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Regeneron

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Im writing this post out of sheer desperation. I don't know where else to go. I don't want to consider "other careers". I want more than anything to be a doctor. Specifically, an orthopedic surgeon. My undergrad GPA is freaking awful. Its so bad. I failed around 8 classes, got Ds in 6 (some of those classes were retakes from the ones I failed, I know, I'm a real screw up), and just barely graduated with a 2.0 GPA. Yet I still want to be an orthopod, for better or worse.

No med school is going to take me. Even SGU is a freaking longshot for me. I was a bio major and a part of me knew that I wanted to go to med school, but the other part of me didn't care. I spent my undergraduate years getting drunk, getting high, and chasing tail. At the time I didn't really regret it, in fact I have some fond memories to look back too, but now, I know that my goal is to be an orthopod, and I regret my past very very much. I threw away opportunities that came by me and instead chose to be a fool.

I know that I'm screwed. I know that I should "look into other careers". I know that I'm not good enough. But I'm looking for hope. I know that there must be at least ONE other person out there who messed up their undergrad but still got in. I know that I can't be the only one out there whose dug themselves deep.

I haven't taken the MCAT yet. I'm 25 years old, and am working full time as a QC Analyst for a pharmaceutical company. I just want to know if there's anyone else who've dug themselves out a terrible GPA and have gotten into a US MD or DO school. If you are one of those few people, what is your story? How did you do it? What advice can you give me? Thank you. And if your only advice is the typical negativity and such nonsense, no thank you, I have enough negativity in my life as is.

Thanks.
 
Regeneron said:
Im writing this post out of sheer desperation. I don't know where else to go. I don't want to consider "other careers". I want more than anything to be a doctor. Specifically, an orthopedic surgeon. My undergrad GPA is freaking awful. Its so bad. I failed around 8 classes, got Ds in 6 (some of those classes were retakes from the ones I failed, I know, I'm a real screw up), and just barely graduated with a 2.0 GPA. Yet I still want to be an orthopod, for better or worse.

No med school is going to take me. Even SGU is a freaking longshot for me. I was a bio major and a part of me knew that I wanted to go to med school, but the other part of me didn't care. I spent my undergraduate years getting drunk, getting high, and chasing tail. At the time I didn't really regret it, in fact I have some fond memories to look back too, but now, I know that my goal is to be an orthopod, and I regret my past very very much. I threw away opportunities that came by me and instead chose to be a fool.

I know that I'm screwed. I know that I should "look into other careers". I know that I'm not good enough. But I'm looking for hope. I know that there must be at least ONE other person out there who messed up their undergrad but still got in. I know that I can't be the only one out there whose dug themselves deep.

I haven't taken the MCAT yet. I'm 25 years old, and am working full time as a QC Analyst for a pharmaceutical company. I just want to know if there's anyone else who've dug themselves out a terrible GPA and have gotten into a US MD or DO school. If you are one of those few people, what is your story? How did you do it? What advice can you give me? Thank you. And if your only advice is the typical negativity and such nonsense, no thank you, I have enough negativity in my life as is.

Thanks.
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What was your major? What grades did you earn in the med school prerequisites?

Are you aware that AACOMAS DO med schools have a grade forgiveness policy? If you retake a class, only the most recent grade counts toward your application GPA. At the minimum, you'd want to retake all Ds and Fs and any science class below a C+, and earn A-range grades. You'd also want to take some original upper-level Bio to prove you can master difficult, med-school- related material on the first go-round. Getting Bs will not help your case; you must commit to earning A-range grades. Can you do that? Are you willing to spend the time and money to do so?

Another alternative is to consider the Texas Fresh Start program, but that requires 10 years after college before your GPA resets, so you can start over with a new coursework and work toward a new bachelors degree. You must be a Texas resident, and it may only apply to the public med schools in Texas (MD and DO).
 
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Wow, sticky situation, OP. I have a few questions for you.

