Help please! Houston we gotta problem

[Kelly11]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hi! I am a junior pre-med who is having a bit of a freak out. My overall GPA is a 3.7, and my science GPA is a 3.4 with a 32 MCAT. However, for some reason I can't understand Organic Chemistry. I first took it and ended up dropping with a WP because I took too many science classes at once. I just now retook it and got a D, even though I received A's in other higher level bio courses such as genetics, biochem etc. What should I do. I have to take it again, but do i even have a chance of getting into medical school with such an awful problem. Thanks loves!

P.S- I did well on the Bio/orgo part of the mcat!

 

[zero0]

So... You got a 32 on the MCAT before finishing Organic Chemistry? Did you just luck out and have a really orgo-light MCAT? I'm surprised you did that well.

You can still get into med school but you'll definitely need to retake organic and get an A the second time around if you're dead set on that MD.

 

[Kelly11]

I actually taught myself the orgo material! I completely get orgo, but for some reason that doesn't translate into the classroom! And i'm going to seriously devote myself to get that A. Does it look bad to take it 3 times? And does that D make medical schools automatically be like "no"? Also I do tend to have weird test anxiety when it comes to orgo, I didn't on my MCAT so I feel like that's part of the reason🙂

 

[zero0]

A withdrawal into a D is going to raise questions. Be ready to explain yourself at an interview, but if you get an A next and assuming that's the only red flag on your record, you're still definitely live for a lot of MD programs.

 

[DrShephardWannabe]

First advice: Don't be a self-fulfilling prophecy!
Be extremely intentional and head to the professors office hours. Ask what exactly to expect on the exam. Don't expect to be handed test questions but more often than not professors have extensive lists of practice problems they recommend. Were you able to go over past tests from your previous class sessions? Learning from your mistakes usually works, you'll realize you missed 10 points for something stupid (Like not putting parenthesis around the Z) and you will be a lot less likely to miss it.

Also try group studying. My systems phys professor would randomly call on people in a class of 100 and have them stand up then answer a question they should know. She explained that the mind remembers public mistakes a lot more. On the other hand with group studying, if you can explain a problem to somebody else you're (almost) always set for exams.

 

[Hospitalized]

Mind blown at the fact that you don't stress out over the MCAT but can't take a regular exam for a science class.

You don't really have a choice but to retake it considering most medical schools require a 2.0+ for prerequisites. So just do it, and do well. You've proven you can with the MCAT, so now cater your able to the teacher and their style.

 

[Kelly11]

I think the reason I didn't have anxiety on my MCAT was because there was always the option of "if I don't do well I can take it again" which obviously doesn't apply to college exams. And I know I made stupid mistakes and I definitely screwed up. I just am freaked out that admissions are gonna pass me up because they have hundreds of people that took orgo and got an A, not someone that has to take it 3 times.