Goodbye Medical School?

[destined_wind]

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Thank you School of Physical Sciences, particularly General Chemistry and Calculus... I got a D in my FINAL quarter of Gen Chem and I think the same grade in Calc... I am so screwed... Damn, I was doing so well in Biology and Humanities classes... :sigh: 😕 😕 😕 I need help/encouragement/discouragement/anything from you guys... I am sure that most of you are 4.0 students... so please help out a tired freshmen... Thanks.

 

[Kazema]

You're not necessarily screwed by any means. Ask yourself why, honestly, you didn't do well and take steps to correct it. If you are able to do so and perform well in your next three years, you'll be just fine.

I don't know where you're getting your info, but not all medical students were 4.0 students as undergrads, and not all medical students scored 35+ on their MCATs either. There's a lot more than stats to the admissions process.

 

[Athomeonarock]

Its a long road, retake, and improve. Dont stress... Also, ask yourself if you like your science classes, if you do, youll make it. if you decide your not into it, there is nothing wrong with that either....good luck

 

[BerkeleyPremed]

Don't be too discouraged. People with grades like that have made it into American medical schools before. It just means you have to retake those classes and try extra hard to earn A grades in those courses (to prove to medical school that you can handle the material). In addition, you might also want to look into some post-bacc options to boost your GPA because med schools (AMCAS) averages the two grades when computing your GPA. Just try to make sure you don't repeat this level of performance again because that might make adcoms question whether you can handle college level science/math classes. I still think you can make it into an American medical school (maybe not top tier...but still).

If anything..the title of the thread should be, "Goodbye Top Tier American med school...Hello Drexel/Rush/Meharry/**insert foreign med school here**" (The foreign med schools should be your absolutely last option...I doubt you'll have to resort to the Caribbean if you retake those classes, earn As, and rock the rest of your ugrad career with top grades.) If there is anyway leeway for ****ing up in your ugrad career, it's in freshman year...they take upward trends in grades into account when you apply so just make sure you do well in the next 3 years.

 

[bigdan]

You've got lots of time.

Retake, do well in the other courses, and do well on the MCAT.

Good luck.

dc

 

[Medikit]

You have your computer stats in your signature. Why???

 

[sg4runner]

It ain't over yet 🙂! Stay focused and positive. I know it's hard, and there are gonna be times when you may just breakdown, but look at the big picture... you still have time to improve, and you will if you want it bad enough. You have to try to find study habits that work for you: work with others, work alone, get a tutor. Just put in everything you have into improving.

I'm sure plenty of pre-meds here have a couple grades they are not too proud of from their freshman year (me included), but you should not throw away your dream on account of that.
I wish you the best of luck

 

[Jmuhnie]

I get the feeling that the computer stats relate to how much you play video games. If you complete your studying/homework prior to video games your grades will improve.

 

[Asclepius]

Just a freshman? No worries... So, why didn't you do well? Do you think there was a lack of intelligence, or did you not put in enough time?

I wouldn't plan to retake just yet unless you're certain that you will see it through with success. There's nothing wrong with taking a little time off and convincing yourself that this path is the one you want to take, and that you have the determination to conquer it.

All in all, a D or two freshman year won't keep you out of medical school; but in addition to demonstrating consistent success down the road, you also need to convince the adcom that you had a change of heart...in order to do that you need to have a change of heart.

 

[destined_wind]

Wow, so many great replies, thank you everyone! ^^ Yeah, I play too much PC games... 😛 I was never great at Math related classes, but I would easily ace classes that needs memorization or reading (like english or bio classes...). Thanks again ^^

 

[Pinkertinkle]

Uh so are you male or female.

 

[Kazema]

I used to play way too many games as well...it may seem like a big sacrifice (it really isn't) but you'll be amazed how much time you have to study when you're not staring at a TV or computer screen all day.

Just uninstall all your games, put them all in a box, and don't touch them at all until the summer or winter break. You really can live without computer games 😉 . Take some time to remind yourself why you want to become a doctor and how much it means to you. Then giving up those games will be pretty easy.

Once you get used to studying responsibly and your grades show it, there's nothing wrong with an occasional game to relax. But first you have to know how much studying you need to do to get A's.

 

[Lancer_VII]

Don't sweat it. I got some really low marks my freshman year and I still got in first round a year ago. Heck, I still play 10 hours a week of starcraft and manage to pull of medical coursework. But seriously, learn from your mistakes and make efforts to change them. Get to know your profs too. A letter of rec can explain those low grades away. Best of luck!

 

[Medikit]

Wow, so many great replies, thank you everyone! ^^ Yeah, I play too much PC games... 😛 I was never great at Math related classes, but I would easily ace classes that needs memorization or reading (like english or bio classes...). Thanks again ^^

I couldn't get A's in the important classes until I quit video games entirely. Now I'm so involved with school and clubs I don't really want to spend time on video games.

