4th year business major, starting pre-med, plus transcript concern

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KarmicCircle

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Hello SDN World! Medium time browser, first time poster here. Let me explain my background then maybe you all can help me answer some questions.

Background:

I am a 4th year business major at a flagship state university, with only 6 classes remaining to obtain a BBA in Finance. I recently returned from a study abroad program in Latin America that, to put it both bluntly and cliche-ly, changed my life. I have an overall GPA of 3.6, a Math/Science of 3.52 (which I plan to take nowhere but up), and consider myself an overall capable person and quite determined when I know what I want.

My strengths:

- My school is very challenging, and my BBA program is top ranked.
- I have a significant entrepreneurial background, both in business and community involvement. Both leadership in organizations and active oncampus community involvement
- I am part owner of a business that has seen fantastic success and grown over 166% in one year (I started it Fall of my junior year)

My weaknesses:
- I took my required calculus course at a CC, electing to take business calculus as to not hurt my 'in school' GPA.
- I have taken 1 year of chemistry, but took the non-major option. I did receive A's in both classes, however.
- With my involvement in both business and my community, the amount that which is volunteer is limited. The amount that is health oriented, is quite frankly, zilch.
- Transcript issue: despite coming out of my abroad trip with a completely changed mindframe and a discovery that I can speak spanish very well (pero si usted pase cinco meses en latinoamerica, tendría que hablar español!), there was a visa issue and I will not get my transcript from the foreign university (I was never planning on transferring my classes, since they were language and artistically related (nothing like my major). All it will say on my main transcript is "Study abroad" for Fall 2007 and thats it.

My questions/concerns:

- Do I have a shot at a MD program given my low GPA?
- Is my background/experience decent?
- Is the transcript issue going to kill me?
- Should I think about a post-bacc program instead of delaying my graduation by fulfilling the pre-med requirements? I would not mind continuing at my current school, however..
- Is it too late to get involved with health-related activities?

My change of heart:

Basically, while abroad, I realized all of the fortunes and opportunities g-d has given me in my life. I realized that everything I have done, witnessed, seen, and experience has been the result of significant improvements in my health and the support of family and doctors. Events ranging from broken bones (several big, big ones) and a big weight-loss. I feel there is a distinct reason for my existence and success here in my life, and I need to help some other people; a certain philosophical cocktail of my own led to believe my path is that of a doctor (really interested in orthopedic surgery!). I need to repay this karmic balance, and do not think I can do so as I'd like to by being a business man...

That being said....

I thank you all for reading my post, and hope for some feedback, whether encouraging or discouraging, it doesn't matter, the decision I made is entirely intrinsic and I feel it needs to be such in order to be successful. But, I am curious to from you experienced pre-med'ers....

Happy new years!😎

-KarmicCircle
 
- Do I have a shot at a MD program given my low GPA?
- Is my background/experience decent?
- Is the transcript issue going to kill me?
- Should I think about a post-bacc program instead of delaying my graduation by fulfilling the pre-med requirements? I would not mind continuing at my current school, however..
- Is it too late to get involved with health-related activities?

I think you have a shot, but you probably will want to add to your experiences to improve your chances. I doubt the transcript issue will kill you if the rest of your application is coherent (e.g., no unexplained gaps) and impressive. I don't see a huge benefit of the post-bacc program if you are already enrolled in a very strong university. If your current school is great, I would stay to show that you did not need to change schools for all your prereqs (the CC would raise a tiny flag to me). Taking extra time due to a change in focus seems entirely understandable to me.

Is your background/experience decent? To be frank, it is decent but not outstanding in my eyes. It seems similar to many applications I saw when I did interviews for my med school. A lot of people change focus as an undergrad and a lot of people have experiences abroad.

To me, the med school admission process at its core tries to answer some basic questions: 1) You have a realistic understanding of what med school and the practice of medicine entails; 2) You have proven yourself capable of succeeding at medicine, and this encompasses a lot more than intellectual/academic ability; 3) Your motives for pursuing medicine are solid enough to withstand med school and beyond and, ideally, will prove a benefit to others when you graduate with the MD; and 4) You really, really want to do this. I don't see the answers to some of these questions in your post. You say you need to help some people - so why be a doctor and not a nurse, a teacher, a vet, a CNA, a utilities company manager? A lot of careers, probably almost any career if you squint hard enough, "helps" people. What clinical experiences do you have? What is your understanding about med school and the practice of medicine and how did you develop this? You had an epiphany, and, with complete sincerity, I think that is great, but many folks probably will need to see the strong foundation of your life-changing decision and not just the aspirational lofty stuff. I hope you show them.

Best of luck and congratulations on your change.
 
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