1. Did you receive any IAs (institutional disciplinary actions) while you were in undergrad?
2. Did your immature behavior ever cause you to have a run-in with the law (misdemeanors/felonies on your record)?
3. How many years has it been since you graduated from college?
4. Why medicine? Why specifically orthopedic surgery?

Depending on your answers, and if you are dead set on becoming an orthopedic surgeon, I would find a masters program in biology/chemistry/related field, and I would enroll and excel in said program (GPA >3.9). I would also study hard and ace the MCAT (>515) if you really want to offset that undergrad GPA. Then, if at least five years have passed since you graduated from undergrad, I would reapply as a "reinvented candidate." @Goro @gyngyn @LizzyM, what do you think?
 
Grade replacement is your best bet.

Retake any class you got a C or lower in. Get A's. Osteopathic schools will use the replacement grade in substitute of the lower, original grade. If done correctly, this can substantially raise your gpa for the AACOMAS application. If you do this though - with a history of low grades in science classes - I would hold off on the MCAT until your gpa is in order. That way, you will have a stronger base for studying for that test.

As many adcoms mention on these boards... this is a marathon, not a sprint. Take your time.
 
Try searching "low gpa" in this forum and in the nontrad forum. You'll find tons of strategies for GPA repair.

I think at this point you should ask yourself:
Would you be still want to be a doctor if Ortho was completely off the table? As I'm sure you know, Ortho is competitive and is out of reach even for some really strong, high stats students. I don't think anyone should go into medicine hell-bent on a particular specialty. Are you willing to bust your butt for the next couple of years (because that's how long serious GPA repair is likely to take) to get into medical school even if primary care is your only feasible option? If not, then I really do suggest that you find another career. Medical school is long and expensive and you're nowhere near ready to apply. It'd suck to put in all that time, money, and effort to end up in a specialty that you're not happy with. If you're not sure if you'd be happy in a less competitive specialty, shadowing is a great way to figure that out.

I am in no way a low gpa expert but I second the advice above. Look into DO grade replacement and Texas Fresh Start. Again, only if you're willing to become something other than an Orthopod.

But really, I think your first step is to start taking classes again and see if you can really get the kind of grades needed to make med school a reality. Start with one class, give it all your attention and focus, and if you can get an A, then you can create a more long-term plan. Don't even think about the MCAT until you're getting A's in most, if not all, of your prereqs.
 
Gryffindor20 said:
I actually like @EspressoDrip42's idea better than mine.
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One thing that I think you mentioned that is worth repeating is the... why ortho surgery? I mean, I understand everyone of us wanna-be docs have a specific subspeciality that we are interested in, but I find it easier to stick with the long pre-med journey when you're driving factors are not "I want to do acl repairs all my life"...but instead, "I want to serve others and help patients reach better health". These driving factors are important. Especially for the OP, in becoming a "reinvention applicant", your motivations and such must be on point, or you risk faltering again.
 
Gryffindor20 said:
Wow, sticky situation, OP. I have a few questions for you.

1. Did you receive any IAs (institutional disciplinary actions) while you were in undergrad?
2. Did your immature behavior ever cause you to have a run-in with the law (misdemeanors/felonies on your record)?
3. How many years has it been since you graduated from college?
4. Why medicine? Why specifically orthopedic surgery?

Depending on your answers, and if you are dead set on becoming an orthopedic surgeon, I would find a masters program in biology/chemistry/related field, and I would enroll and excel in said program (GPA >3.9). I would also study hard and ace the MCAT (>515) if you really want to offset that undergrad GPA. Then, if at least five years have passed since you graduated from undergrad, I would reapply as a "reinvented candidate." @Goro @gyngyn @LizzyM, what do you think?
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1. Yes. Sadly.
2. Nothing on my record, thankfully.
3. Graduated in 2015, worked as a research technician at a med school for about 10 months, am now working full time as a QC Analyst for a big pharma company.
4. My family has had a lot of medical issues. I've seen my mom and uncle battle cancer, my grandparents go through stroke treatments, and as a result spent a lot of time around doctors. I want to save lives like how they saved the lives of my close family members since we are all in debt to them. I love surgery. I watch videos of surgeries on youtube for fun. Although I have no idea what's going on, its still cool to watch. Ortho is arguable the most family friendly surgical specialty.

