Biomedical Engineering to Pre-Med to Medical School

[tg0832]

I am a Junior Biomedical Engineering student. My university offers a regular and a pre-med track for BE majors, and for freshman, sophomore and the first half of junior year I was not pre-med, and now I have decided to pursue medical school, and I am so happy that I have finally found the path that I know I am going to be happy in. Even though I wasn't a pre-med initially, some of pre-med classes were required for BE anyway. Now, adding the higher level pre-med classes on top of the already rigorous BE curriculum, and I am trying to proceed in the smartest way possible so I do not burn myself out, while also giving myself the best chance possible to at getting into medical school. Unfortunately, my advisors have had a tough time figuring out how to guide me on this path as I have not been a BE/pre-med since the beginning like most. Though my situation is unique and I could be considered a 'non-traditional student', any and all advice is welcome for the many questions and concerns.

1.) First, details:
My biggest obstacle, which is my primary focus before anything else, is raising my GPA. It's a 3.0, which obviously needs to go way up. The low GPA is primarily due to the engineering curriculum, mainly the general engineering classes I've had to take, e.g. fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, electronics, and the like. However, I have done very well in my BE classes, all A's so far. I am confident that my GPA is going to only go up for the rest of undergrad, because those engineering classes are out of the way, and the rest of my curriculum is almost 100% either BE classes or pre-med classes.

2.) Relevant coursework:
The courses that I have taken so far, some of which may not be relevant but I believe they will stand out on my transcript:

Science Pre-Requisites:
Gen. Bio 1 + Lab (C)
Gen. Bio 2 + Lab (taking next semester)
Gen. Chem 1 + Lab (B- in lecture, A in lab)
Gen. Chem 2 (C+ in lecture, taking lab next semester)
Orgo, Biochem - (haven't taken yet)
Physiology+Lab (taking next semester)
Physics I [Honors] (B)
Physics II [Honors] (B)
Calculus I-IV
Statistics (A)
General Psychology (A)

Writing:
English 1 [Honors] (A-)
2 semesters of Philosophy (B+)

Other Stuff:
American Sign Language I & II (A)
Biomechanics (A)
Biomechanical Design (A)

Also, senior year allows me to choose BE program electives, where I plan on choosing BE courses that could be relevant for my application to med school, such Cardio-Pulmonary Biomechanics, Clinical Engineering, and Medical Imaging. I know it's rough, but with a new, more challenging goal and a happier future in sight I believe I have a shot at getting my GPA up.

3.) One aspect of this process that I am having difficulty making a decision about is about when and how to finish my pre-requisites, and I have managed to narrow my options down to a few choices, but if there any other options I am open to them.
a. Take Orgo senior year, and my Physics labs (only 1 credit each). Though it would be challenging, it would let me graduate on time with both my BE degree and all of the pre-reqs completed, except for Biochem. The plan would either be to then take Biochem + Lab the following summer and then study for the MCAT and apply when possible. Or to attempt to teach myself Biochem for the MCAT, but I do not think that is smart.
b. To skip Orgo next year and then enroll in a post-baccalaureate program. I am uncertain about this path, since I am not entirely sure how they work. Would I just be completing Orgo and Biochem at a higher level or is this program only for those who need to complete all of their pre-reqs?
c. An outlier, but still a choice. To raise my GPA to a 3.2, and with that I would be able to apply for the accelerated Master's degree program at my university, where I would be able to earn a Master's in Biomedical Engineering in 1 year. I believe this is a way for me to stand out as a med school applicant, but also an expensive and time consuming route, if another route is possible.

I appreciate any and all honest advice! Thank you!

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[GreenDuck12]

A post-bac is really just an enrollment status: you have a baccalaureate degree and are continuing to take undergraduate courses. Folks do this for one or two classes or for all the prerequisite courses or even for additional degrees (the latter may involve further enrollment processes). For folks going back to school to do a career change program, formal postbac program may be an option.

In your case, taking prerequisite classes senior year or after graduating would be fine depending on what works best with your program and post bac options. I would highly encourage you not to take the mcat until you have completed all of the prerequisite courses. Some folks have had success self studying a missing prerequisite class so it is up to you to decide if you want to go that route.
Edit:
While a masters degree may be an additional experience that other applicants won’t have, it is highly unlikely to compensate for a low GPA unless it is a SMP program. An SMP may be something you need to look into depending on your career goals and if you are applying to MD or a combination of MD and DO programs.