Does this Post-bacc schedule look reasonable?

[premedBF]

How does this post bacc schedule look for someone working 20-30 hours per week and trying to raise their sGPA to a 3.0 from ~2.6?

SUMMER 22
Ochem 1 (3) (Retake)

FALL 22
Ochem 2 (3) (Retake)
Intro to Neuroscience 1 (4)

SPRING 23
Medical Physiology (3) (Retake)
Medical Physiology Lab (1) (Retake)
Cell Cycle and Cancer (4)

SUMMER 23
Intro to Neuroscience 2 (4)
Animal Biology (3)

FALL 23
Medical Neuroanatomy (4)
Immunology (4)
Research (4)

SPRING 24
Virology (4)
Research (4)
MCAT

ALTERNATIVE SPRING 24
Research (5)
MCAT

Apply 24

* The previous physiology class was a D at another institution. That class was 4 credit hours, but the post bacc institution has a 3 hour lecture and 1 credit separate lab. Would this qualify as a retake on applications, and is it worth it to take the lab? People tend to do well in it, but it is time consuming.

Could also take the 2000 level anatomy and physiology class instead of the 3000 level medical physiology class. The original physiology class was 3000 level though, and I don't really know what the differencesbin the classes are or if med schools have a preference.

Finally, would you recommend retaking a D in calculus? I know most schools don't require calc anymore, and often prefer statistics which was also taken in undergrad with a B.

@Goro, @LizzyM, @gonnif, @Faha, your advice is appreciated as always.

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[Darrow O'Lykos]

If you plan on working this upcoming academic year, I think your plan for Fall22-Spring23 looks okay. However I think you need to consider applying for a SMP during Spring 23 to start Summer23, so that you can get a lot more coursework at a high level before applying in 24. You need to show a strong extent of academic excellence to make up for your prior coursework, and I don’t think the current outline will get you there (I’m guessing your current outline would be DIY post-bacc work at an institution?)

I wouldn’t bother with the labs if they are not required to take concurrently, especially if they are time consuming. Labs tend to require a disproportionate amount of effort for their course credit weighting, but often it’s because institutions require you take it at the same time as the lecture course.

Although I don’t think most schools care about calculus, the D hurts considering the other low grades you have. It goes without saying that you must get all As in every course from here on out if you want to get in. If you do an SMP, this will likely include a stats class, and an A in that would help a little to make up for your prior poor Calc and average Stat grade. However, math is lumped in with other sciences when reviewing GPAs.

 

[premedBF]

If you plan on working this upcoming academic year, I think your plan for Fall22-Spring23 looks okay. However I think you need to consider applying for a SMP during Spring 23 to start Summer23, so that you can get a lot more coursework at a high level before applying in 24. You need to show a strong extent of academic excellence to make up for your prior coursework, and I don’t think the current outline will get you there (I’m guessing your current outline would be DIY post-bacc work at an institution?)

I wouldn’t bother with the labs if they are not required to take concurrently, especially if they are time consuming. Labs tend to require a disproportionate amount of effort for their course credit weighting, but often it’s because institutions require you take it at the same time as the lecture course.

Although I don’t think most schools care about calculus, the D hurts considering the other low grades you have. It goes without saying that you must get all As in every course from here on out if you want to get in. If you do an SMP, this will likely include a stats class, and an A in that would help a little to make up for your prior poor Calc and average Stat grade. However, math is lumped in with other sciences when reviewing GPAs.

I should have mentioned for clarity in the OP that this is for my fiancee. I do appreciate the response though

Why an SMP over a upper division science classes? The cost seems prohibitive and the sGPA would still be <3.0. Wouldn't that cause a lot of schools to screened out? I would think reaching that benchmark would be worthwhile, even if it took an extra year

 

[Darrow O'Lykos]

I should have mentioned for clarity in the OP that this is for my fiancee. I do appreciate the response though

Props to you, because having a loving partner is so helpful for anyone going through the admissions process, and more importantly med school itself.

Why an SMP over a upper division science classes? The cost seems prohibitive and the sGPA would still be <3.0. Wouldn't that cause a lot of schools to screened out? I would think reaching that benchmark would be worthwhile, even if it took an extra year

Eh, a couple reasons. For one, a SMP is graduate-level coursework. That'll be parsed out differently in your fiancee's grade report reviewed by AdComs. Upper level science courses will just be lumped in with his/her previous coursework from undergrad, which won't move the needle much because the denominator will continue to increase with the numerator for GPA purposes. Although one may think of this as just a "bucket" thing, AdComs need to see that an applicant with prior troubles can succeed in their curriculum, and thus value graduate-level coursework more highly. That's part of why a SMP can be so helpful, because it's the closest thing you can get to being in med school without being a medical student. It's one thing for AdComs to look over your fiancee's recent coursework and see him/her do well, but truth is, the plan as outlined in the original post reflects undergraduate level work on a part-time basis spread out over 2 years. Getting all As in that is nice, but doesn't exhibit the ability to handle the rigors of a medical school's curriculum, especially considering the red flags in his/her history. Jumping into a graduate level program and getting a 4.0 in a medical curriculum and knocking out ~40 hours in a single year though? Speaks volumes and minimizes any concern over prior mishaps. That being said, I don't think your fiancee would be accepted to a SMP starting this summer (or may not even be mentally ready to do that), but setting up to start one in Summer'23 will put them in a far better position than trying to apply to medical schools in the Summer'24, only to go a full year with zero interviews and left re-evaluating life in the Summer'25 and left without the substantial academic progress needed and not able to get that until applying Summer'26 for starting med school in Summer'27...etc.

In regards to the cost, 50k in loans for a single year to help get their seat in a medical school is far cheaper than delaying year(s) of salary at the level of being an attending physician once their training is over. It may seem ridiculous to pay that much now, but the opportunity cost of not doing it is far greater. Speaking from experience on that front, as not doing a SMP is one of my biggest regrets. I had to sludge it out for 4 years of applying just to get my shot. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.