Advice Needed. Long Time Lurker. Long Post!

[prettyNURSEtoMD]

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I've been on this site for a L O N G time, reading, taking some advice hoping that somebody else would be in a similar situation as me, but none were quite what I needed and based upon my life, I guess I would be a non-trad, so here I go..

Background.

26, African American Female. Single Mom. Currently a RN at a Level 1 ED in Dallas. Taking pre-reqs to apply to med school. 5 left. (Gen Chem II, O.Chem I, II, Physics I, II)..+/- Biochem, depending on the schools I am applying too but we will see.

GPA is low. Low meaning, 2.55 BCPM,(including introductory classes) 2.89 cumulative, (that's including all retakes). 2.74 Nursing GPA (this only includes classes at said institution). 😱

I have 255 +/- a few college credit hours. Associates in Liberal Arts, Bachelors in Nursing.

To break down the reasoning for SO many credit hours, I applied to several nursing schools, each wanted something different. I had 1 D, and even more Cs, so I retook all of those to gain acceptance into the BSN program.

So with all that being said, I'm a realist. I know my GPA is HELLA low. I have my reasons behind that, no pity party, no excuses, nobody died, I wasn't sick, no divorce.... Just wasn't focused and didn't believe in myself.. Now that we are past that..

I will have great LORs from physicians.

Yes, I am a URM of course...but that's not going to help me. I am aware, nor am I naive.

No research.
No shadowing.
But I have approximately 2080 clinical/patient contact hours and counting. 👍

Studied Abroad in Europe studying Health Disparities. 👍

Campaign Liasion, Vice President, and President of the Student Nursing Association Aug 2009-Dec 2011 👍

That's about all the ECs I have. 👎


Here is my pre-req plan...

Gen Chem II Spring 2013
O Chem I Fall 2013
O Chem II Spring 2014
Physics I Fall 2014
Physics II Spring 2015

study study study Summer 2015

MCAT Fall 2015

Apply June 2016..

Matriculate 2017.

Taking no summer classes, because I have a child, and will have a mortage by those times, (I close in 3 weeks). So, I'll just be working, and I also have been advised to take the new MCAT based upon my background, and the new sections that are being added. Doctor said, "it'll benefit you greatly", so when I finish my prereqs, the new MCAT will be out.


Now, that's realistic and fine and dandy, but if you remember up above, I have a LOW GPA!!


So, what do I do to help off set that. Now I would have to take close to 120 classes to bring that up... (not an option), my DO gpa, is remarkedly higher than that, but there is only one DO program in Texas, and it of course falls under the TMDSAS. So, no grade forgiveness there. I am applying OOS, but I would LOVEEEEEE to stay in DALLAS (UTSW or TCOM) or anywhere at all in Texas at least.

I am open to all suggestions, plans, strategies.

So far, I've been told to---

"become a scribe because this will teach you what doctors do, and you'll understand why something is being ordered..oh and to be a research tech at UTSW, it'll help make you look good on paper" 😕

"get an MCAT greater than 32 and you'll be fine, you're a RN" 👎

That's really all the advice I've gotten. That and pray really hard haha, which I do daily. 😍

I know it will be hard. Extremely hard I know my past hinders me, but I'm determined, I've grown up, and I'm focused more than I ever have been in my entire life, plus I believe in myself now. Extremely important. 👍

I just need some direction.

Thanks for taking time to read this, and offer assistance. I really do appreicate it. 🙂

 

[ChE04]

Gen Chem II Spring 2013
O Chem I Fall 2013
O Chem II Spring 2014
Physics I Fall 2014
Physics II Spring 2015

study study study Summer 2015

MCAT Fall 2015

Apply June 2016..

Matriculate 2017.

I think with your GPA that this timeline is unrealistic. I would say that you're going to need to string together a lot more As than the 20 hours you have listed here in order to prove that you can handle med school academically. At this point, you need to do more than just the bare minimum pre-requisite work to get in, you really need to make the rest of your application stellar to make up for a GPA that's not going to budge.

A couple of other comments: I think becoming a scribe is dumb, considering you're a nurse. A 32 on the MCAT (who knows how they are going to score the new one) is in no way going to make getting in any easier. As I said, you need to really make the rest of your application shine, and a 32 is a good but not "great" score.

