my plans are not working out, am I not successful?

[ramifications]

So I had a couple things going for me after this semester but now they seem to be falling apart before my eyes due to summer school course I have to do. Let's start with a couple of things:

-My gpa might be slightly lower than 3.5...which means I won't graduate with honors and it might just be by 0.01 of a point (upsets me a lot because I think I chose the wrong major that played a major role in this. I may be childish but a 3.5 was already low for an allopathic and an ORM)
-The job I was guaranteed wants me to start right away and I can't so they have not even said a word about my application or an offer (this gets me even more sad because I have so much loan over my head that I need my current employer to understand so they can set up a job for me to start late or mid July.
-If I choose job over summer studies, I won't be able to take summer courses and prepare for MCAT to apply next year because the class and job would be like 40 minutes apart in distance which would also require me to have parking and time to study.
-Despite having 4 years of research experience and strong lab experience, a current research gig at my uni still isn't giving me ANY money to serve as a research assistant. I have practically worked 4 years without pay and my parent who is in research think it is exceptionally confounding that people at a top tier uni won't even pay attention to my resume and instead use me as free labor. Despite what my parent says, the PI told me that for the first time I might have possibility of publication which my prior PI didn't even speak any of cause I was dumb enough to waste my time with a project I knew was going nowhere. The PI I now have does clinical research this time too. I am honestly very tired of this game of charades that research facilities play and seriously contemplating my success as an MD/PhD candidate. Some part of me though tells me that I had the wrong resources to begin with and my luck didn't play out like the rest. Perhaps beginning with this new PI, I will get some extra credentials to my research abilities. I just don't know how can get my parent to be more supportive of this decision. He suggests that he could get me a job at his uni but I don't trust him on that because the last time I did it, I wasn't really impressed by faculty and the uni position had nothing to do with medicine. I'm just so tired of all of this, sometimes I want to book a plane ticket and live in the mountains or something (just kidding , doe seriously I don't know what I will do with my life if I can't get to that step of being an MD). I really am just kind of speechless that despite 4 years of research (however experimental or non-trivial) that no one was able to reach out to me and offer me a REAL research experience like many of my friends got within just the last 2 years of their undergrad; heck they even ended up doing senior thesis.
So what do you guys think?
-I am starting to wonder if I will even get into medical school now because when I think about it, I actually feel so embarrassed that someone like me who prepared the playing field so well could fall so far behind because of things I couldn't control. After today, I feel a lot of sadness, bitterness, and a little frustration at the process. No one is recognizing how valuable I am and I did above and beyond to make myself stand out. I got a Co-op my senior year, worked day and night regardless of my health and I get screwed over the fact that I have to complete a few prereqs over the summer. I didn't have the money to do them before, my parent falls below poverty line and also couldn't fund my studies. I recently got financial assistance my last year because of some changes in profile I wouldn't discuss but my parent and I have always been poor to state the matter clear.
I can't and will not sacrifice my studies for this last bit (I've always done this since day 1 of college) but I just can't make sense of any of this. Does anyone want to share your thoughts on this? Sorry I knew it would turn into a rant but lately all my classmates with jobs seem to act too superior to me to even talk without a cocky attitude. The only people I can talk about it would be with my best friends but they aren't applying to med school and they don't understand how big of a deal it is to me; plus they understandably are too embroiled with their own troubles.

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[ZedsDed]

I think you should try and check your attitude a bit. I don't mean to be rude, your gripes are legitimate, and I'm sure it's hard to be financially independent at your age. But all this self-loathing/pity is really counterproductive. I come from a background of poverty, abuse (the worst kind), and other hurdles I won't get into. For the most part, I don't talk about it on SDN. The main reason is that I know there are people who have had it worse than me. But also I know that if I take that woe-is-me attitude, I would've let my background stop me a long time ago. If I were you I would spend less time thinking about how much your situation sucks (it's really not that bad btw), and spend more time trying to fix it.
As for your grades, you are still competitive for DO schools; that would be the quicker route to medical school as long as you do well on the MCAT. If you absolutely must work, then you should wind down your other EC's (including research) and make time for the MCAT; it will save or sink your application for MD schools.

Cheers

 

[Goro]

The median GPA for MD school matriculants is 3.6. You're only 0.1 point below average. Therefore, you are competitive for med school, both MD and DO.


-My gpa might be slightly lower than 3.5...which means I won't graduate with honors and it might just be by 0.01 of a point (upsets me a lot because I think I chose the wrong major that played a major role in this. I may be childish but a 3.5 was already low for an allopathic and an ORM)

There are other jobs. have you explained your situation to this employer?
-The job I was guaranteed wants me to start right away and I can't so they have not even said a word about my application or an offer (this gets me even more sad because I have so much loan over my head that I need my current employer to understand so they can set up a job for me to start late or mid July.

You have to remember, starting now, is that this process is a marathon, not a sprint. You apply when you're ready and have the best possible app, not because you've just graduated, or you've just hit a particular age. Med schools aren't going anywhere.

-If I choose job over summer studies, I won't be able to take summer courses and prepare for MCAT to apply next year because the class and job would be like 40 minutes apart in distance which would also require me to have parking and time to study.

