2nd Degree extra year or no. Lowish GPA

[Venc]

Hi

I see a bunch of these and they are very helpful due to all you guys' answers. So I would like to bother you guys a little and see what I should do. Hope I'm not

I graduated from a great school with a BA Anthropology GPA ~2.8X. Mainly because I was still learning English at the time. I just knew a little when I enter because my HS (which I came in to 10th grade) taught in Spanish . So it was fairly hard to learn English.
I done about a year of volunteering in a Daycare research facility, and worked as a Psych Tech when I was at that school. And other non-related jobs

Now I'm a post-bac at a different school as a Bio major (probably going to finish it, maybe get a double major). And right now taking only science courses. Next semester would be my second non-science (Calc) class and 4th semester in this school.
I volunteer at a hospital, I help students with Genetics (through a school program) and I'm in a genetics/microbiology research lab.
My GPA in this school is 3.2 (horribly low :cry: for what I see here) but with an upper trend mainly in the upper level courses (Genetics/Cell bio)

What do you guys think? Should I even apply next year? I'm planning on enrolling on a MCAT course next semester so I could take the exam on May and get the results by June ~20-21.

Or am I kind of bad and I should wait another year see what happens?

Ohh I would also be the first of my family to obtain anything more than a Bachelor's or more than one for that matter

Thank you

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[TriagePreMed]

Calculus does count as a science class for MD.

Unless your GPA is over 3.4, it won't be a good idea to apply to MD.

 

[Catalystik]

What is your primary language?

Have you considered applying to DO medical schools, which would be a closer match for your stats?

I think it is premature to think about applying in summer 2011 unless you got a very strong MCAT score.

 

[Venc]

What is your primary language?

Have you considered applying to DO medical schools, which would be acloser match for yor stats?

I think it is premature to think about applying in summer 2011 unless you got a very strong MCAT score.

Spanish, got here when I was 15/16. I can still raise my GPA some more this and next semester hopefully. I been doing well in exams

What DO schools are good and would it affect me when getting in a residency?? I would really like to be a surgeon

Calculus does count as a science class for MD.

Unless your GPA is over 3.4, it won't be a good idea to apply to MD.

Then all I taken is science courses cool.

I believe I can raise my GPA that much or more by June to be honest I'm pretty close. But I seem people with lower GPAs getting in MD schools. For example UW had one with a 2.75-2.99 GPA and an MCAT 10-11 (range) and I like the University

Thanks both!!!

 

[Catalystik]

Going to DO schools is no bar to getting a residency in Surgery, provided you get competative scores on the USMLE or COMLEX exams required for licensing.

If you are an underrepresented minority, your Spanish fluency may give you an edge getting into MD schools, but you still have to show adcomms you can excel in difficult science courses, as they won't want to give one of their precious spots to someone without the demonstrated capability of surviving the science-intense environment of a med school.

There are many DO med schools. See the sticky at the top of this forum for a link to the DO equivalent of the MSAR, which lists all the schools and their requirements.

 

[Venc]

Going to DO schools is no bar to getting a residency in Surgery, provided you get competative scores on the USMLE or COMLEX exams required for licensing.

If you are an underrepresented minority, your Spanish fluency may give you an edge getting into MD schools, but you still have to show adcomms you can excel in difficult science courses, as they won't want to give one of their precious spots to someone without the demonstrated capability of surviving the science-intense environment of a med school.

There are many DO med schools. See the sticky at the top of this forum for a link to the DO equivalent of the MSAR, which lists all the schools and their requirements.

Well I got an A on both Genetics and Cell bio. And I think I'm getting an A on Comparative Anatomy. I'll see how I do on Immunology. Those are upper level courses.

During the summer if I don't get into a Research program I'll be doing Biochem

What do you recommend to take?

When you say "bar" you mean bad, obsticle or that is not a way to get in residency?

 

[Catalystik]

Well I got an A on both Genetics and Cell bio. And I think I'm getting an A on Comparative Anatomy. I'll see how I do on Immunology. Those are upper level courses.

Well done! If it's available, also consider Physiology, and definitely take the Biochem. Other possibilities: Statistics, Microbiology, Histology, Embryology. Every school differs in what they offer.

"No bar" means not an obstacle.

 

[Venc]

Well done! If it's available, also consider Physiology, and definitely take the Biochem. Other possibilities: Statistics, Microbiology, Histology, Embryology. Every school differs in what they offer.

I was going to take physiology but I have to wait until Fall, because they do physio 2 in the Spring. I already completed a year of Stats, which fills my math pre-req.

To fill most school's pre-req I need to finish orgo 1 (currently taking) and orgo 2 (spring 11).

Spring 11
- Calc 1
- Orgo 2
- Immunology
- Plus keep doing volunteering, research and tutoring

Going to take an MCAT course and take the exam on May 21

I'm trying to get some shadowing but don't know any doctors. Hopefully I get to watch an open heart surgery this Thursday (crossing every finger and toe) and see if I can get on the doctor's (Cardiothoracic surgeon) good side and shadow him.

My other biggest problem is lack of LOR, I really don't talk to proffs except one right now which is also part of the premed committee. But I think I can get a good LOR from the lab proffessor

Thanks so much for your help

 

[Catalystik]

My other biggest problem is lack of LOR, I really don't talk to proffs except one right now which is also part of the premed committee. But I think I can get a good LOR from the lab proffessor

Be strategic (don't think of it as "sucking up") and start attending office hours to ask questions and participating in class, if appropriate, to cultivate a positive opinion.

 

[Venc]

Be strategic (don't think of it as "sucking up") and start attending office hours to ask questions and participating in class, if appropriate, to cultivate a positive opinion.

Thanks you are very helpful. Are you a med student, doctor, adcomm, SDN guarding angel?

 

[Catalystik]

The last one sounds good. And maybe Batman should be one of the choices. But my favorite option is this one:

Oh.. and listen to Cat. Shes the oracle of SDN WAMC.