of mechanic, and a little bit of artist to it. I also want to work directly with patients, not just to fly in the room for five minutes and prescribe drugs. Plus, there's a hygienist to deal with the breath issue? Put a scant four years of school, great hours, and high pay on top, and it's perfect! But will I love it?

I guess I just feel I need to answer that before I commit. But your comments really help!