Advice for Soon to Be NonTrad

[MrOcean]

Hello all,

I've been a long time lurker of SDN and have finally committed to following the passion of medicine. I'm looking for different routes or avenues to take to make this dream a reality. Opinions and advice would be greatly appreciated.

1. I am graduating this May with an Economics degree with ~2.7 cGPA( Very low, I know). I will graduate with no debt.
- I've been in ROTC for all of my college career and because of that commitment, I never found something academically to be passionate about. I have not taken any science courses that will satisfy the PreReqs.

2. I am a Texas resident and a URM. I have some volunteering hours at a hospital, shadowed an MD for a short time, and traveled to the Dominican Republic to work with Army physicians, PAs, and others to support impoverished areas in the country. I currently work part-time at a local nonprofit as a night manager.

3. After graduation and commissioning into the Texas National Guard, I planned on getting a full-time job in a Nonprofit organization. Simultaneously, I want to perform an informal postbacc at my local CC and volunteer/shadow as well to satisfy my requirements. And, hopefully do well on the MCAT.

I'm open to all suggestions, I've read through SDN and just wanted to read advice on my current situation. I'm very open to MD/DO/PAschool. Thank you in advance.

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[GreenDuck12]

Welcome to the forums. First thing is first, your GPA is way below the range for both osteopathic and allopathic medical schools (even for a URM). First step, research osteopathic medical schools and grade replacement policy. Osteopathic schools will allow you retake courses with low grades and replace them with higher grades (a good way to raise your GPA). Second, research both required and recommended premedical coursework. With a low GPA, you are going to have to demonstrate that you can handle the rigors of medical school. The only way to do that is to have many semesters of sustained high academic achievement and by taking upper division science courses. Third, study for the mcat and only sit for the exam when you are consistently scoring in a competitive range. Fourth, remember that 60% of applicants to medical schools do not matriculate in any given year. Keep this in mind and use it to motivate you to do what is necessary to raise your gpa, do well in your classes, and prepare for the mcat. The non-trad path to med schools is a marathon, not a sprint. best of luck.

 

[MrOcean]

Welcome to the forums. First thing is first, your GPA is way below the range for both osteopathic and allopathic medical schools (even for a URM). First step, research osteopathic medical schools and grade replacement policy. Osteopathic schools will allow you retake courses with low grades and replace them with higher grades (a good way to raise your GPA). Second, research both required and recommended premedical coursework. With a low GPA, you are going to have to demonstrate that you can handle the rigors of medical school. The only way to do that is to have many semesters of sustained high academic achievement and by taking upper division science courses. Third, study for the mcat and only sit for the exam when you are consistently scoring in a competitive range. Fourth, remember that 60% of applicants to medical schools do not matriculate in any given year. Keep this in mind and use it to motivate you to do what is necessary to raise your gpa, do well in your classes, and prepare for the mcat. The non-trad path to med schools is a marathon, not a sprint. best of luck.

Thanks for the quick response, the last two sentences especially.! I will definitely look at the entire spectrum concerning my diminished GPA. I also hope the PreReqs will add to the GPA as well.

Econ students do well on the MCAT, and URM for African males who scored above a 30 on the MCAT are among the most likely of any demographic to be admitted to medical school. Look up MD admission stats by demographics. From memory your odds are better as a 3.0/30 African than a 3.8/36 Asian.

The courses require large (unending) amounts of investment in time, but the math in gen chem and physics will be trivial to you - while tripping up classmates -provided your econ was mainstream. I've also found the courses to be intrinsically fascinating.

Wow! That actually gives me hope for MD school, being I am African-American. I thought it would be a extremely, long journey for that. The statistics would explain lack of black males in medicine today. Thanks for the info. Here's hoping my econ courses do prepare me well for the courses/mcat.