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hopelessdreamer95

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I think you answered your own question.

Becoming a doctor isn't the only way to feel a sense of accomplishment. Find a career path that makes you happy and that you can succeed in.
 
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The purpose of pre-medical courses is to show schools you have the academic ability to survive the rigors of medical school. I agree with heisenberg, it seems like you already know the answer to your question. Why waste upwards of 5k sending out primaries and secondaries, spending hours worrying about IIs and MCAT scores if you can't hack it even if you got in? There are plenty of other ways for a person with a kind heart and good-will such as yourself to contribute to the world.
 
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It's not about happiness, it's about making sure I fulfill my family's expectations of me. I have nothing else in mind other than becoming a physician.
You shouldn't be doing this for anyone besides yourself. It should be about happiness, because you will never be happy fulfilling someone else's dreams.
 
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At this point, I'm fully aware I'm not as smart as a pre-med student is expected to be, but I have to at least try, I guess.
You posted last year that you had a 3.4x GPA. If that's still the case, it's really not as bad as youre making it out to be rn
 
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It's not about happiness, it's about making sure I fulfill my family's expectations of me. I have nothing else in mind other than becoming a physician.

If you end up applying to med school, make sure you're doing it because YOU want to. Your family isn't the one who's going to be studying for all those exams when the time comes.

I don't know, seeing and hearing what my peers have as their GPA, what I see on these forums, and the requirements I'm expected to have just be considered a competitive candidate for med school, it just gives me anxiety, as irrational as it sounds.

A 3.4 is fine. It's not stellar but you should be able to get interviews, especially if you ace the MCAT. Many people who post here on SDN are some of the high achievers and there's a whole subset of more-average applicants who lurk without posting their stats.
 
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You're an adult now. You're able to vote, drink, drive, smoke, work, pay taxes and fight and die for your country. You're therefore old enough to grow a spine and tell your family that your career choices are yours alone to make, period.

If you have a declining GPA trend this will not look good to Adcoms, and you're getting burnt out and pressed, so how are you going to survive medical school???????????

We're not going to tell you what you want to hear, but what you need to hear.

Suggest seeing a therapist or counselor STAT.


It's not about happiness, it's about making sure I fulfill my family's expectations of me. I have nothing else in mind other than becoming a physician.
 
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I'm confused. You're lucky to get anything above a C but you posted last year that you had a 3.4x?

-If you have a 3.4x quit being neurotic and go study for your MCAT or find ways to improve your GPA.

-If you have trouble getting anything above a C seriously reconsider your career path. Don't listen to anyone else or let anyone pressure you into making a decision. The career you choose will something you'll be stuck with for the rest of your life, make it your choice.
 
OP - Do you not like science or do you feel you just aren't good at it? I know those things are not always mutually exclusive, but your answer here is important.

So, in a nutshell, I'm a **** student with a ****ter sGPA. I'm approaching my final semester as an undergrad and I'm tired. I'm a mediocre student who's lucky enough can get anything above a C at this point. I don't know why I keep bothering when science is not my cup of tea. Everyone around me keeps pushing me to "try my hardest" to "to stay positive", when in reality, I'm a complete ******* when it comes to understanding and memorizing biological and chemical processes and pathways I'm expected to learn. I'm just tired of feeling like a failure everytime I get my test grade back, even when I try my best. Maybe I'm not cut out to become a doctor if I'm finding science this difficult to grasp, regardless of my majors. I just want to feel accomplished and know I know I'm heading in the right direction, but I haven't felt that way for a long time now. Should I just give up on medical school? Be honest... I need to start being realistic with my intellectual limitations.
 
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The lack of follow-through is apparent from all the threads you made about giving up.

You are a adult, act like one. Making posts here about not doing well is certainly not going to improve your grades.

Look at this person, he knew his grades was low, and got the job done, not lament on SDN about this.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/grades-high-enough.1214693/#post-18001470

Either give up, or don't, but know this, SDN isn't Sad Diary Network.
 
