I'm in pretty bad shape.

[YessyTeran]

Hello, my name is Yessy. i am 24 years old, and very far behind.

I want to become a Doctor but unfortunately, I am still only in community college trying to fulfill the requirements needed to get in to a University. You see, as teenager, I had to drop out of school and get a GED instead because I had to work, so I dedicated most of my time to working and when I finally got back in to school, I didn't know what I wanted to do. I wasn't one of the lucky ones who knew from the start they wanted to become a Doctor.

Anyway, with only a GED, I don't have much knowledge of anything. I am so far behind I feel like it's never going to happen for me. I intend to major in Biology but the first class of Biology I ever took, I only got a D, and the first ever Chem class I took, I also got a D. Now I admit it was also due to me not having enough focus, but I feel like I am so far behind. I am retaking Bio. this semester again and I plan to arrange my focus and time so I can study a lot. I just feel I am so old now and I don't know what my chances are since I have a 2.7 GPA. I had a pretty good GPA, at some point it was 4.0 and never under 3.2 but it fell so far down because I didn't pass Bio and Chem.

I'd really like some advice and some realistic views of my chances.

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[Mako555]

deleting my post because she linked to real twitter account. i feel bad. sorry

 

[YessyTeran]

6/10

interesting strategy, trying to sound like such a sad story that someone would feel bad for calling out the troll, just in case it wasn't one. well, i'm taking my chances.

:troll:

Don't intend to be a sob story. I will edit that out so people can just focus on my question.

I guarantee you I am not a troll. I am simply trying to get some realistic opinions.

 

[YessyTeran]

Go eff yourself. I don't want my future doctor to be someone like you.

Someone like me as in someone who fails classes?

 

[YessyTeran]

No, someone who is irresponsible and doesn't belong in a long term committment like medicine. You have 2 kids at 24 when most medical students that age have none, you get Ds in pre-requisite classes, you couldn't even graduate from high school, and you still think something science intensive is a good fit for you. How do you think you'll make it through medical school? The answer is you won't. Choose a different career please.

Also please take care of your kids.

I am most definitely not irresponsible. I guess it's easy to judge someone so harshly when you only know some simple details.

Anyway, thank you for your input.

 

[swimmergirl2010]

No, someone who is irresponsible and doesn't belong in a long term committment like medicine. You have 2 kids at 24 when most medical students that age have none, you get Ds in pre-requisite classes, you couldn't even graduate from high school, and you still think something science intensive is a good fit for you. How do you think you'll make it through medical school? The answer is you won't. Choose a different career please.

Also please take care of your kids.

Wow. Did it ever occur to you that perhaps he had to work to feed his family? Or pay their electricity bill? Perhaps I'm reading too much into this, but it's possible that people can get a bad grade in a class for reasons other than laziness. I wouldn't want someone so judgmental and narrow-minded like you to be my doctor. I'd rather have someone who has a bit more life experience to realize that life has ups and downs and you can overcome a few bad grades.

I also don't understand why people are saying he's a troll. There is nothing unbelievable about this story. People who go to community college aren't necessarily any less intelligent than people who went to college right away, they just might not have had all the same opportunities, or parents who cared enough to help them with applications. No wonder SDN has such a bad rep.

 

[YessyTeran]

Wow. Did it ever occur to you that perhaps he had to work to feed his family? Or pay their electricity bill? Perhaps I'm reading too much into this, but it's possible that people can get a bad grade in a class for reasons other than laziness. I wouldn't want someone so judgmental and narrow-minded like you to be my doctor. I'd rather have someone who has a bit more life experience to realize that life has ups and downs and you can overcome a few bad grades.

I also don't understand why people are saying he's a troll. There is nothing unbelievable about this story. People who go to community college aren't necessarily any less intelligent than people who went to college right away, they just might not have had all the same opportunities, or parents who cared enough to help them with applications. No wonder SDN has such a bad rep.

Thank you for this. I appreciate someone who isn't so quick to judge me. And you are right, I had to drop out of school and work because I had no parents so I had to provide for myself.

