- Joined
- Mar 28, 2004
- Messages
- 6,168
- Reaction score
- 174
SDN has been very good to me over the past 10 years. Definitely been ups and downs. Someone suggested that a new thread needed to be started so I thought I'd start it my damn self.
I stay fairly active on here, posting when I can, answering PMs etc. Why am I qualified to start this thread? Ill tell you why.
I went to a large state university. I was a stellar student in high school. I got an academic scholarship to undergrad. I never drank/smoke/broke curfew in high school.
Then, I got to college. I drank....a lot. I didn't study because, well, how hard could it be. I overloaded my course schedule because again, how hard could it be? Let me tell you, my first ochem exam that I got back that said 33 on it was STARTLING.
I continued to struggle with ochem. In fact, I failed it that quarter and got a D in Biochem the same quarter. Not good news for your cGPA.
The next quarter, I retook and got a C. Not great, but not insurmountable. Actually, it sucked retaking a class and only getting a C. At this point, I was pretty convinced I was an imbecile. Anyways, I continued on, getting a C in the next ochem sequence, thankful that I passed. I got to the third of the sequence and got a D. Perfect. By the way, Im Indian, my parents had no idea because they weren't paying so I didn't tell them, but I knew they would be crushed. Anways, retook, C. Perfect, my gpa after 2 years was in the high 2s. Basically, loser status.
I started dating a girl my third year of college, she was premed as well. She studied her balls off, and as a result, I did too. Everything became a competition. It worked very well for me, she probably hated it. I ended up somehow keeping my scholarship and graduating in 4 years with a BS in Mol Gen with a 3.23.
Oh, as for the MCAT? Didn't really study for that either (how hard could it be?) I got a 22. I took it again, 25. I took it a third time, 30.
I didn't know WTF to do with my life. Ill admit, because of my degree I was also thinking about a career in law as a patent lawyer (biotech). Eventually, I decided I was going to do medicine (to much to late)? I went to grad school and got an MPH because it didn't cost me anything (Grad Research Associate) besides time. I smoked that degree, 4.0.
I applied to a multitude of MD schools and two DO schools. I was wait listed at a number of MD schools but was accepted at both DO schools. 2 in the hand is better or something like that so I went to CCOM.
I worked my ****ing ass off. As an MS3 I didnt know what I wanted to do with my life so I picked the one thing that I though fit with my wants knowing I probably wouldn't match. Ortho.
I ended up matching ortho, certainly because of my board scores and letters of rec.
4.5 years later, it came time to apply for fellowships. I chose peds ortho. I ended up matching at my first choice. The residents (when I start in August) under me graduated from medical schools like Wash U, Georgetown, USC, Brown, Cornell, NYC, Duke, etc. Pedigreed individuals.
In other words, as I've said before.....its out there, if you want it. Go get it.
Member cGPA/sGPA MCAT Acceptances
WRC 3.3/3.3
I stay fairly active on here, posting when I can, answering PMs etc. Why am I qualified to start this thread? Ill tell you why.
I went to a large state university. I was a stellar student in high school. I got an academic scholarship to undergrad. I never drank/smoke/broke curfew in high school.
Then, I got to college. I drank....a lot. I didn't study because, well, how hard could it be. I overloaded my course schedule because again, how hard could it be? Let me tell you, my first ochem exam that I got back that said 33 on it was STARTLING.
I continued to struggle with ochem. In fact, I failed it that quarter and got a D in Biochem the same quarter. Not good news for your cGPA.
The next quarter, I retook and got a C. Not great, but not insurmountable. Actually, it sucked retaking a class and only getting a C. At this point, I was pretty convinced I was an imbecile. Anyways, I continued on, getting a C in the next ochem sequence, thankful that I passed. I got to the third of the sequence and got a D. Perfect. By the way, Im Indian, my parents had no idea because they weren't paying so I didn't tell them, but I knew they would be crushed. Anways, retook, C. Perfect, my gpa after 2 years was in the high 2s. Basically, loser status.
I started dating a girl my third year of college, she was premed as well. She studied her balls off, and as a result, I did too. Everything became a competition. It worked very well for me, she probably hated it. I ended up somehow keeping my scholarship and graduating in 4 years with a BS in Mol Gen with a 3.23.
Oh, as for the MCAT? Didn't really study for that either (how hard could it be?) I got a 22. I took it again, 25. I took it a third time, 30.
I didn't know WTF to do with my life. Ill admit, because of my degree I was also thinking about a career in law as a patent lawyer (biotech). Eventually, I decided I was going to do medicine (to much to late)? I went to grad school and got an MPH because it didn't cost me anything (Grad Research Associate) besides time. I smoked that degree, 4.0.
I applied to a multitude of MD schools and two DO schools. I was wait listed at a number of MD schools but was accepted at both DO schools. 2 in the hand is better or something like that so I went to CCOM.
I worked my ****ing ass off. As an MS3 I didnt know what I wanted to do with my life so I picked the one thing that I though fit with my wants knowing I probably wouldn't match. Ortho.
I ended up matching ortho, certainly because of my board scores and letters of rec.
4.5 years later, it came time to apply for fellowships. I chose peds ortho. I ended up matching at my first choice. The residents (when I start in August) under me graduated from medical schools like Wash U, Georgetown, USC, Brown, Cornell, NYC, Duke, etc. Pedigreed individuals.
In other words, as I've said before.....its out there, if you want it. Go get it.
Member cGPA/sGPA MCAT Acceptances
WRC 3.3/3.3
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