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F your family; this is about YOU, not them.
 
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It's not about happiness, it's about making sure I fulfill my family's expectations of me. I have nothing else in mind other than becoming a physician.

In all honesty, OP, you are in for a ****show if you keep on living with that motto. You will be better off by growing a backbone and being honest with your parents than accumulating tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt after leaving medical school on your on will or being forced out for failing.
 
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From the looks of it OP just frequents the forum looking for validation, or a place to let out his emotions. I'm not trying to be mean here but we can't do much from you across a keyboard and a computer screen. If you want change take our advice seriously and go do something about it. If you want validation and comfort, talk to your friends.
 
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From the looks of it OP just frequents the forum looking for validation, or a place to let out his emotions. I'm not trying to be mean here but we can't do much from you across a keyboard and a computer screen. If you want change take our advice seriously and go do something about it. If you want validation and comfort, talk to your friends.

Agreed 100%, I don't coddle adults. You want to take care of other people's lives? Take care of your own first.

Some say the advice on SDN may be harsh, but better harsh then hundreds of dollars down the drain in wasted fees and time.
 
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Alright. I come to these forums to remind myself that there are people with similar predicaments like mine who try to find solutions. I just feel like I'm not doing enough to improve my stats and yes, if it sounds like I'm venting, then I apologize for spewing my **** to the world. I'll stop trying to find validation for being who I am.

First, you quoted the wrong person.

Second, I have yet to see one solution you offered, just you complaining and making melodramatic statements like "validation for being who I am."

Be a adult, like at the post I made about the guy who had a <3.0 GPA and look at him now. He probably did come to this forum to find similar predicaments, but I didn't see him make these posts.

Also, I'm not sorry for being harsh, if anything I'm sorry for not being harsh enough. Think strategically here: if you are struggling before medical school to this level, do you think its going to magically get easier once you there? Fix your problems now, or get ready for disappointment.
 
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Alright. I come to these forums to remind myself that there are people with similar predicaments like mine who try to find solutions. I just feel like I'm not doing enough to improve my stats and yes, if it sounds like I'm venting, then I apologize for spewing my **** to the world. I'll stop trying to find validation for being who I am.

I'm sorry if I came off rude and I'm sorry if you feel I've offended you. That was not my intention. But you come into a forum of a group of people who believe a lot more in hard work and meritocracy than your average person. You will find no people in your predicament in this forum. Most of the people that are in your predicament that frequent this forum are out busting their ass for the grade they want and the life they want. Don't be surprised if all the comments you get here are something along the lines of "work hard or go home."

Also you came in here and had me under the impression that you were lucky to just pass your classes and another SDN user pointed out the fact that you had a 3.4 GPA in another thread. What are you trying to accomplish here? Did you lie and tell us you had a lower GPA than you actually did in the hopes that more people would come and feel empathy for your situation?
 
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It's fine. At this point, I wish I could delete these threads so I can stop embarrassing myself any further. I knew the type of people I'd find on these forums. I can't relate with people who have stellar GPAs and test scores. I'm not even in the same league but that's okay, I've made my peace with it (not really but I can keep telling myself that.). I'm just going to graduate, see if I can work on my ECs and stop making excuses. It's not helping anyone in the long run.

Stop making posts saying, "i'm not this or i'm not that." You can be anything you want to be. Attitude is everything. Surely there's many gifted people here in this forum but there are also a lot of people that worked hard for what they have now. Could you be one of these people? - Absolutely. But that's up to you. And I hope I'm speaking on behalf of everyone on this forum saying you're always welcome back here to ask for advice. But when we give it, take it seriously.
 
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I knew the type of people I'd find on these forums.

People who won't coddle you and try to hold your hand?

I'm just going to graduate, see if I can work on my ECs and stop making excuses.

I hope so.

It's not helping anyone in the long run.

Bingo.

