The path to MD

[helbetsol]

Hi guys.

I’m junior in college majoring in Biology. I finished my freshman year in community college and I transferred into a 4 year college in my sophomore year. I basically did everything right ( I think) both my freshman and sophomore year. I volunteered in two hospitals, participated in research during my sophomore year, got straight A’s both in the community college I attended and in my sophomore year. Everything fell apart in my junior year. I had family problem and I messed up my grade last fall. Got 2.7 GPA I had a disagreement with my research supervisor and I stopped doing research. I stopped volunteering. I was doubting myself whether medicine is right for me or not because of my grade. I missed another great opportunity in the lab I worked because I was not feeling good about myself. And then after all of this has passed, I realized that nobody is perfect right. There isn’t a perfect applicant. I’m trying to keep my grades up this semester. I’m working in the summer therefore I have limited amount of time to volunteer. I know I should be shadowing as well. What other advice do u guys have for me.

Any help would be appreciated

Thank You!

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[Espressso]

Not a killer! Don't fret too much, every applicant faces adversity during the undergrad years. I think the biggest, most important part right now is to get your GPA up. That and also, depending on where you are with your science courses, you need to be thinking about MCAT. For the summer, I would focus on work and shadowing. Possibly get in contact with your family doc? That is the easiest way to shadow.. that or a specialty doc you see for yourself. You basically already have an "in" with those physicians.

 

[Dr Tony T. Chopper]

work hard and show an upward trend. you can do it

 

[candbgirl]

Was the 2.7 you Fall
GPA or your cGPA? You need to expand your horizons a bit. Find some community service stuff to do. Like homeless shelters, soup kitchens, habitat for humanity etc. you also need to work in the clinical activities and of course shadowing. You have plenty of time to get stuff together. Maybe think about doing a gap year do you aren't so overwhelmed. If you want to be a doctor you have to work for it!


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[The Knife & Gun Club]

What's your GPA been this (spring) semester? I'm guessing youre planning on taking a gap year if youve yet to take the MCAT?

 

[helbetsol]

2.7 is my fall semester GPA. My cGPA is around 3.5ish. This doesn't include my freshman year. My school doesn't take in to account my GPA at community college. I have 4.0 GPA for both semesters on my first year. I don't know how that will be added to the 3.5 though :/. And I'm planning to take Gap year. Maybe do post bac program if I have to. Thank you guys so much for ur support.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

AMCAS will average all grades across all institutions, so your CC grades will be given as much weight as your Uni grades. However downward trends aren't great, be sure to have a good showing in the future semesters. What classes (science or non-science) did you do poorly in, and how poorly (ie. did you get 3 As and an F or 4 B-'s)?

I wouldn't suggest a full postbacc program, but maybe a few postgrad classes. MCAT is gonna be the great decider here.

 

[helbetsol]

I got C+ in Orgo, C- in human phys, B in Neurbiology, and a B in physics lab and two other A-'s (orgo lab and physics)

AMCAS will average all grades across all institutions, so your CC grades will be given as much weight as your Uni grades. However downward trends aren't great, be sure to have a good showing in the future semesters. What classes (science or non-science) did you do poorly in, and how poorly (ie. did you get 3 As and an F or 4 B-'s)?

I wouldn't suggest a full postbacc program, but maybe a few postgrad classes. MCAT is gonna be the great decider here.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Hm, That's too not the best showing in the world but can definitely be recovered from. You gotta give it your all in orgo2 and physics 2.

Give the mcat your best effort too to prove your abilities also.

 

[cyanide12345678]

You'll be with with one rough semester. Theoretically if you do really well the rest of the way, you should have a commulative gpa around 3.7 which isn't bad at all.

 

[helbetsol]

Thank you guys so much for your advice!

 

[deleted642188]

I got C+ in Orgo, C- in human phys, B in Neurbiology, and a B in physics lab and two other A-'s (orgo lab and physics)

My rule of thumb for retakes is that you retake anything less than a B-. GL

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

I got C+ in Orgo, C- in human phys, B in Neurbiology, and a B in physics lab and two other A-'s (orgo lab and physics)

My rule of thumb for retakes is that you retake anything less than a B-. GL

Sorry I missed C- in human phys. You should retake that for sure. I feel like that's a grade that will not be well received by adcoms.

IMO you should not be getting a C- in that class if med school is the goal. Figure out what you did wrong asap.

 

[deleted642188]

Sorry I missed C- in human phys. You should retake that for sure. I feel like that's a grade that will not be well received by adcoms.

IMO you should not be getting a C- in that class if med school is the goal. Figure out what you did wrong asap.

In addition, some schools like Creighton have physio as a requirement and generally prerequisites need to be at least a C but the higher the better