ECMOrunner
Full Member
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2020
- Messages
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Hey I’m kinda new to this site and never thought I’d be posting but here goes. (Sorry for the grammar mistakes I’m typing this on my phone because I don’t have access to a computer right now).
I am applying to med school this summer (after my senior year) so i’ll be taking a gap year. So right before the pandemic and lockdown hit I was diagnosed with depression so the lockdown was incredibly difficult and still is for me.
Winter semester 2020 was my junior year and up until that point I had gotten all A/A- throughout college with one B+ freshman year (GPA: 3.94). Because of the effect of the lockdown on my mental health I decided to take my winter courses all pass/fall I ended up getting an A, A-, B+, B which I know might not have been the best choice looking back but was what I needed to do at the time.
This semester Fall 2020 (senior year) things are still very difficult but slowly getting better. But, I kinda dropped the ball on my grades getting a B, 2 B+, A-, A. At this point my GPA is now 3.85. None of the classes this semester were pre med reqs they were just classes to finish up my Chemistry/Sociology double major.
Also I took the MCAT this past summer got a 510 and am planning to retake. I know that might seem like a crazy bad idea but I had scored a 514+ on the official AAMC practice exams and really think it was just the day and know I can do better.
I am heading into my second semester senior year. I’m pretty confident I can pull and all A semester because my schedule is not bad and my mental health is improving .
Back to the mental health. I know there are countless threads on this but I want to justify why I think I can handle med school. My mental health issues were never related to school they were because of personal reasons outside of academics. Things are slowly getting better in that regard and it’s part of the reason I chose to take a gap year. I want to improve that area of my life before diving into med school. I have read things on this site that say mentioning mental health is a serious red flag but the thing is school/academics is one of a couple things that is helping me keep going. Academics gives me structure, purpose, and goals so can I mention my mental health in that regard?
The one good thing going for me now is I’m currently working on what will be a publication (if all goes well) with my mentor in my research lab. My name will be on it and I’m super proud of it because research is a huge passion of mine and the reason I am going to med school. I want to get into the medical research field and am going to continue working in the lab full time during my gap year to gain more experience/work on my mental health.
Anyways , I know this post is long winded and there is not really a clear question I have but I was just kinda looking for some unsugarcoated advice. Have I messed up my med school chances? How should I explain the drop in grades on my app? And whatever other advice you have.
Thank you for reading this!
I am applying to med school this summer (after my senior year) so i’ll be taking a gap year. So right before the pandemic and lockdown hit I was diagnosed with depression so the lockdown was incredibly difficult and still is for me.
Winter semester 2020 was my junior year and up until that point I had gotten all A/A- throughout college with one B+ freshman year (GPA: 3.94). Because of the effect of the lockdown on my mental health I decided to take my winter courses all pass/fall I ended up getting an A, A-, B+, B which I know might not have been the best choice looking back but was what I needed to do at the time.
This semester Fall 2020 (senior year) things are still very difficult but slowly getting better. But, I kinda dropped the ball on my grades getting a B, 2 B+, A-, A. At this point my GPA is now 3.85. None of the classes this semester were pre med reqs they were just classes to finish up my Chemistry/Sociology double major.
Also I took the MCAT this past summer got a 510 and am planning to retake. I know that might seem like a crazy bad idea but I had scored a 514+ on the official AAMC practice exams and really think it was just the day and know I can do better.
I am heading into my second semester senior year. I’m pretty confident I can pull and all A semester because my schedule is not bad and my mental health is improving .
Back to the mental health. I know there are countless threads on this but I want to justify why I think I can handle med school. My mental health issues were never related to school they were because of personal reasons outside of academics. Things are slowly getting better in that regard and it’s part of the reason I chose to take a gap year. I want to improve that area of my life before diving into med school. I have read things on this site that say mentioning mental health is a serious red flag but the thing is school/academics is one of a couple things that is helping me keep going. Academics gives me structure, purpose, and goals so can I mention my mental health in that regard?
The one good thing going for me now is I’m currently working on what will be a publication (if all goes well) with my mentor in my research lab. My name will be on it and I’m super proud of it because research is a huge passion of mine and the reason I am going to med school. I want to get into the medical research field and am going to continue working in the lab full time during my gap year to gain more experience/work on my mental health.
Anyways , I know this post is long winded and there is not really a clear question I have but I was just kinda looking for some unsugarcoated advice. Have I messed up my med school chances? How should I explain the drop in grades on my app? And whatever other advice you have.
Thank you for reading this!
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