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You wrote this yourself, you KNEW you were becoming complacent, so cut the woe is me act for your secondaries.

SDN has been hit by a barrage of these type of posts recently. If I didn't know better, I would think its all by the same person.
 
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I did not lie. The SDN user must have been referring to my past ****posts either earlier in the year or last year, I can't remember. My most current GPA stands at a 3.3 but that's not factoring in my summer credits from my home institution and my transfer credits that I completed at a local community college.

You said in this post that you're lucky to get anything above a C. A GPA of 3.3 is comprised of a good amount of >Cs. But that's beside the point. Best of luck to you in your future classes.
 
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Anecdotally, I got in with a 3.37/37 (ORM) to USMD. AMCAS data (https://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/157998/factstablea24.html) shows that there is around a 50% shot for applicants with 3.3 and 30+ MCAT, although that depends on ethnicity.

But of course, if you don't think you can handle the high level science courses or have little clinical experience, then it is better to just give up. While I'm not physically in med school yet, I think it's fair to say the first 2 years are intense high level science courses at a much faster pace than UG.
 
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Are you South Asian? Your family situation sounds similar to mine and I know it is the case for many of us.
 
There are other medical paths you can take if you do really like medicine but aren't motivated enough for medical school. For example, being a PA is very respectable and while still difficult, it is a much smaller time commitment. You could also consider nursing school, podiatry, paramedic, etc. There are so many options if you truly want to be in a medical career. However, all will be difficult in their own respects but should be less of a time commitment (GENERALLY). If YOU want it bad enough (not your parents) you'll make it happen. Regardless of your choice, I would take at least one gap year (if not two or three). I would also encourage you to consider a post-bacc or SMP. This will help you determine if you truly can handle a heavy course load (after taking a break) or if you need to consider something entirely different altogether. I don't see a problem at all with taking a break if that's what you need. Just some food for thought.
 
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I'm just gonna chime in w/ everyone else on the note of doing this for YOURSELF and not your family. I originally went into college as a premed because of the exact same reasons you have.

It took me a failed first try at even preparing for the MCAT and a few gap years post graduation to finally find the motivation and realization that I wanted this career for MYSELF. Since then, everything about this road and my perception of it has gotten easier for me.

I highly suggest you do some soul searching and find if this is what you truly want.
 
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I'm irrational like that. I don't think it's good enough, especially if it doesn't even meet the standard 3.5 average just to be considered.

Well stop being irrational. And stop placing your families expectations above your own. Dude. It's pretty simple: Do you want to become a doctor? If yes-- is this because YOU want to or YOUR FAMILY wants you to? Important.

Also, if you come to SDN enough, you should understand that as a URM applicant, your gpa can be lower than the average and still be considered. If you truly want to become a practicing physician, then you will do everything in your abilities to make that a reality.
 
I'm irrational like that. I don't think it's good enough, especially if it doesn't even meet the standard 3.5 average just to be considered.
The majority of black applicants with a 3.3 and 25 get in. Same with 3.1 and 28.

If you ended up with a 3.4x and 30, you'd be in a bin with better odds than a white person with a 3.6 and 36.
 
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"West African" aka Nigerian lol the struggle. OP like everyone else said, as a URM you're not as bad of as you think. However no matter what you do need to start taking personal accountability. I too am West African and although I have a good GPA I've been in constant arguments with my dad about the path I am taking to med school because its not what he thinks is the right way. Yet I have continued to forge on and make my own path because this is my life and not that of my parents.

There comes a point when you have to look yourself in the mirror and take ownership of your life. Of course that is easier said than done especially with the type of culture that you come from. But it can be done!! Every activity you do has to be done with purpose and self motivation. If you do that I would be willing to bet you will do better as a result. Also don't just sit on you hands! Go to tutoring, use outside resources, form study groups and do everything you can to strengthen your weak areas! There are an abundance of resources out there and in this day and age giving up without first fully exhausting all your options is doing yourself a disservice.
 
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