Advice for my situation?

[physics13]

Hi,

I've been lurking here for the past few weeks and have gleaned some useful information about being a non-trad, but would like some advice for my own situation.

I am a rising senior physics major at an liberal arts college primarily known for rigorous academics and grade deflation. As such, I have a 2.94 GPA and I know my sGPA is lower due to higher-level math and physics courses.

I never gave medicine a thought until this year. I am now interning for the summer with a medical physicist, but have been shadowing the radiation oncologists as well and enjoy that aspect so much more. I am a people person and love the patient interaction that they have, and I also am super interested in radiation interactions with the body. I understand that this is atypical of the normal doctor and that radiation oncology is one of the most competitive disciplines to get into, so I am curious to know if there are any other types of physicians that also spend a good deal of quality time with their patients.

I am lacking bio, general chemistry, and ochem, thus would need to take them post-graduation. I will only able to afford community college, but I have been looking into post bacc programs anyway - unfortunately it seems that I would be paying $30,000 no matter where I go as my state schools do not offer pre-med post bacc programs. I understand that it is not advised to take CC classes after having a poor undergrad GPA but my only other choice is to go in large debt for post bacc. Is it possible that I could combine CC classes with a couple upper-level bio courses at a 4-year (while working part-time) and look a little more competitive?

There is also the issue of the new MCAT, which I haven't seen brought up anywhere yet. If all went well, then I would apply in 2014, but no acceptance that cycle would mean I would have to retake the new MCAT (to my understanding) as well as the social science courses. I'd like to get done with post bacc as soon as possible and want to avoid the new MCAT, but I do not know if it is a good idea.

Other stats: I have a 3.94 GPA from an AA degree I obtained at a CC during high school. My sGPA for CC is even higher and none of this is factored into my current undergrad GPA.

A note: I am confident that I can get straight A's in my pre reqs if I don't go to another program known for grade deflation. The average GPA at my school for all graduating seniors is a mere 3.08, while the accepted pre-med GPA is 3.38. That said, I know it will be a journey to bring my bad GPA up.

I will also be talking to pre-med advisors from my school over the summer to get their thoughts on my situation.

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[DrMidlife]

I am a rising senior physics major at an liberal arts college primarily known for rigorous academics and grade deflation. As such, I have a 2.94 GPA and I know my sGPA is lower due to higher-level math and physics courses.

I think you'll want to let go of the "grade deflation" excuse. You have to compete on objective numbers before anybody will care about subjective school reputation.

I am curious to know if there are any other types of physicians that also spend a good deal of quality time with their patients.

All but pathologists.

Before you invest any further in becoming a premed student, get into a more garden variety clinical setting, such as a primary care clinic or hospital ER. Your impression of US healthcare needs to be much, much broader.

I am lacking bio, general chemistry, and ochem, thus would need to take them post-graduation. I will only able to afford community college, but I have been looking into post bacc programs anyway - unfortunately it seems that I would be paying $30,000 no matter where I go as my state schools do not offer pre-med post bacc programs. I understand that it is not advised to take CC classes after having a poor undergrad GPA but my only other choice is to go in large debt for post bacc. Is it possible that I could combine CC classes with a couple upper-level bio courses at a 4-year (while working part-time) and look a little more competitive?

Do more research into your situation. Below you have some misconceptions about how you're evaluated as a med school applicant. Look through the low GPA threads in this forum and in the postbac forum.

By which I mean this: read lots of other people's posts, for lots of hours, in the low GPA threads in this forum and in the postbac forum. This is a free, broad-spectrum info source. Choose to not take advantage at your peril.

In particular, you should be working hard to get your current degree program extended so that you can get the prereqs done before you graduate. There are several other options that are imho better than doing CC work.

There is also the issue of the new MCAT, which I haven't seen brought up anywhere yet.

The new MCAT is brought up everywhere all the time now, so you might want to beef up your search skills. If you want to educate yourself about it, the most efficient choice would be to go to www.aamc.org and look at the official source of info.

If all went well, then I would apply in 2014, but no acceptance that cycle would mean I would have to retake the new MCAT (to my understanding) as well as the social science courses. I'd like to get done with post bacc as soon as possible and want to avoid the new MCAT, but I do not know if it is a good idea.

...and you'll find, by diligently searching for good info on the new MCAT, that it's not coming out until 2015. Med schools aren't going to suddenly stop taking the old MCAT, on a dime, in 2015. So here's a question you should find an answer to: how long are MCAT scores good for now? Hint: the AAMC does not own that answer. Individual med schools do.

Other stats: I have a 3.94 GPA from an AA degree I obtained at a CC during high school. My sGPA for CC is even higher and none of this is factored into my current undergrad GPA.