 

[ErrantWhatever]

...well I dunno what I expected. (Scrolled through huge-@$$ post and decided "Nope!")...


Good luck!

 

[darwinmed]

Disclaimer: I am relatively new to these boards (well, I've been lurking for a while) and I have zero experience with adcoms. I have no qualifications to give any sort of advice.

With that out of the way, have you investigated Texas's Academic Fresh Start program? I'm not sure how old some of your credits are, but I thought I'd mention this option in case you were unaware of it. Essentially all courses taken more than ten years ago are not included in your GPA. There's a bit more to it and it only applies to Texas residents applying to Texas schools. It may be worth looking into.

 

[URMpremed]

Have you considered other options other than being a doctor? IMO I would probably just get a Masters in Nursing if I were you and become a NP(Nurse practitioner) but if your heart is really set on being a MD you are going to have to put in the work: change your study habits, do some shadowing which should be easy since you are a nurse, volunteer using your RN Licensee at clinics, possibly apply to a post bac program if they will accept due to your low GPA. Just rock all those pre req with A's and B's. Since you are a fellow URM score at least a 25 or higher on your MCAT. You would have a good chance at a D.O school especially with your patient contact hours.

 

[katiemaude]

If this is your dream, don't let anyone discourage you, but I commend you for being realistic. Make sure you explore all your options including NP and PA. You are already further along if you want to go on those paths but your GPA will not help you gain admission to those programs either.

Being a URM will help with your lower admissions stats but of course you want to do your best on the rest of the prereqs and the MCAT. It's hard to tell how you will fare this early in the process but obviously the key is to get As on the rest of the preqs, take upper level bio and ace those as well, and see how you do on the MCAT.

You already have clinical experience and patient contact. Try to get in some volunteer hours (at least 150) and make sure you do actual shadowing, where you follow dr's throughout the day. If you can get in some research, great, but not required. The personal statement will have to explain why you want to be a physician and no longer be a nurse. Make sure you can articulate that very well.

Good luck!

 

[prettyNURSEtoMD]

Thank you all. Even the one who said my post was too long, at least he/she looked haha. I've never wanted to be a NP/PA, always a nurse and then a doctor. But I messed up, I'm aware of that, but I'm willing to do what I can. I guess what I could do, is finish those 5 classes, then take upper level classes. My study habits have changed, so has my determination. Like I said, I'm realistic, and I'm aware of my limitations.

There is a Post Bacc program at UNTHSC, and there is a program at UT Dallas, it's not quite a post bacc program, but it's something simliar.It's a bacehlors degree granting program.

Any other suggestions.. thatnks for everything that was said.

 

[mehc012]

Try digging through the SMP thread and seeing what options are available for low GPA situations. Most of the "real" SMPs require a 3.0, but there are a ton of options on there; you might find something that would help you.

 

[EE12BMD]

Look into the Texas Fresh Start program... It may help you....

 

[prettyNURSEtoMD]

Look into the Texas Fresh Start program... It may help you....

Isn't that when they forgive classes that are from 10 years ago? I was in the 10th grade 10 years ago.... None of my classes are 10 years old.. But if that's not how this program works, I definitely will.

 

[prettyNURSEtoMD]

I also met with an advisor at UT Dallas yesterday that gave me some VERY insightful information on a new program they started that seems extremely beneficial to me, so I'm excited about that.

 

[Captain Sisko]

Isn't that when they forgive classes that are from 10 years ago? I was in the 10th grade 10 years ago.... None of my classes are 10 years old.. But if that's not how this program works, I definitely will.

with the grades you have it may well be ten years since your bad grades when you apply to medical school. it'll take a while to rehab them because of the number of credits, especially if you're working ft with a child. even for an smp, you may not even get in. my advice, don't give up your dream, just shelf it for a while. get some time between you and your screwups. you're 26, people will tell you that in ten years you still won't be too old for medical school.

good luck op.

 

[prettyNURSEtoMD]

I just did a DO calcuation, and if I make As in the rest of my classes, and use their grade forgiveness, it'll be a 3.5. Is that competitive for DO schools? Thanks.

 

[LPpostbacc]

I've been on this site for a L O N G time, reading, taking some advice hoping that somebody else would be in a similar situation as me, but none were quite what I needed and based upon my life, I guess I would be a non-trad, so here I go..

Background.

