Help!

[nova11]

Hi, I'm in serious need of advice.

Next year (2011) I should be a senior majoring in Biology. I always wanted to go to medical school but got discouraged after my first 2years and try to forget the possibility of going to medical school. When it was suppose to be my 3rd year in college I moved to a different state and after being on and off from school for about a year I decide to pursue my dream again.

Any ways the question here is that I currently have a 2.5 GPA and a SGPA that is . My problem was I seriously struggled with general chemistry and calculus (D in each), retoke calculus (C), physics 1 (C). The 2.5 doesn't include gen chem 2 (B), gen chem 3 (in progress), O'Chem sequence (which i will take this summer) . In the state I live in the classes are divide into 3 quarters. This also doesn't include Physics 2&3 or Biochem.

To add to it i got fed up once (1st semester 3nd year) and pulled out of all my classes. to sum it all up i managed to screw up my GPA and transcript big time.

I'm also a medical assistant and daily work at the hospital so patient contact isn't a problem.

I also have an older brother who is a general surgeon but he doesn't live in the US so does that give me any advantages or it doesn't matter.

I absolutely most defiantly want to go medical school, so any feed back/recommendations you can give is great?

Early Thanks

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[J ROD]

DO grade replacement and get all As now.....

plus, you need to have decent ECs like volunteering, shadowing, tutoring, etc.

 

[Catalystik]

You're not in a very good position. You haven't even begun to demonstrate that you can get straight As in the sciences and I think that's what it will take. You have a lot of GPA redemption to accomplish if you want to succeed. It will take dedication, time, and money to fix the situation, but if you are resolved, then it can be done.

Here are two possible pathways to your goal; the first is most likely to be successful:

1) Plan to apply to DO med schools. Repeat the classes where you did the worst and use AACOMAS policy that includes only the most recent retake when calculating the application GPA. If you have a bunch of Ds and Fs, this is the fastest way to fix your low GPA if you can get As the second time (note: the repeated class must have the same number or greater in credit hours). Get straight As in the rest of your prerequisites due to your new work ethic. Get a good MCAT score to prove you understood the material. Shadow a DO and get a letter of recommendation. Be aware that there are a few DO schools that consider applicants with a GPA of 2.75 or lower, BTW, if the MCAT score is really strong and there is a recent steep upward grade trend. Educate yourself on this option in SDN's PreMed Osteopathic Forum.

2) Get straight As for the next two years (spending 2 more years in college). This could get your GPA to 3.0 by my rough calculation (do it yourself, as I had to make some assumptions). With a 3.0, you exceed the cut offs for most DO schools. You would also qualify for a lot of SMPs (Special Masters Program) This is a 1-2 year paid audition, a very expensive redemption option which can overrride a low uGPA. You'd need an MCAT 28-30+ depending on the program requirements. If you perform well in the SMP, where you compete with first year med students at their linked med school and get a high GPA, typically 3.5 or better, you have a chance of an acceptance at an MD med school. This outcome is not guaranteed, though, and many of these people end up in DO schools, anyway. Read more on this option in the Postbaccalaureate Programs Forum of SDN.

 

[nova11]

Thanks, This really helps