2.6 GPA Career Changer

[AEnomore]

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I graduated with my BS in Aerospace Engineering and a 2.6 GPA from Georgia Tech. I got a 1410 on my SAT and haven't taken the MCAT. I've only taken 1 semester of chemistry and the 1 year of physics towards the pre-med requirements, so I still have several more to take. I only graduated a year ago, but in that time I've been working as an aerospace engineer, so I haven't volunteered in a health services setting or anything. Are there any post-bacc programs you guys could recommend for me, given my numbers and that I'm a career changer? I will only be applying to DO schools when the time comes.

 

[Jlaw]

Most formal post bacc programs have GPA requirements of 3.0+, 3.2+ or higher just to get in. There are some that will take almost anyone though, and others will make exceptions. Use the program finder here http://services.aamc.org/postbac/ to look whats available in your area and give some a call to discuss your situation.

Worst case scenario just do an informal post bacc somewhere. Figure out what classes you need and take them. Most important thing is to figure out why you did badly in undergrad and fix it. A post bacc is kind of a last chance thing. If you do it and don't get A's it is not going to help you. Make sure you are ready for it.


Best of luck to you!

 

[deleted248403]

Jlaw - you post the same crap link in everyone of your posts in this forum. That resource is outdated and generally useless. Have you even looked at it or read about how many of those programs no longer exist?

OP - a much better resource is the stickies at the top of this forum. They have some great stuff in it. With a 2.6, do a DIY pre-req post bac for a year or two, get solid grades and try and get into an SMP

 

[Jlaw]

Jlaw - you post the same crap link in everyone of your posts in this forum. That resource is outdated and generally useless. Have you even looked at it or read about how many of those programs no longer exist?

whoa buddy calm down, just trying to help the kid out a bit. The aamc finder isn't perfect but its got plenty of correct information, for my area of the country at least...I personally used it to find tons of post bacc programs which I then researched in the forum. Its a pretty good jumping off point for someone who obviously has no idea where to start and I don't think that running into a few dead links is going to derail the OP's search....

 

[njbmd]

I graduated with my BS in Aerospace Engineering and a 2.6 GPA from Georgia Tech. I got a 1410 on my SAT and haven't taken the MCAT. I've only taken 1 semester of chemistry and the 1 year of physics towards the pre-med requirements, so I still have several more to take. I only graduated a year ago, but in that time I've been working as an aerospace engineer, so I haven't volunteered in a health services setting or anything. Are there any post-bacc programs you guys could recommend for me, given my numbers and that I'm a career changer? I will only be applying to DO schools when the time comes.

You can go to the AAMC site (do a Google search for postbacc programs) and find every program in the country listed there. They are even divided up at levels (graduate versus certificate (credentials enhancement). Check out a few and make some phone calls. You can also read the "Stuck" thread on this forum for more info.

 

[DrMidlife]

Maybe for the first time, I'll disagree with njbmd. I have no problem with anybody using any list they want, but the AAMC list is not good quality. If it were, I wouldn't have bothered working on my 80+ program list year after year. (Which I no longer have time to do, anybody want to volunteer?)

The OP is looking at DO schools, which have a ton of SMP-like programs that aren't listed on the AAMC site.

My two favorite postbacs, UT Dallas and Bennington, aren't on the AAMC list. Also missing: Mt. Sinai, the 8 U of California postbacs, Tulane ACP, the new Mississippi program, the bazillion Drexel programs, Temple, Cincinnati, U of S. Florida. Probably 20 more that have been discussed in this forum just this year.

But my biggest gripe is that the AAMC site seems to take listings from all comers, where there's no program, just a premed advising website (Oregon State is a good example). No info about how to get admitted as a postbac or how to pay for it. No info on whether postbacs get registration priority, advising, MCAT prep, etc. No info on whether the "program" has ever put anybody into med school. If AAMC is going to include those listings, then they should just list every college in the US that offers the prereqs.

My $.02. Best of luck.

 

[jslo85]

But my biggest gripe is that the AAMC site seems to take listings from all comers, where there's no program, just a premed advising website (Oregon State is a good example). No info about how to get admitted as a postbac or how to pay for it. No info on whether postbacs get registration priority, advising, MCAT prep, etc. No info on whether the "program" has ever put anybody into med school. If AAMC is going to include those listings, then they should just list every college in the US that offers the prereqs.

Pretty much sums it up.

DOs do offer many SMPs but I know of none that will aid you in completing the pre-reqs (you are lacking a very significant # which you already do recognize) except LMU-DCOM which will for some reason teach you Organic Chemistry. Your GPA is pretty troubling but if you can do well on your pre-reqs and achieve a high sGPA, alot of things can be overlapped. If your GPA is still in the dubious region and you're deadset on osteopathic medicine still, you can apply to certain DO school SMPs which have a very high linkage back into the host medical school. But do understand that this does not always translate to their fellow osteopathic counterpart schools as well.

 

[deleted248403]

whoa buddy calm down, just trying to help the kid out a bit. The aamc finder isn't perfect but its got plenty of correct information, for my area of the country at least...I personally used it to find tons of post bacc programs which I then researched in the forum. Its a pretty good jumping off point for someone who obviously has no idea where to start and I don't think that running into a few dead links is going to derail the OP's search....

I'm chill - just hate seeing your point ppl in the same poor direction for this resource.

There are very few people who think this resource is particularly good...

 

[Jlaw]

I'm chill - just hate seeing your point ppl in the same poor direction for this resource.

There are very few people who think this resource is particularly good...

Telling people to search the forums doesn't exactly give them a leg up, either way it's going to involve some work.

OP what geographic region are you looking to be in? You choices will vary depending on where you are willing to go. In general I think you're going to need to just take pre reqs as a non degree student and above all make sure you get your study habits figured out. Once you have all the pre reqs complete and are confident in your abilities you can weigh applying or going to SMP route, but take this one step at a time...first step is to start taking classes and getting A's.