Recent Graduate of College With a Bio Degree. Lower 3.35 GPA. Would getting a MS help my situation?

[mortalcoil]

I graduated last year June 2014 and I have begun working at a vetenary pharmaceudical company as a microbiologist. My gpa after graduation was low due to issues on my later years in college and I thought that my chances were shot. But I was reading that alternative routes such as getting a Masters could help aid in showing your commitment in medicine (I am looking for a program in microbiology). Is this a solid plan? or should I consider alternative solutions to compensate for my lower gpa?

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[s5260205]

You have the options of completing a post-bacc program or a special Master's program (SMP) to remediate your low undergrad GPAs. While this is a good option for those with low GPAs, it's kind of a one shot deal. If you do not perform well in these programs, you should just consider another career option since most medical schools would not consider applicants who fail out of these programs. Alternatively, you could take your MCAT and try for DO schools.

 

[LAtoDavis]

"Vetenary pharmaceudical"?

Veterinary pharmaceutical, and maybe you should consider that medicine is rigorous and not for everybody before jumping in.

 

[dorothyntoto]

It's hard to say if an SMP is better for you, or if a Post-bacc would be better. You haven't said what your science GPA is, and you said your GPA after college, which I'm hoping you mean your GPA at graduation? You may be better off repeating courses and reapplying to DO schools... Need more info to decide

 

[gyngyn]

Master's degrees (other than SMP's) do not remediate a weak undergraduate performance for MD applications.
Some DO schools may view this differently.

 

[dorothyntoto]

Pretty sure DO programs are similar. Masters programs are hard to quantify. While SMPs are usually better than a random MS/MA program, they are usually very expensive and frequently a person would be better off retaking classes and improving the UG performance. Not to mention, if you F-up an SMP, you're permanently screwed.

Additionally, a masters program doesn't really show commitment to medicine. That is going to come from your actions outside of the classroom. Shadowing, volunteering, etc, those things will show commitment, a solid GPA is what shows you have the academic ability to be successful.

 

[Goro]

It's not so much your commitment to Medicine that Adcoms are looking for as your ability to survive a medical school curriculum. A 3.35 isn't lethal for MD schools, provided you live a lucky state like MS, LA, or MO. But the national avg for MD acceptees is 3.6+, and because it's a seller's market, MD schools can afford to pass over applicants with your GPAs.

Your GPA is fine for any DO school, so how badly do you want to be a doctor? If you're boning for the MD, then SMP is suggested. these are auditions for med school. MS degrees in research fields (like, say, Neuroscience) are not treated seriously by MD Adcoms because of the grade inflation associated with these degrees, and difficulty in assessing performance in courses like "Research Seminar", "Current Topics in Neuroscience" or "DNA techniques". These programs ARE useful in giving you some skills in case Medicine doesn't pan out as a career.

At my school, we're more tolerant of good performance in Research MS programs.

I graduated last year June 2014 and I have begun working at a vetenary pharmaceudical company as a microbiologist. My gpa after graduation was low due to issues on my later years in college and I thought that my chances were shot. But I was reading that alternative routes such as getting a Masters could help aid in showing your commitment in medicine (I am looking for a program in microbiology). Is this a solid plan? or should I consider alternative solutions to compensate for my lower gpa?