Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention (updated for 2021)

[Goro]

Remember reading your guide in 2019 when I was certain med school was out of the picture for me, and then this guide again in 2021 while I was going through my reinvention. Sitting on 2 MD As, 1 MD WL, 1 pending MD decision, and 4 DO IIs.

Thank you so much @Goro I appreciate all the work you have put into this field for people like me!!

😍😍😍👍👍👍

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[Zephyrus2024]

Hello @Goro ,

I followed your amazing reinvention guide and I was wondering if you could give me your opinion on my current situation. My cgpa/sgpa are both 3.3~3.4 with postbacc grades included. My postbacc grades are 3.74 with 80+ credits. My MCAT is 500,510,524 over the last 5 years. The problem is my SMP which will end with 3.4 GPA... I think the reason I did poorly was because of health and financial issues in my family but I am not sure if the admission committee will care. Realistically, I think I have a very strong chance at DO but I was wondering of your opinion on my chances in MD.


Thank you

 

[jhmmd]

Hello @Goro ,

I followed your amazing reinvention guide and I was wondering if you could give me your opinion on my current situation. My cgpa/sgpa are both 3.3~3.4 with postbacc grades included. My postbacc grades are 3.74 with 80+ credits. My MCAT is 500,510,524 over the last 5 years. The problem is my SMP which will end with 3.4 GPA... I think the reason I did poorly was because of health and financial issues in my family but I am not sure if the admission committee will care. Realistically, I think I have a very strong chance at DO but I was wondering of your opinion on my chances in MD.


Thank you

Hey,
I know that you didn't ask me, but a lot of people are going to wonder what your problem with D.O. is. If you get a D.O. acceptance, take it and run all the way with it.

Also, per rule 42 all D.O. residencies are ACGME residencies as of 2013, I believe. That's all that counts in the end. It's a little known fact 😉

 

[Goro]

Hello @Goro ,

I followed your amazing reinvention guide and I was wondering if you could give me your opinion on my current situation. My cgpa/sgpa are both 3.3~3.4 with postbacc grades included. My postbacc grades are 3.74 with 80+ credits. My MCAT is 500,510,524 over the last 5 years. The problem is my SMP which will end with 3.4 GPA... I think the reason I did poorly was because of health and financial issues in my family but I am not sure if the admission committee will care. Realistically, I think I have a very strong chance at DO but I was wondering of your opinion on my chances in MD.


Thank you

The 3.4 SMP will hurt for MD. Why didn't you take an LOA?
Chances for MD best with your state MD school.

Apply braodly to DO schools.

 

[scinite]

Hi all! I wanted to see if anyone had any insight on my MD/DO application. I have a cum gpa of 2.8, sci gpa 2.62. My MCAT score is 518. I have four years of clinical experience working in hospital clinical pathology labs as a scientist. I am a URM, and spent three years traveling to hard hit areas in the US during Covid, mostly rural places. I have 20 physician shadowing hours, and I’m applying to 4 MD, 17 DO schools that don’t have mandatory GPA requirements. Basically undergrad I wasn’t serious about grades since I was immature, I enrolled in college at 16 and just aimed to graduate without having a true plan. 27 now with life experience and remastered all the courses/mcat.
I also have a health committee packet of 3 LOR from my second degree health professions committee, 1 MD and 1 DO LOR.

My School list:
OHSU(Oregon) (MD)

UTRGV (MD) Edinburg TX

TTUHSC (MD) Lubbock TX

TCU (MD, Fort Worth TX)

TTUHSC EL PASO(el paso, TX)

PNWU-COM(Oregon)

WesternU(Washington)

WCU COM (Mississippi)

UP-KYCOM(Kentucky)

UNTHSC(Dallas Tx)

UIWSOM(San Antonio TX)

SHSU COM(Huntsville, TX)

PCOM (Philadelphia)

PCOM GA( Georgia)

NYITCOM (glen head, NY or Jonesboro, AR)

LMU-DCOM(Harrogate or Knoxville, TN)

ACOM(Dothan, Alabama)

ARCOM(fort smith, Arkansas)

KCU-COM (Kansas city, Missouri)

MSU-COM(Michigan)

BCOM (las cruces, NM)

ICOM (Boise)

 

[scinite]

Sorry, forgot to tag @Goro

 

[Goro]

Hi all! I wanted to see if anyone had any insight on my MD/DO application. I have a cum gpa of 2.8, sci gpa 2.62. My MCAT score is 518. I have four years of clinical experience working in hospital clinical pathology labs as a scientist. I am a URM, and spent three years traveling to hard hit areas in the US during Covid, mostly rural places. I have 20 physician shadowing hours, and I’m applying to 4 MD, 17 DO schools that don’t have mandatory GPA requirements. Basically undergrad I wasn’t serious about grades since I was immature, I enrolled in college at 16 and just aimed to graduate without having a true plan. 27 now with life experience and remastered all the courses/mcat.
I also have a health committee packet of 3 LOR from my second degree health professions committee, 1 MD and 1 DO LOR.

My School list:
OHSU(Oregon) (MD)

UTRGV (MD) Edinburg TX

TTUHSC (MD) Lubbock TX

TCU (MD, Fort Worth TX)

TTUHSC EL PASO(el paso, TX)

PNWU-COM(Oregon)

WesternU(Washington)

WCU COM (Mississippi)

UP-KYCOM(Kentucky)

UNTHSC(Dallas Tx)

UIWSOM(San Antonio TX)

SHSU COM(Huntsville, TX)

PCOM (Philadelphia)

PCOM GA( Georgia)

NYITCOM (glen head, NY or Jonesboro, AR)

LMU-DCOM(Harrogate or Knoxville, TN)

ACOM(Dothan, Alabama)

ARCOM(fort smith, Arkansas)

KCU-COM (Kansas city, Missouri)

MSU-COM(Michigan)

BCOM (las cruces, NM)

ICOM (Boise)

With those GPAs, unless you have evidence of reinvention, you're DOA for med school.

No med school is doing you any favors when you have no evidence that you can handle the academics of med school. A high MCAT score, while admirable, doesn't remediate weak GPAs either.

 

[scinite]

With those GPAs, unless you have evidence of reinvention, you're DOA for med school.

No med school is doing you any favors when you have no evidence that you can handle the academics of med school. A high MCAT score, while admirable, doesn't remediate weak GPAs either.

I have an upward trend in last 50 hours plus my post bac, but not what people would love to see. (I.E. all As) Slightly over 3.0, all science upper level courses.

 

[Goro]

I have an upward trend in last 50 hours plus my post bac, but not what people would love to see. (I.E. all As) Slightly over 3.0, all science upper level courses.

