Advice On What Path to Take?

[tentenn]

I posted this in the Post-Baccalaureate Forum but I figured I should post here too to get as much advice as I can.

I am currently 23 and graduated from a UC School with a B.S. in Biochemistry. I'm in need of advice on whether I need to do a 2nd Bachelor's (not planning to complete) or a grade enhancer (post-baccalaureate) program eventually heading towards an SMP program. Since I'm already a science major, its harder for me because I have taken all the prerequisite courses needed for medical school. My grades are severely in need of repair and I understand it may take 3-4 yrs to do so. I don't plan on giving up, but what I need is a step in some direction, a start in some place to get things going.

I'm not sure if I can still do a 2nd Bachelor's starting Fall 2015 (if anyone knows a bachelors that can still be applied to let me know) but I do know that Post-Baccalaureate application season is beginning. I'm pretty much open to advice, whether it be taking community college classes for a year or two, or anything else.

If I were to take community classes, what classes should I be taking? I'm not sure what classes given my science degree. Do I retake science classes I got a C- and below or a D and below?

Also, I did not even dare think to take the MCAT yet.

I calculated my grades according to the AMCAS GPA Calculations. My cumulative undergrad GPA calculated according to my school is 2.783

cGPA: 2.586
cBCPM: 2.418

I understand that I may be handed harsh criticism but any opinions about pursuing another field outside medicine or to just give up is not welcomed.

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[gyngyn]

I posted this in the Post-Baccalaureate Forum but I figured I should post here too to get as much advice as I can.

I am currently 23 and graduated from a UC School with a B.S. in Biochemistry. I'm in need of advice on whether I need to do a 2nd Bachelor's (not planning to complete) or a grade enhancer (post-baccalaureate) program eventually heading towards an SMP program. Since I'm already a science major, its harder for me because I have taken all the prerequisite courses needed for medical school. My grades are severely in need of repair and I understand it may take 3-4 yrs to do so. I don't plan on giving up, but what I need is a step in some direction, a start in some place to get things going.

I'm not sure if I can still do a 2nd Bachelor's starting Fall 2015 (if anyone knows a bachelors that can still be applied to let me know) but I do know that Post-Baccalaureate application season is beginning. I'm pretty much open to advice, whether it be taking community college classes for a year or two, or anything else.

If I were to take community classes, what classes should I be taking? I'm not sure what classes given my science degree. Do I retake science classes I got a C- and below or a D and below?

Also, I did not even dare think to take the MCAT yet.

I calculated my grades according to the AMCAS GPA Calculations. My cumulative undergrad GPA calculated according to my school is 2.783

cGPA: 2.586
cBCPM: 2.418

I understand that I may be handed harsh criticism but any opinions about pursuing another field outside medicine or to just give up is not welcomed.

Have you looked at the AACOMAS grade replacement policy?

 

[DrMidlife]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/the-low-gpa-what-do-i-do-thread.827879/#post-11083370

 

[tentenn]

Have you looked at the AACOMAS grade replacement policy?

I have looked at the AACOMAS grade replacement policy. I was planning to apply to both DO and MD schools after I get past the first step. Before I even want to get ahead of myself about thinking of applying, my questions was basically, do I go through community college classes, or do I go through extension programs (ex. UCLA extension, etc), or post baccalaureate programs, or a second bachelors, or an SMP first?

And if I were to go through a cc, which classes do I start off with first? Do I start with the prereq's? Do I do all my prereq class repeats at a cc?

I understand the general idea of what I should do but I'm looking to see if anyone can offer up more detail.

 

[gyngyn]

I have looked at the AACOMAS grade replacement policy. I was planning to apply to both DO and MD schools after I get past the first step. Before I even want to get ahead of myself about thinking of applying, my questions was basically, do I go through community college classes, or do I go through extension programs (ex. UCLA extension, etc), or post baccalaureate programs, or a second bachelors, or an SMP first?

And if I were to go through a cc, which classes do I start off with first? Do I start with the prereq's? Do I do all my prereq class repeats at a cc?

I understand the general idea of what I should do but I'm looking to see if anyone can offer up more detail.

Go where you can do well academically and financially. CC is fine. Start with your lowest grades.

 

[Goro]

These are all equivalent. CCs are cheaper, at least.
do I go through community college classes, or do I go through extension programs (ex. UCLA extension, etc), or post baccalaureate programs,

No need for a 2nd bachelors.

or a second bachelors,

I consider these the ideal, especially if given by a med school. they're you're back door in, if you can ace them.
or an SMP first?