Most UG lab assistants are volunteers. Most UG students fail to get papers as well; what Adcoms care about is that you have learned something about the scientific method.
-Despite having 4 years of research experience and strong lab experience, a current research gig at my uni still isn't giving me ANY money to serve as a research assistant. I have practically worked 4 years without pay and my parent who is in research think it is exceptionally confounding that people at a top tier uni won't even pay attention to my resume and instead use me as free labor. Despite what my parent says, the PI told me that for the first time I might have possibility of publication which my prior PI didn't even speak any of cause I was dumb enough to waste my time with a project I knew was going nowhere. The PI I now have does clinical research this time too. I am honestly very tired of this game of charades that research facilities play and seriously contemplating my success as an MD/PhD candidate.

Life is about making smart choices.
Some part of me though tells me that I had the wrong resources to begin with and my luck didn't play out like the rest.
So what do you guys think?

And what does this mean????
-I am starting to wonder if I will even get into medical school now because when I think about it, I actually feel so embarrassed that someone like me who prepared the playing field so well could fall so far behind because of things I couldn't control.

Don't think like this; it's not becoming.
No one is recognizing how valuable I am and I did above and beyond to make myself stand out.

A co-op? You bought an apartment? Who says that you have to do your coursework over the summer. You should be taking them when you'rer ready. if you need to leave school and work, do so. Save some money and then head back to school on your schedule.

I got a Co-op my senior year, worked day and night regardless of my health and I get screwed over the fact that I have to complete a few prereqs over the summer. I didn't have the money to do them before, my parent falls below poverty line and also couldn't fund my studies. I recently got financial assistance my last year because of some changes in profile I wouldn't discuss but my parent and I have always been poor to state the matter clear.


I'm not following you.
I can't and will not sacrifice my studies for this last bit (I've always done this since day 1 of college) but I just can't make sense of any of this.

Lose the chip on the shoulder. if you're having trouble coping, seek out your schools counseling center.
Sorry I knew it would turn into a rant but lately all my classmates with jobs seem to act too superior to me to even talk without a cocky attitude. The only people I can talk about it would be with my best friends but they aren't applying to med school and they don't understand how big of a deal it is to me; plus they understandably are too embroiled with their own troubles.

 

[ramifications]

I think you should try and check your attitude a bit. I don't mean to be rude, your gripes are legitimate, and I'm sure it's hard to be financially independent at your age. But all this self-loathing/pity is really counterproductive. I come from a background of poverty, abuse (the worst kind), and other hurdles I won't get into. For the most part, I don't talk about it on SDN. The main reason is that I know there are people who have had it worse than me. But also I know that if I take that woe-is-me attitude, I would've let my background stop me a long time ago. If I were you I would spend less time thinking about how much your situation sucks (it's really not that bad btw), and spend more time trying to fix it.
As for your grades, you are still competitive for DO schools; that would be the quicker route to medical school as long as you do well on the MCAT. If you absolutely must work, then you should wind down your other EC's (including research) and make time for the MCAT; it will save or sink your application for MD schools.

Cheers

As mentioned I want to apply MD/PhD. I am not immature, my plans started from day 1 and I have had a background that I don't want to discuss either because it is the reason why I push myself farther beyond other people. I definitely do not want to do DO school because there aren't that many that could do MSTP or PhD combined programs. The PI I now have actually has both so I really want to be guided by him. The fact that I have to pick up the reigns in a matter of a year is important. I want to get 1 publication at least before getting into med school so that I can be fairly competitive and know how to approach MD/PhD without repeating my swamping mistake with first research experience (that's how PhDs end up taking >6 years).
On account of attitude, my written manner may come off as self pity but trust me, I've had a low day, my job is all about standing up and walking (I'm just trying to make sense of life man). I come across as very optimistic but these are my insecurities that I am spilling out. I feel that this will prevent me from speaking to outsiders and friends that aren't in medical circle and think I am just whiny...cause I'm not, I know the reality of trying to get into my state med school and it is harsh.

 

[ZedsDed]

As mentioned I want to apply MD/PhD. I am not immature, my plans started from day 1 and I have had a background that I don't want to discuss either because it is the reason why I push myself farther beyond other people. I definitely do not want to do DO school because there aren't that many that could do MSTP or PhD combined programs. The PI I now have actually has both so I really want to be guided by him. The fact that I have to pick up the reigns in a matter of a year is important. I want to get 1 publication at least before getting into med school so that I can be fairly competitive and know how to approach MD/PhD without repeating my swamping mistake with first research experience (that's how PhDs end up taking >6 years).
On account of attitude, my written manner may come off as self pity but trust me, I've had a low day, my job is all about standing up and walking (I'm just trying to make sense of life man). I come across as very optimistic but these are my insecurities that I am spilling out. I feel that this will prevent me from speaking to outsiders and friends that aren't in medical circle and think I am just whiny...cause I'm not, I know the reality of trying to get into my state med school and it is harsh.

You won't get into an MD/PhD program if you don't get into medical school at all. Your number one priority has to be the MCAT. If you want to take a gap year after to continue research or whatever, then you are free to do so.
Also, I have no idea who you are. You could be the most wonderful and mature individual in the world, I can only comment how you come across on this forum. However I'm just a premed, you should listen to Goro (who is an adcom.) I have a feeling that if you tried to explain away low grades in the same tone you did here, it would rub adcoms the wrong way; they expect you to be the consummate professional.

