advice about research/postbac

[setasai]

Hello, I'm in a nervous bind atm and would like some advice on my situation.

I am currently a senior with a overall GPA of 2.76. I'm currently retaking 2 of the bio courses that I got a C- in but that wont do that much. I've tried to find research at my university (UC Irvine) for 3 quarters and still no luck. My mcat last august is a 27 and will most likely be retaking it this april as well with lots of studying... that august test I only had 3 weeks to study and only a few hours each day so i think if i put more time in it i'd for sure do better.

With that in mind... i've already missed the first round of med school apps and will be taking a year off... i'm hoping to either find a job or research of some sort to spend during that year.

What are some other research opportunities are there besides NIH and my undergrade school?

Also, should i be doing a postbac program or a smp or should research be a top priority?

I dont quite know what to do from here...

Brian

P.S. Any postbac programs that dont require that your a minority/economically/educationally disadvantaged? money isnt so much an issue since my parents are willing to fund me as much as they can but I dont want to be wasting their money. Thanks and goodluck to all those also on this journey.

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[pballa24]

hey brian,

it sounds to me like u really should do a post bacc program...that'd give you an additional year of grades to tack on to that undergrad gpa...beef it up a little.. sounds like you're on the right track as far as the mcat. if u shoot that up a couple points and get your grades a little better, i think u stand a decent chance next cycle of admissions. but i would suggest getting the gpa up over research b/c they're more likely to reject u based on low grades than not enough research. thats just my opinion. others please tell me if im wrong. and yes there are plenty of post bacc programs that arent minority-oriented, just search for them on this site.

 

[Law2Doc]

hey brian,

it sounds to me like u really should do a post bacc program...that'd give you an additional year of grades to tack on to that undergrad gpa...beef it up a little.. sounds like you're on the right track as far as the mcat. if u shoot that up a couple points and get your grades a little better, i think u stand a decent chance next cycle of admissions. but i would suggest getting the gpa up over research b/c they're more likely to reject u based on low grades than not enough research. thats just my opinion. others please tell me if im wrong. and yes there are plenty of post bacc programs that arent minority-oriented, just search for them on this site.

I would tend to agree. You want to get both your GPA and MCAT up. And if you don't have much clinical experience that is what you really need to be doing -- not research. At a minimum do some volunteering, but maybe you can get some sort of clinical job. Perhaps some sort of job at your local hospital (phlebotomy or something?).

 

[setasai]

what about if I were to work as an EMT in a hospital? I have taken the class already and passed it easily and the ride alongs/hospital internship with the class was awesome imo... I was planning on taking the national registry exam in a couple months to get certified and then working in a hospital to get experience.

I was wondering about research because I always thought it was super important. Of course I know gpa and mcat is important as well but I was also hoping to get research in order to have some great letter of recs as well.

If i didnt mention it earlier... i'm having trouble getting LOR in addition to the whole issue. I may only get 1 from a lab professor of mine but thats the best case.

So i guess i have to figure out the priorities... from what i gather... i should do MCAT(since its in a few months), GPA(via postbac, need more research on particular program), LOR/Clinical exp(hoping by doing clinical exp i'd get LOR at the same time).

Thanks
Brian

 

[setasai]

New question, what's considered educationally and economically disadvantaged? Who decides that?

Brian

 

[Sundarban1]

New question, what's considered educationally and economically disadvantaged? Who decides that?

Brian

There are guidelines to what economically disadvanted is on the AAMCOS and AMCAS applications. You can do a quick google to get the specifics. Educationally disadvantaged is if you are a first generation college graduate applying. I didnt see anywhere to specifically designate this on either application, but there is definitely a spot for economically and underserved communities.

 

[relentless11]

Grades/MCAT improvement is where you should focus the bulk of your efforts. Even if it means setting aside EC's until your academic stuff has improved enough.

Research experience is icing in the cake, people get in normal MD/DO programs with or without research experience. It only matters if you are applying to an MSTP. Doing well in classes and MCAT is a better indicator of how well you do in med school (classwise). NOT research. Your GPA and MCAT scores are on the lower side of the spectrum. It seems you are trying to put too much on your plate, and/or rushing things too much.

You take the MCAT when YOU ARE READY, not because you registered for it. With 3 weeks to study and having gotten a C- in some bio courses should be a clear warning to wait and take it later...since you can only take the MCAT 3 times (4 or more with special permission from AAMC). Spending 3 quarters looking for research seems to be a lot. Doesn't UCI have an internship center? There are always grad students and PI's looking for undergraduate labor. I have found the opportunities in the UC system to be quite extensive, and the resources available to link you up with an internship is extensive as well. I for one found my research position the first quarter here at UCD. They were more than happy to have another undergrad. Now I am a grad student, and at the beginning of each quarter I usually look for 2-3 new undergrads for the lab.

