Help! Nontrad needs advice!

[HNPlima]

Hello! Need advice

About me: I am 24 years old and currently work in the public health field. I have my Bachelor of Science, Master of Science (thesis) and master of public health (certificate in social and behavioral sciences). I also did a year of AmeriCorps (aug2011-july2012) in my last year of grad school (graduated may 2012) along with several internships (hospice, hospital, nonprofit) and worked part-fulltime throughout my 6 years of school to support myself. I currently work for an NGO in South America trying to build up my resume so I can apply for my PhD in international public health.

However, recently I have this yearning to go to medical school like I originally thought of doing years ago. I really love what I'm doing now, however, I feel like I am missing that medical aspect that I am not getting solely through Public Health. I've started looking at some post-bac premed programs and have been thinking about trying to do a MD/PHD program... I know they are extremely competitive, so I'd have to have really strong GRE/MCAT scores and a strong premed.

All of my grades in grad school and undergrad were basically straight A's or A/B, except for my pre-med classes. I had one rough year of school, taking too many hard courses (15-18), and working 2 jobs at the time. I decided that I could not do med school because of my awful year in premed classes.
Classes took in undergrad:
• Gen Chem: C
• Gen Chem Lab: A
• Bio 1: D - Retook again C
• Bio 1 Lab: C
• Stats: C, Grad Stats: B+
• Chem 2: Dropped first time, second B+
• Chem 2 Lab: C (from first time - did not retake)
• Physiology with Lab: C

I'm thinking of med school now and would need to retake all my pre-reqs, try to make straight A's in my classes, and then apply for medical school. What are my true chances of getting into medical school if I accomplish my post-bac goals but have such bad pre-med course grades from undergrad years ago?

Thank you for reading this long post! Appreciate all tips!

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[SyrianHero]

What's your cGPA and sGPA?

 

[Peter Benkman]

You have a really good question here. A year ago, I asked a Dean of admissions of a medical school why medical schools reject so many applicants every year. His question was very simple: Grades.

He also said that the most important classes are your pre-reqs because that is how they compare you with other applicants.
Take all this with a grain of salt.

 

[Chip N Sawbones]

So, if you get into the program you want, your name will be Dr. Plima, BS, MS, MPH, MD, PhD? I don't think that's enough initials. You should add DO, MA, MBA, and BYOB so you can really impress people.

We'll need to see your cGPA before we can even begin to make predictions on your chances of acceptance.

 

[Einthoven]

You've already accomplished so much! But yes, I concur with everyone else on here - cGPA, please!

 

[jsmith522]

I think that you need to take some upper division chemistry and biology courses to be sure. You will need organic chemistry for sure and probably biochem and genetics in the near future with their addition to the current and future MCAT. After that other upper division bio classes might look good esp if you succeed in passing them with high marks. Otherwise I don't think those marks would get you in. The fact that you can succeed in getting a MS and MPH helps but you need to prove you can do those science classes.