 

[ramifications]

The median GPA for MD school matriculants is 3.6. You're only 0.1 point below average. Therefore, you are competitive for med school, both MD and DO.


-My gpa might be slightly lower than 3.5...which means I won't graduate with honors and it might just be by 0.01 of a point (upsets me a lot because I think I chose the wrong major that played a major role in this. I may be childish but a 3.5 was already low for an allopathic and an ORM)

There are other jobs. have you explained your situation to this employer?
-The job I was guaranteed wants me to start right away and I can't so they have not even said a word about my application or an offer (this gets me even more sad because I have so much loan over my head that I need my current employer to understand so they can set up a job for me to start late or mid July.

You have to remember, starting now, is that this process is a marathon, not a sprint. You apply when you're ready and have the best possible app, not because you've just graduated, or you've just hit a particular age. Med schools aren't going anywhere.

-If I choose job over summer studies, I won't be able to take summer courses and prepare for MCAT to apply next year because the class and job would be like 40 minutes apart in distance which would also require me to have parking and time to study.

Most UG lab assistants are volunteers. Most UG students fail to get papers as well; what Adcoms care about is that you have learned something about the scientific method.
-Despite having 4 years of research experience and strong lab experience, a current research gig at my uni still isn't giving me ANY money to serve as a research assistant. I have practically worked 4 years without pay and my parent who is in research think it is exceptionally confounding that people at a top tier uni won't even pay attention to my resume and instead use me as free labor. Despite what my parent says, the PI told me that for the first time I might have possibility of publication which my prior PI didn't even speak any of cause I was dumb enough to waste my time with a project I knew was going nowhere. The PI I now have does clinical research this time too. I am honestly very tired of this game of charades that research facilities play and seriously contemplating my success as an MD/PhD candidate.

Life is about making smart choices.
Some part of me though tells me that I had the wrong resources to begin with and my luck didn't play out like the rest.
So what do you guys think?

And what does this mean????
-I am starting to wonder if I will even get into medical school now because when I think about it, I actually feel so embarrassed that someone like me who prepared the playing field so well could fall so far behind because of things I couldn't control.

Don't think like this; it's not becoming.
No one is recognizing how valuable I am and I did above and beyond to make myself stand out.

A co-op? You bought an apartment? Who says that you have to do your coursework over the summer. You should be taking them when you'rer ready. if you need to leave school and work, do so. Save some money and then head back to school on your schedule.

I got a Co-op my senior year, worked day and night regardless of my health and I get screwed over the fact that I have to complete a few prereqs over the summer. I didn't have the money to do them before, my parent falls below poverty line and also couldn't fund my studies. I recently got financial assistance my last year because of some changes in profile I wouldn't discuss but my parent and I have always been poor to state the matter clear.


I'm not following you.
I can't and will not sacrifice my studies for this last bit (I've always done this since day 1 of college) but I just can't make sense of any of this.

Lose the chip on the shoulder. if you're having trouble coping, seek out your schools counseling center.
Sorry I knew it would turn into a rant but lately all my classmates with jobs seem to act too superior to me to even talk without a cocky attitude. The only people I can talk about it would be with my best friends but they aren't applying to med school and they don't understand how big of a deal it is to me; plus they understandably are too embroiled with their own troubles.

Thank god I discussed it here. I do sincerely see my thought process as really stupid but there are some things I'm trying to claw out that I kind of think are more ingrained in this frustration and are legitimate concerns.

I think I'm just burnt out from my program as is everyone else in it too.

So to clear the matter, I am graduating this spring. I don't got a job and I explained the matter to my interviewer too and told everyone that I am doing summer school. The Co-op actually helped me pay for tuition and housing which I needed dearly to focus on my studies.

*Gpa: I agree it is alright but compared to how high now kids are scoring and compare that to my ORM status, I don't know if it is competitive. I would like to apply to DO if I get turned off from real clinical research that I might be starting soon

*Job: I did apply to many jobs. In fact, every day I am sending my resume and new cover letter to agencies hiring. HR can be a pain.

*Yea the process isn't a race and that is why I took a year off to finish studies and do well in MCAT. With that, I will have taken 2 years off prior to med school. That is long time for me because of the dual degree stuff I am aiming at. I just don't want to be in my 40s saying "it's not a race". I kind of am in medicine so much that I feel so prepared. It's just a puzzle piece here and there that get me.

*Wrong resources: I think that me not doing clinical research or switching to it earlier (I kind of didn't find anyone until I neared graduation) may be a lost opportunity for me. I really feel like it would have enhanced my curiosity in research as I am so enamored by PI positions and their method of success in medicine. I spent my time in a research that was not clinical, so I wish the dozens of emails I sent every so often to other PIs during my undergrad for a position in clinical stuff should have been looked or responded to by 0.1% of that population. That's not something I care about now but I it's just hindsight thinking. I also don't know who to believe. My parent is in research and he thinks I am a graduate now so I should do research that pays but in talking with him I can't explain that that is not how the world works. I agree with him but every PI in biomedical says that their budget is tight. My parent on the other hand says that that is not how fund appropriations work. If they have fund, they get money for research assistants and so on. I just feel grateful enough that I even have a position with a PI as I have now found. My parent is just worried about my prospects to pay bills at this point but I don't know if I should disregard his opinions as he has worked in research for so long.

