MD I am frustrated! AGAIN!!!

[hope_aim_07]

Hi everyone,

I really don't know what to do anymore. Here is my life story.

I came to Canada from Bangladesh when I was 14, I did my high school in Toronto and with a 96% average I got into University of Toronto - this school pretty much RUINED my life. I did horrible during first two years of my undergrad, then finally started picking up my grades during 3rd year. I have one "F" in a physiology course, which I retook it after. I think after 5 years, I had had enough and I decided to graduate without an honors degree, so I only have a BSc, not Honors BSc. By the end, my science GPA is around 1.9 and overall cGPA is around 1.7. I have taken all the medical school required courses, from english to chemistry, pretty much everything every school might require. Not to mention, I did two of the hardest majors at U of T: Neuroscience and Cell & Molecular Biology. While being in my last year of U of T, I started looking for options. I din't want to go to Caribbean or Ireland, because of the costs and also, I was not quiet sure, if I would be able to come back to USA or Canada. So I contacted many deans of many schools (in person and through emails), most of them suggested to do a Master's degree, so that, I can show that I can do better at higher level courses. So I took a year off, worked as an admin at a clinic, and while working I did my GRE and applied for Master's degree. I din't apply to Canadian Master's program, because of my low cGPA, I knew I would not get in. Finally I got into an MS program in Biology at Purdue University, Indiana, USA. This is my last semester, and I have a cGPA of 3.3. I did MCAT last July and got 484, which is super low, I know. I had classes and research so I couldn't invest enough time for MCAT. However, I am retaking it in a couple of months.

Now I am back to square 1, I don't know where I should apply. What are my chances of being successful? etc etc. My first preference is Saskatchewan, Canada, because that's where my PR is. Other than that any schools in USA will be great. I don't want to go to Caribbean's still, but wouldn't completely eliminate that option. I am applying everywhere regardless. However, I am so not confident. I just want to be somehow selected for an interview. because I know I can do amazing at interviews.

This is a LONG post, I know. But any advice/ suggestions/ list of schools, that will be easier for me to get in - will be highly appreciated.

Thank you!

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[Python Forever]

1) Your Master's grades will not count towards your cGPA or sGPA for AAMC. They'll look at it separately, but they will NOT be part of your GPA. From what I've seen, undergrad classes >>> grad classes.

2) With your current academic performance and MCAT, you're most likely DoA for most if not all schools. I highly recommend you do a DIY post-bacc at a 4-year university.

Bouncing back from a <2.0 uGPA will be extremely tough. Is the 3.3 in your Masters only, or did you count it with all your other classes? If it's the former, then I think you need to seriously consider other career options. If medicine is your absolute passion, then you need to spend a long time bringing up your undergraduate GPA with other classes, at least to a 3.0 so you don't get autoscreened.

Read @Goro 's Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention.

 

[candbgirl]

1). Don’t take the MCAT again in a couple of months. You are several years away from applying if ever. No sense in wasting the time or money until the rest of your application is fixed.
2). Your GPAs are awful. Does 1.7 mean you have a D+ GPA from undergrad? Or does 1.7 mean something else in Canada?
3) when your advisor told you to do a Masters to prove you could handle upper level science classes, I’m pretty sure he didn’t mean ending up with a 3.3 GPA. You should have excelled and reached a 3.7+. GPA. You still haven’t proven to anyone you can be successful in medical school.
4)A masters degree won’t help when applying to MD schools. It might help applying to DO schools but I doubt you would meet the autoscreen level even with it.
5). Search this forum for @Goro’s Guide for students Who Need Reinvention. I’m not sure if it can help you but at least you’ll have a plan to work with.
6)Always have a backup plan or Plan B. Not everyone can be a doctor so you might want to rethink or at least reflect on your career goals.
7). DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT APPLYING TO THE CARIBBEAN. You are just the type of student they love and depend on to make their schools financially successful. They will accept you and take your money and then fail you out leaving you hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt with no way to pay those debts off.

 

[Goro]

Hi everyone,

I really don't know what to do anymore. Here is my life story.

I came to Canada from Bangladesh when I was 14, I did my high school in Toronto and with a 96% average I got into University of Toronto - this school pretty much ruined my life. I did horrible during first two years of my undergrad, then finally started picking up my grades during 3rd year. I have one "F" in a physiology course, which I retook it after. I think after 5 years, I had had enough and I decided to graduate without an honors degree, so I only have a BSc, not Honors BSc. By the end, my science GPA is around 1.9 and overall cGPA is around 1.7. I have taken all the medical school required courses, from english to chemistry, pretty much everything every school might require. Not to mention, I did two of the hardest majors at U of T: Neuroscience and Cell & Molecular Biology. While being in my last year of U of T, I started looking for options. I din't want to go to Caribbean or Ireland, because of the costs and also, I was not quiet sure, if I would be able to come back to USA or Canada. So I contacted many deans of many schools (in person and through emails), most of them suggested to do a Master's degree, so that, I can show that I can do better at higher level courses. So I took a year off, worked as an admin at a clinic, and while working I did my GRE and applied for Master's degree. I din't apply to Canadian Master's program, because of my low cGPA, I knew I would not get in. Finally I got into an MS program in Biology at Purdue University, Indiana, USA. This is my last semester, and I have a cGPA of 3.3. I did MCAT last July and got 484, which is super low, I know. I had classes and research so I couldn't invest enough time for MCAT. However, I am retaking it in a couple of months.