BTW I am a girl,

 

[Mako555]

disregarding my previous reply (which I have removed but you can still see in your quote), i would say that you have excellent chances, simply because you are barely getting started. If you get great grades from here on out, and transfer to a 4 year university, and do well there, you can definitely get into med school. however, in your situation, that might not be the best thing for you. it might be in your best interest to find a career that will allow you to enjoy more of your children's childhood.

 

[Mako555]

Go eff yourself. I don't want my future doctor to be someone like you.

No, someone who is irresponsible and doesn't belong in a long term committment like medicine. You have 2 kids at 24 when most medical students that age have none, you get Ds in pre-requisite classes, you couldn't even graduate from high school, and you still think something science intensive is a good fit for you. How do you think you'll make it through medical school? The answer is you won't. Choose a different career please.

Also please take care of your kids.

oh geez. i thought your first post here was directed at me. i deserved it. OP most definitely does not...

 

[Doctor Strange]

Go eff yourself. I don't want my future doctor to be someone like you.

Don't listen to this person.

I have no advice to offer, but please know that the majority of people on this board are willing to help and offer advice.

I recommend you head on over to the non-traditional forum: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=110

EDIT: Also, if you haven't already, do research on becoming a DO. It's an equivalent physician degree that has a nice "grade replacement" rule for admissions. MD admissions will average out the retake grades, while DO admissions will only count the retake.

 

[YessyTeran]

disregarding my previous reply (which I have removed but you can still see in your quote), i would say that you have excellent chances, simply because you are barely getting started. If you get great grades from here on out, and transfer to a 4 year university, and do well there, you can definitely get into med school. however, in your situation, that might not be the best thing for you. it might be in your best interest to find a career that will allow you to enjoy more of your children's childhood.

I am retaking Bio this semester (I start tomorrow) and I have already planned a few changes to be able to study more effectively.

My kids are 5 and 3 so they will be old enough to understand my choices in what I occupy my time with (studying, school, internships etc.). I don't see it as a problem at all, I have a supportive husband and I'm sure the fact that they will be older will help (it seems the older they get the less attention they require) Of course I will want to see them growing up and be able to attend their plays, sports tryouts etc. but I am also doing this for them as much as for myself so I feel a sacrifice is needed.

 

[YessyTeran]

Don't listen to this person.

I have no advice to offer, but please know that the majority of people on this board are willing to help and offer advice.

I recommend you head on over to the non-traditional forum: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=110

Thank you, I will take a look,

 

[Mako555]

ok! sounds like a good plan! and it seems like you are planning well. I just wanted to make sure you had considered all of your options. sorry again for my initial response. we get a lot of trolls around here. best of luck!

just a little advice - it is generally not a good idea to have your online message board accounts reveal your identity. You may want to abandon this account and start a new account with an ambiguous username, and don't link it to your twitter or facebook. there is generally a lot of personal information presented when you ask a question on here, and you never know who is reading.

 

[YessyTeran]

ok! sounds like a good plan! and it seems like you are planning well. I just wanted to make sure you had considered all of your options. sorry again for my initial response. we get a lot of trolls around here. best of luck!

just a little advice - it is generally not a good idea to have your online message board accounts reveal your identity. You may want to abandon this account and start a new account with an ambiguous username, and don't link it to your twitter or facebook. there is generally a lot of personal information presented when you ask a question on here, and you never know who is reading.

Yes, i have. I was speaking with a friend about Nurse Practitioner and Physician's Assistant options however, they did not seem as like something I want to do so I have explored other options, I just haven't found anything else i am as passionate about.

I have erased my FB and twitter info. Thanks for that.

 

[as1212559]

Man Vince is tearing people up on WAMC lately... ignore that load of junk OP.

If you do well on some of those retakes and continue to do well in other science classes/prereqs I think you might turn out to have a decent GPA. Definitely look into DO schools as they may be a better option than MD schools depending on how high that GPA goes and how an MCAT turns out.

All the best to you and your family, and good luck!

 

[YessyTeran]

Man Vince is tearing people up on WAMC lately... ignore that load of junk OP.

