Am I wasting my time?

[DollBabyKG]

I am a non-traditional undergrad student (24 year old, Wife and Mother) hoping to finish my Bachelor's degree in 3 years (going part time for another year, before my son starts school) and then subsequently applying to medical school. I've known virtually my entire life that I wanted to be a physician, but I was always intimately aware of the sacrifices that would need to be made to accomplish this, so I feel as though I spent many years "running from medicine." Accordingly, when I first attended college (6 years ago at the ripe old age of 18) I tried a couple of different majors (Spanish, Teaching, and Nursing among them) before taking 3.5 years off to get married and have a baby. I received 3 B's in those years (and 8 A's) as well as one C+ in a nursing class that I didn't take a final for (and this was actually an 84% which is a C on the nursing scale).

I have since decided that I was born to be a physician, that it's worth all of the sacrifices, and am working on my biology degree. Since beginning school again, I have held straight A's, including A's in all Biology, Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology classes, and am confident that I can continue the trend throughout the rest of my degree. I am, however, worried that these 3 B's, and especially the one C+ from 6 years ago are going to have a significant effect on my application. Assuming I finish my degree with all A's, meaning that all coursework taken within 4 years of applying was 4.0, will this help to cancel out my previous B's/C, or am I wasting my time and money pursuing this dream because of the mistakes I made when I was so young? I so desperately want to become a physician, and plan on continuing my agressive pursuit of this dream, but I am looking to get some kind of idea as to how much these previous grades will affect my chances of acceptance. Any input and/or advice would be greatly appreciated.

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[gasdf1234567]

All you have are three Bs, one C+, and the rest A's? If you pull all A's through these 4 years then you will be more than fine.

 

[Bacchus]

I don't think you'll have a problem at all. One C+ and 3Bs spread over the course of an undergrad career isn't much concern for worry. Your biggest concern will be fortifying your social network for when you get into medical school since you have a child. However, it is not my position or right how to tell one to parent. I'm sure you'll be successful in both aspects (school and parenting). Keep your head up, you're doing well.

 

[tiedyeddog]

No one is born to do anything but die. Work hard, it will come. If you have support from your family it will be much easier, if not..... It will be tough but do-able.

 

[TarHeelEMT]

You're fine. I had five grades that were C or D

 

[thoffen]

Don't look at me. Those 4 Cs and an incomplete were magically erased from my AMCAS thanks to a hefty bribe.

 

[DollBabyKG]

Thanks for all of the encouragement! I'm typically a Type-A, Straight-A person, so I have been extremely worried about these grades from my past. I'm glad to hear that they won't knock me out of the running. I, too, am a little worried about fortifying the "extra-curricular" portion of my application, since between classes, my EMT position (for clinical experience), volunteering, and attempting to be a good mother and wife, I'm a little clueless as to when to fit another extra-curricular (besides pre-med club) into the schedule, let alone what it should be. Luckily, I have an INCREDIBLY supportive husband, who has no problem helping out with what other men view as "woman's work."

 

[Druzie]

You'll be fine. You have three more years to round out your EC's, and even if you don't have as extensive a list as some other SDNers, you clearly have a very different background and story. That will help set you apart.

At least, that's what I tell myself as a non-trad, and my story isn't nearly as good as yours.

Good luck!

 

[HumidBeing]

Not only does your situation NOT sound hopeless, it sounds very good. No one expected to have all "A's" straight through. Even if you had a few "C's" scattered through there, it wouldn't be enough to knock you out of the running.

 

[tiedyeddog]

FYI, don't join a pre-med club unless you think it will be a good time... They are by and large pretty pointless. If you would be doing it just to say you joined pre-med club, find something else that you would like to do with you time, like a religious club, political club, other science clubs, etc. Just enjoy you time and show it at your interviews. Being an EMT is great!