Medical Completed undergrad and SMP, but what should I do now?

[GoSpursGo]

Hello! And thank you in advance for reading through this post.

I am a non traditional pre med student who graduated undergrad with a 2.7 GPA and just finished an SMP this semester with a 3.1 GPA. In undergrad I loaded my course schedule extensively, was involved in multiple extracurriculars, and dealing with a very strenuous family issue that impeded my academic career. As a result, my advisor at the time recommended I apply to an SMP, and I entered using a GRE score instead of my MCAT as soon as I could after graduating. I rushed into this process before even analyzing what went wrong in undergrad in order to refine my study skills before I started this journey. In the middle of my SMP I faced housing insecurity due to a rather financially abusive household and spent more time working trying to make ends meet for myself and do my academic work and extracurriculars. In short, I dug myself a deeper hole. I last took my MCAT 3 years ago and was at 500 on my second attempt. I was considering a third attempt because my most recent AAMC practice test score was 512. I am aware I need to have way above a 510 to even be considered for another SMP/post bacc.

Apart from my academic numbers I have 2 years of scribing experience in the US and 2 years of scribing in Saudi Arabia while I lived there with my family (I'm from the US but we moved there for my dad's job for 10 years before moving back to the US), have 2 years of graduate research experience, volunteered as a crisis counselor with Crisis Text line for 2 years, was one of the leaders of 2 major community outreach programs in undergrad and 1 in my SMP program, and tutored elementary to high school students at times.

I have always seen myself in the medical field. The sciences is all I have ever loved and enjoy studying greatly, but I feel time and time again I have not been able to even show my understanding due to extraneous situations that I do not solve fully before engaging in my next strategy. I would just like some advice if it's even worth pursuing this path anymore. I would do the MCAT and find ways to uplift my GPA as many times as needed to show my dedication to this even if it means doing another SMP or do a post bacc next school year or a few years down the line. Would this sort of student even be considered even if I show a consistent upward trend in my next round of schooling with a high GPA or should I toss these dreams away and pursue something else within medicine?

Thank you very much to whoever reads this. My apologies for making this long!

time and time again I have not been able to even show my understanding due to extraneous situations that I do not solve fully before engaging in my next strategy.

This is exactly what you're doing, once again. Unless all of the stressors that you have mentioned magically disappear, there is no reason for you to believe that you will suddenly perform like a rockstar if you choose to launch immediately into more coursework. And you will continue to dig a further hole.

It's time to take a step back from this career path and regroup. Find something else that will make you happy, at least in the short term. After several years doing something else and after finding a secure financial footing, you can consider whether it's worth doubling back and trying again.

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[Goro]

Thank you for taking time to reply! I am currently still scribing and was planning on doing research for a few years while I regroup and have better financial footing. Would you suggest anything else to do during this time frame?

Unless you fix your life situation, your learning deficits, and make better choices, I suggest that you investigate other careers in the mean time.

If you're dead set on Medicine, you have to ace, and I mean like 3.8+ GPA, another SMP.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

I would take a few years to see if you truly want to do this. You have already (I assume) paid for one SMP and bombed (by SMP standards). For you to get into medical school, you would need to pay and complete ANOTHER SMP and absolutely kill it....like 3.9+ since you did so poorly on the last one, PLUS you would need a fantastic showing on the MCAT which, with the SMP grades, I am not sure you're ready for. If you can't do well in SMP and have strong study habits, how are you gonna have strong study habits for the MCAT and do well?

Take a large step back. If you are still wanting to go ahead with medical, I would suggest continuing doing clinical and non-clinical volunteering to beef up your hours, but you would also need to do ANOTHER SMP.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Thank you! I still want to go ahead with medicine but will be taking time as suggested to reevaluate my short comings and deficits before I make any other attempts to get myself to medical school. In the mean time I am applying to research positions and searching for certifications to complete to do clinical work.

Sounds like a good plan. Hopefully you get some clarity. Good luck on your decisions.

 

[AlteredScale]

Just wanted to ask: are you doing the research position because you WANT to do research or because you want to check that box off the application? Do something that’ll make you happy and that you are passionate about.

 

[AlteredScale]

I'm doing it because I want to. Not to check off a box. I already did research for about 2 years in my SMP and enjoyed it a lot.

That's good to hear. Then that will give you a good talking point since you've invested so much time into it.