*My last sentence is probably the pressure of not having a job in a high needs field. I also truly think that my classmates become a little more harsher in sympathizing with me when I mention my situation. They are right but you know what they say "the truth is always harsher to hear". It's better I hear it from them and you guys.

 

[ramifications]

You won't get into an MD/PhD program if you don't get into medical school at all.

Touche`
I guess that just because I am applying to MD and PhD, there is a big push in my head that I should show adcoms why they should invest in me. Like I did 4 years of research but the fact that I don't get publication is sort of embarrassing and there was a thread that mentioned some adcoms would really worry about that. So I just want to do a related research for once to put that question to rest.

I have a feeling that if you tried to explain away low grades in the same tone you did here, it would rub adcoms the wrong way; they expect you to be the consummate professional.

I agree, my first post seems like I am some whiny pre-med and that attitude alone will have me packing my bags. However, this is informal writing, and almost all of my unfiltered thoughts and worries are pouring out. My formal tone can be very pleasant and I genuinely very loyal to folks up. Some of my classmates have said unkind things to me and I know they laugh behind my back (it kind of hurts). I guess today was the day and the past month when I felt that and I just had to say all of this. It feels good to have people resurrect me back to my "shake it off" attitude (taylor swift swag all the way ).

 

[Jagon]

So I had a couple things going for me after this semester but now they seem to be falling apart before my eyes due to summer school course I have to do. Let's start with a couple of things:

-My gpa might be slightly lower than 3.5...which means I won't graduate with honors and it might just be by 0.01 of a point (upsets me a lot because I think I chose the wrong major that played a major role in this. I may be childish but a 3.5 was already low for an allopathic and an ORM)
-The job I was guaranteed wants me to start right away and I can't so they have not even said a word about my application or an offer (this gets me even more sad because I have so much loan over my head that I need my current employer to understand so they can set up a job for me to start late or mid July.
-If I choose job over summer studies, I won't be able to take summer courses and prepare for MCAT to apply next year because the class and job would be like 40 minutes apart in distance which would also require me to have parking and time to study.
-Despite having 4 years of research experience and strong lab experience, a current research gig at my uni still isn't giving me ANY money to serve as a research assistant. I have practically worked 4 years without pay and my parent who is in research think it is exceptionally confounding that people at a top tier uni won't even pay attention to my resume and instead use me as free labor. Despite what my parent says, the PI told me that for the first time I might have possibility of publication which my prior PI didn't even speak any of cause I was dumb enough to waste my time with a project I knew was going nowhere. The PI I now have does clinical research this time too. I am honestly very tired of this game of charades that research facilities play and seriously contemplating my success as an MD/PhD candidate. Some part of me though tells me that I had the wrong resources to begin with and my luck didn't play out like the rest. Perhaps beginning with this new PI, I will get some extra credentials to my research abilities. I just don't know how can get my parent to be more supportive of this decision. He suggests that he could get me a job at his uni but I don't trust him on that because the last time I did it, I wasn't really impressed by faculty and the uni position had nothing to do with medicine. I'm just so tired of all of this, sometimes I want to book a plane ticket and live in the mountains or something (just kidding , doe seriously I don't know what I will do with my life if I can't get to that step of being an MD). I really am just kind of speechless that despite 4 years of research (however experimental or non-trivial) that no one was able to reach out to me and offer me a REAL research experience like many of my friends got within just the last 2 years of their undergrad; heck they even ended up doing senior thesis.
So what do you guys think?
-I am starting to wonder if I will even get into medical school now because when I think about it, I actually feel so embarrassed that someone like me who prepared the playing field so well could fall so far behind because of things I couldn't control. After today, I feel a lot of sadness, bitterness, and a little frustration at the process. No one is recognizing how valuable I am and I did above and beyond to make myself stand out. I got a Co-op my senior year, worked day and night regardless of my health and I get screwed over the fact that I have to complete a few prereqs over the summer. I didn't have the money to do them before, my parent falls below poverty line and also couldn't fund my studies. I recently got financial assistance my last year because of some changes in profile I wouldn't discuss but my parent and I have always been poor to state the matter clear.
I can't and will not sacrifice my studies for this last bit (I've always done this since day 1 of college) but I just can't make sense of any of this. Does anyone want to share your thoughts on this? Sorry I knew it would turn into a rant but lately all my classmates with jobs seem to act too superior to me to even talk without a cocky attitude. The only people I can talk about it would be with my best friends but they aren't applying to med school and they don't understand how big of a deal it is to me; plus they understandably are too embroiled with their own troubles.

Tldr stop being a wossy cry baby. These are such first world problems.

 

[ramifications]

Tldr stop being a wossy cry baby. These are such first world problems.

Just because these are first world problems, doesn't mean I leave it like that. I am solving them and I am asking for advice not a pre-med's one liner like this. Would be nice if you went back to respectful language. Oh and I am feeling much better from a long day of work from yesterday but I still don't know how I should arrange my gap year.

