weeniehutjr
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Hi everyone, this is my first time posting here and I’m hoping to get some honest guidance on what my next steps should be.
I’m a 26 yo Florida resident who decided to pursue medicine later in college, and I’ve spent the last few years trying to repair an academically difficult start. I graduated from UCF in 2023 with around a 2.8 cumulative GPA and approximately a 2.5 science GPA. My undergraduate transcript included several withdrawals, a few Ds, multiple Cs, and one failed course.
A large part of why I struggled academically was due to severe depression, uncertainty about my future, and trying to navigate the premed process without much guidance or understanding of how to approach it strategically, as I do not know anyone personally in medicine or pursuing it. Once I decided to seriously pursue medicine, I realized how many mistakes I had already made academically and began trying to repair them.
From 2024 through Spring 2026, I completed about 10 classes in a DIY post-bacc to finish prerequisites and repair some earlier grades. I passed all of the courses, though I earned a few Cs during periods where I overloaded myself with work, volunteering, tutoring, classes, commuting, and inconsistent MCAT studying all at once. More recently, I earned two As followed by a B in my final prerequisite course, and my GPA is now around a 2.9 cumulative and 2.6 science GPA. I’ve accumulated around 195 undergraduate credit hours total at this point, which makes GPA repair feel especially slow.
Outside of academics, I currently have over 2,000 clinical hours, some leadership experience, research experience but no publication, and some volunteering. I also recently started a new job in March 2026 as a medical assistant again.
At this point, I’m struggling with what the smartest next step would be. I know my GPA is still low, and I’m trying to realistically assess whether I should:
I also want to respectfully say that I’m not looking for advice to pursue another career path. I’ve spent years reflecting on whether medicine is truly what I want, and despite my academic history, this is still the path I want to pursue. Right now, I’m mainly looking for realistic guidance on how to move forward successfully from this point.
For those who have seen applicants with similar academic histories successfully recover, what would you realistically recommend as the strongest next step from here?
Thank you in advance
I’m a 26 yo Florida resident who decided to pursue medicine later in college, and I’ve spent the last few years trying to repair an academically difficult start. I graduated from UCF in 2023 with around a 2.8 cumulative GPA and approximately a 2.5 science GPA. My undergraduate transcript included several withdrawals, a few Ds, multiple Cs, and one failed course.
A large part of why I struggled academically was due to severe depression, uncertainty about my future, and trying to navigate the premed process without much guidance or understanding of how to approach it strategically, as I do not know anyone personally in medicine or pursuing it. Once I decided to seriously pursue medicine, I realized how many mistakes I had already made academically and began trying to repair them.
From 2024 through Spring 2026, I completed about 10 classes in a DIY post-bacc to finish prerequisites and repair some earlier grades. I passed all of the courses, though I earned a few Cs during periods where I overloaded myself with work, volunteering, tutoring, classes, commuting, and inconsistent MCAT studying all at once. More recently, I earned two As followed by a B in my final prerequisite course, and my GPA is now around a 2.9 cumulative and 2.6 science GPA. I’ve accumulated around 195 undergraduate credit hours total at this point, which makes GPA repair feel especially slow.
Outside of academics, I currently have over 2,000 clinical hours, some leadership experience, research experience but no publication, and some volunteering. I also recently started a new job in March 2026 as a medical assistant again.
At this point, I’m struggling with what the smartest next step would be. I know my GPA is still low, and I’m trying to realistically assess whether I should:
- continue GPA repair before attempting the MCAT,
- focus primarily on MCAT preparation first,
- pursue a Special Master’s Program with a strong linkage/history of medical school placement,
- or consider another route entirely that I may not be aware of yet.
I also want to respectfully say that I’m not looking for advice to pursue another career path. I’ve spent years reflecting on whether medicine is truly what I want, and despite my academic history, this is still the path I want to pursue. Right now, I’m mainly looking for realistic guidance on how to move forward successfully from this point.
For those who have seen applicants with similar academic histories successfully recover, what would you realistically recommend as the strongest next step from here?
Thank you in advance
