Hi. I'm brand new here, just signed up last night. i'm currently a freshman second semester. i'm currently taking all my gen ed classes and pre-med rec. i should graduate with a bioscience degree. i'm just curious if you guys have some advice for me. my first semester i had a 3.85 gpa. how high does it need to be to get into to a good med school? aslo i intend to take my mcats in junior year. any advice. im thinking of specializing in emergency medicine, and was wondering if anyone has any insight on this. i know specializing is a bit far away but id appreciate any advice about that and med school. thanks alot.
hello and some advice
- Thread starter jmikec93
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2011
- Messages
- 272
- Reaction score
- 171
A 3.85 will get you far; try to keep that up as much as possible. The higher the better.
My best advice for the MCAT? For you? Relax, and focus on your current work. You've got another year and a half at least before you're ready to take that on. Worrying about it now is just going to stress you out.
If you're interested in EM, I'd suggest trying to find a local hospital/EM physician to shadow (DO peferably, since you're in the DO forum). If you get hooked on EM after that, you could try getting a job as an ER scribe; they often get a lot of good, practical training, and usually get paid to boot! Since you're still early in the pre-med phase of things, I'd suggest focusing on your grades for the rest of this semester, and work on the ER experience (and maybe some non-clinical volunteering, if you haven't done any lately) during the summer.
Good luck!
My best advice for the MCAT? For you? Relax, and focus on your current work. You've got another year and a half at least before you're ready to take that on. Worrying about it now is just going to stress you out.
If you're interested in EM, I'd suggest trying to find a local hospital/EM physician to shadow (DO peferably, since you're in the DO forum). If you get hooked on EM after that, you could try getting a job as an ER scribe; they often get a lot of good, practical training, and usually get paid to boot! Since you're still early in the pre-med phase of things, I'd suggest focusing on your grades for the rest of this semester, and work on the ER experience (and maybe some non-clinical volunteering, if you haven't done any lately) during the summer.
Good luck!
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2009
- Messages
- 1,210
- Reaction score
- 21
take it slow man. stay motivated not distracted, keep your grades up, do well on the MCAT, and the sky is the limit.
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2010
- Messages
- 3,131
- Reaction score
- 253
Pretty much what everyone else said... Don't be stupid like some of us non-trads and let your grades fall... a 3.85 is a very solid GPA, but again, higher is better, but you're doing very well...
Some may disagree but I would say switch to an easier major and get those easy A's. But make sure take all the prereqs for med school as your electives and maintain a realistic course load (take at least 4 or more courses a semester). Spend all your free time volunteering, shadowing, finding leadership roles. If you want more of a challenge or want to show med schools you can handle more difficult courses you can always take upper division science courses as electives. The only reason I'm suggesting this is because I've seen too many times where young bright aspiring premed students jump into biochem, neurobiology, etc majors thinking that's what they're suppose to do but these majors kill their GPA's. I had a friend who had straight A's in all the med school prereqs but averaged a 2.3 in the rest of her upper div course as a biochem major. Her cGPA was just under 3.0. She applied 3 cycles and didn't get in anywhere. She told me that some of the upper div courses she took was filled with very bright students but the class average would be C+. Students would be happy just to pass, and that was just the nature of the course. I understand that some people may think this is taking the easy way out but you gotta do what you gotta do to at least get into med school (I'm not saying you're not smart enough to get A's in more difficult upper division science courses, but why make your life harder than it has to be and risk it?). Also, I know med school itself is going to be difficult but if you can get good grades in the prereqs and perform well on the mcat than I thinks that will demonstrate that you have what it takes to be successful in med school (no need to even mess with these harder courses). Just my 2cents.
Thanks alot guys. im really looking for support/ direction. i actually want to be a MD but posted it in the wrong forum. What volunteer/ leadership stuff would you guys suggest? i was going to volunteer at a hospital starting in the summer and i'm planning on joining the pre-health professional club at school. and @ GimpGenius how would i go about shadowing a doctor or becoming an ER scribe? also, what is an ER scribe. thanks again, i really appreciate the advice. i feel a little nervous about the whole idea and your encouragement helps greatly.