26, African American Female. Single Mom. Currently a RN at a Level 1 ED in Dallas. Taking pre-reqs to apply to med school. 5 left. (Gen Chem II, O.Chem I, II, Physics I, II)..+/- Biochem, depending on the schools I am applying too but we will see.

GPA is low. Low meaning, 2.55 BCPM,(including introductory classes) 2.89 cumulative, (that's including all retakes). 2.74 Nursing GPA (this only includes classes at said institution). 😱

I have 255 +/- a few college credit hours. Associates in Liberal Arts, Bachelors in Nursing.

To break down the reasoning for SO many credit hours, I applied to several nursing schools, each wanted something different. I had 1 D, and even more Cs, so I retook all of those to gain acceptance into the BSN program.

So with all that being said, I'm a realist. I know my GPA is HELLA low. I have my reasons behind that, no pity party, no excuses, nobody died, I wasn't sick, no divorce.... Just wasn't focused and didn't believe in myself.. Now that we are past that..

I will have great LORs from physicians.

Yes, I am a URM of course...but that's not going to help me. I am aware, nor am I naive.

No research.
No shadowing.
But I have approximately 2080 clinical/patient contact hours and counting. 👍

Studied Abroad in Europe studying Health Disparities. 👍

Campaign Liasion, Vice President, and President of the Student Nursing Association Aug 2009-Dec 2011 👍

That's about all the ECs I have. 👎


Here is my pre-req plan...

Gen Chem II Spring 2013
O Chem I Fall 2013
O Chem II Spring 2014
Physics I Fall 2014
Physics II Spring 2015

study study study Summer 2015

MCAT Fall 2015

Apply June 2016..

Matriculate 2017.

Taking no summer classes, because I have a child, and will have a mortage by those times, (I close in 3 weeks). So, I'll just be working, and I also have been advised to take the new MCAT based upon my background, and the new sections that are being added. Doctor said, "it'll benefit you greatly", so when I finish my prereqs, the new MCAT will be out.


Now, that's realistic and fine and dandy, but if you remember up above, I have a LOW GPA!!


So, what do I do to help off set that. Now I would have to take close to 120 classes to bring that up... (not an option), my DO gpa, is remarkedly higher than that, but there is only one DO program in Texas, and it of course falls under the TMDSAS. So, no grade forgiveness there. I am applying OOS, but I would LOVEEEEEE to stay in DALLAS (UTSW or TCOM) or anywhere at all in Texas at least.

I am open to all suggestions, plans, strategies.

So far, I've been told to---

"become a scribe because this will teach you what doctors do, and you'll understand why something is being ordered..oh and to be a research tech at UTSW, it'll help make you look good on paper" 😕

"get an MCAT greater than 32 and you'll be fine, you're a RN" 👎

That's really all the advice I've gotten. That and pray really hard haha, which I do daily. 😍

I know it will be hard. Extremely hard I know my past hinders me, but I'm determined, I've grown up, and I'm focused more than I ever have been in my entire life, plus I believe in myself now. Extremely important. 👍

I just need some direction.

Thanks for taking time to read this, and offer assistance. I really do appreicate it. 🙂

First of all, good luck to you, and congrats on deciding to take a new step. I came from a similar academic background, but I hadn't taken any science courses yet, so my BCPM GPA was nonexistent.

What's your postbacc GPA, btw?

There's no doubt that your experience as an RN should provide you with some solid insight into the profession, and why you want to become a doc. I think many (or most schools) have a minimum GPA cutoff to apply. As far as DO schools are concerned, I think it was a 2.75 at most. Something to check on.

I think it definitely can be done, but you may need to be flexible with your location, which I can see might be difficult in your situation.

Have you looked at oldpremeds? That's a forum specifically for nontrads; many unique stories there. Worth checking out.

 

[LPpostbacc]

I just did a DO calcuation, and if I make As in the rest of my classes, and use their grade forgiveness, it'll be a 3.5. Is that competitive for DO schools? Thanks.

One thing to be careful of (I hadn't noticed it with one of my classes) with retakes and the DO calculation. If the class you most recently took is not the same # of credits as the previous, they won't count it. My previous class was 4 credits (lab and lecture combined), whereas the most recent was 3 credits, and 1 lab cr. They wouldn't give me the replacement.

What's the current BCPM vs the old? It looks like you're going to show a solid uptrend, which good.

