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Hello everyone,
I am a pre-med student at UVA and I am seeking advice on what I should do for this year and for the year after I graduate.
First I will give a little background. I never anticipated going into medicine before I came to college. I was planning to major in Econ for my first year of school and I took basic classes such as econ, Psychology, English, calculus, and non science major science classes like environmental science and astronomy to fulfill my requirements. I started to have health problems my first year and ended first year with around a 2.85 cGPA and a W on my transcript from a psychology class I fell behind in. That summer my health worsened and I was diagnosed with a chiari malformation and syrinx cysts in my spinal cord. I reduced my credit load in the Fall and had brain surgery. After going through the surgery and recovery process I fell in love with medicine. As a child I never went to the doctor and never had much contact with healthcare due to not having health insurance until I was required to have a policy when I entered college. I made the choice to pursue medicine and signed up for a heavy science course load for the spring semester. I was still recovering and soon I was way in over my head in my science classes and ended up making Cs in both intro chem and intro bio. I assured myself that I wouldn't let it happen again and signed up for another science heavy semester. After missing and being in a bad psychological state from a death in my immediate family the next fall I did very poorly in my science classes making a D in Chem 2 and a D+ in Bio 2. I bounced back last spring, however, making a 3.3 semester GPA and retaking Chem 2 to get a B. My cGPA is now up to a 2.799 and I just finished Orgo I in a summer session. Unfortunately I could not keep up with the fast paced 4 week Orgo class and I made a D+ in lecture and a B- in lab. I now have around a 2.7 cGPA. I am taking another Summer course starting next week in Anatomy and I expect it to go much better as I have had the same professor for the first half of the A&P series.
My biggest questions are regarding what should I do to improve my situation in my last year of undergrad and what post bacc/SMP options would best fit these circumstances. I am currently signed up to take 2 upper level bio courses, physics, and biostats in the fall and plan on finishing physics, 2 more upper level bio classes and some electives in the spring. I have tried meeting with UVA prehealth advising but they are not available in the summer months. Would it be wise to go ahead and retake Bio and Orgo in the fall or would I be better off taking physics and retaking elsewhere after I graduate. I ultimately would like to stay in Virginia after graduation and complete an SMP but I do not seem to meet the grade requirements for most of them.
I am attaching an unofficial transcript to the post in case anything above is confusing. As far as ECs go I have just become a certified EMT and will start volunteering soon, I do fungus research in the UVA biology department, worked in patient transport for over a year now, and I have shadowed in many specialty areas where I am sure I will have great LORs. I have thought of taking my MCAT this winter or spring but I'm not sure anymore if it is a good idea.
I also want to clarify that I understand that I dug this hole and I am not looking for any sympathy. I am just determined to make it into med school somewhere and achieve my dream to become a doctor.
Thank you for your time and advice!
I am a pre-med student at UVA and I am seeking advice on what I should do for this year and for the year after I graduate.
First I will give a little background. I never anticipated going into medicine before I came to college. I was planning to major in Econ for my first year of school and I took basic classes such as econ, Psychology, English, calculus, and non science major science classes like environmental science and astronomy to fulfill my requirements. I started to have health problems my first year and ended first year with around a 2.85 cGPA and a W on my transcript from a psychology class I fell behind in. That summer my health worsened and I was diagnosed with a chiari malformation and syrinx cysts in my spinal cord. I reduced my credit load in the Fall and had brain surgery. After going through the surgery and recovery process I fell in love with medicine. As a child I never went to the doctor and never had much contact with healthcare due to not having health insurance until I was required to have a policy when I entered college. I made the choice to pursue medicine and signed up for a heavy science course load for the spring semester. I was still recovering and soon I was way in over my head in my science classes and ended up making Cs in both intro chem and intro bio. I assured myself that I wouldn't let it happen again and signed up for another science heavy semester. After missing and being in a bad psychological state from a death in my immediate family the next fall I did very poorly in my science classes making a D in Chem 2 and a D+ in Bio 2. I bounced back last spring, however, making a 3.3 semester GPA and retaking Chem 2 to get a B. My cGPA is now up to a 2.799 and I just finished Orgo I in a summer session. Unfortunately I could not keep up with the fast paced 4 week Orgo class and I made a D+ in lecture and a B- in lab. I now have around a 2.7 cGPA. I am taking another Summer course starting next week in Anatomy and I expect it to go much better as I have had the same professor for the first half of the A&P series.
My biggest questions are regarding what should I do to improve my situation in my last year of undergrad and what post bacc/SMP options would best fit these circumstances. I am currently signed up to take 2 upper level bio courses, physics, and biostats in the fall and plan on finishing physics, 2 more upper level bio classes and some electives in the spring. I have tried meeting with UVA prehealth advising but they are not available in the summer months. Would it be wise to go ahead and retake Bio and Orgo in the fall or would I be better off taking physics and retaking elsewhere after I graduate. I ultimately would like to stay in Virginia after graduation and complete an SMP but I do not seem to meet the grade requirements for most of them.
I am attaching an unofficial transcript to the post in case anything above is confusing. As far as ECs go I have just become a certified EMT and will start volunteering soon, I do fungus research in the UVA biology department, worked in patient transport for over a year now, and I have shadowed in many specialty areas where I am sure I will have great LORs. I have thought of taking my MCAT this winter or spring but I'm not sure anymore if it is a good idea.
I also want to clarify that I understand that I dug this hole and I am not looking for any sympathy. I am just determined to make it into med school somewhere and achieve my dream to become a doctor.
Thank you for your time and advice!