What kinds of masters programs would I even be competitive for?
 
Regeneron said:
1. Yes. Sadly.
2. Nothing on my record, thankfully.
3. Graduated in 2015, worked as a research technician at a med school for about 10 months, am now working full time as a QC Analyst for a big pharma company.
4. My family has had a lot of medical issues. I've seen my mom and uncle battle cancer, my grandparents go through stroke treatments, and as a result spent a lot of time around doctors. I want to save lives like how they saved the lives of my close family members since we are all in debt to them. I love surgery. I watch videos of surgeries on youtube for fun. Although I have no idea what's going on, its still cool to watch. Ortho is arguable the most family friendly surgical specialty.

What kinds of masters programs would I even be competitive for?
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Not much with a 2.0. You should look into an informal post-bacc, like a do-it-yourself one at a local college. You could potentially replace all the bad grades and flip your gpa around in AACOMAS' eyes.
 
Regeneron said:
I don't think waiting 10 years is something I want to do. How many classes will I need to retake? I am no longer near my alma mater so I won't be able to retake the exact same classes......
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Each college/university offers basically the same sets of classes. It doesn't have to be at your alma mater. And the "how many classes will I need to retake?" question.. Only you can answer that! Anything below a C should be retaken.
 
Regeneron said:
1. Yes. Sadly.
2. Nothing on my record, thankfully.
3. Graduated in 2015, worked as a research technician at a med school for about 10 months, am now working full time as a QC Analyst for a big pharma company.
4. My family has had a lot of medical issues. I've seen my mom and uncle battle cancer, my grandparents go through stroke treatments, and as a result spent a lot of time around doctors. I want to save lives like how they saved the lives of my close family members since we are all in debt to them. I love surgery. I watch videos of surgeries on youtube for fun. Although I have no idea what's going on, its still cool to watch. Ortho is arguable the most family friendly surgical specialty.

What kinds of masters programs would I even be competitive for?
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With a 2.0 GPA, you really would not have a great shot at any masters programs. I think you should go with Espresso's plan. Retake all classes below a C for grade replacement. Then study and ace the MCAT. Then apply DO.
 
Regeneron said:
How many classes will I need to retake? I am no longer near my alma mater so I won't be able to retake the exact same classes......
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The retake need not be at the same school, but the credits must not be less than the original. The course name needn't be identical so long as the course content is demonstrably similar per the course catalogs. Community college classes are acceptable (and cheaper).

It looks like at least 14 of your classes need retakes, unless you got Cs or lower in science classes, in which case add those to the total.
 
Regeneron said:
I don't think waiting 10 years is something I want to do. How many classes will I need to retake? I am no longer near my alma mater so I won't be able to retake the exact same classes......
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As Espresso said, anything you previously took and got below a C in. You may also want to add on a few upper level science courses that you haven't already taken to further demonstrate your abilities - but I wouldn't worry about that just yet. Not a requirement, but may be a good strategy. Your overall goal is going to be to show medical schools that even though you goofed in undergrad, you actually DO have what it takes to do well in medical school.

There is some variation in what different schools require but the basics are: Gen chem 1 and 2, Organic chem 1 and 2, Physics 1 and 2, Gen Bio 1 and 2 (All with labs), Biochem, and *possibly* a basic math class like Intro Calc or Stats.
 
The fastest path for you to become a doctor will be to retake all F/D/C science coursework, do well on MCAT, and apply to DO schools.

IF you're boning for the MD degree, there are MD schools that reward reinvention. You'll need to ace all the classic pre-reqs, and ace either a post-bac (which can be DIY) or a SMP, ideally one given at a med school. Then also ace MCAT (513 or better, 33+ on the old scale).