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2008
- Messages
- 798
- Reaction score
- 0
I cannot overemphasize the importance of staying focused on your studies and working hard to maintain GPA, but to also gain experience some how. Something that has been instrumental for me as I am getting ready to apply this year is going back and reading a journal that I started writing years ago (I'm a non-traditional student so it's been years since I wrote those first entries). There are lots of ways to gain experience, becoming an EMT (don't do it unless you really, truly want to experience the healthcare system and are ready to be a good provider now, just my .02), shadowing a Physician (here I recommend a few different ones if you can get it set up), and even considering doing research (if it interests you, otherwise time is better spent in other areas).
Whatever you do for your clinical and non-clinical work in the community go after the quality in the experience or make every experience count for you (i.e. don't just do it once and expect to find quality, make it a routine for awhile especially if you want LORs in the future from that particular Physician/Professor so that they can give anecdotal evidence and help you stand out to the ADCOMs).
Again, just because I see this ignored a lot stay focused on the end goal, but at the same time do not rush anything and make this a great experience for you that will make you stand out amongst other applicants (i.e. it's not unheard of for there to be 4,000 applicants but only 150-200 people are admitted to a medical school class irregardless of MD or DO, and this is only becoming more competitive). Last but not least, don't be afraid to engage both sides of medicine (MD and DO Physicians) as you are preparing to apply.
Of course keep on using SDN through all of your preparation years, but also weigh every person's advice with a grain of salt as this is an open forum. Good luck with the future as you prepare for Medical School.
Whatever you do for your clinical and non-clinical work in the community go after the quality in the experience or make every experience count for you (i.e. don't just do it once and expect to find quality, make it a routine for awhile especially if you want LORs in the future from that particular Physician/Professor so that they can give anecdotal evidence and help you stand out to the ADCOMs).
Again, just because I see this ignored a lot stay focused on the end goal, but at the same time do not rush anything and make this a great experience for you that will make you stand out amongst other applicants (i.e. it's not unheard of for there to be 4,000 applicants but only 150-200 people are admitted to a medical school class irregardless of MD or DO, and this is only becoming more competitive). Last but not least, don't be afraid to engage both sides of medicine (MD and DO Physicians) as you are preparing to apply.
Of course keep on using SDN through all of your preparation years, but also weigh every person's advice with a grain of salt as this is an open forum. Good luck with the future as you prepare for Medical School.
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2011
- Messages
- 176
- Reaction score
- 44
The difficulty of a major is in the eye of the beholder. For example, some students just don't enjoy chemistry will do poorly in some chem major classes, but will do fine in upper division biology classes. The same can be true of any major if you don't enjoy or have an apptitude for [insert major here]. Maybe neuroscience/biochem/etc is easy and interesting to you.
as for switching majors, i picked bioscience before i was sure i wanted to go to med school. i enjoy it and am not too bad at it. i realize it will get hard as i take the more advance class, but isnt that true of most majors. but im really interested in extracurricular activities that i could do to better my resume for med school
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2011
- Messages
- 357
- Reaction score
- 143
Sports, clubs, volunteering (medicine related), research!
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2011
- Messages
- 357
- Reaction score
- 143
Just pm you with info.
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2011
- Messages
- 197
- Reaction score
- 3
The hardest part will always be your next step! What I mean by that is that once you get through one hurdle the next one looks even harder and more important, and to a certain extent it is. Your step now is looking good to get into medical school. At this phase it is what the other posters have suggested, however I would make a list of what you want to have done before the time comes to apply, and I do encourage you to have all the letter of recommendations ready (using a service like interfolio you control when and what is sent to where), have your MCAT taken and results back, have your volunteering, and research, and application filled out.
But it's a little early for that now, just know that it is coming. Now work on grades, ECs, volunteering and possibly start research. If you don't get a job in the ER/hospital, you might consider a low paying job in research if available in your area (it was in mine).
i'm looking into volunteering at a hospital starting in the summer. also i know ,through a friend, whos a doctor and i'm going to start talking to him about possible shadowing. he's in geriatics but he might know someone who works in a hospital. also his wife is a doctor but im not sure what area. and my friend's mom is a nurse in nicu. i figure thats all a start.
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2011
- Messages
- 20
- Reaction score
- 0
I'm going to echo some others here when I say just keep it that high and you should be on the right track. Being relatively uninformed when I was in your shoes, I made a couple of mistakes on the pre-med track.