Should I:
do summer session 1, tell my job I can start early june (for which they might favor), resume research after taking class in summer session 1, take the rest of prereqs in fall 2015 while I work and do research.
-Then in december, would I be able to prepare for MCAT? I still need more prereqs to take to fill the humanities section of new format. I was initially thinking about studying in fall 2015 so I had enough time but it seems now that I am squeezing everything in. I really don't want to take 3 years of gap on the other hand. I would rather prefer doing a masters with that much time.

 

[Vain Brother]

forget about MD/PhD because it's not happening. worry about acing the MCAT

 

[mehc012]

I'm sorry, but I see no reason why you can't take summer courses if you work your job. Yes, you'll have to drive. Yes, you'll have less free time. Yes, it's absolutely doable.
I don't think anyone should choose a 40-min commute for their full-time, long-term life. However, it's not half as bad as people on SDN seem to make out when talking about what they "can't do".

 

[ZedsDed]

Tldr stop being a wossy cry baby. These are such first world problems.

This is not helpful

 

[ramifications]

I'm sorry, but I see no reason why you can't take summer courses if you work your job. Yes, you'll have to drive. Yes, you'll have less free time. Yes, it's absolutely doable.
I don't think anyone should choose a 40-min commute for their full-time, long-term life. However, it's not half as bad as people on SDN seem to make out when talking about what they "can't do".

Yea I guess you are right. I recently saw the schedule and I could technically do both but I am scared about acing my course with a schedule like this because that would leave me with 6 hours of studying everyday with no sleep. My job isn't friendly towards studying on the spot either. 40 hour commute isn't bad but when you think that I would have to pay parking at 2 different locations, it does put a question to the matter. All in all, the fact that I am trying to squeeze in research is debilitating. Maybe I should just tell PI that I can do it starting fall (it is definitely not possible to publish within a year anyways, so might as well take my sweet time).

 

[ramifications]

forget about MD/PhD because it's not happening. worry about acing the MCAT

I have spoken to a doctor that is md/phd and had similar stats like mine. I am hopeful at the least and I would really like to pursue this line and willing to pull up my gpa if possible. Maybe over the year as I work with my PI, I will come to find out if this is a calling before I start applying. If it is and I see that my stats aren't good, I am more than willing to take another year off.

Yea the MCAT is number 1 priority after this summer. I agree that this was the single factor keeping me from applying this year.

 

[mehc012]

Yea I guess you are right. I recently saw the schedule and I could technically do both but I am scared about acing my course with a schedule like this because that would leave me with 6 hours of studying everyday with no sleep. My job isn't friendly towards studying on the spot either. 40 hour commute isn't bad but when you think that I would have to pay parking at 2 different locations, it does put a question to the matter. All in all, the fact that I am trying to squeeze in research is debilitating. Maybe I should just tell PI that I can do it starting fall (it is definitely not possible to publish within a year anyways, so might as well take my sweet time).

What on earth could you possibly be taking (especially humanities) which would require 6hrs of studying every day? How many classes are you talking? Just the one? Two? What about weekends?

Be creative with your parking solutions. I'm sure there are options.

What's the actual breakdown? Say you're taking one class...that's 6hrs IN class (assuming double for summer session), 4hrs commuting, 40hrs at a job and 20hrs research? Sounds totally doable if you pull your schedule off right.
Now, two classes starts to get rough, depending on timing (aka whether the commute also doubles.) Still likely doable, but not necessarily advisable.

On the plus side, since summer sessions are short, odds are it's only ~2mo you'd have to push it like this.

 

[ramifications]

What on earth could you possibly be taking (especially humanities) which would require 6hrs of studying every day? How many classes are you talking? Just the one? Two? What about weekends?

Be creative with your parking solutions. I'm sure there are options.

What's the actual breakdown? Say you're taking one class...that's 6hrs IN class (assuming double for summer session), 4hrs commuting, 40hrs at a job and 20hrs research? Sounds totally doable if you pull your schedule off right.
Now, two classes starts to get rough, depending on timing (aka whether the commute also doubles.) Still likely doable, but not necessarily advisable.

On the plus side, since summer sessions are short, odds are it's only ~2mo you'd have to push it like this.

I am taking 2 courses during just each summer session and they are science not humanities. I am just a little underconfident of my abilities and since this is intro level course, I don't really have much basis on how hard it would be. Although, I have done well in math, so I don't know (just don't want to be overconfident, it hits me hard).

Yea it is 3 mo of grueling actually but since it'll be condensed into a short time I agree that it won't be that bad. My work actually has some periods in the month where I work weekends too (so working all week) but atleast I won't be doing research or taking classes those days. It's just that the nature of my work is very demanding. I've grown very accustomed to the environment now but it's still not something anyone would get used to. Hmm, I'm just a bit apprehensive about this.

 

[mehc012]

I am taking 2 courses during just each summer session and they are science not humanities. I am just a little underconfident of my abilities and since this is intro level course, I don't really have much basis on how hard it would be. Although, I have done well in math, so I don't know (just don't want to be overconfident, it hits me hard).