Can we see your year by year cGPA and sGPAs?

 

[2024Trad]

Hello @Goro,

Currently needing reinvention advice as of right now. I am sitting on a low uGPA at about 2.9 cum and 2.9 sGPA and will be applying to SMP's and have taken an MCAT one year ago at 494. I've seen that you typically don't recommend MCAT while in an SMP and just wanted to ask whether a 60 credit post-bacc is better than trying an MD with some type of linkage, such as Mercer(my in state school which requires a 2.8 and 494 for SMP acceptance and an interview with a 3.5). The only thing is im not sure as with an MCAT so low, if they may look at other applicants with a higher MCAT regarding the linkage, even if I maintain a good GPA. Are DO SMP's any better or should I go ahead in doing a DIY Post bacc?

 

[EbolaConstrictor]

Agree with this. Also, see if you can get retroactive Ws, OP!

Goro it's been about a year since I reached out to you about my circumstances. I'd appreciate an updated opinion if you have time.

I have one class left in my undergraduate career, physics II in the summer. After that, I'll graduate with a B.S. in biology and an A.S. in chemistry. I'll graduate with distinction (magna cum laude) with 73 credit hours at a 3.87, all science (bio, chem, etc.). I'm also enrolled to start graduate studies in the fall to complete a 4+1 in biology. The tuition is relatively cheap and I can carry a decent amount of credit hours over, I've also really connected with a micro prof who is letting me join their research lab. I haven't taken the MCAT but I've taken a couple FLs. My stats are below, including my earlier years mentioned in the previous post.

cGPA: 3.00
sGPA: 3.41
The most recent FL was a 506 taken on Blueprint (free).

FT Clinical employment since 2017 (CNA 1 yrs, EMT 2 yrs, Paramedic for 4.5 yrs): 15,000 hrs
Volunteering at a clinic for under/uninsured people: 55 hrs
Shadowing: 33 hrs
Bio club (some non-clinical volunteering): 20-30 hrs
I'm going to be a paid micro tutor for the bio department starting in the fall so about: 30ish hrs
For research experience, I'm expecting about: 200-300 hrs over the next two semesters

My LORs are confidential but the vibes dictate that they'll be either good or great.

Also, I checked with my previous institutions, I can't get retroactive W's from either of them. Either way I feel like my reinvention story speaks for itself. My cGPA before 2021 was less than 2.7.

Thanks again.

 

[Goro]

Also, I checked with my previous institutions, I can't get retroactive W's from either of them. Either way I feel like my reinvention story speaks for itself. My cGPA before 2021 was less than 2.7.

Thanks again.

The bolded is what counts! Great job!!

 

[EbolaConstrictor]

The bolded is what counts! Great job!!

Thanks!

 

[Calizboosted76]

Goro it's been about a year since I reached out to you about my circumstances. I'd appreciate an updated opinion if you have time.

I have one class left in my undergraduate career, physics II in the summer. After that, I'll graduate with a B.S. in biology and an A.S. in chemistry. I'll graduate with distinction (magna cum laude) with 73 credit hours at a 3.87, all science (bio, chem, etc.). I'm also enrolled to start graduate studies in the fall to complete a 4+1 in biology. The tuition is relatively cheap and I can carry a decent amount of credit hours over, I've also really connected with a micro prof who is letting me join their research lab. I haven't taken the MCAT but I've taken a couple FLs. My stats are below, including my earlier years mentioned in the previous post.

cGPA: 3.00
sGPA: 3.41
The most recent FL was a 506 taken on Blueprint (free).

FT Clinical employment since 2017 (CNA 1 yrs, EMT 2 yrs, Paramedic for 4.5 yrs): 15,000 hrs
Volunteering at a clinic for under/uninsured people: 55 hrs
Shadowing: 33 hrs
Bio club (some non-clinical volunteering): 20-30 hrs
I'm going to be a paid micro tutor for the bio department starting in the fall so about: 30ish hrs
For research experience, I'm expecting about: 200-300 hrs over the next two semesters

My LORs are confidential but the vibes dictate that they'll be either good or great.

Also, I checked with my previous institutions, I can't get retroactive W's from either of them. Either way I feel like my reinvention story speaks for itself. My cGPA before 2021 was less than 2.7.

Thanks again.

FWIW I had similar reinvention numbers to you and scored either a 506 or 507 on the real MCAT and sat on 2-3 acceptances and 3-4 interviews and am currently beginning my 4th year of medical school at my top choice school. Congratulations, now go knock the MCAT out and make your dreams a reality.

 

[EbolaConstrictor]

FWIW I had similar reinvention numbers to you and scored either a 506 or 507 on the real MCAT and sat on 2-3 acceptances and 3-4 interviews and am currently beginning my 4th year of medical school at my top choice school. Congratulations, now go knock the MCAT out and make your dreams a reality.

You replied to my original post on this thread. I appreciate the motivation! Thank you

 

[mistertwister]

Hello @Goro

My first post on this site was in this thread back in 2019. I was trying to understand how to repair my GPA.

In the years since, I took the MCAT, worked as a medical assistant, did a post-bacc for a year and did extensive volunteering in my community. I applied for the class of 2023 and was rejected from all schools. I began an SMP in early 2023 and this week received my acceptance for the class of 2024.

My posts were probably a small part of a day you've long forgotten, but you and SDN were (and continue to be) a big influence on my journey. Thank you so much.

 

[research_oriented99]

Hey everyone! I'm hoping to get SDN's thoughts on my current situation. I'm a disabled ORM currently working as a research tech at a T3 medical school.

I graduated with a BA in liberal arts from a no-name university and a 2.68 cGPA; my sGPA was even lower (2.4-2.5). My poor performance was due to a severe and persistent chronic illness which went undiagnosed until after graduation. I spent two years receiving regular treatment while working part time as a teacher. I transferred my credits to my state's top R1 university and pursued a degree in molecular biology for a DIY post-bacc.

I received a BA in mol. bio in two years (with summer classes and some transfer credits). I took courses in organic chem, biochem, molecular/cellular/developmental biology, genetics, genomics, biostatistics, immunology, optical physics, and bioinformatics, with graduate courses in biochem and statistical genomics.

I also took a year of CS, a year of calculus, and courses in mathematical modeling, linear algebra, and differential equations. (I figured if research or med school wouldn't work out, then I could always do data science or something).

My post-bacc cGPA was 3.72, my sGPA 3.805. I worked in a well-known research lab for a year and received grant funding from the NSF. As a research tech, I have a few second author papers (soon to be published) in great journals and a first author paper (hopefully) accepted in a good journal by next year. I have ~800 volunteering hours, 4000+ hours of research, and minimal clinical experience (100 or so hours). I study for the MCAT on the bus and after work, planning to take it next year.

