Taking the Nontraditional Route: CHM Students Discuss Path To Medical School

The path to medical school is rarely a straight one. Each journey is different and, more so today, prospective students can take various routes to matriculation. Sometimes, a winding road is more out of need than preference. But whether by choice or not, the path to medical school no longer has to be so...linear.

In fact, medical schools are increasingly accepting of those coming from outside the traditional pre-med, B.S. route. As the admissions review process has become more holistic, schools are rounding out their entering classes more effectively, filling any gaps.

Institutions like the College of Human Medicine (CHM) have become a bit more flexible about such paths. It's one reason why the college's Office of Admissions has moved on from requiring students meet one single list of more traditional prerequisites. Now, students are allowed the ability to select from several prerequisite models for which to have their applications reviewed.

These model options allow for entrance flexibility, aiding in that push for student body diversity that naturally includes the nontraditional student. The college encourages those from different types of academic backgrounds and/or career changers to apply. We welcome disadvantaged and nontraditional students.

While there isn't a one-size-fits-all definition, "nontraditional" generally refers to students who do not go the typical route of attending medical school immediately following undergraduate training. Students often take time off from academics for other pursuits, obtain more education, or work a while before applying. Some start a family and/or take time to raise children. Some decide to switch careers after trying other professions. In terms of age, they are typically older than the average entering medical students.

"Nontraditional applicants typically have more life experiences. It's that experience that adds to the diversity of the [entering] class.  Being in a position to pass on real-world knowledge and advice to those around them that haven’t been in their footsteps yet is a real asset to any student body," says Dr. Joel Maurer, CHM Associate Dean for Admissions.

College of Human Medicine students are a diverse bunch. Nontraditional students are an important part of that diversity.

Those life experiences are sometimes vastly different from that of other students. They may face unique challenges because of their age and their particular life situations.

Michael Lim, a fourth-year student at CHM, is one such example.

"I had worked in finance for over twenty years in various senior capacities, but I felt personally dissatisfied with my career. I wanted more than just money from my work—I wanted to touch other people’s lives in a meaningful and helpful way," Lim remembers. "I also had a love of science, so changing careers to medicine seemed like an easy and exciting decision for me. Finally, I was also at a point in my life where I felt it was now or never.

"But there were significant questions in mind."

Lim wondered how receptive medical schools would be to older candidates, let alone a career-changer with a Bachelor's degree in English Literature and an MBA. He ultimately found mixed responses.

"As an older, non-traditional applicant, I had no idea of what to expect in the application process...But I found that a huge number of schools simply aren’t receptive to older, non-traditional candidates, solely based on age."

While the application process was frustrating at times, he enjoyed his experience with CHM in particular.  "The highly encouraging thing that I learned is that some medical schools, like CHM, are highly receptive to non-traditional students," Lim adds. "At CHM, unlike many other schools, I felt that I was being evaluated very fairly, as a human being, on the same criteria as other applicants—not as a disadvantaged, non-traditional candidate."

Anita Arthur, also a nontraditional student in her fourth-year at the college, agrees.

"Although I enjoyed my visits to other schools, I felt particularly comfortable at CHM because the faculty, staff and physicians I met on interview day clearly expressed the school’s support of nontraditional students.

"I am married with two young children, so I needed to be at a place where people understood the challenges of embarking on a journey as tough as medical school with a family. I chose CHM because I felt that it would be the right fit for my young family and me."

Yet Arthur's journey to medical school began well before she had a career or family of her own.

"Growing up I always had the feeling I would become a doctor one day. I started shadowing at the age of 15 as I had the opportunity to do so as part of a youth presidential award program in Ghana. It broke my heart to see people suffering from illness and die of treatable ailments."

While in college, Arthur developed interests in public health and teaching. She decided to explore those career options rather than start medical school right away. Soon enough, however, she felt the pull of medicine, the desire to achieve her ultimate goal.

Anita Arthur (right): 2017 Excellence in Medicine Minority Scholars Award

"Medicine has always been my calling, and that became clearer to me as I got older and worked in my other professions. I am intrigued by the idea of treating patients, particularly the underserved, and also incorporating my skills in teaching and public health epidemiology as I serve different patient populations."

Arthur's continued passion for medicine and helping the underserved led her to being granted the 2017 American Medical Association Foundation’s Excellence in Medicine Minority Scholars Award, acknowledging her commitment to the elimination of health care disparities, outstanding academic achievements, leadership activities and community involvement—values and ideals that she believes were strengthened by her life experiences.

While some may view being a nontraditional applicant as a hindrance, Arthur, in contrast, is very positive about her experience and aware of the benefits that came with it.  

"I feel that being a nontraditional student played a huge role in the number of acceptances I received. I had strong letters of recommendation from employers and faculty at places of work and schools I had attended. The interview process also went smoothly since I had had plenty of prior experiences interviewing in search for jobs. If you’ve had a previous career, chances are you’ve been through several interviews before," she said.

At the other end of the student body, first-year student, Elizabeth Bruce, also feels like being a nontraditional student prepared her for admission. Beyond the admissions process, Bruce also appreciates being a nontraditional student for the unique perspective that's provided to her as part of a special student body in a special time at the college.

"CHM has been receptive to nontraditional students by creating a (wonderful!) educational climate of 'shared discovery,'" she said. To her, Shared Discover is more than the name on the curriculum. "Shared discovery means that I get to learn from the really neat experiences that my colleagues have had, and I get to share my nontraditional experiences with them. I absolutely love that my classmates are of different ages, different backgrounds, from different places, and have different knowledge and talents than me.

"Because everyone at CHM is amazingly unique and genuinely caring, I don't feel 'nontraditional' at all; just welcomed as a member of the CHM family."