- Joined
- Sep 3, 2010
- Messages
- 9
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I guess I should give you guys a little background information. I am a first generation college student that graduated in 2006 with a degree in psychology with a minor in biology. Upon graduation, I had all the medical school pre-reqs, but acknowledged the fact that I was nowhere near competitve (2.98GPA, 22MCAT, & a Science GPA better left unsaid.) There's not much I can really say about the GPA without sounding like a whiner.
However, I can say this. I did not spend my time partying (...Looking back now, I wish I could say that...). I did not have too many horrifically terrible events that affected my life. Simply put, undergrad was the first time that I was challeged academically and had to find out that my high school preparation was sub-par the hard way. I worked my behind off and I admit it hurt not to see any improvement despite giving it my all.
After moping and wondering aimlessly for about two years, I decided to take my head out of my behind and do something. That something was to apply to PA school for Fall 2010. To raise my GPA, I retook general chemistry and added micro and genetics to my transcripts. I also took a job as a nursing assistant to readily gain that direct patient contact experience and have done shadowing with a PA and DO.
The end result was one interview (...With Duke though...yay...I couldn't have sucked that bad...) and eight rejections with the advice of an admissions committee member to take some more biological sciences. As a result, I took a five week biochemistry course and came out with an A- bringing my science GPA up to a 3.18.
This brings me to the present. I'm 26 and I probably now count as a nontraditional student. I do plan on reapplying to some PA schools. But for some reason that biochemistry course lit a spark in me. The detail, the intensity, and the pressure has brought back some of the confidence and fight I had lost. For 2012, I plan on putting in some med school applications along side those PA applications.
Now this is where the confusion comes in. I have no freaking clue where to go from here. Retaking the MCAT is a no brainer. However, my science GPA may be some cause for concern. The easiest answer would be to take more science classes. The problem now is that there is very little left for me to take unless I go up to graduate level. I don't know if getting a master's degree in something else is really worth it.
In short, I'm walking around in circles and could really use someone to bounce ideas off because time surely isn't waiting on me.
However, I can say this. I did not spend my time partying (...Looking back now, I wish I could say that...). I did not have too many horrifically terrible events that affected my life. Simply put, undergrad was the first time that I was challeged academically and had to find out that my high school preparation was sub-par the hard way. I worked my behind off and I admit it hurt not to see any improvement despite giving it my all.
After moping and wondering aimlessly for about two years, I decided to take my head out of my behind and do something. That something was to apply to PA school for Fall 2010. To raise my GPA, I retook general chemistry and added micro and genetics to my transcripts. I also took a job as a nursing assistant to readily gain that direct patient contact experience and have done shadowing with a PA and DO.
The end result was one interview (...With Duke though...yay...I couldn't have sucked that bad...) and eight rejections with the advice of an admissions committee member to take some more biological sciences. As a result, I took a five week biochemistry course and came out with an A- bringing my science GPA up to a 3.18.
This brings me to the present. I'm 26 and I probably now count as a nontraditional student. I do plan on reapplying to some PA schools. But for some reason that biochemistry course lit a spark in me. The detail, the intensity, and the pressure has brought back some of the confidence and fight I had lost. For 2012, I plan on putting in some med school applications along side those PA applications.
Now this is where the confusion comes in. I have no freaking clue where to go from here. Retaking the MCAT is a no brainer. However, my science GPA may be some cause for concern. The easiest answer would be to take more science classes. The problem now is that there is very little left for me to take unless I go up to graduate level. I don't know if getting a master's degree in something else is really worth it.
In short, I'm walking around in circles and could really use someone to bounce ideas off because time surely isn't waiting on me.