Yea it is 3 mo of grueling actually but since it'll be condensed into a short time I agree that it won't be that bad. My work actually has some periods in the month where I work weekends too (so working all week) but atleast I won't be doing research or taking classes those days. It's just that the nature of my work is very demanding. I've grown very accustomed to the environment now but it's still not something anyone would get used to. Hmm, I'm just a bit apprehensive about this.

Ah, there we go.
Yeah, 2 courses is probably not advisable if you are working fulltime and doing research. Sorry, I thought your research WAS the job at first, and then went down a weird path as the pieces fell in.

Honestly, I'd probably tell the PI that you can't do the summer session unless you are paid, because food is a thing and it ain't free. I'm not sure what it is you're really getting out of this lab. You've got more than enough research for MD. Yes, it might help with MD/Ph.D, but it will probably help just as much after a few month's delay.

 

[ramifications]

Ah, there we go.
Yeah, 2 courses is probably not advisable if you are working fulltime and doing research. Sorry, I thought your research WAS the job at first, and then went down a weird path as the pieces fell in.

Honestly, I'd probably tell the PI that you can't do the summer session unless you are paid, because food is a thing and it ain't free. I'm not sure what it is you're really getting out of this lab. You've got more than enough research for MD. Yes, it might help with MD/Ph.D, but it will probably help just as much after a few month's delay.

Haha, yea I guess I began the thread all scatterbrained.

Great, you just said what my dad was saying for research; he's not happy about working free if I have to juggle so many things around. However, what I will get more than possible publication is the ability to shadow and be mentored by a professor that is actually MD/PhD which will help me a lot in terms of future direction. I am torn between applying just MD or joint so getting advice by that person would be awesome. I actually didn't go this slippery road until recently when a prominent faculty member suggested I invest my time in the degree. I don't know if it was said in passing but he seemed to mean it. Anyways though I will just have to request an extension on my start date on research.

 

[Cidermonk]

.

 

[mehc012]

Currently I am taking 15 credit hours (All A's), working six days a week (30 hours), research five days a week (20 hours), hospital volunteering two days a week (8 hours), and two non-clinical volunteer activities one day a week (8 hours). I sleep 7-8 hours every night. Even with all that I still know for certain that I could be doing a hell of a lot more. I am not bragging by any means. I am probably doing less than the majority of all of the unbelievable users on these forums who post daily about how to make themselves more qualified for applying. All of these excuses that you have constructed in your head will get you nowhere mentally or physically. A plan and complete execution of that plan does. Nothing irks me more than people who have this "pity-me" mentality that you are so accurately portraying through every one of your posts. IF you truly want what you claim that you do then you need to balls up because this is the mentality of somebody who wants rewards without putting in the bull**** amount of work needed to get there.

I concur that OP initially seemed to exude that mentality, BUT...though I tend to be a fellow "just buckle down and power through crazy schedules NOW" type person, I'm also familiar with how much commuting adds to that, and how crazy summer courses can be. 2 summer courses is about equal to 4 regular semester ones (not counting labs), and OP will be investing almost as much time in the commute as in the class itself. While these sorts of schedules can be pulled off if you are willing and also lucky enough to be able to push everything into the optimal configuration, sometimes things just...conflict...and there's not much you can do about it.
When I did mine, I had to work closely with my shift scheduler to make sure my commute time was always worthwhile. I spent a semester doing the whole '2hrs driving for every 3hr class' thing and it was doable, but miserable with a fulltime job and a halftime research gig elsewhere. It's perfectly reasonable for OP to balk at doing that 4x/wk - may even be a smart move.

So, yes...OP had some self-pity mixed in at the beginning. But now he seems to be honestly assessing his options, and I don't think less of him for drawing his line in the sand as to what he is capable of. He didn't dismiss the notion, nor simply write it off as impossible. He considered it and seems to think it's a bad choice. I actually find myself agreeing with him, as much as it surprises me.

 

[Cidermonk]

.

 

[ramifications]

Currently I am taking 15 credit hours (All A's), working six days a week (30 hours), research five days a week (20 hours), hospital volunteering two days a week (8 hours), and two non-clinical volunteer activities one day a week (8 hours). I sleep 7-8 hours every night. Even with all that I still know for certain that I could be doing a hell of a lot more. I am not bragging by any means. I am probably doing less than the majority of all of the unbelievable users on these forums who post daily about how to make themselves more qualified for applying. All of these excuses that you have constructed in your head will get you nowhere mentally or physically. A plan and complete execution of that plan does. Nothing irks me more than people who have this "pity-me" mentality that you are so accurately portraying through every one of your posts. IF you truly want what you claim that you do then you need to balls up because this is the mentality of somebody who wants rewards without putting in the bull**** amount of work needed to get there.

Great, you should write a motivational book.
Anyways, despite being in a major where I take nothing but science, I feel I do a lot and say very little. In addition to work currently, I do: research, leadership, volunteering all in the same week. Different people have different twerks.
I also have commuted throughout college, and it is one of the most terrible aspects I know but also one that has matured me greatly. Because of that experience, I have become part of a really meaningful non-profit this year. It has its good side and bad side (but mainly tireless side which I don't mind; I say bring it on since I've done it so many times). I feel the commuting made me a bit more narcoleptic but it's time to get off of that train fast and show adcoms I mean it. To say the least though, that doesn't mean I will dive off of a plank where the depth of water is more than I can handle.