I know this sounds bad but if I could do it again, I would have attended an easier school and done an easier major so my GPA would have been higher. Med schools will feed you a lot of talk about how "numbers aren't everything," and they aren't everything, but they sure matter to admissions committees a lot, especially getting your foot in the door. Focus on your grades and study your butt off for the MCAT.
As far as EC's, you certainly need them, but don't sacrifice your grades for them. Make sure you don't skimp on shadowing hours and that you have some medical volunteer experience but also do some random volunteering/sports/clubs that you enjoy. They like a well-rounded applicant. Good luck!
I know this sounds bad but if I could do it again, I would have attended an easier school and done an easier major so my GPA would have been higher. Med schools will feed you a lot of talk about how "numbers aren't everything," and they aren't everything, but they sure matter to admissions committees a lot, especially getting your foot in the door. Focus on your grades and study your butt off for the MCAT.
As far as EC's, you certainly need them, but don't sacrifice your grades for them. Make sure you don't skimp on shadowing hours and that you have some medical volunteer experience but also do some random volunteering/sports/clubs that you enjoy. They like a well-rounded applicant. Good luck!
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2011
- Messages
- 219
- Reaction score
- 4
Generally speaking, you really want to keep it >3.6, above that will only make your chances higher. Although there will be people on here that will say " I had a 2.0 and got in my first try," but the reality is that this is rarely the case. Keep in mind a 3.92 cGPA will NOT guarantee a spot in the school of your choice. There are too many other factors considered as shown by people on the low spectrum GPA's. Good GPA, Good EC's ( volunteering, Sports, research, etc.), a genuine interest in the field, A strong MCAT (>31) ( take the time to really study for this like it will make or break you), and most importantly knowing how to jump through the hoop's of medical school admissions. There will be times where you will think "why the *ell do I have to do this," just understand that its just part of the process and going against the grain will only hurt your chances. Lastly, Work on your interviewing skills now. Straight A's and a 40 M will not make up for a severe lack in personality. This is the area that I really wished I spent MUCH more time perfecting. I am not a good "BS'er" and I think I should have been more outspoken. Just some advice that I think would have helped me in my freshman year.
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2011
- Messages
- 1,941
- Reaction score
- 11
Not bad... but don't slack off and ruin your 3.85 just to "get by". You could have a 3.9 and still not get in, depending on your MCAT and other areas of your application. So you want everything working in your favor... especially your GPA.
A downward trend in your classes won't look good either... so just work hard and try to stay above a 3.8 (it's a nice goal to aim for).
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2011
- Messages
- 272
- Reaction score
- 171
It's possible (and likely) that your raw scores won't be as good in a higher-level science course.
However, there are two things to consider:
1) If you're reading the material and/or you have a solid professor, you'll get a lot of reinforcement of the basic concepts. For example, some of the ideas you learn in, say, genetics, might already be covered in your cellular biology class; and a lot of the cell bio concepts might be touched on in general biology. Basically, the sciences build on each other (far more so than the humanities from what I've seen/studied).
2) You're not alone. Sure, you might not pick up the minutae in Figure 15.6 (c), but chances are a good portion of the class didn't, either. That's no excuse to slack off, but remember that, as the complexity and difficulty of a subject rises, the average scores on exams, papers, etc. will drop.
Trust me on this... coming from a non-science background, the first few classes are going to seem daunting; but once you get your feet wet, get a solid understanding of the fundamentals, and find out what study methods work best for you, that huge pile of information won't seem quite as daunting. It's hard work, but 90% of it is just putting your nose to the grindstone and getting it done.
However, there are two things to consider:
1) If you're reading the material and/or you have a solid professor, you'll get a lot of reinforcement of the basic concepts. For example, some of the ideas you learn in, say, genetics, might already be covered in your cellular biology class; and a lot of the cell bio concepts might be touched on in general biology. Basically, the sciences build on each other (far more so than the humanities from what I've seen/studied).
2) You're not alone. Sure, you might not pick up the minutae in Figure 15.6 (c), but chances are a good portion of the class didn't, either. That's no excuse to slack off, but remember that, as the complexity and difficulty of a subject rises, the average scores on exams, papers, etc. will drop.
Trust me on this... coming from a non-science background, the first few classes are going to seem daunting; but once you get your feet wet, get a solid understanding of the fundamentals, and find out what study methods work best for you, that huge pile of information won't seem quite as daunting. It's hard work, but 90% of it is just putting your nose to the grindstone and getting it done.
