Advice for current premed (MD)

[CarterStarter]

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Current pre-med student here. Transferred from a 4-year state university to Emory university last fall. My current cGPA is 3.28, while my BCPM gpa is 3.39 (Both institutions combined). At the end of this semester, I will have a total of 75 credits. So it's looking like I'll be graduating a semester late.

I know my cGPA is really low, and my BCPM gpa is pretty low as well. I would say more than half of my completed courses are pre-reqs.

My pre-req grades as of now:
Gen bio 1 – A
Gen bio 2 – A-

Gen Chem 1 – B+
Gen Chem 2 – A

Orgo 1 – A
Orgo 1 lab – A
Orgo 2 – A-
Orgo lab 2 – D

Physics 1 – B
Physics 2 – In progress, can't call yet

Biochem - In progress, most likely a B+

Pre-Calc - B

Besides the obvious D in orgo lab, what classes should I retake before applying? How should I go about raising both my cGPA and BCPM gpa? How do med schools evaluate retakes? I've had 1 C in a philosophy class, a B- in microeconomics, and that D in orgo lab that have weighed me down hard. I plan on retaking all these courses.

Also, I haven't any research or EC but I for sure plan on volunteering at my local hospital this summer. But what other non-clinical EC should I get involved with?

Another question...I'm still undeclared and I'm wondering if a science major is still the best path forward. How many of those 3.7s-4.0s are science majors? I was leaning towards chemistry, but I'm afraid my gpa will become way too low to recover.

Any advice would help. Thank you.

 

[ifnotnowwren]

I don't think you need to retake the B- in microeconomics.

Your major does not matter, it's better to have a good GPA than a science major. If majoring in chemistry is going to tank your GPA, don't do it. Take science classes that you think you can succeed in.

Quotes from very knowledgeable members that I have found in response to other posters regarding grade retakes:

Retaking for any MD school is nearly pointless if a C or better. You would be better off taking another advance bio and doing well in. Retaking a B+ for even DO is nearly as silly.

Retaking a class with even a C is frankly a waste of time and mostly unimpressive to adcoms. You would be better off taking an upper level class in bio or chem to both boost your GPA as well as having an impact to an adcom.

They will be averaged out for MD. It's not retaking anything for MD unless you got a D or F. A better option is to take upper level science classes and do well in them once you're ready.

 

[CarterStarter]

Thanks for the help. So you do think it's a good idea to have an easier major? How bad are my pre-req grades in general? Do med schools evaluate your BCPM gpa, science gpa, and cumulative gpa individually? Or are the former two the same?

 

[LabMonster]

Do well on the MCAT, create a disparity between old grades and current performance. Yes you got a D in Orgo II Lab, I would rectify that.

My baseline GPA was somewhere around 3.3ish, but I also retook some crappy classes and aced them. I also did fairly well on the "old" MCAT - this facilitated an interview and I got in where I wanted. Doctors make mistakes, doctors shouldn't ignore them.

You'll need to show improvement and maturity and the MCAT is what you're left with after grades. Volunteer because it's a good thing, not for fluff. All apps have fluff. Do your EC's hardcore out of passion, fix the crappy grades and own the MCAT - esp Org Chem, wait, they still have orgo on the MCAT right 😉

The key is to have the ADCOMs review your file closer. What makes you different, special, a better potential doctor?

 

[tantacles]

Thanks for the help. So you do think it's a good idea to have an easier major? How bad are my pre-req grades in general? Do med schools evaluate your BCPM gpa, science gpa, and cumulative gpa individually? Or are the former two the same?

If you think you'll do better in a different major, go ahead and switch. As for the other questions, dependent on the medical school, but they have access to both numbers.

 

[CarterStarter]

Thanks a lot for the vote of confidence and advice. I've really had time outside of school these past three years and I think it shows. I am going to start studying for the MCAT this summer. Do you have any study tips/tricks?

 

[LabMonster]

Thanks a lot for the vote of confidence and advice. I've really had time outside of school these past three years and I think it shows. I am going to start studying for the MCAT this summer. Do you have any study tips/tricks?

Tip: Work extremely hard. Kill the MCAT, master your studying discipline. Don't forget to decompress and enjoy a beach.