Advice needed? Should I give up?

[thesunalsoriseth]

Sorry, if this is in the wrong place, it's my first time posting. I'm in a state of panic right now. I've always wanted to be a doctor, for many reasons I won't go into otherwise this'll be too long, but at this point I think it's pointless. My gpa is at a 2.8 and the highest I can get it is most likely a 3.0 and I haven't taken the MCAT yet. I just don't know whether I should go for DO or an SMP, or switch over to another field entirely, like PA. I feel like my extracurriculars are pretty strong, I have a lot of volunteer and shadowing experience. For example, I volunteer in a clinic where half of the time I engage in a literacy program with kids from not so great neighborhoods and the other half I shadow the physicians. I've also volunteered at another clinic that served the poorer communities who can't afford to go to a regular doctor's office. I've also spent some time at Moffit volunteering in their Arts in medicine program. I really enjoy helping people, especially those who cannot afford to go to the doctors regularly and my ultimate dream was to become a doctor and serve an underprivileged community. I also really want to work with families.

I had a lot of issues going on my first two years, and now I'm picking up the pieces and doing better. I'm in Florida and I'm nearing excess hours soon, so I can't just keep taking more classes than I need to raise my gpa. As much as it disappoints me, I feel like maybe I'm just dreaming at this point and am in denial. Any advice for me?

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[radian313]

Sorry, if this is in the wrong place, it's my first time posting. I'm in a state of panic right now. I've always wanted to be a doctor, for many reasons I won't go into otherwise this'll be too long, but at this point I think it's pointless. My gpa is at a 2.8 and the highest I can get it is most likely a 3.0 and I haven't taken the MCAT yet. I just don't know whether I should go for DO or an SMP, or switch over to another field entirely, like PA. I feel like my extracurriculars are pretty strong, I have a lot of volunteer and shadowing experience. For example, I volunteer in a clinic where half of the time I engage in a literacy program with kids from not so great neighborhoods and the other half I shadow the physicians. I've also volunteered at another clinic that served the poorer communities who can't afford to go to a regular doctor's office. I've also spent some time at Moffit volunteering in their Arts in medicine program. I really enjoy helping people, especially those who cannot afford to go to the doctors regularly and my ultimate dream was to become a doctor and serve an underprivileged community. I also really want to work with families.

I had a lot of issues going on my first two years, and now I'm picking up the pieces and doing better. I'm in Florida and I'm nearing excess hours soon, so I can't just keep taking more classes than I need to raise my gpa. As much as it disappoints me, I feel like maybe I'm just dreaming at this point and am in denial. Any advice for me?

1. If you want it bad enough, you will find a way not an excuse

2. Gpa repair is in order, go for a post bac with linkage

3. You didnt mention your sGPA?

4. Mcat will need to be 507+

5. What makes you think PA school admissions is "easier", it too is also very competitive...

6. ECs matter when they are in line with the schools mission, broad spectrum "helping the world" ECs are expected...


Again if you want it bad enough, youll get to your destination...period

 

[thesunalsoriseth]

Thanks for the response, I'm just afraid maybe I screwed it up too much beyond repair and I would only be wasting time and money on something I can't fix. I actually don't know anything about PA admissions, I just threw that out there just as an example, I just meant I wanted to pursue something in the health field. Also, with the extracurriculars, I just wanted to put out that I don't want to go into a school that's research heavy or anything, I want something that will bring me closer to working directly with people and their health on a daily basis. My sgpa is a 3.0. How does a Post Bac with linkage work? I see differing things from everyone on here.

 

[0dee]

There are many ways to address your low GPA, the fastest one would be take advantage of the grade replacement policy that DO schools have and retake all the classes you got C or lower until you hit about ~ 3.4. Then, you would have to take the MCAT and get a decent score in the 505+ range, with those stats along with your EC's you should get some love from DO schools. Now in regards to FL rules about the max number of credits, I am not sure how that works, but you can always graduate and enroll in a local community college and retake those classes there.

You should look into this thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/list-of-post-baccs-for-2-7-3-0-gpa-students.1060975/

You should also search in the forum for SMP programs, although you haven't taken the MCAT yet, but SMPs are something to consider in the future.

Good luck!

 

[Goro]

The fastest path for you to become a doctor will be to retake all F/D/B science coursework, do well on MCAT, and apply to DO schools.

IF you're boning for the MD degree, there are MD schools that reward reinvention. You'll need to ace all the classic pre-reqs, and ace either a post-bac (which can be DIY) or a SMP, ideally one given at a med school. Then also ace MCAT (513 or better, 33+ on the old scale).

But as of right now, you have a lot of GPA repair to do.

Sorry, if this is in the wrong place, it's my first time posting. I'm in a state of panic right now. I've always wanted to be a doctor, for many reasons I won't go into otherwise this'll be too long, but at this point I think it's pointless. My gpa is at a 2.8 and the highest I can get it is most likely a 3.0 and I haven't taken the MCAT yet. I just don't know whether I should go for DO or an SMP, or switch over to another field entirely, like PA. I feel like my extracurriculars are pretty strong, I have a lot of volunteer and shadowing experience. For example, I volunteer in a clinic where half of the time I engage in a literacy program with kids from not so great neighborhoods and the other half I shadow the physicians. I've also volunteered at another clinic that served the poorer communities who can't afford to go to a regular doctor's office. I've also spent some time at Moffit volunteering in their Arts in medicine program. I really enjoy helping people, especially those who cannot afford to go to the doctors regularly and my ultimate dream was to become a doctor and serve an underprivileged community. I also really want to work with families.

I had a lot of issues going on my first two years, and now I'm picking up the pieces and doing better. I'm in Florida and I'm nearing excess hours soon, so I can't just keep taking more classes than I need to raise my gpa. As much as it disappoints me, I feel like maybe I'm just dreaming at this point and am in denial. Any advice for me?

 

[Shotapp]

Retake any F/D/C's is what Goro meant. Good luck.

 

[redthunder]

Ditto to what they all said. Another thing I recommend, try taking some community college coursework while doing research/working or something along those lines. I graduated and had a year off while I applied, so I decided to take some extra course work to increase my GPA (i graduated with a little over a 3.5). It came up in interviews and you can always spin that your improving yourself and began a "journey" to get there, but being fiscally responsible or something like that. That being said, you really need to rock the MCAT (sucks sorry!) and maybe a Post-Bacc is a better idea for you.

BUT DON'T GET DISCOURAGED. I worked for a doctor who applied to medical school 5 TIMES (and she got into a kick ass school that 5th time)!! Still one of the best doctors I've gotten to work for and had some of the best advice and perspective of any doctor I've met. It may take a little longer, but its worth it.