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I apologize if this has been covered extensively, but I did a search and feel I have a unique situation. I recently graduated with a dual-degree in Public Health and Psychology and have decided I want to pursue a DO degree. I need to both boost my science GPA and take a few pre-reqs. To give you an idea I have an overall 3.43 GPA. Here is where everything starts to get complicated because I don't know how to classify my classes.
I'm not sure how to classify my public health classes because I think they are drawing a fine line between behavioral science and "other science". According to AACOMAS: public health, health, health science, health services are all considered an "other science" which gets included in science GPA, but if you look at some of the classes in my public health degree (health policy, environmental health, social determinants of health, perspectives in global health) I feel they could potentially fall into behavioral or other non-science. To go along with that I took a PSYC 3254 Animal Behavior class. This was "technically" a psych credit but AACOMAS classifies animal behavior as an "other science" as well..... So first quesion, where would you classify these classes? (reference for classification: http://help.unicas.com:8888/aacomas...-history-2/aacomas-course-subjects/index.html)
With those classes included I have a 3.13 sGPA; without those classes it's a 2.81 sGPA, so either way I think I could still use a boost.
On to the next question.
During my time getting a degree I completed these pre-reqs: Bio 1&2 (C+/B), Chem 1&2 (B-/C+), Physics 1&2 (A-/A), O-chem 1 (C)
So in order to have all the pre-reqs I would need O-chem 2 and possibly Biochem. Not to mention I would likely want to straighten up some of those grades and my anatomy and physiology grades as well... F and C respectively.
What do you recommend? Can I return to school for a year or so and just take a few classes so AACOM drops the low scores? Should I attend a structured postbac or SMP? I can't seem to find a post-bac or SMP that will allow me to take prereqs, make up grades, and potentially take advanced courses/mcat prep. (Or are structured post-bac/SMP not worth the money anyways?)
I should also specify that because I wasn't planning on doing MD or DO before I have no medical experience either..... If I only have a year of experience will that look bad and what can I do about that?
Sorry this is a lot of questions and information. Thanks ahead of time!
I'm not sure how to classify my public health classes because I think they are drawing a fine line between behavioral science and "other science". According to AACOMAS: public health, health, health science, health services are all considered an "other science" which gets included in science GPA, but if you look at some of the classes in my public health degree (health policy, environmental health, social determinants of health, perspectives in global health) I feel they could potentially fall into behavioral or other non-science. To go along with that I took a PSYC 3254 Animal Behavior class. This was "technically" a psych credit but AACOMAS classifies animal behavior as an "other science" as well..... So first quesion, where would you classify these classes? (reference for classification: http://help.unicas.com:8888/aacomas...-history-2/aacomas-course-subjects/index.html)
With those classes included I have a 3.13 sGPA; without those classes it's a 2.81 sGPA, so either way I think I could still use a boost.
On to the next question.
During my time getting a degree I completed these pre-reqs: Bio 1&2 (C+/B), Chem 1&2 (B-/C+), Physics 1&2 (A-/A), O-chem 1 (C)
So in order to have all the pre-reqs I would need O-chem 2 and possibly Biochem. Not to mention I would likely want to straighten up some of those grades and my anatomy and physiology grades as well... F and C respectively.
What do you recommend? Can I return to school for a year or so and just take a few classes so AACOM drops the low scores? Should I attend a structured postbac or SMP? I can't seem to find a post-bac or SMP that will allow me to take prereqs, make up grades, and potentially take advanced courses/mcat prep. (Or are structured post-bac/SMP not worth the money anyways?)
I should also specify that because I wasn't planning on doing MD or DO before I have no medical experience either..... If I only have a year of experience will that look bad and what can I do about that?
Sorry this is a lot of questions and information. Thanks ahead of time!