I'm working on several research projects and loving life, but there's a part of me that feels I'm missing out by just focusing on research. A senior physician mentoring me has been nothing short of encouraging - he offered to get me a shadowing position in any department I wanted with letters of recommendation to any school I wanted. I'm planning to shadow, and to boost my clinical hours I've also been offered positions as a part-time scribe or a hospice care worker.

Is becoming a doctor a calling? Is it the sort of thing you just can't get out of your head? I don’t think I’ll ever be truly happy as anything else, but I worry my previous grades will hold me back. Short of crushing the MCAT, is there anything else I should focus on?

 

[Goro]

Engage in service to others less fortunate than yourself.

And yes, Medicine is a calling. Follow your dreams.

 

[Valiant-Effort]

Hi, I finished my undergrad and ended with a 3.4 BCMgpa, I have a question regarding taking classes. Should I take a bunch of intro-level easy classes that are easy A's at a CC and cheaper even if its a retake? Or is it worth to go back to my undergad and take a bunch upper div classes that's a little more expensive and harder? What is the consensus?

 

[Goro]

Take upper level courses.

Med school will be hard. You're doing yourself no favors by taking the easy way out.

 

[Valiant-Effort]

Worth the money though, as in do ADCOMs really scrutinize my transcript or care? I was thinking of taking a full load of upper divisions at my university and another full load of easy classes, the ones I got C's in at a CC, so about 36 units total. Is it a good idea Goro

 

[Calizboosted76]

Worth the money though, as in do ADCOMs really scrutinize my transcript or care? I was thinking of taking a full load of upper divisions at my university and another full load of easy classes, the ones I got C's in at a CC, so about 36 units total. Is it a good idea Goro

Do not retake classes you have a C in. It will help your GPA very marginally and not worth the extra stress which could make you fail the classes you need to focus on and do good in.

Imagine if you go through with what you just proposed and then get C's in the harder courses? If an admin sees this they will think "Wow this person took 36 credit hours and got A's in easy classes that they didnt need to retake but C's in classes that will be closer to what a medical school curriculum looks like.

It will not benefit you. Good luck.

 

[Goro]

Worth the money though, as in do ADCOMs really scrutinize my transcript or care? I was thinking of taking a full load of upper divisions at my university and another full load of easy classes, the ones I got C's in at a CC, so about 36 units total. Is it a good idea Goro

When we have access to transcripts (some interviewers don't), we sure as hell look at transcripts.

 

[Valiant-Effort]

Do not retake classes you have a C in. It will help your GPA very marginally and not worth the extra stress which could make you fail the classes you need to focus on and do good in.

Imagine if you go through with what you just proposed and then get C's in the harder courses? If an admin sees this they will think "Wow this person took 36 credit hours and got A's in easy classes that they didnt need to retake but C's in classes that will be closer to what a medical school curriculum looks like.

It will not benefit you. Good luck.

thanks

 

[delusionsofmd]

Hi @Goro! First post on SDN, seeking advice for personalized list of reinvention schools. Tried to keep it short and punchy, seems like you like that. Happy to provide more info if you have time. Thanks a lot!

33 years old
ORM
Disadvantaged
Ties to CA, NYC

3.2 AMCAS overall GPA
2.5 UG GPA
4.0 PB GPA
518 MCAT

2014

B.S. Biology at T20​

2014-2020

Quit premed. Health issues, no real career.​

2020-2021

Postbacc. 20 credits retakes, 60 credits new upper level bio/chem. Two semesters of 20 credits each, 100% new upper level science.​

2020-Present

Service​

Very strong, very broad, some tied to disadvantaged (1000 hours)​

Clinical​

Very strong, with variety and continuity (2000 hours)​

Research​

Average. 2014—pub, thesis, poster. Recent clinical research.​

Leadership/Shadowing​

Above average​

 

[Goro]

Hi @Goro! First post on SDN, seeking advice for personalized list of reinvention schools. Tried to keep it short and punchy, seems like you like that. Happy to provide more info if you have time. Thanks a lot!

33 years old
ORM
Disadvantaged
Ties to CA, NYC

3.2 AMCAS overall GPA
2.5 UG GPA
4.0 PB GPA
518 MCAT

2014

B.S. Biology at T20​

2014-2020

Quit premed. Health issues, no real career.​

2020-2021

Postbacc. 20 credits retakes, 60 credits new upper level bio/chem. Two semesters of 20 credits each, 100% new upper level science.​

2020-Present

Service​

Very strong, very broad, some tied to disadvantaged (1000 hours)​

Clinical​

Very strong, with variety and continuity (2000 hours)​

Research​

Average. 2014—pub, thesis, poster. Recent clinical research.​

Leadership/Shadowing​

Above average​

If you've finished your post-bac, it's app time! Have you applied for this cycle? It's getting a tad late for most MD schools, but you're fine for DO.

I recommend:
Columbia
Case
Vandy
Dartmouth
BU
Duke
Pitt
Mayo
Mt Sinai
Einstein (maybe)
Temple
UCSF
EVMS
Hofstra
Emory
Jefferson
U VM
Miami
Drexel
Albany
Tufts
NYMC
TCU
Your state schools
Rush
Loyola
Rosy Franklin
Tulane
Wake
MCW
SLU
Creighton
Wayne State
Netter
NovaMD
NYU.LI
Gtown
GWU
NOTE: as a reinventor, you need DO schools on your list. Any DO school. Include UNECOM if you’re from the NE, OSUCOM if you’re from the Plains states and PacNW if you’re from that region. I can't recommend LMU, SOMA, RVU, BCOM, ICOM and LUCOM, for different reasons. Avoid those new schools that haven't graduated a class yet, if possible.

 

[Calizboosted76]

If you've finished your post-bac, it's app time! Have you applied for this cycle? It's getting a tad late for most MD schools, but you're fine for DO.

I recommend:
Columbia
Case
Vandy
Dartmouth
BU
Duke
Pitt
Mayo
Mt Sinai
Einstein (maybe)
Temple
UCSF
EVMS
Hofstra
Emory
Jefferson
U VM
Miami
Drexel
Albany
Tufts
NYMC
TCU
Your state schools
Rush
Loyola
Rosy Franklin
Tulane
Wake
MCW
SLU
Creighton
Wayne State
Netter
NovaMD
NYU.LI
Gtown
GWU
NOTE: as a reinventor, you need DO schools on your list. Any DO school. Include UNECOM if you’re from the NE, OSUCOM if you’re from the Plains states and PacNW if you’re from that region. I can't recommend LMU, SOMA, RVU, BCOM, ICOM and LUCOM, for different reasons. Avoid those new schools that haven't graduated a class yet, if possible.