 

[footcramp]

Thank you School of Physical Sciences, particularly General Chemistry and Calculus... I got a D in my FINAL quarter of Gen Chem and I think the same grade in Calc... I am so screwed... Damn, I was doing so well in Biology and Humanities classes... :sigh: 😕 😕 😕 I need help/encouragement/discouragement/anything from you guys... I am sure that most of you are 4.0 students... so please help out a tired freshmen... Thanks.

don't sweat it. fortunately medical schools look at things other than just powerful computer stats. extracurricular activities like listening to foreign pop music can only help.

 

[StartingLine3]

Some encouragement

During my entering freshman semester I got a D in General Chemistry 1. I entered college never taking a chemisty class and it was difficult for me to understand the language and concepts of the course. I recieved A's in the other courses I had taken that entering semester and have recieved only A's in every single class I have taken since. I actually wonder what medical schools are going to think when they see my transcript and see all A's and one D (I retook the course and recieved an A).

The moral of the story is to just count it as a loss and continue to do what you need to accomplish your goals. During the following spring semester, I enrolled in General Chem 2 with the same professor that I had taken for General Chem 1. I worked my butt off and became very serious about learning chemistry and succeeding in the course. At the end of the semester, I talked to my professor and he expressed his delight with me not only getting an A, but with getting the second highest grade in the course. I have advanced in chemistry courses taking Orgo 1, Orgo 2, Advanced Orgo, Special Topics in Orgo, and Biochem. I am a junior and will be taking the MCAT in April.

Sometimes we start off slow, but if you can learn from your mistakes and correct them you should do well.

 

[willthatsall]

The first step to turning this around is to change your sig line and the attitude that went along with it. That's not gonna get it done. And I'm serious.

 

[Medikit]

The first step to turning this around is to change your sig line and the attitude that went along with it. That's not gonna get it done. And I'm serious.

This cannot be stressed enough.

But is much easier said than done. He has to want to change.

 

[Fumoffu]

On a side note, Fin.K.L and S.E.S girls are hot.

Didn't both groups break up many years ago though? S.E.S ended in like 2001?

 

[exmike]

You have your computer stats in your signature. Why???

its a computer geeks version of listing your interviews and acceptances in your sig.

 

[BubbleBobble]

I really think that people who spend time on SDN should not be critical of people who spend time playing computer games. 😀

 

[destined_wind]

On a side note, Fin.K.L and S.E.S girls are hot.

Didn't both groups break up many years ago though? S.E.S ended in like 2001?

Yes... sadly... 😍

 

[destined_wind]

don't sweat it. fortunately medical schools look at things other than just powerful computer stats. extracurricular activities like listening to foreign pop music can only help.

hahahahaha...

 

[Kazema]

I really think that people who spend time on SDN should not be critical of people who spend time playing computer games. 😀

Haha, yeah I know that I've spent far too much time on SDN the past few days. But at least I'm getting a lot of useful information in the meantime 😉 . Besides, if I'm spending all my time on the computer staring at my app and looking up schools, I may as well waste some time here right?

 

[Bones2008]

So, to the OP, I wanna bring something up that no one has yet. First off, let no one fool you. A "D" is not the end of everything, it's true, but it's really not good. Understand that you are now behind the eightball, and you'll need to completely bust your @$$ over the next years to recover. People here on SDN will say, "It's only one grade." This is true, but there's tens of thousands of other applicants out there who have no D's in gen chem. I don't wanna bring you down, I'm just being honest.
Anyways, back to my original point. You have to identify why it is you're struggling with this material. Other pre-reqs, the MCAT, and especially medical school itself will all deal with similar material, both in terms of content and the way it is taught. While one grade should not immediately make you want to resign all your thoughts of becoming a doctor, it should make you reexamine them. If you really don't get this stuff, how will the next decade of your life be like if you're constantly struggling just to make it? I'm not suggesting that's the case with you; I just wanted to offer it up for consideration.

 

[mooklyster]

Just two cents worth. Medical School is not the be all and end all. Some people, and I have friends in this boat, this is not a slag to anyone, find out that they are, for whatever reason, not cut out for medical school. One guy even got in with low grades, then decided it was not worth it and went to culinary school. My point is that we all get wrapped up in the notion that it is medical school or bust, when there are other careers out there that can be just as rewarding. If you are pulling those grades in first year courses, I would venture that without significant reasons attached, that perhaps it may be time to speak to an advisor about other professional options. I am not trying to shoot down your dream, but I saw far too many classmates at undergrad that muddled through and noone stopped them with some frank and honest discussion. Then they got through and had nowhere to go, since they did not think about the alternatives.

Once again, not to dump on your dreams, but if you recieved D's because you found gen chem difficult or were unfocussed, you need to examine your dedication. It is a long trip, and if you start out behind the 8 ball, it does not get any easier. That was probably my biggest pet peeve at undergrad. The advisors just let the students go, instead of actually ADVISING them.

 

[mooklyster]

Just wanted to be clear...I am not trying to be insulting, just that not everyone is meant to be a doctor. Same with all professions. At 5'9, slow and white...no matter how much I try, NBA is not in my future, hell hockey is probably out too. Just want to be encourage people to look at all of their options.