help a geek...please?

[trulyours]

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I graduated with an Engineering GPA was 3.7, but a point lower for cum. I covered most of the pre-reqs, but with many C's and D's. My school didn't allow re-taking any courses. I've never taken the MCAT; don't think I'd do much above the average after being out of school for so long. I think both MD and DO are clearly out of the question.


1. Do you think I might have a chance in the Caribbeans with post-bac?

2. Would reputable post-bac programs even bother to consider me?
(My GRE scores were V460 Q780)

 

[Reaction]

I'm not sure but I think it would definitely help if you do amazing in your post bach and dominate the MCAT

 

[TriagePreMed]

Depends on your amount of units. I had a 2.77 and 61 units (4.0 average) brought me up to almost a 3.2. At this point with an SMP, DO school becomes more plausible and USMD with a whole lot of luck.

 

[trulyours]

Depends on your amount of units. I had a 2.77 and 61 units (4.0 average) brought me up to almost a 3.2. At this point with an SMP, DO school becomes more plausible and USMD with a whole lot of luck.

Ooh I wonder how that'd affect mine. I don't even know what units really mean. My school just gave 1.0 credit for every course.

Physics with 9 lecture hours + 4 hour lab per week = 4 hour lecture per week only for creative writing = all listed as 1.0 credit points on my transcript.

 

[Reaction]

Ooh I wonder how that'd affect mine. I don't even know what units really mean. My school just gave 1.0 credit for every course.

Physics with 9 lecture hours + 4 hour lab per week = 4 hour lecture per week only for creative writing = all listed as 1.0 credit points on my transcript.

I think he means by units= credits

 

[EdLongshanks]

I kindly ask of your thoughts for a solid career in medicine for my situation.

It entirely depends on how hard you are willing to work at it. Most people who ask this question want an EASY answer - which there is not.

If you retook all of your C's and D's and made mostly A's with only an occasional B, and you then did well on the MCAT - then yes, you can be a DO. You could start medical school in 2014/2015 and be a doctor before the decade is out.

You are in a forum with people who have worked at least this hard, and sometimes harder, to get in.

 

[trulyours]

If you retook all of your C's and D's and made mostly A's with only an occasional B, and you then did well on the MCAT - then yes, you can be a DO. You could start medical school in 2014/2015 and be a doctor before the decade is out.

You are in a forum with people who have worked at least this hard, and sometimes harder, to get in.

Thanks guys for all your comments! While finishing up undergrad, I just thought med schools were no longer an option for me because my GPA was so low... I constantly beat myself up for not choosing a major which I could concentrate on the pre-reqs. Now I realize how foolish I was, when there are so many other options of becoming a doctor. If there's even the slightest chance of becoming a DO, then I have to give it my best shot.

Now I'm down to deciding on a post-bac program (and whether to take the MCAT for that or re-take GRE)!

 

[EdLongshanks]

Thanks guys for all your comments! While finishing up undergrad, I just thought med schools were no longer an option for me because my GPA was so low... I constantly beat myself up for not choosing a major which I could concentrate on the pre-reqs. Now I realize how foolish I was, when there are so many other options of becoming a doctor. If there's even the slightest chance of becoming a DO, then I have to give it my best shot.

Now I'm down to deciding on a post-bac program (and whether to take the MCAT for that or re-take GRE)!

You won't take the MCAT for several more years. you do that only just before applying to Medical school. By all means, do not take it to soon. It is a permanent record - just like your GPA. You can retake it, but the old score remains part of the equation.

There is no reason to do a formal post-bac - in fact, in your case, it might be a bad idea - it forces you into classes that you don't need. What you need is to replace your bad grades by taking the exact same classes - it's even better if you do this at the same school.

The DO/AACOMAS schools replace your old grades with your new ones (MD/AMCAS does not). So for poor GPA's the replacement policy is a life-saver. In two years, your GPA can be just under 4.0.

I don't know how many classes you have to replace - let's say that you have 12 D's or C's. This gives you 4 semesters to fix it. So, spring 11, Fall 11, Spr 12, Fall 12. During this time you would finish your pre-reqs. You then have spring 13 to prepare for the MCAT and apply in Summer 13 for entrance in 2014. With a 30 on your MCAT, you would be a very competitive candidate - if you have been doing interesting extra-curricular stuff at the same time.

You can be a doctor. It ain't easy, it ain't cheap, and a lot of other paths are more financially attractive.