What’s the reason for ICOM being in the bad boy list?

 

[Goro]

What’s the reason for ICOM being in the bad boy list?

For profit school. I can't recommend any of them.

 

[ImNotACat]

Hey all, I know this is an older thread but I'm hoping I could get some insight from Goro or someone else with some insight.

I'm 26M, ORM (half indian)

I graduated undergrad in 2020 with a B.S in computer science from a small state school. My cGPA was 3.4 and my sGPA is a 2.2 (more on that).

I went through undergrad mostly just focused on graduating and finding a job like most people, so I didn't give as much consideration to my non-major courses. my in-major (CS) GPA is a lot higher than my cGPA, but I understand that doesn't matter at all.

my sGPA, as far as I can tell, is based off of just a handful of classes that count. It's more or less this:

* precalc: A
* calc I: B
* astronomy: B
* Calc II: F
* Physics 1: F
* Discrete math for CS: B
* Physics 1: B

Both F's were the only two I've ever had in college, and were in the same semester, fall of sophomore year. I had a personal life situation that made me almost drop out of college entirely, and I wasn't even able to get it together enough to use W's for those classes so I just got big fat Fs. I retook them, but my understanding is that med schools don't care about retakes and that both attempts are averaged together.

Other than those two classes, I only have A's and B's on my transcript. At the time I didn't care because I was having a lot of success with internships and didn't think it would effect my job prospects as a software engineer (it didn't).

Fast forward to now, I've been thinking and researching this career change for the last several years. I've decided to fully commit to this path if it's even possible for me, so here's my plan:

1) DIY post-bacc, something like this:

* Biology I/II (with lab)
* Chemistry I/II (with lab)
* Org. Chem I/II (with lab)
* Physics II (with lab)
* Psychology
* Physiology
* Genetics

it would end up being something like 35-40 credits. I plan to take these at a state university and probably stick to 8 credits per semester while I'm working. My promise to myself is that if I can't maintain a ~3.8 or higher in this coursework that I'll cut my losses and just stick with my current career.

2) ECs:

This is a challenge just due to the fact that I have to work and it seems pretty hard to find any volunteering available around that schedule, but I have a lead for the potential to volunteer at a physical therapists practice and am continuing to look for more opportunities. I'm also going to fit in as much non-clinical volunteering where I can.

3) MCAT:
Assuming I'm coming out of my postbacc with the grades I need, I plan to quit my job and study full time for the MCAT for however long I need to get a 510+. I realize it doesn't quite work that way, but that's the ideal situation.


Some questions:

1) Do med schools take into account individual grades/semesters? For example, would they see that the semester in which I failed those two science courses was an outlier on my transcript?

2) Does my undergrad major help any (CS)? I obviously don't have a bio degree or anything but would having a background in a challenging major like CS be any kind of benefit?

3) Does it matter if my postbacc is at multiple schools? I plan to potentially move states in the next year or so, so I'd have to have my postbacc transcript split between at least two different universities.

4) assuming everything goes to plan, is an SMP or some further education worth considering for me *after* getting my post-bacc prereqs done?

5) Is my plan even realistic? I feel like many so called reinventors already have a science undergrad degree, they tend to have clinical work experience etc. I have none of that, just a lot of ambition, work ethic, and willingness to suffer.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I'm 26M, ORM (half indian)

I graduated undergrad in 2020 with a B.S in computer science from a small state school. My cGPA was 3.4 and my sGPA is a 2.2 (more on that).

I went through undergrad mostly just focused on graduating and finding a job like most people, so I didn't give as much consideration to my non-major courses. my in-major (CS) GPA is a lot higher than my cGPA, but I understand that doesn't matter at all.

my sGPA, as far as I can tell, is based off of just a handful of classes that count. It's more or less this:

* precalc: A
* calc I: B
* astronomy: B
* Calc II: F
* Physics 1: F
* Discrete math for CS: B
* Physics 1: B

Both F's were the only two I've ever had in college, and were in the same semester, fall of sophomore year. I had a personal life situation that made me almost drop out of college entirely, and I wasn't even able to get it together enough to use W's for those classes so I just got big fat Fs. I retook them, but my understanding is that med schools don't care about retakes and that both attempts are averaged together.

Other than those two classes, I only have A's and B's on my transcript. At the time I didn't care because I was having a lot of success with internships and didn't think it would effect my job prospects as a software engineer (it didn't).

Fast forward to now, I've been thinking and researching this career change for the last several years. I've decided to fully commit to this path if it's even possible for me, so here's my plan:

1) DIY post-bacc, something like this:

* Biology I/II (with lab)
* Chemistry I/II (with lab)
* Org. Chem I/II (with lab)
* Physics II (with lab)
* Psychology
* Physiology
* Genetics

it would end up being something like 35-40 credits. I plan to take these at a state university and probably stick to 8 credits per semester while I'm working. My promise to myself is that if I can't maintain a ~3.8 or higher in this coursework that I'll cut my losses and just stick with my current career.

2) ECs:

This is a challenge just due to the fact that I have to work and it seems pretty hard to find any volunteering available around that schedule, but I have a lead for the potential to volunteer at a physical therapists practice and am continuing to look for more opportunities. I'm also going to fit in as much non-clinical volunteering where I can.

3) MCAT:
Assuming I'm coming out of my postbacc with the grades I need, I plan to quit my job and study full time for the MCAT for however long I need to get a 510+. I realize it doesn't quite work that way, but that's the ideal situation.


Some questions:

1) Do med schools take into account individual grades/semesters? For example, would they see that the semester in which I failed those two science courses was an outlier on my transcript?

2) Does my undergrad major help any (CS)? I obviously don't have a bio degree or anything but would having a background in a challenging major like CS be any kind of benefit?

3) Does it matter if my postbacc is at multiple schools? I plan to potentially move states in the next year or so, so I'd have to have my postbacc transcript split between at least two different universities.

4) assuming everything goes to plan, is an SMP or some further education worth considering for me *after* getting my post-bacc prereqs done?

5) Is my plan even realistic? I feel like many so called reinventors already have a science undergrad degree, they tend to have clinical work experience etc. I have none of that, just a lot of ambition, work ethic, and willingness to suffer.

You have the cart before the horse. Why do you want to change careers to become a physician? Who is your mentor (physician) who can give you feedback about your plan?

Make sure medicine is what you want to do by getting proper exposure to medicine. You need a variety of experiences ideally, and getting them all in a rehab/PT facility doesn't cut it to me. Why not become a DPT then? It would save you a lot of the hassle you have been planning.