 

[prettyNURSEtoMD]

One thing to be careful of (I hadn't noticed it with one of my classes) with retakes and the DO calculation. If the class you most recently took is not the same # of credits as the previous, they won't count it. My previous class was 4 credits (lab and lecture combined), whereas the most recent was 3 credits, and 1 lab cr. They wouldn't give me the replacement.

What's the current BCPM vs the old? It looks like you're going to show a solid uptrend, which good.

I didnt know that! thanks for that info.

Here are my BCPM grades.

General Bio I A no repeats
General Bio II B no repeats
Statistics B no repeats
Algebra B no repeats
Physics I Not taken yet
Physics II Not taken yet
General Chem, D (2006), C (2007)
Gen Chem II Enrolled Now
O. Chem I Not taken yet
O. Chem II Not taken yet.


Then I have other sciences
AP I C (2006) A (2008)
AP II B No retakes
Micro C (2007) B (2008)
Intro to AP F (withdrew after drop date) (2006) C (2006)
Intro to Chem C (2007) A (2008)


So with all that including retakes, I believe its a 2.51
Taking the repeats out its a 3.10

Thanks for advice guys. I appreciate you all.

 

[NTF]

I think with your GPA that this timeline is unrealistic. I would say that you're going to need to string together a lot more As than the 20 hours you have listed here in order to prove that you can handle med school academically. At this point, you need to do more than just the bare minimum pre-requisite work to get in, you really need to make the rest of your application stellar to make up for a GPA that's not going to budge.

👍

If it's your dream, it's your dream. Just be prepared that this may take several attempts. Really sit down and do a real gut check on whether the opportunity costs are worth not taking the Advanced Practice Nurse route (especially given there's (a) kid(s) in the picture.

Best of luck.

 

[MDMomma]

Just wanted to wish you luck, given that your situation is a little bit similar to mine 🙂
Also, I noticed that everybody keeps mentioning the Academic Fresh Start program...I'm pretty sure that it only applies to classes that weren't counted towards a degree, but I'm not positive on that. I had a problem with something a year or two back where I was told that Fresh Start wouldn't apply to me even though some of my classes are 10 years old, because those classes counted towards my degree. (This may have changed).

However, my husband was just able to use Fresh Start for pharmacy school (he does not have a degree) and its been amazing for him.

You mentioned an opportunity at UNTHSC--I would check that out. I live in Ft.Worth and have a friend who is completing her school there right now, and very much enjoys the staff and the atmosphere.

 

[prettyNURSEtoMD]

First of all, good luck to you, and congrats on deciding to take a new step. I came from a similar academic background, but I hadn't taken any science courses yet, so my BCPM GPA was nonexistent.

What's your postbacc GPA, btw?

There's no doubt that your experience as an RN should provide you with some solid insight into the profession, and why you want to become a doc. I think many (or most schools) have a minimum GPA cutoff to apply. As far as DO schools are concerned, I think it was a 2.75 at most. Something to check on.

I think it definitely can be done, but you may need to be flexible with your location, which I can see might be difficult in your situation.

Have you looked at oldpremeds? That's a forum specifically for nontrads; many unique stories there. Worth checking out.

I dont think I really understand "post bacc gpa". I recieved my bachelors, so any class I take after that, even if they are undergraduate classes, or only graduate...can someone explain this to me?

 

[darwinmed]

Post bacc means any undergraduate courses taken after you have received your bachelor's. Graduate coursework (any grad-level classes even if you're not seeking a graduate degree) would be counted as "grad GPA." The reason this is significant is because medical schools look closely at your undergraduate GPA. Post bacc GPA would be counted in this, but graduate GPA would not.

 

[prettyNURSEtoMD]

okay well if that's the case, then I don't have a post bacc GPA... yet.

 

[LPpostbacc]

Ok, got it. If you buckle down and pull off something close to a 4.0 in what will now be your pbGPA, and rack up a competitive score on your MCAT, I think you could swing DO for sure. I'd also plan on taking some more upper-level bio courses to help your GPA, and provide a little extra evidence to adcoms that you really can handle the material.

You'll really need to have an excellent grasp of the core prereq concepts for the MCAT. I think anything above a 27 on the MCAT (provided your pbGPA is 3.85+, and that upward trend is intact) will get you into a DO program.