Assessing my options (double-posted in nontrad forum)

[technocrat626]

I'm a 25 year old non-traditional student. I'm in my sophomore year and have decided that I want to go to medical school. I have no wife or children, so I don't have to deal with that complication. However, my academic record as of right now is bad. I have a GPA of 2.85 and lots of withdrawals on my transcript. I have a severe depression disorder which has gone untreated until recently, which is the chief cause of my past academic failures. I've been floating through university studies thus far without declaring a major, not knowing what to do with my life. Lots of soul searching, therapist meetings, and career interest inventories have led me to the realization that the only profession I would ultimately be happy with is that of a physician.

I'm intimidated by this revelation. Is this possible for me? Can someone with my academic past (GED, lackluster college performance) and depression issues actually accomplish something like this? I wonder if I'm being completely unrealistic. Have any of you been through similar circumstances and succeeded?

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[Catalystik]

I'm a 25 year old non-traditional student. I'm in my sophomore year and have decided that I want to go to medical school. I have no wife or children, so I don't have to deal with that complication. However, my academic record as of right now is bad. I have a GPA of 2.85 and lots of withdrawals on my transcript. I have a severe depression disorder which has gone untreated until recently, which is the chief cause of my past academic failures. I've been floating through university studies thus far without declaring a major, not knowing what to do with my life. Lots of soul searching, therapist meetings, and career interest inventories have led me to the realization that the only profession I would ultimately be happy with is that of a physician.

I'm intimidated by this revelation. Is this possible for me? Can someone with my academic past (GED, lackluster college performance) and depression issues actually accomplish something like this? I wonder if I'm being completely unrealistic. Have any of you been through similar circumstances and succeeded?

If you get and keep your depression under control, start earning great grades from this time forward and get your GPA into a competitive range, get involved in the usual and customary ECs, and have good enough relationships with some of your teachers to get supportive LORs, it's still possible for you to get into a medcial school.

What are your worst science grades so far?

 

[technocrat626]

If you get and keep your depression under control, start earning great grades from this time forward and get your GPA into a competitive range, get involved in the usual and customary ECs, and have good enough relationships with some of your teachers to get supportive LORs, it's still possible for you to get into a medcial school.

What are your worst science grades so far?

I haven't taken many BCMP classes. I got a B in basic Biology, and a B in College Algebra. Everything else I've taken has been social sciences and humanities. I dropped Pre-Calculus once.

 

[Catalystik]

Well that's good news, as you don't have a dismal science GPA to fix.

How many bad grades are dragging your GPA down?

 

[technocrat626]

Well that's good news, as you don't have a dismal science GPA to fix.

How many bad grades are dragging your GPA down?

Honestly, not that many. I don't have a whole lot of credits thus far, and what's really hurting me is an F I got in a philosophy course. I was smart enough to drop most of the classes I was struggling in. What is really going to hurt me are the number of Ws on my transcript. I seriously have about 6 Ws already. I won't keep accumulating them. But 6 Ws in 2 years looks terrible. Should I describe my depression issues in my personal statement as a means of explaining these? Or will the stigma around depression in med school be worse than the Ws?

 

[Catalystik]

1) what's really hurting me is an F I got in a philosophy course. I was smart enough to drop most of the classes I was struggling in.

2) What is really going to hurt me are the number of Ws on my transcript. I seriously have about 6 Ws already. I won't keep accumulating them. But 6 Ws in 2 years looks terrible.

3) Should I describe my depression issues in my personal statement as a means of explaining these? Or will the stigma around depression in med school be worse than the Ws?

1) If you retake those bad grades, the DO application service will only count the most recent grade, as long as the credits are the same or greater. This is a good way to raise your GPAs fast and become competitive for med school.

2) 6 Ws are not going to hold you back, provided your transcript makes it clear that that was the Old You and that the New You is representative of what you're capable of.

3) It's your choice whether you mention the depression at all. Some are completely honest about this and make it part of the reason why they'll be empathetic medical care providers. But it's also fine to refer to "a medical condition" that is now under control. But there needs to be proof that it's under control, which means no more blips in the academic road. If the depression is not yet managed, you might consider taking time off from school until you're totally ready to get out and kick academic butt. And your mental health clinician should also be in agreement that you're up for this.