Had a poor GPA freshman year which really hurt me, but I'm hoping my upward curve will show an increased dedication in my studies. I'll graduate in may with a B.S. in Biological Sciences
My grades are as follows:
Fall 2012:
Prof Perspectives on Biology - Course Completed
Intro Biol: Evol Biodiv & Ecol - A-
General Chemistry I - C
First-Year Writing - B
Analysis & Appl of Functions - C-
Semester GPA: 2.58
Spring 2013:
Intro Biol: Molecular/Cellular: B+
General Chemistry II: B-
Calculus for Life Sciences: B-
Introduction to Psychology: B+
Semester GPA: 3.00
Fall 2013:
General Microbiology: B
Environmntl Pollutn & Protectn: B
Introduction to Music: A-
Introduction to Physics I: B
Semester GPA: 3.15
Spring 2014:
Applied Biostatistics I: B
Principles of Genetics: B
World History in Modern Era: A
Introduction to Physics II: B-
Sememester GPA: 3.16
Fall 2014:
Global Perspectives:Intro Anth: B
Organic Chemistry I: C-
Organic Chemistry Laboratory: C-
Classical Mythology: B
Molecular Microbiology: B+
Semester GPA: 2.78
*This was another poor semester for me that broke the trend
Spring 2015:
General Ecology: B+
Pathogenic Microbiology: B
Organic Chemistry II: B+
Organic Chemistry Laboratory: B-
Intro to Creative Nonfiction: A-
Semester GPA: 3.27
*This semester I realized I really wanted to consider a career in healthcare, and I started taking school more seriously.
Fall 2015:
Anatomy and Physiology: A-
General Biochemistry: B+
General Biochemistry Lab: A-
Inv/Plant Domestication: A
Lake Ecology: A-
Spc Inv/Biotoxins Research: A-
Semester GPA: 3.68
Spring 2016:
I'm yet to graduate, but with optional finals, I've calculated that this semester it would be difficult to place below a 3.80-4.00
Moving forward:
My GPA currently stands at a 3.09, which I know is laughable, but I'm hoping this last semester will give it a nice boost. Perhaps my upward academic curve will help too. I have a strong LOR from my research professor for the past year, and I will most likely be an author on a published article come this summer.
Another professor I have is a Paramedic from my hometown, and said I would be hired onto the crew as an EMT-B if I applied, I currently have a certification, but would only receive about 15 hours a week. She's an extremely well-respected professor, and will head the Pre-Medical department at our university next academic year. I'm fairly certain she'd be delighted to write me another LOR, especially after working under her.
I know many of you think I won't make it under any circumstances, but I'm still hoping for your constructive criticism. After I graduate this may, I'm free to take as many gap-years as needed to dedicate to my improvement. Should I start looking into Post-Bac's? I've heard good things about the NIH programs. SMP's are another option I've been looking into, but I'm slightly confused on the difference.
I'm also considering spending the next year working solely on EC's and working those 15 hours a week as an EMT before I enter a Post-Bac or SMP, how beneficial do you think that would be? My best friend's father is the Medical Director of a very prestigious local hospital, and I would be able to get a significant amount of shadowing hours, how many hours a week would you recommend? Volunteering at the hospital would also be an option. I know to enter Post-Bac's or SMP's you can use MCAT scores, could you recommend taking the CAPLAN course, or simply vigorously working on the material for six months or greater and trying to take it on my own accord. At which score point and above do you think I could really increase my competitiveness?
Besides clinically or academically related endeavors, I think it would be awesome to do some volunteer work at nursing homes. I think that maybe hospice care volunteering would give me a unique perspective on medicine and end-of-like care, and it's another route I'd be interested in pursuing, Or perhaps both. There's also a local Free Mason lodge that does a lot of volunteer and philanthropy work, I think that would be interesting to have on an application.
Again, if you were in my circumstances and were blessed enough that money or time were not a factor, how would you proceed? I posted this under the M.D. section, but I am not at all opposed to attending a D.O. program. I appreciate any and all advice, and I'm sorry for the massive wall of text.
