Graduating this May with a 2.3cGPA, what's next?

[wherehopeis]

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As you can probably tell I struggled immensely throughout these four years in undergrad.
Here's some background information about me.
I came from a basic public high school and graduated with a 3.8 unweighted GPA with a not so good SAT in 2014. Somehow got accepted to a top 30 university (honestly still don't know how) and here I am, absolutely miserable in 2018.

I started out freshman year super excited and ready to take on college so I signed up for the regular course load of a typical pre-med student. BIG MISTAKE. I got my first F EVER in my life and that drained the crap out of me emotionally, mentally, and physically. I also withdrew from my intro bio class. So one F and a W first semester of college! My self-confidence went from a 10 to 5 real quick and I started to panic.

Up until this point I have never really studied for any exams. The "A's" I got all throughout my years in school prior to college was due to my teachers basically giving us the answers to the test or letting us retake the exams if we weren't happy with the scores we got. So as long as you were diligent enough to put in the extra time to "memorize" the answers, it was a guaranteed A. Back then I didn't see anything wrong with this... it was the norm after all.
Thus when I came to college, I received mostly F's, D's and C's on my exams. And let me tell you, after 10+ years of not learning how to properly study, it doesn't just take 1 or 2 semester to learn! My professors and advisors basically told me to give up and that I shouldn't even try pre-med anymore. I started to fall into depression and I didn't even realize it until my junior year.
So long story short, I started to develop anxiety and then depression during junior year. I kept getting D's and C's and even one more F. At this point I developed a skin allergy because of the stress and so I decided to take it easy this year as a senior. So I've been doing better...A's and B's and some C's. Not Great...but better.

BUT yeah... I will graduate with a 2.3cGPA. I'm a psychology major btw.
I am passionate about medicine and it is still my dream to become a physician one day.
I am thinking about enrolling into a post-bac part time and redoing all the science courses. I will apply to become a medical scribe (part-time) to gain clinical exposure and will also volunteer at a hospital too. I can't afford to do badly this time, which is why I will opt to not work full time.
I will try this for 5 years max and if it still doesn't work then...I will find a different career option. But I'd like to try first!

IF I do well during Post-bac and get a good MCAT score, will applying to SMP first then medical/PA school work as a plan?

I just want some direction right now because I have no one to talk to that will look at my situation favorably, which is understandable.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

[redfish955]

From what I get from other posters your going to have to basically make As in classes for two years straight. Retake any pre reqs you got d or f in. I would pick an alternate career and pursue that. Maybe you will be more passionate about it. Find something you can spend 40 hours reading about for pleasure. Sure, studying sucks, but pick something readingre and pleasurable. A sub 3.0 in any field and you will struggle after graduating.

 

[Magus5454]

About PA school, be aware that most require a significant amount of clinical hours .

Before even considering a post bacc, step back, figure out why you have struggled in classes in the past and how to remedy it. If you thought your undergrad was tough, medical school will crush you. You are looking at years of grade repair.

 

[curbsideconsult]

IF I do well during Post-bac and get a good MCAT score, will applying to SMP first then medical/PA school work as a plan?

Why would you apply to an SMP if you do well in your post-bacc and MCAT? If you do well enough in your post-bacc (must be A's and A-'s, no lower than B's and even then only a couple) you take the MCAT, apply, and just wait.

If you're looking at PA as a backup, you still have to do well in your post-bacc and then take the GRE. And like Magus said you need a lot of clinical hours. You also need A&P.

 

[Goro]

As you can probably tell I struggled immensely throughout these four years in undergrad.
Here's some background information about me.
I came from a basic public high school and graduated with a 3.8 unweighted GPA with a not so good SAT in 2014. Somehow got accepted to a top 30 university (honestly still don't know how) and here I am, absolutely miserable in 2018.

I started out freshman year super excited and ready to take on college so I signed up for the regular course load of a typical pre-med student. BIG MISTAKE. I got my first F EVER in my life and that drained the crap out of me emotionally, mentally, and physically. I also withdrew from my intro bio class. So one F and a W first semester of college! My self-confidence went from a 10 to 5 real quick and I started to panic.

Up until this point I have never really studied for any exams. The "A's" I got all throughout my years in school prior to college was due to my teachers basically giving us the answers to the test or letting us retake the exams if we weren't happy with the scores we got. So as long as you were diligent enough to put in the extra time to "memorize" the answers, it was a guaranteed A. Back then I didn't see anything wrong with this... it was the norm after all.
Thus when I came to college, I received mostly F's, D's and C's on my exams. And let me tell you, after 10+ years of not learning how to properly study, it doesn't just take 1 or 2 semester to learn! My professors and advisors basically told me to give up and that I shouldn't even try pre-med anymore. I started to fall into depression and I didn't even realize it until my junior year.
So long story short, I started to develop anxiety and then depression during junior year. I kept getting D's and C's and even one more F. At this point I developed a skin allergy because of the stress and so I decided to take it easy this year as a senior. So I've been doing better...A's and B's and some C's. Not Great...but better.

BUT yeah... I will graduate with a 2.3cGPA. I'm a psychology major btw.
I am passionate about medicine and it is still my dream to become a physician one day.
I am thinking about enrolling into a post-bac part time and redoing all the science courses. I will apply to become a medical scribe (part-time) to gain clinical exposure and will also volunteer at a hospital too. I can't afford to do badly this time, which is why I will opt to not work full time.
I will try this for 5 years max and if it still doesn't work then...I will find a different career option. But I'd like to try first!

IF I do well during Post-bac and get a good MCAT score, will applying to SMP first then medical/PA school work as a plan?

I just want some direction right now because I have no one to talk to that will look at my situation favorably, which is understandable.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

Read this:
Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention