B and B- in Organic Chemistry... Barrier to entry into MD/PhD?

[Seldon]

When I was in high school, I took the full sequence of organic chemistry. It was on a trimester system and I earned a B-,B-, and B.

Upon entry into college, I joined my school's Honors college (one of the best in the country) and earned a 3.97c, and a 4.00 sGPA. I was also awarded my school's "president's freshman award," and during my second semester, I began work towards an Honors thesis in a biochemistry laboratory. I spent this last summer working the the Mayo Clinic on breast cancer research and I have been listed as a co-author on a high impact paper.

I am applying for both the Goldwater and Astronaut scholarships.

I am only a sophomore, but I am concerned that those grades will bar my entrance into the most competitive MD/PhD programs. If so, is there anything further I can do to tip the scales in my favor?

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[RuggerMD]

You live, you learn, you've demonstrated obvious growth. You'll be fine as long as you keep doing well

 

[7331poas]

Yep its over. The B you got in high school is going to end your career.

 

[Seldon]

Yep its over. The B you got in high school is going to end your career.

I mean, it was a real college class. It shows up on my transcript.

 

[cardzkp]

I can't tell if you're trolling or not. I've seen people with those same grades in actual college courses get into MD/PhD programs. I'm writing you a Rx for some chill pills (take as needed).

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

I'd imagine that there are plenty of students at top programs who didn't ace organic chemistry. In fact, a lot of schools are no longer requiring organic 2. Don't waste any more energy stressing over this.

 

[Doudline]

I increasingly understand why everyone hates premedical students.

 

[Lost in Translation]

Took you 3 years.

 

[7331poas]

I mean, it was a real college class. It shows up on my transcript.

Yep, that one college class you took and got a B in is going to keep you out of MD PhD programs.

I dont know if premed students take pride in being incessantly neurotic. You are smart enough to get a 4.0 but not smart enough to think about the statistics?

 

[cloudmurder1]

2/10

 

[Seldon]

Yep, that one college class you took and got a B in is going to keep you out of MD PhD programs.

I don't know if premed students take pride in being incessantly neurotic. You are smart enough to get a 4.0 but not smart enough to think about the statistics?

We often wouldn't be successful if we weren't neurotic. I personally cannot help but consider the worst case scenario as the likely scenario. Whether it will help me as a doctor remains to be determined, but it has certainly helped me academically (ignoring how it affects me personally).

Regardless, when I said "most competitive" I was talking Harvard/MIT, NIH/Oxford, and the like.

 

[terra330]

Those grades in organic won't keep you out. However, it is worth keeping in mind that nothing is guaranteed when it comes to med school admissions, let alone applications to those most competitive programs.

 

[Lucca]

We often wouldn't be successful if we weren't neurotic. I personally cannot help but consider the worst case scenario as the likely scenario. Whether it will help me as a doctor remains to be determined, but it has certainly helped me academically (ignoring how it affects me personally).

Regardless, when I said "most competitive" I was talking Harvard/MIT, NIH/Oxford, and the like.

1. Go to the physician scientist forum.
2. Read Neuro's sticky on MD/PhD admissions
3. Get back into the lab and do more work.

short answer to your question: no

 

[7331poas]

We often wouldn't be successful if we weren't neurotic. I personally cannot help but consider the worst case scenario as the likely scenario. Whether it will help me as a doctor remains to be determined, but it has certainly helped me academically (ignoring how it affects me personally).

Regardless, when I said "most competitive" I was talking Harvard/MIT, NIH/Oxford, and the like.

Yes. And the median GPA at harvard md phd is?...

Probably not a perfect 4.0. Come on man.