What are my options if I have a low GPA?

[JiMin]

Hello, I am close to completing my Bachelor of Science in Biology. I have been working as a CNA with experience in PACU, pre-op, post-op, and pre-testing for seven years at a level one trauma hospital while attending school.
I would like to get into Medical school or a Physician Assistant program. My GPA is not stellar about a 2.5 cumulative, sciences are not a whole lot higher either. I have always worked to pay for my tuition and rent. I am at a point where I need to raise my GPA because I know this is just not acceptable for any program.
I have an incredible amount of potential, I just need to focus my attention to school, I am willing to quit working because I feel this is my last shot and I want it, I want it bad. I have so much potential, I am great with the patients, I have honed my skills over the years working as a CNA. I really love doing this, there is no question about it and I want to take it to the next level.
Is it best to raise my GPA and get a Master's degree, second bachelor's (and in what?) or are there other options for me?

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[shinbeats]

Hello, I am close to completing my Bachelor of Science in Biology. I have been working as a CNA with experience in PACU, pre-op, post-op, and pre-testing for seven years at a level one trauma hospital while attending school.
I would like to get into Medical school or a Physician Assistant program. My GPA is not stellar about a 2.5 cumulative, sciences are not a whole lot higher either. I have always worked to pay for my tuition and rent. I am at a point where I need to raise my GPA because I know this is just not acceptable for any program.
I have an incredible amount of potential, I just need to focus my attention to school, I am willing to quit working because I feel this is my last shot and I want it, I want it bad. I have so much potential, I am great with the patients, I have honed my skills over the years working as a CNA. I really love doing this, there is no question about it and I want to take it to the next level.
Is it best to raise my GPA and get a Master's degree, second bachelor's (and in what?) or are there other options for me?

Your best bet is to look into DO schools and their grade replacement policy. As long as you can pull that GPA up to a 3.0 which should be slightly easier for DO application process, AACOMAS, since they only consider the last grade of a course and not the initial you should have a chance at medical schools. You're best bet right now is to pour yourself into the MCAT and score > 30 with the 3.0 and apply broadly to DO.

 

[Creighton96]

Hello, I am close to completing my Bachelor of Science in Biology. I have been working as a CNA with experience in PACU, pre-op, post-op, and pre-testing for seven years at a level one trauma hospital while attending school.
I would like to get into Medical school or a Physician Assistant program. My GPA is not stellar about a 2.5 cumulative, sciences are not a whole lot higher either. I have always worked to pay for my tuition and rent. I am at a point where I need to raise my GPA because I know this is just not acceptable for any program.
I have an incredible amount of potential, I just need to focus my attention to school, I am willing to quit working because I feel this is my last shot and I want it, I want it bad. I have so much potential, I am great with the patients, I have honed my skills over the years working as a CNA. I really love doing this, there is no question about it and I want to take it to the next level.
Is it best to raise my GPA and get a Master's degree, second bachelor's (and in what?) or are there other options for me?

You have two options: If you are a "minority" (as classified by the federal government), there are Post Baccalaureate programs that can be an avenue for admission to medical school and low GPAs, otherwise if you're not a "minority" then one option is to seek a "D.O." they are now recognized by AMA, and you can get into ANY residency program or the other option is to obtain an "MPH" or a Masters in Public Health and try to get better grades, then apply to medical school.

Remember that D.O. schools are not stupid, and if you give any indication that your interests was initially "M.D." then you'll never get in.....Good luck

 

[gmcguitar4]

You have two options: If you are a "minority" (as classified by the federal government), there are Post Baccalaureate programs that can be an avenue for admission to medical school and low GPAs, otherwise if you're not a "minority" then one option is to seek a "D.O." they are now recognized by AMA, and you can get into ANY residency program or the other option is to obtain an "MPH" or a Masters in Public Health and try to get better grades, then apply to medical school.

Remember that D.O. schools are not stupid, and if you give any indication that your interests was initially "M.D." then you'll never get in.....Good luck

Being a minority according to fed government doesn't really mean anything..You need to be classified as a URM by AMCAS to make any difference in your application.

For DO, you can possibly can into any residency, but more likely not. Very hard to match into competitive MD residencies if not impossible from DO.

Also the masters doesn't help if your undergraduate grades aren't there. The two main factors are undergraduate GPA and MCAT for admissions and a masters does not compensate for a low uGPA at all. Basically all you accomplish is increasing your student loan debt.

OP, the best thing you can do is retake science courses you did bad in and take a couple of additional courses. Apply to DO schools when your cGPA and sGPA are above 3.2. MD is out of the question at this point.