I am a junior and recently took organic chem I and got an F. I plan on retaking it but I want to know if it is even still realistic for me to get into medical school with this grade. I really have a passion for medicine and would love to go to medical school. I feel like I have worked so hard to get to this point and I don't want this one class to be what changes my mind 🙁. So far my science grades are Chem I- C, Chem II- B, Bio I- A, Bio II- A. I am feeling so discouraged can anyone advice me on where to go from here?
failed organic chem! :( should i give up?
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I don't think my university even gives out F's unless you literally point-wise skip a test and fail every other one. Alright lets be productive, can you explain why you think you failed the course? How big was the curve? Is the school a traditionally grade deflating institute like Harvey Mudd? What topics where you bad at or confused in? Did you do problems or how did you study?
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Don't give up! Retake to get an A, and take upper division science classes to raise your science GPA. If worst comes to worst look up DO's godsend of a policy that is grade replacement and use that.
Also, you should try new study habits. I write everything down by chapter (on "cheat sheets") and read them before bed/in the morning. Week of the test I'll do alot of practice problems. Try this method and others out, you'll eventually find something that works for you.
Also, you should try new study habits. I write everything down by chapter (on "cheat sheets") and read them before bed/in the morning. Week of the test I'll do alot of practice problems. Try this method and others out, you'll eventually find something that works for you.
You may still have a chance at md if you retake o chem and get an A. You will have to finish strong and get a good MCAT score. Juice that science gpa with some easy courses. Hope is not lost my friend!
And always consider DO. They don't factor failed classes that have been retaken into your gpa.
And always consider DO. They don't factor failed classes that have been retaken into your gpa.
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What is probably partly at fault here is your grasp of gen. chem. While it's been said in another thread that performance in the two classes are unrelated, the concepts shown in each are very much related. You should review what you didn't fully understand in gen chem while you retake organic chemistry.
Next time you take organic, check out "Organic Chemistry as a Second Language" by Klein. I found it exceptionally helpful.
Consider getting a tutor.
People have gotten into medical school with Fs, and Cs, but you need to buckle down and do better than you best for the next few semesters, and keep an open mind to SMPs and other post-bacc programs, if you GPA does not improve. Consider DO for grade-replacement strategies, alternatively, depending on the rest of your GPA.
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I agree, don't give up! I think your next step should be to evaluate why you failed the class. It seems like you are struggling with chemistry overall. I know that your performance in ochem does not really depend on your performance in general chemistry, but some overarching concepts do carry over (such as resonance, or something even as simple as drawing lewis structures). Perhaps you didn't learn these concepts well enough the first time around... the beginning of ochem 1 is actually a review of gen chem. The things you learn throughout the rest of that class keep building on these simple concepts.
Ochem will only get harder from here, and to understand the harder material, you really have to understand (notice I didn't memorize) the basics.
Did you understand what was being said in lecture? How did you study for the exams?
Ochem will only get harder from here, and to understand the harder material, you really have to understand (notice I didn't memorize) the basics.
Did you understand what was being said in lecture? How did you study for the exams?
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I thought science gpa was base only on prerequisites like general chem 1,2 physics 1,2 organic, etc. Are random science classes factored into gpa? Like Reptile Anatomy for example?
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Yup! any science courses that fall within BCPM (bio, chem, physics, math) are factored into the sGPA
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If you don't mind me asking what gen chem concepts are there in o. chem? All I remember being there is very elementary knowledge of acids and bases.
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Perhaps our courses had different focuses (foci?), but my course was made substantially easier by knowledge of acids and bases, the general concept of bonding, the octet rule and the exceptions, stability of compounds, etc. All are pretty important in organic. Reaction kinetics also played a decent role. Understanding these things made my experience in my class so much easier, but YMMV.
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Its foci I think. And for my class these concepts were present, but only the very basicss. Maybe yours was more in depth. I actually AP'ed out of gen chem and knew none of it, which came back to bite me during MCAT study..
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You're not out of the running if you're willing to DO it... I did... because the first two letters, Dr. mean WAY more than the last two MD/DO... 🙂
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Nucleophiles, electrophiles, acids, bases, reactivities are all based on gen chem concepts.
Acid/Bases - Directly discussed
Nucleo/electrophile - Acid/Base similarities, exceptions rationalized by periodic trends.