Do not apply until you have the best possible app. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Med schools aren't going anywhere, and, in fact, by the time you apply, several more schools will have opened their doors.

Lose this attitude right now. As in, RIGHT NOW. You're not going to medical school for at least three-five years. If you want to be a doctor, you have to earn it. And knock off the 'boo-hoo, woe is me" attitude. You dug yourself into a hole, Rule #1 is to stop digging.

I don't think waiting 10 years is something I want to do. How many classes will I need to retake? I am no longer near my alma mater so I won't be able to retake the exact same classes......


In this game, it's ALWAYS a sign of maturity to have a Plan B.

Start by shadowing and doing patient contact volunteer work. And read everything you can in these forums by @DrMidlife.

I don't want to consider "other careers". I want more than anything to be a doctor. Specifically, an orthopedic surgeon.

Regeneron said:
Im writing this post out of sheer desperation. I don't know where else to go. I don't want to consider "other careers". I want more than anything to be a doctor. Specifically, an orthopedic surgeon. My undergrad GPA is freaking awful. Its so bad. I failed around 8 classes, got Ds in 6 (some of those classes were retakes from the ones I failed, I know, I'm a real screw up), and just barely graduated with a 2.0 GPA. Yet I still want to be an orthopod, for better or worse.

No med school is going to take me. Even SGU is a freaking longshot for me. I was a bio major and a part of me knew that I wanted to go to med school, but the other part of me didn't care. I spent my undergraduate years getting drunk, getting high, and chasing tail. At the time I didn't really regret it, in fact I have some fond memories to look back too, but now, I know that my goal is to be an orthopod, and I regret my past very very much. I threw away opportunities that came by me and instead chose to be a fool.

I know that I'm screwed. I know that I should "look into other careers". I know that I'm not good enough. But I'm looking for hope. I know that there must be at least ONE other person out there who messed up their undergrad but still got in. I know that I can't be the only one out there whose dug themselves deep.

I haven't taken the MCAT yet. I'm 25 years old, and am working full time as a QC Analyst for a pharmaceutical company. I just want to know if there's anyone else who've dug themselves out a terrible GPA and have gotten into a US MD or DO school. If you are one of those few people, what is your story? How did you do it? What advice can you give me? Thank you. And if your only advice is the typical negativity and such nonsense, no thank you, I have enough negativity in my life as is.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
 
As far as grades I'm not so well neither. Thankfully I took a semester off that is going to turn into a gap year(everything happens for a reason) and I've thought long and hard that it is no time to play around with grades, work, etc. Obviously you're further than me in life because you've taken your MCAT and graduated. Take a gap somewhere into the year to focus on getting yourself together. Don't work yourself to death and forget what you really want to do in life. Try to do post-bacc.
 
Lol sorry I read it wrong, but OP is still further in life then me. I only completed freshman year and I've been in college for two years now. Plus I'm only 19 working a regular job. Op is 25, graduated, and works at a pharm company.
 
Regeneron said:
Specifically, an orthopedic surgeon.
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Regeneron said:
I love surgery. I watch videos of surgeries on youtube for fun. Although I have no idea what's going on, its still cool to watch. Ortho is arguable the most family friendly surgical specialty.
Click to expand...

Alright, you shouldn't be deciding on a specialty right now. And yeah I realize you know this already, but it's something to keep in mind, especially since the specialty you're interested is one of the most competitive.

With that out of the way, your current situation is you have a 2.0 GPA with >14 grades C and below. As @Goro @Catalystik have pointed out, your best bet really is to retake these poor grades and ace them. DO schools take in the new grades, so your DO GPA will increase drastically. MD schools are sadly unrealistic right now, as you would need to ace a lot of classes to bump your GPA and science GPA to a 3.0 and ace an SMP and excel the MCAT on top of that to have a good chance of admission. That's >5 years of grade repair.
 
Regeneron said:
Ortho is arguable the most family friendly surgical specialty.
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I would argue against this...urology? Optho? Plastics?


