Advice needed

[PB2464]

.I'm 29 yrs old and looking to finally begin my med school journey. I have an undergrad degree in Bio with a cum GPA of 3.36, never figured my science GPA. I performed fairly well in my science courses, except for a C/D in OrgI/OrgII and a C in Phy II, and finished strong with A's in Biochemistry, Immunology, and Physiology. As a result of my lackluster performance in Org Chem and plain burnout, I didn't even attempt the MCAT, graduated and, like others, entered the workforce.

After several years of working, I'm ready to fulfill my initial goal. Can I still be a competitive applicant if I strengthen my bad grades and gain volunteer and hospital work experience?

If so, is a post-bacc my best option? I live in Texas and I could not find any formal post-bacc programs. I'd like to stay here for residency purposes and because of the number of state schools..

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[Tired Pigeon]

You don't need to do a formal post-bacc, but you do need to retake the classes you did poorly in. Also you need to get your overall undergrad GPA up by taking additional undergrad courses. You can take classes as a 'non-degree seeking' student at most accredited universities -- check with your local school.

 

[Catalystik]

Do the math. If you take a year of full-time courses as a post-bac and get straight As, how much will your GPA rise? Probably not much. I agree with retaking the courses you did poorly in. Have you considered a Special Masters Program and checked availability in your state? I think you need to demonstrate a recent ability to do well in high-level science classes. Do well on the MCAT. Meanwhile, work on healthcare-related ECs.

For excellent and detailed information on SMPs and where they are offered, see: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=346106

 

[Pemberley]

Texas residency is a MAJOR advantage. Seven different adcoms, and you only need to convince one of them. I think that's especially an advantage for nontrads, as two different adcoms could react in very, very different ways to our unusual applications. I'm not certain a formal postbac would be anything close to as important. Not to mention it would be more debt, and who needs that?

I took my time (starting from a 3.0) and took upper-division classes as a non-degree-seeking-student one or two per semester while working full time. No guarantees, but it worked for me.

 

[PB2464]

I believe that there is one SMP at UNT in Dallas.
But, I have yet to take the MCAT and I took the pre-reqs approx 8-10 years ago, most at a community college.
This is why I suspect an informal post-bac may be my best option. I can fit some upper-level science courses in there, as well.