 

[Cidermonk]

.

 

[ramifications]

I will be taking 12 hours this summer, as well as continuing the same amount of EC's, work, and research that I am currently doing. I am doing this because I know I can get through it and be successful.

My job is 30 minutes from my apartment. My campus is 20 minutes from my apartment. The hospital is 40 minutes from my apartment.

I think the OP is a lot better off with adjusting his mentality to a positive, optimistic mindset. Rather than continuously making excuses and finding justifications for these excuses. Yes, it is stressful. Yes, it sucks. But that's just the way life seems to be for us premed students.

Buddy, I am not as amazing as you. I will structure it based off of sound feedback. I have a borderline gpa, it is a concern and so is my health; just because I have able body doesn't mean I need to take the life out of it. I know I can do all 3 but it is a matter of my history in being disciplined and I want to leave room for error. Ppl come to SDN saying they will increase gpa and do this and that; most of the time that optimism falls flat when the first grade they get in the semester is below what they expected. Then when they try to focus, they can't cause they got all these things extra things over their head. I want to avoid that dismay and tread my waters carefully since this is the last chance I have in resurrecting my stats.

 

[Goro]

The only person you should be comparing yourself to is yourself. Invest in MSAR ONline and you can see how your stats fare for matriculants at MD schools. You're also fine for ANY DO school, GPA-wise.

*Gpa: I agree it is alright but compared to how high now kids are scoring and compare that to my ORM status, I don't know if it is competitive. I would like to apply to DO if I get turned off from real clinical research that I might be starting soon

How old are you now? BTW, some of my all-time best students were in their 30s and 40s. I graduated one last year at 50.

*Yea the process isn't a race and that is why I took a year off to finish studies and do well in MCAT. With that, I will have taken 2 years off prior to med school. That is long time for me because of the dual degree stuff I am aiming at. I just don't want to be in my 40s saying "it's not a race". I kind of am in medicine so much that I feel so prepared. It's just a puzzle piece here and there that get me.

 

[Vain Brother]

I have spoken to a doctor that is md/phd and had similar stats like mine. I am hopeful at the least and I would really like to pursue this line and willing to pull up my gpa if possible. Maybe over the year as I work with my PI, I will come to find out if this is a calling before I start applying. If it is and I see that my stats aren't good, I am more than willing to take another year off.

Yea the MCAT is number 1 priority after this summer. I agree that this was the single factor keeping me from applying this year.

your PI is one guy, and probably applied in a different era, when things were less competitive

MD/PhD programs are looking for kids with 3.7/35 minimum, plus publications to their names. you check none of the boxes. it's not something that taking an extra year is going to fix -- you're a borderline MD candidate as it is. focus on doing well in your remaining classes and rocking the MCAT, get into an MD program, and figure out the research later. you don't need a PhD to do research

 

[ramifications]

The only person you should be comparing yourself to is yourself. Invest in MSAR ONline and you can see how your stats fare for matriculants at MD schools. You're also fine for ANY DO school, GPA-wise.

*Gpa: I agree it is alright but compared to how high now kids are scoring and compare that to my ORM status, I don't know if it is competitive. I would like to apply to DO if I get turned off from real clinical research that I might be starting soon

I agree, my biggest problem is comparing myself to others and I feel like it is the only way for me to keep my self at bay. However, I can tell you that my gpa was much higher freshman year when I didn't care about what other people did. I see how doing personal best is of importance, thanks for reminding me. I guess, I really should stop going on facebook a lot.

How old are you now? BTW, some of my all-time best students were in their 30s and 40s. I graduated one last year at 50.

*Yea the process isn't a race and that is why I took a year off to finish studies and do well in MCAT. With that, I will have taken 2 years off prior to med school. That is long time for me because of the dual degree stuff I am aiming at. I just don't want to be in my 40s saying "it's not a race". I kind of am in medicine so much that I feel so prepared. It's just a puzzle piece here and there that get me.

I'm traditional age but when I was thinking mdphd and seeing that ppl did 8-10 years of md, then 4 years of residency, then postdoc fellowship, I would be nearly 40 if I go straight now.

 

[ramifications]

your PI is one guy, and probably applied in a different era, when things were less competitive

MD/PhD programs are looking for kids with 3.7/35 minimum, plus publications to their names. you check none of the boxes. it's not something that taking an extra year is going to fix -- you're a borderline MD candidate as it is. focus on doing well in your remaining classes and rocking the MCAT, get into an MD program, and figure out the research later. you don't need a PhD to do research

So even if I get my gpa to look like 3.6, I still wouldn't be a good fit for mdphd? I have extensive research and work experience.

Yea I guess I should focus on MCAT more right now since I tend not to do so well in standardized tests but that's because I never sat down and studied for any of them.

 

[Vain Brother]

So even if I get my gpa to look like 3.6, I still wouldn't be a good fit for mdphd? I have extensive research and work experience.