Now I am back to square 1, I don't know where I should apply. What are my chances of being successful? etc etc. My first preference is Saskatchewan, Canada, because that's where my PR is. Other than that any schools in USA will be great. I don't want to go to Caribbean's still, but wouldn't completely eliminate that option. I am applying everywhere regardless. However, I am so not confident. I just want to be somehow selected for an interview. because I know I can do amazing at interviews.

This is a LONG post, I know. But any advice/ suggestions/ list of schools, that will be easier for me to get in - will be highly appreciated.

Thank you!

I suggest that it's time for Plan B

 

[Catalystik]

I really don't know what to do anymore. Here is my life story.

I came to Canada from Bangladesh when I was 14, I did my high school in Toronto and with a 96% average I got into University of Toronto - this school pretty much ruined my life. I did horrible during first two years of my undergrad, then finally started picking up my grades during 3rd year. I have one "F" in a physiology course, which I retook it after. I think after 5 years, I had had enough and I decided to graduate without an honors degree, so I only have a BSc, not Honors BSc. By the end, my science GPA is around 1.9 and overall cGPA is around 1.7. I have taken all the medical school required courses, from english to chemistry, pretty much everything every school might require. Not to mention, I did two of the hardest majors at U of T: Neuroscience and Cell & Molecular Biology. While being in my last year of U of T, I started looking for options. I din't want to go to Caribbean or Ireland, because of the costs and also, I was not quiet sure, if I would be able to come back to USA or Canada. So I contacted many deans of many schools (in person and through emails), most of them suggested to do a Master's degree, so that, I can show that I can do better at higher level courses. So I took a year off, worked as an admin at a clinic, and while working I did my GRE and applied for Master's degree. I din't apply to Canadian Master's program, because of my low cGPA, I knew I would not get in. Finally I got into an MS program in Biology at Purdue University, Indiana, USA. This is my last semester, and I have a cGPA of 3.3. I did MCAT last July and got 484, which is super low, I know. I had classes and research so I couldn't invest enough time for MCAT. However, I am retaking it in a couple of months.

Now I am back to square 1, I don't know where I should apply. What are my chances of being successful? etc etc. My first preference is Saskatchewan, Canada, because that's where my PR is. Other than that any schools in USA will be great. I don't want to go to Caribbean's still, but wouldn't completely eliminate that option. I am applying everywhere regardless. However, I am so not confident. I just want to be somehow selected for an interview. because I know I can do amazing at interviews.

This is a LONG post, I know. But any advice/ suggestions/ list of schools, that will be easier for me to get in - will be highly appreciated.

Thank you!

There are med schools out there that do not require an MCAT. There are non-US med schools out there that will accept anyone with a heartbeat and a checkbook. You will not be doing yourself a favor if you go to one of them, as you have not demonstrated the ability to do well grade-wise in the academically intense environment of med school, and are at high risk of failing out. Nor would it be thought likely you will pass the boards necessary to become a practicing physician, considering your performance on the most high-stakes test of your life to this date.

I suggest you start over at a new university, getting another heavy-science undergrad degree, when you are ready to excel academically (getting near-straight As) and prove that the old under-achieving you is not the YOU of today. While your old grades will still "count," many med schools will give more weight to recent coursework. You also need to work on your test-taking skills.

Why were your grades so low? Do you have psychological or medical issues? Family or relationship problems? Learning disability? Whatever it was, it needs to be addressed before you start a road attempting to resuscitate your chances.

If you don't want to spend the time and financial resources to redeem your academic record, it's time to consider another path to satisfaction in life.

 

[hope_aim_07]

Thank you all for the responses! It's good to listen to objective perspectives. I'll put some thought as to whether or not I should switch careers

 

[Dr.Gains]

Thank you all for the responses! It's good to listen to objective perspectives. I'll put some thought as to whether or not I should switch careers

Why didn't you do a DIY postbacc instead of a master's degree? Like others have mentioned, your master's GPA isn't going to count towards your uGPA and schools will use that to screen you out. I'm going to be honest, you are in for a huge uphill battle. Low uGPA, subpar gGPA and a bad MCAT score. If you still decide to pursue medicine you will need at least 2-3 years of post bacc work (3.7+) because of your GPA + maybe an SMP (3.7+) with excellent ECs and an above average MCAT score. Best of luck to you on whichever path you choose.

 

[Tulla Luana]

Sorry if I'm sounding harsh but I have to echo what was already said: find yourself another career, OP

With those stats (who knows what your ECs are), you have ZERO chances of getting into ANY medical school in the US or Canada.