As for your actual predicament my advice would be 2 fold:

1) with a GPA at 2.0 I'd imagine salvage for an MD app would be next to impossible. Some schools reward reinvention, but I think you'd need to show ALOT of personal growth. Retakes --> Masters --> MCAT 516+ --> SMP (special masters program, where you take 1st year med school classes in order to demonstrate ability to succeed in med school) would be the only way I see that working. Your best bet will be the Retakes for DO school that people have mentioned above.


2) you need to go shadow some NON-Ortho docs. Maybe try to shadow PM&R, Family Med, a sub speciality of IM (like cardiology or nephrology), and a neurologist. It's very dangerous to go to med school if you only think there's 1 speciality you'd like. Even if you make it to med school, only the very top of the class is competitive for fields like Ortho. And it's not like you can just "try harder" until you're at the top of your class - it doesn't work that way.

You can work your butt off and still be a below average med student, regardless of how much money, time, and caffeine you consume.
 
Lawper said:
Alright, you shouldn't be deciding on a specialty right now. And yeah I realize you know this already, but it's something to keep in mind, especially since the specialty you're interested is one of the most competitive.

With that out of the way, your current situation is you have a 2.0 GPA with >14 grades C and below. As @Goro @Catalystik have pointed out, your best bet really is to retake these poor grades and ace them. DO schools take in the new grades, so your DO GPA will increase drastically. MD schools are sadly unrealistic right now, as you would need to ace a lot of classes to bump your GPA and science GPA to a 3.0 and ace an SMP and excel the MCAT on top of that to have a good chance of admission. That's >5 years of grade repair.
Click to expand...

I don't have anyone to blame but myself for getting into this situation. But dang, 5 years of grade repair really does suck. Yes, there's DO which is faster, but its tougher to get the more competitive specialties like Ortho, or Optho, or whatever else. I mean I'll be like 30 when it's all said and done and most of my cousins and friends who did it right will be attendings or close to it by then lol.

I'm also working full time which presents another set of challenges since the local universities in my area don't offer upper level bio classes in the evening. So I guess I'll have to quit my job and sell my kidney in order to afford all of this?
 
Regeneron said:
I don't have anyone to blame but myself for getting into this situation. But dang, 5 years of grade repair really does suck. Yes, there's DO which is faster, but its tougher to get the more competitive specialties like Ortho, or Optho, or whatever else. I mean I'll be like 30 when it's all said and done and most of my cousins and friends who did it right will be attendings or close to it by then lol.

I'm also working full time which presents another set of challenges since the local universities in my area don't offer upper level bio classes in the evening. So I guess I'll have to quit my job and sell my kidney in order to afford all of this?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't worry about all that. @Goro himself said that some of his all-time best students (who later became best and most amazing physicians) were in their 30s, 40s and even one at 50. Some of them were 2.0 GPA students in college due to various issues but absolutely nailed medical school.

Right now, the issue is practicality. Doing a lot of grade repair is too expensive, time-consuming and heartwrenching. I wouldn't do it. DO has some disadvantages as you had mentioned, but the upcoming residency merger in 2020 or so will alleviate that. This is why the DO route is the most efficient
 
Regeneron said:
I don't have anyone to blame but myself for getting into this situation. But dang, 5 years of grade repair really does suck. Yes, there's DO which is faster, but its tougher to get the more competitive specialties like Ortho, or Optho, or whatever else. I mean I'll be like 30 when it's all said and done and most of my cousins and friends who did it right will be attendings or close to it by then lol.

I'm also working full time which presents another set of challenges since the local universities in my area don't offer upper level bio classes in the evening. So I guess I'll have to quit my job and sell my kidney in order to afford all of this?
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Yes, selling your organs is one option. (Kidding.)

I was able to piece together an informal post-bacc by taking classes at 2 or 3 schools. Thankfully, I found a school in my area that had a School of Continuing Ed that offered all but 2 of the requirements at night so that I could keep working during the day. See if there's anything like this near you.