Reactivities - general stability. Periodic trends. Visualization of orbitals/VSEPR.
From those concepts almost all (I dare say all) of general orgo can be understood. Heck, the reason Fluorine (opposite of what one would expect) is an electron donor to most aromatic systems is completely based in general chemistry fundamentals.
Don't forget, understanding chemical structures is introduced in gen chem.
I have seen many students not see these connections and struggle through organic chemistry because they simply are not master memorizers, but rather much better at visualizing processes and acting as problem solvers.
Thanks everyone for the feedback, I really appreciate it! I agree that my struggle with gen chem probably made matters worst for organic chem. I think my biggest problem was that I'm not that great at memorizing. I usually need to understand the concept fully first which took me a long time when studying. Hopefully I can bounce back from this terrible grade the second time around and still have a chance. Someone mentioned SMPs in a previous post, how do I know which one to choose and if it would be worth it?
if your gpa is decent like better than a 3.4 i wouldn't really bother with an SMP just my two cents though thats 2 more years and a lot of extra $$$$
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You should only worry about individual grades in relation to how they affect
cumulative GPA
science GPA
MCAT score
cumulative GPA
science GPA
MCAT score
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I don't think so. An F really does look bad, and I'd be a lot more concerned having, say, a 2.9 science GPA with an F than without any grade below C.
DO schools do replace retaken grades, but they will still see that F on the transcript even if it is replaced by an A, and it will undoubtedly look much worse than getting an A the first time.
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Honest opinion: unless you completely turn around and literally get straight As from now on and a 40+ MCAT, I think an MD in this country is unlikely for you. If you were a freshman, you might be cut more slack, but you're a junior.
Given that fact, you really need to consider looking at DO schools, which not only have easier stats, but also replace bad grades if you retake them. The F will be there forever, but at least your sGPA and cGPA with respect to DO schools will go up by a lot if you retake orgo I and get an A.
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I'd apply MD and DO if the cgpa/sgpa/MCAT are there. We're only talking about mediocre chemistry grades here. MD unlikely? Why give up when he's not even done yet.
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Your opinion of how an admissions board will view a single F is not a fact.
We know very little about OP except that the person is not good at chemistry and you have already decided that this person can never go to a US MD school based on one failed course.
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Where did I say never? All I said was that it's unlikely, based not only on that F, but other lackluster grades and the fact that the OP got that F as a junior.
Sorry, but a US MD school is highly competitive, and without a 3.6+ GPA and 30+ MCAT, the odds are against you.
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Based on the grades the OP shared, the science GPA is probably around 2.6. Sure, if a miracle happens, then it might be raised to a 3.4 or so, but even then it will take a stellar MCAT or SMP to get into a US MD school.
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Your fine. You only failed one class, I failed 3 this past semester. If your looking for some hope, know that there are people who have it worse. I'm a much bigger failure than you are.
K
kpcrew
hey at least you didn't get a b-
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Paula Bruce's organic chemistry book (and workbook) are super helpful
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Lots of questions you need to ask. There is an entire forum on Post-Bacc programs full of people who probably will give you better answers than we can, and this thread should help you a lot. (Title: "The Official Guide to Special Masters Programs")
Good luck, and keep up your attitude. Both of your posts were relatively calm and you seem like you're genuinely thinking about your options. You can work through this and stay positive and focused; that, I think, is how you can put yourself in the best position for applications - whether for DO/MD or post-bacc. 🙂
+1 my fellow blue jay
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Ask yourself why you failed. Did you try your best and just didn't understand it? Or were you an irresponsible ****** and skipped class to do drugs (like me)? If its the first case, then this advice certainly holds true.
If not, then it will be hard for you to stop punishing and hating yourself because you know its your fault and that you could have been so much more. In this case, my advice is to let your anger and grief become a part of you and learn to accept that you just aren't as good of a human being as you originally thought. Once you've accepted this, then you can take the necessary steps forward. Trust me, I'm writing a book on how to live with being a failure. 👍
thank you I will definitely look at this!
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A miracle? All he can do is not call it quits, like you're suggesting. Applying with a lower gpa and/or MCAT is an indication to apply a lot more widely (MD/DO everywhere) than the rest rather than a sign to give up and apply only to DO schools.
Anyway, fuck your opinion. If anyone who's ever encountered adversity listened to opinions like yours, they'd get nothing done.
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You need psychiatric help before you continue with school.