Your experience should be in more clinical environments where you see doctors working with patients directly. For the most part that means hospitals and maybe private clinics.

Your major isn't going to matter, but your performance on biomedical science courses do. But make sure this is really the career you want to pursue and be the low-person on the totem pole for the next 10 years of your life.

 

[ImNotACat]

You have the cart before the horse. Why do you want to change careers to become a physician? Who is your mentor (physician) who can give you feedback about your plan?

I didn't want to get a slap on the wrist for being more verbose than I already was so I didn't include much of a preamble as to my motivations etc. The main reason I want to switch to medicine is because working in the corporate world has kind of made me sick in a way. Spending my life for the purpose of making a bunch of execs rich at the expense of everyone else around me is just not worth the paycheck at all anymore. While obviously not medicine, the best job I ever had was working as a teir-1 IT technician at my university, getting to directly work with people and solve their problems. It's the only job I've had where I really felt like I was actually helping anyone as opposed to just pushing numbers around on a computer.

I have always had a deep interest in medicine, though it's been confined to my own just-for-fun research. I spend a lot of time just learning about physiology, pathology etc by watching lectures, reading studies etc. This obviously doesn't "count" for anything and the last thing I want is to sound like some kind of armchair internet doctor so I didn't mention that either.

I've also spent an inordinate amount of time interacting with the medical system as a patient over the last few years, and it's given me a super deep appreciation for the physicians that have worked with me, and it really showed me how much difference a *good* doctor can make.

As for mentors, my parents never went to college and nobody in arms reach of me is in medicine, however I do have a few relatives who are physicians that I've been able to talk to regarding this. So far everyone has given me an enthusiastic "go for it" but at this stage it's hard to have more specifics than that I guess.

Make sure medicine is what you want to do by getting proper exposure to medicine. You need a variety of experiences ideally, and getting them all in a rehab/PT facility doesn't cut it to me. Why not become a DPT then? It would save you a lot of the hassle you have been planning.

100% agree, like I said I'm currently in the pre-pre med stage if that makes sense, so I haven't had much chance to jump into action yet. I have no intention of getting *all* my hours at a PT facility, it's just an opportunity that fell into my lap. I mentioned my ambitions during a PT appointment, and the DPT I have been working with for the last few months was enthusiastic about it and said that there was a volunteer opportunity waiting for me there if I chose. I did consider DPT, but it's not my preference just based on their scope of practice as well as the absolutely brutal job market (I've had my fill of that in software engineering).

I live near a large hospital system and would love to volunteer there, however they haven't opened applications yet, and they say in bold letters on the application site that the vast majority of their volunteer hours are between 9am-3pm which is just not super doable for me at the moment. I plan to reach out to smaller practices as well as free/low cost clinics in under served areas, since I imagine they might be harder pressed for help than bigger hospitals etc. I'd love some suggestions for where else to look or avenues to consider for ECs though!

Your major isn't going to matter, but your performance on biomedical science courses do. But make sure this is really the career you want to pursue and be the low-person on the totem pole for the next 10 years of your life.

The last couple years of mulling over this question has lead me to be as sure as I can be without having actually gotten my hands dirty. I'm hoping having the opportunity to volunteer as well as taking the aforementioned courses will solidify that for me. I figure if I change my mind, I still have a career (that I hate) and will have lost nothing but time and some money.

 

[Goro]

Some questions:

1) Do med schools take into account individual grades/semesters?

No. We look at the entire transcript. Also, not all interviewers or screeners have access to grades.

2) Does my undergrad major help any (CS)? I obviously don't have a bio degree or anything but would having a background in a challenging major like CS be any kind of benefit?

Nope. We don't care about majors or minors, only that you do well.

3) Does it matter if my postbacc is at multiple schools? I plan to potentially move states in the next year or so, so I'd have to have my postbacc transcript split between at least two different universities.

That will be OK

4) assuming everything goes to plan, is an SMP or some further education worth considering for me *after* getting my post-bacc prereqs done?

With a 2.2 sGPA, I think that this is the best route for you. Higher risk, but higher reward. You really contact your UG school's Registrar to see if you can get a retroactive withdrawal from the F grade classes.

5) Is my plan even realistic?

You'll need Biochemistry for the MCAT. I recommend getting in some upper level Biology courses as well.

I feel like many so called reinventors already have a science undergrad degree,

Not necessarily

they tend to have clinical work experience etc.

You're wrong there, unless you count scribing. However, work or volunteer, they do have clinical exposure

I have none of that, just a lot of ambition, work ethic, and willingness to suffer.

That's one of the bare-bones baselines for a premed. Why do you want to be be a doctor if you haven't even set foot in a hospital?? Have you shadowed any doctors? What are you going to say when asked how you know you are suited for a life of caring for the sick and suffering? “That you just know”? Imagine how that will go over!

Here's the deal: You need to show AdComs that you know what you're getting into, and show off your altruistic, humanistic side. We need to know that you're going to like being around sick or injured people for the next 40 years.

Here's another way of looking at it: would you buy a new car without test driving it? Buy a new suit or dress without trying it on??

We're also not looking merely for good medical students, we're looking for people who will make good doctors, and 4.0 GPA robots are a dime-a-dozen.

I've seen plenty of posts here from high GPA/high MCAT candidates who were rejected because they had little patient contact experience.

Not all volunteering needs to be in a hospital. Think hospice, Planned Parenthood, nursing homes, rehab facilities, crisis hotlines, camps for sick children, or clinics.

Some types of volunteer activities are more appealing than others. Volunteering in a nice suburban hospital is all very well and good and all but doesn't show that you're willing to dig in and get your hands dirty in the same way that working with the developmentally disabled (or homeless, the dying, or Alzheimer’s or mentally ill or elderly or ESL or domestic, rural impoverished) does. The uncomfortable situations are the ones that really demonstrate your altruism and get you 'brownie points'. Plus, they frankly teach you more -- they develop your compassion and humanity in ways comfortable situations can't.

Have you done any nonclincal volunteering? Medicine is a service profession and you'll be expected to show off your altruism.

 

[ImNotACat]

Thanks so much for the reply, forgive me if I belabor some of this a bit further:

No. We look at the entire transcript. Also, not all interviewers or screeners have access to grades.

To clarify, are you saying that only my GPA here is going to matter? e.g the fact that the two courses dragging down my sGPA are all in one semester is irrelevant?

With a 2.2 sGPA, I think that this is the best route for you. Higher risk, but higher reward. You really contact your UG school's Registrar to see if you can get a retroactive withdrawal from the F grade classes.