Another option is to actually enroll in a bachelor's program. If you do that, you may qualify for some financial aid. You're taking enough courses that getting a second bachelor's might actually be worth it. And I've at least heard on here (never tried it myself) that you can quit the program without finishing the degree, if you want to, and just take advantage of the fin aid. You may want to do some research and see if that's a viable option.

Does your job offer any tuition support? I was able to get my employer (hospital) to pay for 1 course per calendar year. For me, taking 2 courses at night while working full-time was the most manageable option.
 
Regeneron said:
I don't have anyone to blame but myself for getting into this situation. But dang, 5 years of grade repair really does suck. Yes, there's DO which is faster, but its tougher to get the more competitive specialties like Ortho, or Optho, or whatever else. I mean I'll be like 30 when it's all said and done and most of my cousins and friends who did it right will be attendings or close to it by then lol.

I'm also working full time which presents another set of challenges since the local universities in my area don't offer upper level bio classes in the evening. So I guess I'll have to quit my job and sell my kidney in order to afford all of this?
Click to expand...

You've gotten great advice. I don't have anything original to add, but I will say not to let age be a determining factor. I'll be 36 when I start medical school (hopefully!). I worked with a number of surgeons and residents who didn't start until their late thirties.
 
Catalystik said:
Are you aware that AACOMAS DO med schools have a grade forgiveness policy? .
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I was under the impression that Texas does not accept grade replacement (even at their DO school). The UNT website makes no mention of it that I can find.
 
Agreeing with others that grade replacement to get into a DO school is your only shot at getting into an American med school. Avoid the Caribbean. But before you do this, op, you should really reconsider your career goals. Ortho surgery is very competitive. I wouldn't advise you to go to med school if you're only interested in ortho. With the coming residency merger, ortho is unrealistic for a DO. You should go to med school to be a physician first, you'll be disappointed if you go for just ortho.
 
Catalystik said:
Are you aware that AACOMAS DO med schools have a grade forgiveness policy?
Click to expand...
gyngyn said:
I was under the impression that Texas does not accept grade replacement (even at their DO school). The UNT website makes no mention of it that I can find.
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You are correct, as TCOM (at UNT) doesn't use AACOMAS as an application service. It uses TMDSAS like other Texas publics do. Only AACOMAS has a grade replacement policy.
 
Beggars can't be choosy.

But dang, 5 years of grade repair really does suck. Yes, there's DO which is faster, but its tougher to get the more competitive specialties like Ortho, or Optho, or whatever else. I mean I'll be like 30 when it's all said and done and most of my cousins and friends who did it right will be attendings or close to it by then lol.


No, you keep on working and got to school part time, or you work for a prolonged period of time and then go back to school, and perhaps work part time. You are NOT going med school anytime soon, so get used to that.


I'm also working full time which presents another set of challenges since the local universities in my area don't offer upper level bio classes in the evening. So I guess I'll have to quit my job and sell my kidney in order to afford all of this?
 
I think you should be as certain as you can be that you would be happy in a variety of specialties, particularly family med/internal med before you embark on this path (because if you go DO which is probably your best bet as others have pointed out you may wind up in family/internal med).
 
Regeneron said:
But dang, 5 years of grade repair really does suck. Yes, there's DO which is faster, but its tougher to get the more competitive specialties like Ortho, or Optho, or whatever else. I mean I'll be like 30 when it's all said and done and most of my cousins and friends who did it right will be attendings or close to it by then lol.
Click to expand...

This further confirms the necessity of a back-up plan. You have a long road ahead of you before you enter medical school — retaking classes and shooting for A's, finding and maintaining strong clinical/non-clinical volunteering, getting shadowing, killing the MCAT, obtaining good LoR's, etc. — so don't take this path unless you are absolutely sure about the final goal. And as the above poster said, that final goal includes a specialty that may not be on your top list.
 
