Bad news for me..

[cbj5r]

I calculated my BCPM today...2.55. I still need to take chem Ochem and physics....But, even if I get all A's in these, this only brings me to a 3.01. This does not include the retake calculation that AMCAS uses....I don't know how to figure that out. So, I guess I am only left with the option of a post bacc or masters program? Any thoughts/suggestions?

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[vishnupatel]

Those numbers aren't that bad. It means you have been getting B's in your science classes for the most part. And a lot of schools really like improvement in your grades. So make sure you get them A's in those classes.

My friend had a similar GPA and got into a DO school. So, don't worry - Med School is still definitely a possibility.

 

[adeline]

if you got d's, you can retake.

otherwise, take upper levels, which you should anyway.

 

[ChenMary]

Try alternative health care professions. Become an osteopath, nurse, or physical therapist, etc.

They all have relatively relaxed standards.

 

[TexasFight]

Try alternative health care professions. Become an osteopath, nurse, or physical therapist, etc.

They all have relatively relaxed standards.

An osteopath is a doctor. They go to medical school.

 

[adeline]

and DON'T listen to people telling you to forget allo. you haven't hardly done any thing...

 

[cbj5r]

I am already a nurse looking to transition to a career in medicine. Motivation and dedication are not a problem for me, as they were years ago. I am a paramedic/rn and know that I can do this, I just need some constructive criticism on how to get there. My grades in recent years are much improved, all A's for my BSN and the other pre reqs I have already taken. Thanks for your advice though.

 

[adeline]

I am already a nurse looking to transition to a career in medicine. Motivation and dedication are not a problem for me, as they were years ago. I am a paramedic/rn and know that I can do this, I just need some constructive criticism on how to get there. My grades in recent years are much improved, all A's for my BSN and the other pre reqs I have already taken. Thanks for your advice though.

you know that nursing --> med is not looked at favourably in many circumstances, right?

you will need to basically start over if you have a bsn. if the courses you have taken would not be accepted by a bio major at that school, they will not count for med school.

what are your ecs?

 

[RogueUnicorn]

you know that nursing --> med is not looked at favourably in many circumstances, right?

you will need to basically start over if you have a bsn. if the courses you have taken would not be accepted by a bio major at that school, they will not count for med school.

what are your ecs?

explain.

 

[adeline]

explain.

....nursing shortage?

It is a waste of very very very very finite resources to train a nurse who is going to piss it away for a run at med school or to go be a masters' degreed girl who avoids bedside like the plague.

 

[spyderracing32]

Try alternative health care professions. Become an osteopath, nurse, or physical therapist, etc.

They all have relatively relaxed standards.

Lol I've seen you do this twice now in different threads (I believe you said medicine was only for the elite in the other one and everything else was an easier version of medicine) and then chastise everyone for openly debating health care reform in another thread for their not being compassionate enough. How are you going to show compassion for your patients if you can't show compassion for your colleagues? Osteopaths operate in the same capactity as an MD, and nurses, physical therapists, dieticians, dentists, etc. all play important roles in the health care system. Get over yourself...

 

[RogueUnicorn]

....nursing shortage?

It is a waste of very very very very finite resources to train a nurse who is going to piss it away for a run at med school or to go be a masters' degreed girl who avoids bedside like the plague.

your sentence doesn't make sense, and it is based on a lot of unmentioned assumptions & bias. mainly, med schools don't train the nurses. equally finite resources go into training biologists chemists etc that "piss it away" for a run at med school. the bedside statement is not even worth commenting on.

 

[adeline]

your sentence doesn't make sense, and it is based on a lot of unmentioned assumptions & bias. mainly, med schools don't train the nurses. equally finite resources go into training biologists chemists etc that "piss it away" for a run at med school. the bedside statement is not even worth commenting on.

LOL, kid, go ask an adcom, okay?

Biochemists aren't needed for patient care. Who cares what they're doing?

Nurses, on the other hand, are. Med schools tend to be attached to hospitals, which take care of patients, which they cannot do sans patient care people. As much as I admire the non-uppity CMA/CNA/PCT/tech crowd, legally, there are things that an RN must do in the current schemes.

