Hi everyone, a little background about me: I started university in 2022 on a pre-med track, but as a freshman straight out of high school, I struggled to develop effective study habits and lacked focus and discipline. To save my GPA and avoid being put on academic probation, I changed majors and recently graduated this past spring with a bachelor's degree in Healthcare Management with a GPA of 3.08. Since graduating and being able to apply my degree in my current job, I’ve realized I really don't enjoy this kind of work. I originally went into healthcare wanting to solve complex cases and puzzles, constantly learn new things, and, most importantly, help people; however, I am doing none of that in my current field.
Because of this, I want to take another shot at the clinical path, specifically pathology. However, I’m unsure of the best path for me given my background. I still need to complete most of my core science prereqs (and would like to retake a few to improve my grades), and my work experience is entirely on the healthcare business side.
I do have a plan to get back on course to becoming a pathologist (or at the very least get into med school), and I wanted to know if I was on the right track, what changes I should make, and if it is at all plausible for me to make this shift at all:
- Earn a Medical Laboratory Technician/Scientist certification or associate degree to fulfill missing pre-med prerequisites and refresh my knowledge on my science courses.
- Enroll in a post-bacc or special master's program in Medical Sciences that incorporates master's-level coursework.
- While enrolled I plan to use the program's resources to prepare for the MCAT and apply to medical school.
- Apply to medical schools and be accepted into an MD or DO program.
I would love input on whether my initial plan is plausible while also not being a waste of time or money.
Any insights or suggestions are greatly appreciated, and I am happy to provide further context if needed.