In regards to post-bacc's. For the most part, the programs in CA are aimed towards disadvantaged, etc. There are a few that are for career changers, but since they are far and few, very competative to get into. The list is probably available in these forums, as well as on the AAMC website. An official post-bacc program is not neccessary to boost GPA. You can take classes anywhere, and aslong as you are not taking graduate level classes, then the courses will be counted as post-bacc, and added to your undergrad GPA. Which means you can go to any CSU, and UC Extension. Of course going to UC Extension will cost you an arm and a leg, but people have done it. I did it for a year.

Remember that UC's pretty much screen their applications. Unless there is some amazing reason (worked full time to support family while going to school) why you had a low undergrad GPA, the 2.76 might not cut it. Good letters of recommendation won't matter for the UC system unless you get a secondary. Other schools may give automatic secondaries like Stanford, but your GPA/MCAT will hurt you, especially in CA. What I'm getting at is you should focus on getting your GPA and MCAT up, rather than EC's right now.

EC's such as working as an EMT at a hospital won't help get you passed the low GPA. You will need to show an upward trend of mostly A's (if not all) to make the adcoms feel confident that you are academically confident. The whole point of med school is to teach you the skills you learned as an EMT (and much much more), but without a strong academic foundation, then they will feel you will not be prepared for the first two years of science courses.
More time working as an EMT will take away time that could be allocated to studying and getting A's in upper division science classes to improve your GPA.

Although I have said it many many times that GPA/MCAT are just one small variable of the whole equation, there is a limit to how low a GPA can be. You will find that some people in the non-traditional applicant forums had low GPA's but after much time and effort into getting a higher GPA (post-bacc and/or grad school), their low undergrad GPA became not much of an issue. This is my case. I had a low undergrad GPA, but a high post-bacc, and now cumulative 4.0 grad GPA. Although grad GPA is not weighted as much, I recently talked to our director of admissions, since my undergrad days was years ago, and my classes ARE med school classes....its hard for them to question my academic ability in science. So something for you to think about.

 

[setasai]

Thank you relentless, for giving me so much input. I really needed that kind of advice. Just recently I've come to the same conclusion. I am going to push the MCATs back until all science classes are done and until I fix my GPA as high as I can make it and also hold off on anything extra that might risk my chances of getting A's in those classes.

As for an informal postbac, I was thinking of SJSU since I live in San Jose but if I decide to stay in Orange County, does fullerton or longbeach work? do they have classes I can take and how is the application process? is it the same as if i were to apply as an undergrad or is there a special application for me to fill out?

If you have any more information please let me know.

Much appreciated
~Brian

 

[relentless11]

Thank you relentless, for giving me so much input. I really needed that kind of advice. Just recently I've come to the same conclusion. I am going to push the MCATs back until all science classes are done and until I fix my GPA as high as I can make it and also hold off on anything extra that might risk my chances of getting A's in those classes.

As for an informal postbac, I was thinking of SJSU since I live in San Jose but if I decide to stay in Orange County, does fullerton or longbeach work? do they have classes I can take and how is the application process? is it the same as if i were to apply as an undergrad or is there a special application for me to fill out?

If you have any more information please let me know.

Much appreciated
~Brian

Any 4-year will be fine. I dont' recommend community colleges because they don't have upper division classes. So SJSU, Longbeach, Fullerton are both perfectly fine choices. I think SJSU has an official (but unstructured) pre-health post-bacc program that does not have any requirements for disadvantaged status and what not. As for Longbeach and Fullerton, they don't have a program, so you should ask them about taking classes as "course work only" rather than a degree-earning program. Of course if you feel more motivated in a degree-earning program, then re-applying for another bachelors or even a masters degree is acceptable. Depends on how many years of post-bacc you want and your level of motivation.

In regards to masters (and even PhD), if you do that, you should ask if the program is flexible enough to allow you to take upper division undergrad courses as ELECTIVES. This will count as post-bacc as well. Which is the case with special masters programs. You can also split time between a CSU and UC as well (UC summer session). Depends on your $$, time and so forth. There are plenty of options.

 

[setasai]

Oh, I see. Well I do not have that many courses that need to be retaken so I am hoping 2 years including summers would be enough.

SJSU does have an official but unstructured one and I am right now trying to find out what the application process is but since this program is not on the main page, I cannot find too much information and will need to call them and find out.

As for Longbeach and Fullerton, They would work too but that is only if i think i can manage a job and studying at the same time. This is most likely not going to be my decision but its nice to have options.

I guess i have a decent level of motivation but I do not wanna waste too much time so whichever will have the best effect in a relatively short period of time as in a couple years would be adequate.