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No, you should not give up. There are plenty of doctors who have failure a course at one time or another. The key is perseverance. And learning from your mistakes. And building upon your weaknesses while taking advantage of your strengths.
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As Baz Luhrmann says, "worrying about the future is about as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum." Retake orgo and do everything you can to not fail again. Then, apply to medical schools and see what happens. 🙂
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I never told the OP to apply only to DO schools or "give up". Stop putting words in my mouth.
Keep up with this behavior, and you'll be banned from this board.
Don't give up!!!!! IF you really want it retake it!!!
How do MD schools look at classes that you've retaken? My freshman year at my previous institution I received an C- and its weighing my GPA down (all my other courses are Bs and up) should I retake to boost gpa?
How do MD schools look at classes that you've retaken? My freshman year at my previous institution I received an C- and its weighing my GPA down (all my other courses are Bs and up) should I retake to boost gpa?
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MD schools usually average your old grade with a retake grade. For a C- (a 1.7 on AMCAS scale I believe), retaking and getting an A gives you an average of 2.85, around a B-. It's a step up, but not much. And this is only if you can for sure get an A. I wouldn't retake if I were you. You were a freshman, and a poor grade is definitely understandable. Was it a BCPM class? If so, and if you can show that you did well in some upper level course in the same discipline, you should be fine with 1 bad grade. If it was not a science class, don't worry about it. Most secondaries have a section where you can explain any poor grades, so you can say you were a freshman/didn't know how to study/whatever the issue was.
DO schools do grade replacement, so if you would retake that class and get a higher grade, the C- "disappears"
D
deleted393595
It was my general chemistry I course. Right now my science GPA is around a 3.2 and I only have about six more courses. I'm just worried that certain schools wont give me a chance because of my GPA
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Yea but that would get in the way of my latest book tour. Scheduling conflicts and all.....
Is this a help book like Organic Chem as a Second Language or is it an actual textbook?
Were they science classes though?
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Two econ classes and one science class. How does that even matter? Its still failing in the end.
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I've heard multiple people suggest this book. Definitely will grab a copy of it myself.
I failed orgo I when I was a sophomore. I was really freaked out but I retook it over the summer and got a B. I worked my ass off and got a 4.0 for 3/4 remaining semesters and brought up my science GPA by the time I graduated. I also did some research and tried to remain pretty active in volunteering, declared a double major and participated in a study abroad program. I'm currently in this application cycle and have gotten a hand full of interviews and a couple of acceptances so far. The failure came up in all of my interviews, but so did the upward trend in my grades and my EC's. I described it as being a really big motivator for me to do better and all my interviewers seemed to understand.
Point being - that F alone will NOT keep you out of med school. You just have to really try hard for the rest of the time you have left. If you planned on applying at the end of this year, I would maybe wait until the end of your senior year to bring up your science GPA as much as possible and get as many better grades as possible to show the schools that you are applying to that you are serious and dedicated to med school. Good Luck!!!!!!!👍👍
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I just made a D in organic I, and at first, I was also worried.
Retake the course, maybe with another professor that has better ratings.
Remember however college is about YOU, not how well the professor teaches. If YOU put in the work and get help when you are lost, you will come out on the other side just fine.
My plan is to retake the class and prove that I am capable of making A`s in difficult courses. I am using this as a wake-up call. My new goal is to every day (during my next attempt at ochem) do some studying towards learning the material.
Some professional fighters say that you have to be punched in the face to know how to fight. This sounds like it could apply here.
Good luck with the retest!
Retake the course, maybe with another professor that has better ratings.
Remember however college is about YOU, not how well the professor teaches. If YOU put in the work and get help when you are lost, you will come out on the other side just fine.
My plan is to retake the class and prove that I am capable of making A`s in difficult courses. I am using this as a wake-up call. My new goal is to every day (during my next attempt at ochem) do some studying towards learning the material.
Some professional fighters say that you have to be punched in the face to know how to fight. This sounds like it could apply here.
Good luck with the retest!
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Nothing like an organic necrobump!
Anyway, the everyday approach is an excellent strategy. It'll help you stay on top of the material without burning out.
Anyway, the everyday approach is an excellent strategy. It'll help you stay on top of the material without burning out.
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Dude... OP wrote this thread over half a decade ago...
Bless their heart if they're still retaking Orgo 1.Similar threads