My grades are as follows:
Fall 2012:
Prof Perspectives on Biology - Course Completed
Intro Biol: Evol Biodiv & Ecol - A-
General Chemistry I - C
First-Year Writing - B
Analysis & Appl of Functions - C-
Semester GPA: 2.58
Spring 2013:
Intro Biol: Molecular/Cellular: B+
General Chemistry II: B-
Calculus for Life Sciences: B-
Introduction to Psychology: B+
Semester GPA: 3.00
Fall 2013:
General Microbiology: B
Environmntl Pollutn & Protectn: B
Introduction to Music: A-
Introduction to Physics I: B
Semester GPA: 3.15
Spring 2014:
Applied Biostatistics I: B
Principles of Genetics: B
World History in Modern Era: A
Introduction to Physics II: B-
Sememester GPA: 3.16
Fall 2014:
Global Perspectives:Intro Anth: B
Organic Chemistry I: C-
Organic Chemistry Laboratory: C-
Classical Mythology: B
Molecular Microbiology: B+
Semester GPA: 2.78
*This was another poor semester for me that broke the trend
Spring 2015:
General Ecology: B+
Pathogenic Microbiology: B
Organic Chemistry II: B+
Organic Chemistry Laboratory: B-
Intro to Creative Nonfiction: A-
Semester GPA: 3.27
*This semester I realized I really wanted to consider a career in healthcare, and I started taking school more seriously.
Fall 2015:
Anatomy and Physiology: A-
General Biochemistry: B+
General Biochemistry Lab: A-
Inv/Plant Domestication: A
Lake Ecology: A-
Spc Inv/Biotoxins Research: A-
Semester GPA: 3.68
Spring 2016:
I'm yet to graduate, but with optional finals, I've calculated that this semester it would be difficult to place below a 3.80-4.00
Moving forward:
My GPA currently stands at a 3.09, which I know is laughable, but I'm hoping this last semester will give it a nice boost. Perhaps my upward academic curve will help too. I have a strong LOR from my research professor for the past year, and I will most likely be an author on a published article come this summer.
Another professor I have is a Paramedic from my hometown, and said I would be hired onto the crew as an EMT-B if I applied, I currently have a certification, but would only receive about 15 hours a week. She's an extremely well-respected professor, and will head the Pre-Medical department at our university next academic year. I'm fairly certain she'd be delighted to write me another LOR, especially after working under her.
I know many of you think I won't make it under any circumstances, but I'm still hoping for your constructive criticism. After I graduate this may, I'm free to take as many gap-years as needed to dedicate to my improvement. Should I start looking into Post-Bac's? I've heard good things about the NIH programs. SMP's are another option I've been looking into, but I'm slightly confused on the difference.
I'm also considering spending the next year working solely on EC's and working those 15 hours a week as an EMT before I enter a Post-Bac or SMP, how beneficial do you think that would be? My best friend's father is the Medical Director of a very prestigious local hospital, and I would be able to get a significant amount of shadowing hours, how many hours a week would you recommend? Volunteering at the hospital would also be an option. I know to enter Post-Bac's or SMP's you can use MCAT scores, could you recommend taking the CAPLAN course, or simply vigorously working on the material for six months or greater and trying to take it on my own accord. At which score point and above do you think I could really increase my competitiveness?
Besides clinically or academically related endeavors, I think it would be awesome to do some volunteer work at nursing homes. I think that maybe hospice care volunteering would give me a unique perspective on medicine and end-of-like care, and it's another route I'd be interested in pursuing, Or perhaps both. There's also a local Free Mason lodge that does a lot of volunteer and philanthropy work, I think that would be interesting to have on an application.
Again, if you were in my circumstances and were blessed enough that money or time were not a factor, how would you proceed? I posted this under the M.D. section, but I am not at all opposed to attending a D.O. program. I appreciate any and all advice, and I'm sorry for the massive wall of text.
