Help Please! I Really Don't Know What to Do

[SyberianPuppy]

Hello Everyone,

I'm new here, and I'm hoping for some real advice. I'm in a sort of strange situation and I'm quite confused on what to do.

My situation is this:

- I started at a community college. Completed one year here with a 4.0. I took Biology and Chemistry pre-reqs here.

-Transferred to Cornell, and didn't do so hot. I was pre-med, got a C- in Organic Chemistry I. I have 2 other C's and a W in Physics. Overall GPA when I graduate: 3.1.

So I always wanted to be a doctor, and I gave up on it after my C- in Orgo and W in physics. Since then I've realized I can't find ANY other career I'd be happy with. But is it too late for me to become a doctor?

My idea was to just enroll in a Master's program at SUNY Brockport (near me and cheap for in-state) and complete one year of it. While there I could simply enroll in the undergrad Orgo and Physics, and take some upper level graduate Biology courses. Would this help?

Issues:
Biology 1 and 2, Chemistry 1 and 2 taken at CC
Organic Chem 1 is a C-
Physics 1 is a W
No Organic Chem 2 or Physics 2

Should I just give up??

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[gravitywave]

you might get more and better responses posting in the What are My Chances? forum

it sounds like you need to show some good grades in upper level science courses. but i'm not sure the master's program is a good fit - you're likely a better candidate for retaking orgo 1/2 and physics 1/2 as a non-degree student somewhere (not a CC) and benefiting from DO grade replacement.

good luck

 

[Catalystik]

High grades in a hard-science masters won't necessarily redeem a low undergrad GPA, as grad school grades are widely assumed to be inflated. You'd be better off becoming a candidate for a second bachelors degree and retaking the prerequisites plus upper-level Bio classes, or entering a formal postbac program with linkage to a med school, or getting accepted to a Special Masters Program specifically meant to override a poor uGPA (where you "audition" for med school by competiting with first year med students for top grades). See the Postbaccalaureate Programs Forum stickies for more info.

Low GPA success thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=675835

 

[SyberianPuppy]

1. What is DO grade replacement?

2. I intended to just be a non-degree seeking student at Brockport's grad school.

 

[gravitywave]

if your goal is med school, it's unnecessary and premature for you to be taking grad work of any kind right now. you can enroll as a non-degree post-bac student anywhere and take courses.

DO schools replace grades in retaken courses, obliterating the old bad grade when calculating your GPA. C + A = A

MD schools will see your retaken courses, but the old bad grades still count. C + A = 2 B's

 

[Catalystik]

DO schools replace grades in retaken courses, obliterating the old bad grade when calculating your GPA.

Provided the retaken class has the same credit hours or greater. Retakes need not be at the same school. And the course title need not be identical if the course descriptions in the two catalogs are demonstrably similar. The old grade is still visible on the transcript, but isn't included in the GPA calculation.

 

[ucsfstudents]

No need to give up on your dream. Figure out why you did poorly in those courses and find a way to redeem yourself.

 

[Astarael]

One other thing: don't enroll in a master's program and plan to not finish it. At the best, that will look suspicious, and at the worst, you might run into medical schools that require you to complete your degree before being admitted.

 

[SyberianPuppy]

So what if I enroll as a second bachelor's degree student, and complete one year of coursework toward a second BS degree. Would that be ok?

 

[Catalystik]

So what if I enroll as a second bachelor's degree student, and complete one year of coursework toward a second BS degree. Would that be ok?

Yes. Since you already have a bachelors degree, you would not be expected to complete the second one.