If you do well on some of those retakes and continue to do well in other science classes/prereqs I think you might turn out to have a decent GPA. Definitely look into DO schools as they may be a better option than MD schools depending on how high that GPA goes and how an MCAT turns out.

All the best to you and your family, and good luck!

Thank you, I will do some research on the two options.

 

[Mezz]

behind......? behind who? There is no need to compare yourself to other people and what they are doing, your focus should be YOU, only you and little by little you will achieve what you want. Focus on taking things one step at a time, or in your case one class at a time. I'm 22 and I'm only in my second year of community college but am I behind? HECK no, I am EXACTLY where I'm supposed to be and the decisions that I've made in my life so far have put me in the position that I am in and I accept that! Life is not a race and at the end of the day the only person you have to compete against is YOURSELF!

 

[Alejandro]

Okay, so while I may be feeding the troll, this advice is universal.

I do understand how it feels getting mediocre grades. Been there, done that. and we're not taking sub 3.5, more like sub 3, etc. That said, what you need to do is find a study strategy that works for you. Consider yourself as your own physician. You need to diagnose what is wrong with your study habits, and figure out a "treatment" to fix it. Part of it will be creativity, or innovation rather, to figure out what you can change/fix.

Those are things I can't do for you. That said, your chances are not that clear until you're done with taking all of your classes, and are ready to apply.

 

[SpecterGT260]

This has been.... interesting.....


OP, as mako said, a late start isn't a bad thing. Med schools also won't know anything about your HS situation (although if you overcame some adversity I would include in your personal statement).

That said, while they will accommodate hardship, AdComs will not suffer incompetence. You do need to do well in school, and the sooner the better. Prioritize academics up near the top of your list and definitely above a social life (the #1 killer of pre med dreams). Get into a 4 year university asap and save most if not all of your med pre reqs for there, don't do them at CC.

Go volunteer and shadow a few doctors. Everyone does it and it will make your app stand out negatively if you don't have that.

Many people are starting med school even later than you will so don't let that discourage you either. IMO some real life experience > youthful vigor any day. And as an MD student let me tell you there is no shame at all in applying DO when the time comes. I've advised a fee friends towards that who had marginal stats.

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[Mezz]

This has been.... interesting.....


Get into a 4 year university asap and save most if not all of your med pre reqs for there, don't do them at CC.

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Whats wrong with Community Colleges, I'm going to graduate with a 3.6 from my community college in December with almost all of my prereqs for pharmacy school completed and I'm certain I'm not going to have any trouble getting accepted into a pharm school in my state. I'm not about to be in debt an extra 40 grand just so I can take my pre reqs at a Uni when it doesn't really matter when my states pharm schools aren't even that competitive. Except VCU

 

[SpecterGT260]

Whats wrong with Community Colleges, I'm going to graduate with a 3.6 from my community college in December with almost all of my prereqs for pharmacy school completed and I'm certain I'm not going to have any trouble getting accepted into a pharm school in my state. I'm not about to be in debt an extra 40 grand just so I can take my pre reqs at a Uni when it doesn't really matter when my states pharm schools aren't even that competitive. Except VCU

Had we been talking about pharm schools it wouldn't be an issue. They will take juniors routinely.

But.... we aren't talking about pharm schools are we?

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[Skeeks]

Had we been talking about pharm schools it wouldn't be an issue. They will take juniors routinely.

But.... we aren't talking about pharm schools are we?
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+1

I wish I could get into med school with the pharm prereq's

 

[YessyTeran]

Thank you all for your responses, I have definitely taken everything in to consideration and understand that most of you are correct regarding my mind set.

I have already started taking a look at my study habits, I actually picked up a book recommended on another thread on here called "How to Become a Straight A Student" It has helped a bit now, especially with the 5 minute schedule and some studying habits. I honestly believe that is my downfall, I haven't learned how to study in a way that works for me, so I am trying to figure that out.

I will put in to effect some of the stuff you guys suggested, my OB/GYN actually offered to let me shadow him during the summer last year, so I am going to contact him about it this summer. I am part of a program at school called MESA and they are offering some stuff that could definitely help my resume/application (leadership retreat etc.).

Once again, thank you all.