You'll find, by reading other low GPA comeback stories in this and in the postbac forum, that cumulative undergrad GPA includes all coursework from all colleges. Your current school gets no say in how GPA is calculated.

Depending on how much coursework you did at a CC, you may be in better shape to get ready to apply.

A note: I am confident that I can get straight A's in my pre reqs if I don't go to another program known for grade deflation.

Here we go again.

The average GPA at my school for all graduating seniors is a mere 3.08,

Average at my school was 2.8. 3.08 sounds inflated to me.

while the accepted pre-med GPA is 3.38.

No way. Average GPA for successful med school applicants is over 3.6.

That said, I know it will be a journey to bring my bad GPA up.

And the steps on that journey are delineated in excruciating detail in the stories told in the low GPA threads in this forum and in postbac.

I will also be talking to pre-med advisors from my school over the summer to get their thoughts on my situation.

For best results, do diligence on SDN to get perspective prior to talking to premed advisers at your school. You can't assume your school pays them well enough to do a good job. For instance, if they think the MCAT is only offered twice a year, or they don't know what a DO is, leave immediately.

Best of luck to you.

 

[MedPR]

Hi,

I've been lurking here for the past few weeks and have gleaned some useful information about being a non-trad, but would like some advice for my own situation.

I am a rising senior physics major at an liberal arts college primarily known for rigorous academics and grade deflation. As such, I have a 2.94 GPA and I know my sGPA is lower due to higher-level math and physics courses.

I never gave medicine a thought until this year. I am now interning for the summer with a medical physicist, but have been shadowing the radiation oncologists as well and enjoy that aspect so much more. I am a people person and love the patient interaction that they have, and I also am super interested in radiation interactions with the body. I understand that this is atypical of the normal doctor and that radiation oncology is one of the most competitive disciplines to get into, so I am curious to know if there are any other types of physicians that also spend a good deal of quality time with their patients.

I am lacking bio, general chemistry, and ochem, thus would need to take them post-graduation. I will only able to afford community college, but I have been looking into post bacc programs anyway - unfortunately it seems that I would be paying $30,000 no matter where I go as my state schools do not offer pre-med post bacc programs. I understand that it is not advised to take CC classes after having a poor undergrad GPA but my only other choice is to go in large debt for post bacc. Is it possible that I could combine CC classes with a couple upper-level bio courses at a 4-year (while working part-time) and look a little more competitive?

There is also the issue of the new MCAT, which I haven't seen brought up anywhere yet. If all went well, then I would apply in 2014, but no acceptance that cycle would mean I would have to retake the new MCAT (to my understanding) as well as the social science courses. I'd like to get done with post bacc as soon as possible and want to avoid the new MCAT, but I do not know if it is a good idea.

Other stats: I have a 3.94 GPA from an AA degree I obtained at a CC during high school. My sGPA for CC is even higher and none of this is factored into my current undergrad GPA.

A note: I am confident that I can get straight A's in my pre reqs if I don't go to another program known for grade deflation. The average GPA at my school for all graduating seniors is a mere 3.08, while the accepted pre-med GPA is 3.38. That said, I know it will be a journey to bring my bad GPA up.

I will also be talking to pre-med advisors from my school over the summer to get their thoughts on my situation.

Even if your GPA is deflated as you claim, a 2.94 is terrible. No school deflates GPAs so much that someone who has the potential to get a 4.0 is getting a 2.94. If you can't handle the high level math/physics classes, then why are you still a physics major?

Also, the "accepted" pre-med GPA is closer to a 3.7.

If community college is all you can afford, then that's your only option. I finished undergrad with a low GPA as well and have taken 30 credits at a CC. I would've preferred to do it at a 4 year, but I had no way to pay for it so CC was the only choice for me. A high MCAT will help alleviate some of the doubt you create by taking a bunch of CC classes after undergrad, but you are correct that CC is not looked on as favorably as a 4 year.

 

[pietachok]

Ugh. I wrote a huge long reply & when I posted it, there was a glitch...and poof

So, the abridged frustrated version:
Given your current optimism, when you look at the low GPA posts, pay special attention to just how little the reputation of your school/degree offset GPA. I had a 35T, 3.2 sGPA, 3.4GPA from a prestigious school known for harsh grading, and it took me 3 cycles of applying to 20-30 schools before I even got an interview. Since $ are a concern, don't forget the thousands that costs in addition to the postbacc...especially since an underdog needs to travel to every interview until having an acceptance in hand. And seriously consider how realistic it is to actually get straight A's in the future if it hasn't happened thus far (we all intend that...but sometimes life happens).

Make sure you're truly well informed before you decide what to do. That also means doing more shadowing in a less sub-specialized field of medicine, because ultimately that's the only way you can know whether or not this is important enough to justify the frustration, heartache & debt if you come out on the other end without an acceptance.