I'm not sure what to think exactly, I've read this thread and the last one and it seems like you often mention that at a certain point your post-bacc GPA matters a lot more than your cGPA. In my case, assuming I can hit the grades I'm aiming for my sGPA would rise to something like a 3.3-3.4, though in this hypothetical my post-bacc gpa would be a 4.0 or close. Do these post-bacc courses "count" for more in the eyes of admissions, enough to overshadow two Fs that I got ~8 years ago at this point?

As for W's, I used mine frivolously in my undergrad so I don't think I have any available even if that was an option. I have W's in classes like "Drawing I" that I dropped just due to heavy courseload in my major which is really lame in retrospect, but it just didn't matter at that point in time for me. I'd rather have a W in drawing and an A in a CS class, or that was my reasoning back then.

That's one of the bare-bones baselines for a premed. Why do you want to be be a doctor if you haven't even set foot in a hospital?? Have you shadowed any doctors? What are you going to say when asked how you know you are suited for a life of caring for the sick and suffering? “That you just know”? Imagine how that will go over!

Here's the deal: You need to show AdComs that you know what you're getting into, and show off your altruistic, humanistic side. We need to know that you're going to like being around sick or injured people for the next 40 years.

Totally agree, and my resume at this point obviously has none of that. This is not a short term gambit for me, so I plan to rectify that over the next so many years as I go through the coursework.

I've only just began applying for volunteer work so it remains to be seen what I can get. I can already tell it's going to be a challenge getting clinical volunteering while working a 9-5, but that's the situation I'm in right now. I also have noticed while searching that a lot of volunteering that actually involves working with patients / the public seems to require one to already be a medical professional or have a lot of clinical experience just to apply, so it's going to be an uphill battle. That's what I'm here for though.

 

[Member2223]

@Goro, may I please get some guidance on building a school list? Thank you so much for all the direction you give to us non-trads!

Undergrad: freshman 2.4...sophmore 3.1...junior 3.1... senior 3.7...total 3.08 (upward trend), non-STEM major at T30 private. Poor performance in undergrad due to lack of maturity, direction, and career goals.

Worked a few years after undergrad in non-medical career, matured a lot, changed careers to pursue medicine.

Postbacc: 4.0 (52 BCPM credits) in 2 years at home state school

Current stats: cGPA: 3.35, sGPA: 3.77 (AMCAS) 3.81 (AACOMAS)

MCAT: 514 (125/127/131/131)

Applying next cycle. Strong LORs, research (2 pubs low-impact, 1 poster), 1000+ hours clinical, 1000+ hours volunteering with a focus on serving underserved populations. Also created a volunteer-driven service organization to further meet unserved needs. I am continuing to build on these extracurriculars during my gap year.

My application is very service and community focused, with a strong commitment to working with disadvantaged communities and a desire to pursue primary care.

 

[Goro]

@Goro, may I please get some guidance on building a school list? Thank you so much for all the direction you give to us non-trads!

Undergrad: freshman 2.4...sophmore 3.1...junior 3.1... senior 3.7...total 3.08 (upward trend), non-STEM major at T30 private. Poor performance in undergrad due to lack of maturity, direction, and career goals.

Worked a few years after undergrad in non-medical career, matured a lot, changed careers to pursue medicine.

Postbacc: 4.0 (52 BCPM credits) in 2 years at home state school

Current stats: cGPA: 3.35, sGPA: 3.77 (AMCAS) 3.81 (AACOMAS)

MCAT: 514 (125/127/131/131)

Applying next cycle. Strong LORs, research (2 pubs low-impact, 1 poster), 1000+ hours clinical, 1000+ hours volunteering with a focus on serving underserved populations. Also created a volunteer-driven service organization to further meet unserved needs. I am continuing to build on these extracurriculars during my gap year.

My application is very service and community focused, with a strong commitment to working with disadvantaged communities and a desire to pursue primary care.

I suggest:
Dartmouth
Pitt
Mayo
Mt Sinai
Temple
UCSF
EVMS
Hofstra
Emory
Jefferson
U VM
Miami
Drexel
Albany
Tufts
NYMC
TCU
Your state schools
Rush
Loyola
Rosy Franklin
Tulane
Wake
MCW
SLU
Creighton
Wayne State
Netter
NovaMD
NYU.LI
Gtown
GWU
NOTE: as a reinventor, you need DO schools on your list. Any DO school. Include UNECOM if you’re from the NE, OSUCOM if you’re from the Plains states and PacNW if you’re from that region. I can't recommend LMU, SOMA, RVU, BCOM, ICOM and LUCOM, for different reasons. Avoid those new schools that haven't graduated a class yet, if possible.

 

[Member2223]

I suggest:
Dartmouth
Pitt
Mayo
Mt Sinai
Temple
UCSF
EVMS
Hofstra
Emory
Jefferson
U VM
Miami
Drexel
Albany
Tufts
NYMC
TCU
Your state schools
Rush
Loyola
Rosy Franklin
Tulane
Wake
MCW
SLU
Creighton
Wayne State
Netter
NovaMD
NYU.LI
Gtown
GWU
NOTE: as a reinventor, you need DO schools on your list. Any DO school. Include UNECOM if you’re from the NE, OSUCOM if you’re from the Plains states and PacNW if you’re from that region. I can't recommend LMU, SOMA, RVU, BCOM, ICOM and LUCOM, for different reasons. Avoid those new schools that haven't graduated a class yet, if possible.

Thank you @Goro this is very helpful!

 

[Willybsknees]

Just stopping by to give @Goro some appreciation. Never posted much but read everything and laid out a plan for myself in 2017 with a cgpa 2.4 and sgpa 2.0 with over 120 credits. Hell of a hill to climb but 96 credits later at a 4.0 (finished a bachelors in resp therapy and post bacc as outlined in reinvention guide) I got to a cgpa 3.08 and sgpa 3.12. Received my mcat score today of 514. I followed your suggestions to a T. Have about 10,000 hrs working as an RRT and have 3 publications from about a year of research and I’ll be applying in the 2024 cycle. Thank you so much, it means the world to me

Mid-cycle update for fellow reinventors:
7 interview invites total- 6 DO & 1 MD

3 interviews completed with 3 acceptances
-all from schools on the @Goro recommended list. Keep chugging my friends

 

[neptune2222]

Currently a senior in a good NY state school looking for reinvention

Freshman year - mix As, Bs, Cs
Sophmore Year - One or 2 As + Bs, bunch of Cs and 2 F
Junior Year - Mostly Bs and 2 Cs, 2 A's in orgo over summer
Senior Year (now) - Upper Bs and an A in 5 highly difficult science classes, next semester taking easier classes while MCAT studying so hopefully straight As

Current GPA 2.75, highest i can realistically graduate with is a 2.9, am an ORM
Planning on taking MCAT next semester
A's in Orgo (summer), B+ in physics 1 and 2 (junior), Gen Bios C+(sophmore)/B+(junior), Gen Chem C+
TA for orgo next semester
Work as a support professional for people with disabilities 500+ clinical
50+ shadowing
Good recs
Certified EMT

My current plan is take the MCAT next semester then take 2 gap years, first in a Postbacc (i am not sure if i can get into an smp in nyc area) while i work a research job and maybe volunteer in a planned parenthood, and the second gap year working research job + med school apps. I am a good test taker and hope to hit the 517 MCAT threshold for MD you outlined.