Yea I guess I should focus on MCAT more right now since I tend not to do so well in standardized tests but that's because I never sat down and studied for any of them.

https://www.aamc.org/download/321548/data/2013factstable35.pdf

according to the most recent data, the average MD/PhD student was a 3.8/35

 

[ZedsDed]

MD/PhD programs are insanely competitive. Right now you are borderline for MD programs as is. Your PI may have gone to med school years ago, he can't compare his situation to yours. That being said, I don't see how it hurts for you to aim high, as long as you don't sacrifice your health.

 

[NeuResurgens]

Sometimes things are tough and not everything is going to go your way. As I've noted here, I recently had an experience where, because of a simple honest mistake and an then taking the requisite action to correct it, I may have received a lower grade than I deserved. Fair? No.. But it happens. You just need to do your best and not let negative experiences get you down.

Humans are very selfish creatures, so not being recognized for your hard work is pretty much a staple of life. You can't be too driven by credit in this game or you will be disappointed. If you keep working hard, you'll start to see some positive results from it, as it looks like you probably already have too.

For perspective, there is literally only one guy in my lab of about 40 people who gets paid for what he does. Paid research positions are surprisingly hard to get.

If you want to do MD/PhD, you're going to need to do really well on the MCAT to offset that GPA. You can do it. Sometimes there are ups and downs in life and you're in one of the valleys. Things get better.

 

[ramifications]

Sometimes things are tough and not everything is going to go your way. As I've noted here, I recently had an experience where, because of a simple honest mistake and an then taking the requisite action to correct it, I may have received a lower grade than I deserved. Fair? No.. But it happens. You just need to do your best and not let negative experiences get you down.

Humans are very selfish creatures, so not being recognized for your hard work is pretty much a staple of life. You can't be too driven by credit in this game or you will be disappointed. If you keep working hard, you'll start to see some positive results from it, as it looks like you probably already have too.

For perspective, there is literally only one guy in my lab of about 40 people who gets paid for what he does. Paid research positions are surprisingly hard to get.

If you want to do MD/PhD, you're going to need to do really well on the MCAT to offset that GPA. You can do it. Sometimes there are ups and downs in life and you're in one of the valleys. Things get better.

Thanks man, I guess I got this figured out now. It really means a lot for me when so many people from my preferred field of study give me feedback to get me up from my slump, sometimes you just have those days where you want to sit there and be sad but they aren't productive. That just wastes more time. I am up and running for this year. Super glad I came here for help when I couldn't find any from elsewhere

 

[NeuResurgens]

Thanks man, I guess I got this figured out now. It really means a lot for me when so many people from my preferred field of study give me feedback to get me up from my slump, sometimes you just have those days where you want to sit there and be sad but they aren't productive. That just wastes more time. I am up and running for this year. Super glad I came here for help when I couldn't find any from elsewhere

Good to hear you're feeling a bit better! We've all been there, I've been in sort of a slump myself as I try to get studying for the MCAT, but sometimes you just have to "grin and bear it." I think we naturally fluctuate in our moods too, so sometimes it's just a matter of trying to get some sleep and starting again in the morning. Best of luck!

 

[mehc012]

I will be taking 12 hours this summer, as well as continuing the same amount of EC's, work, and research that I am currently doing. I am doing this because I know I can get through it and be successful.

My job is 30 minutes from my apartment. My campus is 20 minutes from my apartment. The hospital is 40 minutes from my apartment.

I think the OP is a lot better off with adjusting his mentality to a positive, optimistic mindset. Rather than continuously making excuses and finding justifications for these excuses. Yes, it is stressful. Yes, it sucks. But that's just the way life seems to be for us premed students.

Yes, we are all very proud of you and your accomplishments.

Your situation is not OP's...for one, you don't really have any commutes worth mentioning and for another, you know you can do it...OP does not. They're already sitting at a 3.5. It is entirely possible that they would not do well with that load, and that's not an excuse, it's an honest assessment. If that's how they feel going in, it would be stupid to charge ahead just because someone on the internet does the premed version of calling them a wuss and daring them to.

Furthermore, let's break this down, shall we?

24*7 = 168. This is the speed limit. That's the be-all, end-all, maximum number of hours in a week.
24 (summer courses usually 2x speed) + 30 + 20 + 8 + 8 + 8*7 = 146
You say you work 6d/wk, 30min each way, so that's +6hrs: 152
You research 5d/wk, and we'll assume your classes are near that and only on days you research. 20min each way, so 40min*5 = +3hrs: 155
Hospital 2d/wk, 40min each way, so that's 80min*2 = +3hrs: 158
Nonclinical volunteering has unknown commute time, we'll give you that one.

Now, that leaves you a grand total of 10 waking hours each week where you are not actively commuting or working. That completely ignores cooking, eating, bathing, shopping, driving to nc volunteering, SDNing, and jacking off. Oh, and, you know, studying. But hey, even with that you feel like you could be doing a lot more! Not that you're bragging, though.

So yeah, what you're doing is possible...but
a) you have no major commutes. Trade your 20min commute research commute for a 1:15 drive and all of a sudden you're pushing against the laws of relativity.
b) because you apparently need little to no studying, which seems not to be true for OP
c) some people do not want to function on 10hrs of downtime in a week, and that's OK. It's not a sign of weakness, or whininess.