Med schools care that would-be nurses are abandoning nursing for a chance to be a doctor because there are already too few of them and the spot they took could have been used by some 36yo single mom looking for a better job than flipping burgers who was gonna stay bedside for 30 more years.

 

[cbj5r]

It was not an easy decision for me to transition out of nursing. It was a time consuming and deliberate decision on my part. And yes, I am aware that my BSN classes do not count. I have already begun to take my science pre reqs. I am also aware that it is not looked favorably upon, but that is not a sufficient enough reason for me not to pursue my passion.
As for the "pissing it away" comment..not sure that I have much to say to that...

 

[cbj5r]

My EC's...not very many. I am Paramedic as well and have 3 years of volunteer EMS experience.

 

[adeline]

It was not an easy decision for me to transition out of nursing. It was a time consuming and deliberate decision on my part. And yes, I am aware that my BSN classes do not count. I have already begun to take my science pre reqs. I am also aware that it is not looked favorably upon, but that is not a sufficient enough reason for me not to pursue my passion.
As for the "pissing it away" comment..not sure that I have much to say to that...

So many of your would-be fellows do just that.

Are you able to very clearly articulate why you want to make the transition? Have the experiences to support it?

ETA: Shadow. Volunteer. Do something with a civic org.

 

[cbj5r]

So many of your would-be fellows do just that.

Are you able to very clearly articulate why you want to make the transition? Have the experiences to support it?

ETA: Shadow. Volunteer. Do something with a civic org.

Yes, I can clearly articulate my reasoning for this hopeful change in career.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

LOL, kid, go ask an adcom, okay?

Biochemists aren't needed for patient care. Who cares what they're doing?

Nurses, on the other hand, are. Med schools tend to be attached to hospitals, which take care of patients, which they cannot do sans patient care people. As much as I admire the non-uppity CMA/CNA/PCT/tech crowd, legally, there are things that an RN must do in the current schemes.

Med schools care that would-be nurses are abandoning nursing for a chance to be a doctor because there are already too few of them and the spot they took could have been used by some 36yo single mom looking for a better job than flipping burgers who was gonna stay bedside for 30 more years.

a) i love how it's only the people who clearly come off as under 22 who find it necessary to refer to others as "kid." check yourself.
b) i have on multiple occasions and they were very welcoming of it.
c) the number of nurses "abandoning" the field for med school is infinitesimal when compared to the general turnover rate. it's a high burnout field. anybody who claims otherwise is a dolt.
d) so you claim medschools will rather take a 36 yo single mom over a 28 yo former nurse because the latter will "stay bedside" for 30 more years? haha what?!?

 

[adeline]

a) i love how it's only the people who clearly come off as under 22 who find it necessary to refer to others as "kid." check yourself.
d) so you claim medschools will rather take a 36 yo single mom over a 28 yo former nurse because the latter will "stay bedside" for 30 more years? haha what?!?

Why 22?

And no, Mr I Lack Reading Comprehension. That is not what I said.

 

[DRIN]

I calculated my BCPM today...2.55. I still need to take chem Ochem and physics....But, even if I get all A's in these, this only brings me to a 3.01. This does not include the retake calculation that AMCAS uses....I don't know how to figure that out. So, I guess I am only left with the option of a post bacc or masters program? Any thoughts/suggestions?

There is no re-take calculation for AMCAS. When they figure out your GPA, they will use every college class you've ever taken to calculate it which includes repeated classes regardless of the grades you earned on each attempt.

 

[cbj5r]

Don't mean to interject, but I was hoping to receive some constructive advice from this thread, not start an argument...

 

[cbj5r]

I thought that I had read elsewhere that they "penalize" classes that are re-taken to achieve a higher grade....thanks for the clarification

 

[RogueUnicorn]

Why 22?

And no, Mr I Lack Reading Comprehension. That is not what I said.

<22 i.e. still in college or just out.

actually, Ms. I Lack Writing Skills, that is exactly what you said whether you meant it or not. kthxbye.

 

[adeline]

I thought that I had read elsewhere that they "penalize" classes that are re-taken to achieve a higher grade....thanks for the clarification

DO will take just the retake. So a D you retake to an A gets just the A.