If i do stellar in the postbacc (3.7+), is this a good plan? I have seen mixed things online and have received unclear advising, I don't know if I should be taking more gap years to further increase my GPA, even if I start one this upcoming summer, or how and if I should apply to SMPs in nyc area. If you have an other tips or advise that would be much appreciated @Goro .

 

[Goro]

Currently a senior in a good NY state school looking for reinvention

Freshman year - mix As, Bs, Cs
Sophmore Year - One or 2 As + Bs, bunch of Cs and 2 F
Junior Year - Mostly Bs and 2 Cs, 2 A's in orgo over summer
Senior Year (now) - Upper Bs and an A in 5 highly difficult science classes, next semester taking easier classes while MCAT studying so hopefully straight As

Current GPA 2.75, highest i can realistically graduate with is a 2.9, am an ORM
Planning on taking MCAT next semester
A's in Orgo (summer), B+ in physics 1 and 2 (junior), Gen Bios C+(sophmore)/B+(junior), Gen Chem C+
TA for orgo next semester
Work as a support professional for people with disabilities 500+ clinical
50+ shadowing
Good recs
Certified EMT

My current plan is take the MCAT next semester then take 2 gap years, first in a Postbacc (i am not sure if i can get into an smp in nyc area) while i work a research job and maybe volunteer in a planned parenthood, and the second gap year working research job + med school apps. I am a good test taker and hope to hit the 517 MCAT threshold for MD you outlined.

If i do stellar in the postbacc (3.7+), is this a good plan? I have seen mixed things online and have received unclear advising, I don't know if I should be taking more gap years to further increase my GPA, even if I start one this upcoming summer, or how and if I should apply to SMPs in nyc area. If you have an other tips or advise that would be much appreciated @Goro .

Can you retroactively withdraw to get rid of the two f's?

There are probably quite a few special masters programs around the New York City area Drexel has one, I'm sure the osteopathic schools have some as well you need to do your homework and find the right one, and also think about relocating.

Honestly, I think a special Masters program would be more suited for you than the post back, especially if you cannot raise your cgpa any further

 

[neptune2222]

Can you retroactively withdraw to get rid of the two f's?

There are probably quite a few special masters programs around the New York City area Drexel has one, I'm sure the osteopathic schools have some as well you need to do your homework and find the right one, and also think about relocating.

Honestly, I think a special Masters program would be more suited for you than the post back, especially if you cannot raise your cgpa any further

Retroactive withdrawal is extremely unlikely at my school unfortunately but will try. Many of the SMPs in the NYC area and ones that I have seen elsewhere have a GPA cutoff of 3.0, is there a way around this? @Goro

 

[Goro]

Retroactive withdrawal is extremely unlikely at my school unfortunately but will try. Many of the SMPs in the NYC area and ones that I have seen elsewhere have a GPA cutoff of 3.0, is there a way around this? @Goro

Unfortunately the program sound familiar with that have cut offs make them as hard cut offs. Will it be possible for you to relocate? Otherwise, do the the post bac, and Target those do schools that will accept your cGPA at the time. I believe Wayne State also looks at only the last 2 years of your GPA? You'll need to investigate that I'm hazy on the details right now

 

[Calizboosted76]

Currently a senior in a good NY state school looking for reinvention

Freshman year - mix As, Bs, Cs
Sophmore Year - One or 2 As + Bs, bunch of Cs and 2 F
Junior Year - Mostly Bs and 2 Cs, 2 A's in orgo over summer
Senior Year (now) - Upper Bs and an A in 5 highly difficult science classes, next semester taking easier classes while MCAT studying so hopefully straight As

Current GPA 2.75, highest i can realistically graduate with is a 2.9, am an ORM
Planning on taking MCAT next semester
A's in Orgo (summer), B+ in physics 1 and 2 (junior), Gen Bios C+(sophmore)/B+(junior), Gen Chem C+
TA for orgo next semester
Work as a support professional for people with disabilities 500+ clinical
50+ shadowing
Good recs
Certified EMT

My current plan is take the MCAT next semester then take 2 gap years, first in a Postbacc (i am not sure if i can get into an smp in nyc area) while i work a research job and maybe volunteer in a planned parenthood, and the second gap year working research job + med school apps. I am a good test taker and hope to hit the 517 MCAT threshold for MD you outlined.

If i do stellar in the postbacc (3.7+), is this a good plan? I have seen mixed things online and have received unclear advising, I don't know if I should be taking more gap years to further increase my GPA, even if I start one this upcoming summer, or how and if I should apply to SMPs in nyc area. If you have an other tips or advise that would be much appreciated @Goro .

Seeing as you are aiming to take the MCAT before your post bacc or SMP, I would strongly suggest getting that done and report back with your scores. I know you say youre a "good test taker" but that doesnt actually translate to anything until the test is done and you have the score in your hand. Good luck and my DMs are open. I am graduating this year from a DO school and got in with a 2.6 and 2.7 GPAs

 

[Goro]

Seeing as you are aiming to take the MCAT before your post bacc or SMP, I would strongly suggest getting that done and report back with your scores. I know you say youre a "good test taker" but that doesnt actually translate to anything until the test is done and you have the score in your hand. Good luck and my DMs are open. I am graduating this year from a DO school and got in with a 2.6 and 2.7 GPAs

You're an OMSIV now????? But you just matriculated last week! Where did the time go?????????

 

[Calizboosted76]

You're an OMSIV now????? But you just matriculated last week! Where did the time go?????????

Time really flies by! I feel like just yesterday I was messaging you about what steps I needed to do in order to just be looked at by medical schools. I will happily say that my GPA is much higher in medical school and I got almost an 80th percentile score on my boards. The me of now is not the me of back then 😉

 

[lizflygirl]

EDIT: Post in WAMC forum for recommended school lists. This thread isn't for that.

So you want to be a doctor, but your GPA is terrible. Is that the end? Rule #1: Take a deep breath, and stop fussing. The sky is not falling.