Lawper said:
I wouldn't worry about all that. @Goro himself said that some of his all-time best students (who later became best and most amazing physicians) were in their 30s, 40s and even one at 50. Some of them were 2.0 GPA students in college due to various issues but absolutely nailed medical school.

Right now, the issue is practicality. Doing a lot of grade repair is too expensive, time-consuming and heartwrenching. I wouldn't do it. DO has some disadvantages as you had mentioned, but the upcoming residency merger in 2020 or so will alleviate that. This is why the DO route is the most efficient
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Im not saying that being 30 and starting med school makes you a worse student, I just mean in the sense that you're essentially 7-8 years behind the 23 year old in the game of life since marrying and starting a family in med school and/or residency is just impractical. Med school because lack of money (can't afford a decent wedding, kids, etc while living off student loans), residency because lack of time and money (no point in having kids if you're never home or are too burned out from work at the end of the day to be a good parent). I know not everyone feels this way and people have kids anyway, but personally, I don't see that as a smart move. I guess I'll wait till I'm 40 then to have kids if nothing else lol.

thatwouldbeanarchy said:
Yes, selling your organs is one option. (Kidding.)

I was able to piece together an informal post-bacc by taking classes at 2 or 3 schools. Thankfully, I found a school in my area that had a School of Continuing Ed that offered all but 2 of the requirements at night so that I could keep working during the day. See if there's anything like this near you.

Another option is to actually enroll in a bachelor's program. If you do that, you may qualify for some financial aid. You're taking enough courses that getting a second bachelor's might actually be worth it. And I've at least heard on here (never tried it myself) that you can quit the program without finishing the degree, if you want to, and just take advantage of the fin aid. You may want to do some research and see if that's a viable option.

Does your job offer any tuition support? I was able to get my employer (hospital) to pay for 1 course per calendar year. For me, taking 2 courses at night while working full-time was the most manageable option.
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My company offers tuition support for up to 3 classes a term. They reimburse you up to 80% of the tuition for each class if you get an A. The problem as I mentioned, is that the classes I failed and did poorly in are all upper level biology classes which my local universities only offer during the day. This makes it difficult for someone like me working 9-5. I could do a second bachelors as you mentioned, but then I would have to be a student full-time and would have to pay for everything out of pocket. Yes I may get some financial aid, but I already have a sizeable student loan from undergrad, it wouldn't make sense to take on more loans for me at this point since getting into med school is apparently so far off into the future. A real dilemma no doubt.

NotYou20 said:
Agreeing with others that grade replacement to get into a DO school is your only shot at getting into an American med school. Avoid the Caribbean. But before you do this, op, you should really reconsider your career goals. Ortho surgery is very competitive. I wouldn't advise you to go to med school if you're only interested in ortho. With the coming residency merger, ortho is unrealistic for a DO. You should go to med school to be a physician first, you'll be disappointed if you go for just ortho.
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Why is it unrealistic?

QuestionsAnswers said:
I think you should be as certain as you can be that you would be happy in a variety of specialties, particularly family med/internal med before you embark on this path (because if you go DO which is probably your best bet as others have pointed out you may wind up in family/internal med).
Click to expand...

I don't know if I would be happy in family med, but I could see myself in internal med specialties like neuro (love reading about the brain), or oncology if ortho doesn't work out.
 
Regeneron said:
My company offers tuition support for up to 3 classes a term. They reimburse you up to 80% of the tuition for each class if you get an A. The problem as I mentioned, is that the classes I failed and did poorly in are all upper level biology classes which my local universities only offer during the day. This makes it difficult for someone like me working 9-5. I could do a second bachelors as you mentioned, but then I would have to be a student full-time and would have to pay for everything out of pocket. Yes I may get some financial aid, but I already have a sizeable student loan from undergrad, it wouldn't make sense to take on more loans for me at this point since getting into med school is apparently so far off into the future. A real dilemma no doubt.
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It definitely does sound like a dilemma. But if you're going to make this work, something's gotta give. Do you have family who might be able to help you cover costs? Could you work for your current company in another city (perhaps one with better options for night school)? Is there any flexibility in your current work schedule that would you allow you to keep working there while taking 1 or 2 classes that meet during the day? For example, could you cut down to part-time or work weekends so that you have at least 2 weekdays off? If I were you, I'd be doing anything I could to try to take advantage of your employer's tuition benefits. If none of the above seem feasible, then maybe @Goro's advice is best: start putting away money now and accept that it's going to take you a few years before you can get started on this.