AMCAS takes both. So the D becomes a B-ish thing.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

I thought that I had read elsewhere that they "penalize" classes that are re-taken to achieve a higher grade....thanks for the clarification

i know they count both the class you took earlier and the re-take, but penalize? have not heard that

 

[DRIN]

I thought that I had read elsewhere that they "penalize" classes that are re-taken to achieve a higher grade....thanks for the clarification

No Problem.

That was probably authored by a gunner . Speaking from experience, the only "penalty" I had from taking a class again is having the first attempt count in the GPA calculation.

 

[cbj5r]

That makes me feel only slightly better, with emphasis on the slightly. It MD an option with these grades and my medical experience, or will a post-bacc be a requirement? As far as DO, I have not investigated this as much, but suppose that I am open to the idea.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

That makes me feel only slightly better, with emphasis on the slightly. It MD an option with these grades and my medical experience, or will a post-bacc be a requirement? As far as DO, I have not investigated this as much, but suppose that I am open to the idea.

the overall chances for a person of your GPA at US MD schools are not high... in fact they're very low... sorry =(

 

[adeline]

That makes me feel only slightly better, with emphasis on the slightly. It MD an option with these grades and my medical experience, or will a post-bacc be a requirement? As far as DO, I have not investigated this as much, but suppose that I am open to the idea.

If you can get a 3.3/3.4, kill the MCAT, and get some good doctor-shadowing and non-medical ecs, you could go MD.

DO would be easier, because they do favor interesting records and forgive retakes.

Also, what is your resident state?

 

[cbj5r]

If you can get a 3.3/3.4, kill the MCAT, and get some good doctor-shadowing and non-medical ecs, you could go MD.

DO would be easier, because they do favor interesting records and forgive retakes.

Also, what is your resident state?

Not for a second did I think that this would be an easy endeavor...fortunately, I have a very supportive wife and no kids. This should relieve some problems. I live in VA. I spoke with someone in admissions today at EVMS and she told me I should apply to med schools and the medical masters program at the same time, and just be happy with what I get.

 

[adeline]

Not for a second did I think that this would be an easy endeavor...fortunately, I have a very supportive wife and no kids. This should relieve some problems. I live in VA. I spoke with someone in admissions today at EVMS and she told me I should apply to med schools and the medical masters program at the same time, and just be happy with what I get.

Definitely apply to EVMS if you can see yourself hanging out in that area for a while. Also UVA.

The handydandy school selector suggest that if you can haul your sgpa up ( you're the one with a 3.9 bsn, right?) and 10+ the MCAT, you have a range. But you'll need extra science courses.

 

[ksmi117]

1. Keep it civil. We don't need to be arguing here.

2. I'm moving this to the What Are My Chances? forum.

 

[camaras2480]

1. Keep it civil. We don't need to be arguing here.

Or else you end up looking cool in red
lol please dont yell at me ksmi !!
Can't believe I missed this ruckus tho, I could have helped create so much more chaos...

To OP: your determination is great, and it seems you have looked into the manner quite a bit. Even if you get to a 3.01 though, I feel you would need an SMP. Would you pursue this/have the money for it? It might be your fastest way to a US MD school. A strong SMP (3.5+ in general) and a reasonable MCAT (30-32) usually makes a student a really strong applicant to the less selective US MD schools.

 

[cbj5r]

Thanks for the replies...very helpful...and utterly realistic. I was thinking that a masters was my most likely option. Will definitely apply at the same time though....just in case...any more thoughts are appreciated!

 

[camaras2480]

Thanks for the replies...very helpful...and utterly realistic. I was thinking that a masters was my most likely option. Will definitely apply at the same time though....just in case...any more thoughts are appreciated!

Good call - great idea

 

[TopSecret]

I calculated my BCPM today...2.55. I still need to take chem Ochem and physics....But, even if I get all A's in these, this only brings me to a 3.01. This does not include the retake calculation that AMCAS uses....I don't know how to figure that out. So, I guess I am only left with the option of a post bacc or masters program? Any thoughts/suggestions?

Chances are slim. There are a lot of applicants and you may not get past the initial screening process. If you do really well on the MCAT, it may get you to the next step but it'll be tough.

 

[DaTruMD]

You will have to do DO or Carib. unless other parts of your application are absolutely stellar.