But you are going to need to reinvent yourself. This will take both time and money. And always remember that you’re in a marathon now, not a sprint. The following advice holds true for people considering MD and DO. I strongly recommend that you keep both in mind, and the latter is more tolerant of reinvention.

An even better summary to the next paragraph is provided by the wise HomeSkool here: Simple rules for retaking courses

Here’s what you need to do :

a) Contact your UG school's Registrar and see if you can get retroactive withdrawals for the failed classes. This is a thing at some schools and the worst that they'll tell you is "no".

b) IF you have F/D/C- grades in the pre-reqs, retake them. You need to show that you can master this material, and it will help you for MCAT (assuming that you haven’t taken the MCAT). In addition, many schools require a C or higher grade in pre-reqs. Naturally, this will vary from school to school.

If you got C's, take some upper level science classes and ace them. There is no need to retake a C unless you are very weak on the material and you need it for MCAT. Never, ever retake a B or B-.

If the material was from a long time ago, and you got a B, but you feel you need a refresher for the MCAT, simply audit the course instead.

c) There are MD schools that reward reinvention. All DO schools do. The DO path will be a little easier, but both still require an investment of 1-2 years of not GPA repair, but of transcript repair.

d) The goal is NOT to raise your cGPA to a sky high level (for some people this is mathematically impossible), but rather show that the you of now is not the you of then, and that you can handle a medical school curriculum. So do not worry that your cGPA will be 3.2 upon applying after finishing your post-bac/GPA. Rising GPA trends are always looked highly upon, and many med schools weight the last 2-3 years more than the entire cGPA.

e) Thus, take 1-2 years of a DIY post-bac, or a 1 year SMP, preferably one given at a medical school. Do well in either of these programs. A 3.5+ should suffice for a DO school, while 3.7+ will be needed for an MD school

5) in addition to d), your MCAT score will determine where to aim. I suggest:

513+ : MD schools

510+ : your state MD school and any DO school

505+: any DO school

On top of these, get as much patient contact volunteering time in as possible. A trend I am seeing from SDNers who have received interviews from good schools and who also reinvented themselves, is that they have lots of clinical volunteering or employment...some even in the 1000s of hours.

As to the pluses and minuses of post-bac vs SMP:

A formal post-bac program is geared toward career switchers, and mostly provide the pre-reqs, and probably some MCAT advice/prep as well. You get faculty guidance in this and some programs seem to be feeders to med schools for non-trad students. They will cost more though.

Now, you can do the same thing on your own by simply taking continuing education courses at any nearby college. A four year school will be preferable to a community college (CC), but if costs are an issue, then a CC will be OK. This path is what is known here in SDN as the “DIY post-bac.” Costs will be less, but there’s no guidance.

What classes should one take in a DIY post-bac??? Things that mimic a medical school curriculum!

Anatomy
Biochem
Bioinformatics
Biostats
Cell Bio
Developmental Biology or Embryology
Epidemiology
Histology
Immunology
Medical and/or Molecular Genetics
Med Micro OR Bacteriology and/or Virology
Molecular Bio
Neuroscience or Neurobiology
Parasitology (if offered)
Pathology
Physiology
Tumor or Cancer Biology

An SMP (special master’s program) is one that offers medical school classes, or material that’s taught in medical school. There are some two year SMPs, but I don’t see any advantage to these over one year programs.

These can be a backdoor into med school, and you get real advice from med school faculty (if given at a med school). Plus, you're a known quantity to the Adcom members, who will frequently be your SMP faculty.

The down side is that the tuition will be more considerable. You may also have to relocate in order to attend one. Also, if you do poorly, your SMP degree is worthless, unless the program has an added-value component, like some research venue. Thus, SMPs are more high risk, but also high reward.

I don't give recommendations as to individual SMPs or post-bac programs, because they're pretty much a dime-a-dozen.. You should go for:

1) the cheapest tuition
2) a program given at a host medical school
3) is one year in length
4) has the best linkage deal.

One final word of warning: Do NOT take the MCAT while enrolled in an SMP. We’ve seen students do this, and it leads to disaster. Some programs require an MCAT, so that solves the problem (although they may have a minimum score requirement!).

And remember, med schools aren’t going anywhere, and in fact, by the time you apply, several more will have opened their doors.

Good luck!

Do you feel a one year Post-ban is good and should it be full time credit hours?

 

[Goro]

Do you feel a one year Post-ban is good and should it be full time credit hours?

A DIY post-bac is fine when money is an issue, and if one is a career switcher, then an organized post-bac program is good, as they have advising and at best, MCAT prep as well.

DIY ideally should be for a year and full time, but it will depend upon your finances. You should at least take two science 'courses/semester, as you need to show you can handle a course load.

 

[zyndabad]

Hi Goro! Love your content spent the better half of the last hour going through this discussion alone. I'm currently a 3.0 sGPA, 3.2 cGPA student from a t20 private. Looking to doing a DIY post bacc - can I do online courses like UNE?

 

[Goro]

Hi Goro! Love your content spent the better half of the last hour going through this discussion alone. I'm currently a 3.0 sGPA, 3.2 cGPA student from a t20 private. Looking to doing a DIY post bacc - can I do online courses like UNE?

Yes, but in-person courses are better. There's something about online learning that hurts learners. I think it's the lack of camaraderie with your fellow students. Education is a social experience

 

[zyndabad]

Yes, but in-person courses are better. There's something about online learning that hurts learners. I think it's the lack of camaraderie with your fellow students. Education is a social experience

TRUE! I feel like I perform much better and am sooo much more motivated, thanks for knocking sense into me!!!!

 

[pickeljuice]

@Goro
Hello Goro and everyone else!

I'm new to SDN and was hoping for some advice on where to go with my application because I've been given so much conflicting information that this is my last and final stop to figuring out what to do next. Some people have said I'm ready while others have stressed that I do a DIY-postbacc.

I have a specific interest in non-primary care specialties which is why I have an eye on MD schools.

Short Synopsis:
- 25
- ORM
- Ties to SoCal
- Low income
- Graduated in 2023

Background:
cGPA - 3.60 (If we count the Orgo II + lab that I completed in 2024 but it was just one post-bacc course so I'm not sure if med schools would even count it)
sGPA - 3.3 (If we count Orgo II + lab)
MCAT - 513

Clinical employment - >2500 hours
Clinical volunteering - >500 hours
Volunteering - >300 hours

In college, I was the president of a medical volunteering club, the treasurer of a public health club, a volunteer EMT, and a member of an acapella group.

EDIT:

I don't have a lot of formal research experience and I've been trying to look for some with no avail. I fear that this will be a negative mark on my application.