Retake all F/D/C science coursework, then whatever pre-reqs you haven't taken. It's OK to do all the pre-reqs at a CC, but not if they're done only, say, 1 class a year. You need to show that you can handle a rigorous curriculum. If you have done the pre-reqs, then add in things that mimic medical school, like Anatomy, Physiology, etc.
And if I were to go through a cc, which classes do I start off with first? Do I start with the prereq's? Do I do all my prereq class repeats at a cc?

 

[tentenn]

These are all equivalent. CCs are cheaper, at least.
do I go through community college classes, or do I go through extension programs (ex. UCLA extension, etc), or post baccalaureate programs,

No need for a 2nd bachelors.

or a second bachelors,

I consider these the ideal, especially if given by a med school. they're you're back door in, if you can ace them.
or an SMP first?

Retake all F/D/C science coursework, then whatever pre-reqs you haven't taken. It's OK to do all the pre-reqs at a CC, but not if they're done only, say, 1 class a year. You need to show that you can handle a rigorous curriculum. If you have done the pre-reqs, then add in things that mimic medical school, like Anatomy, Physiology, etc.
And if I were to go through a cc, which classes do I start off with first? Do I start with the prereq's? Do I do all my prereq class repeats at a cc?

Thank you for the specificity in your advice. I really appreciate it! I've read a lot of your previous posts and I'm truly grateful you considered answering my thread!

I'm really liking the cc path but I want to make sure to clear the rest of my questions before permanently going through with it. Since the only difference is cost, an academic enhancer program and a cc would also not be different in the coursework undertaken or is a post-bacc more upper division oriented? Would you say it's better for me to focus on repeating prereq courses at cc first given my gpa?

And to expand on the cc path, given that my school was on the quarter system and many of the cc's in my area are on a semester schedule, does that cause problems in the future? I referred back to the AACOMAS guide "Repeated coursework MUST be equivalent to the original course in course content and credit hours to be used as a replacement. Also, course levels must be equivalent. A graduate level course cannot be use to replace an undergraduate course" The cc credit hours may be different from the quarter system I took my original prereq classes in, would this nullify any retakes if I repeated classes in a semester cc class? This doesn't really apply for AMCAS but I wanted to make sure to cover everything.

In terms of my GPA, I should only consider a SMP after raising my grades in a cc or post-bacc?

 

[Goro]

Correct.

Since the only difference is cost, an academic enhancer program and a cc would also not be different in the coursework undertaken

It depends upon the program. Some post-bacs are for career changers who haven't taken the pre-reqs, or for those who want to do grade repair. Those programs that have more upper division material, like Anatomy, or cell Bio or Biochem, may actually be SMPs. I recommend repeating any F/D/C science coursework, starting with the pre-reqs.

or is a post-bacc more upper division oriented? Would you say it's better for me to focus on repeating prereq courses at cc first given my gpa?

The ins and outs of these you're going to have to figure out on your own. But in a nutshell, you can't take P-Chem to replace Intro Chem., etc. There are plenty of SDNers in this forum who can give you better guidance with the logistics of this.

And to expand on the cc path, given that my school was on the quarter system and many of the cc's in my area are on a semester schedule, does that cause problems in the future? I referred back to the AACOMAS guide "Repeated coursework MUST be equivalent to the original course in course content and credit hours to be used as a replacement. Also, course levels must be equivalent. A graduate level course cannot be use to replace an undergraduate course" The cc credit hours may be different from the quarter system I took my original prereq classes in, would this nullify any retakes if I repeated classes in a semester cc class? This doesn't really apply for AMCAS but I wanted to make sure to cover everything.

You might not need a SMP if you ace a post-bac with the pre-reqs! A sample timeline might be as follows:

Fall 2015 Bio I + Inorganic Chem I
Spring 2016 Bio II + Inorganic Chem II
Summer 2016 Biochem or Cell Bio or Genetics or Biostats
Fall 2016 Organic I + Physics I
Spring 2017: Organic II + Physics II

In terms of my GPA, I should only consider a SMP after raising my grades in a cc or post-bacc?

 

[deleted480308]

Grades are more important than the GI BILL...retake your worst grades and the pre-reqs so you can get a high 20's mcat (or whatever the equivalent is for 2015 scoring) then apply. It might take you a few years to get through it but you need a good mcat and gpas in the >3.2 range. Go ahead and get a few hours shadowing a DO as well since that's your most likely destination

Don't waste your time applying MD with something below a 3.0