You are absolutely in a tough spot and I sympathize. But if you do end up getting into medical school, you're looking at even more personal and financial sacrifices. Gotta ask yourself if it's worth it to you!
 
OP is the reason you are considering this because of family pressure.? You briefly mentioned family members being med student , residents etc. . Is it you that wants to be a doc or do your parents want you to be as successful as your cousins? You have to sort this out before you make any decisions. And you really need to stop making a negative response for every suggestion people are making. You have a 2.0 GPA. Repair isn't going to happen quickly. You are looking at several years. You have at least 14 retakes and that's not counting any Cs. Calm down and get yourself together. Convince yourself it's not going to happen overnight. You can maybe do this but you have to be realistic. Good luck.


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candbgirl said:
OP is the reason you are considering this because of family pressure.? You briefly mentioned family members being med student , residents etc. . Is it you that wants to be a doc or do your parents want you to be as successful as your cousins? You have to sort this out before you make any decisions. And you really need to stop making a negative response for every suggestion people are making. You have a 2.0 GPA. Repair isn't going to happen quickly. You are looking at several years. You have at least 14 retakes and that's not counting any Cs. Calm down and get yourself together. Convince yourself it's not going to happen overnight. You can maybe do this but you have to be realistic. Good luck.


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Click to expand...

Whats wrong with wanting to be successful? Also, whats wrong with not wanting to wait till 40 to start a family?
 
Jeeze, kid. You're like a guy on minimum wage who doesn't even have a driver's license saying "I can't be happy driving a Ford. Only a Mercedes, Porsche, Tesla, or Ferrari will work for me."

Regeneron said:
Im not saying that being 30 and starting med school makes you a worse student, I just mean in the sense that you're essentially 7-8 years behind the 23 year old in the game of life since marrying and starting a family in med school and/or residency is just impractical. Med school because lack of money (can't afford a decent wedding, kids, etc while living off student loans), residency because lack of time and money (no point in having kids if you're never home or are too burned out from work at the end of the day to be a good parent). I know not everyone feels this way and people have kids anyway, but personally, I don't see that as a smart move. I guess I'll wait till I'm 40 then to have kids if nothing else lol.



My company offers tuition support for up to 3 classes a term. They reimburse you up to 80% of the tuition for each class if you get an A. The problem as I mentioned, is that the classes I failed and did poorly in are all upper level biology classes which my local universities only offer during the day. This makes it difficult for someone like me working 9-5. I could do a second bachelors as you mentioned, but then I would have to be a student full-time and would have to pay for everything out of pocket. Yes I may get some financial aid, but I already have a sizeable student loan from undergrad, it wouldn't make sense to take on more loans for me at this point since getting into med school is apparently so far off into the future. A real dilemma no doubt.



Why is it unrealistic?



I don't know if I would be happy in family med, but I could see myself in internal med specialties like neuro (love reading about the brain), or oncology if ortho doesn't work out.
Click to expand...
 
Regeneron said:
Why is it unrealistic?
Click to expand...
There are two Matching systems through which one can enter an orthopedic surgery residency. The AOA Match, available only to DO candidates at this time, has only 120 spots, of which 118 were filled in the 2016 Match: https://www.natmatch.com/aoairp/stats/2016prgstats.html

The other, NRMP, is available to both MD and DO candidates (see page 8): http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Main-Match-Results-and-Data-2016.pdf .
It has 717 orthopedic residency spots, of which 4 were filled by DO candidates.

Characteristics of those successfully matching into Orthopedic Surgery (see page 175): http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Charting-Outcomes-2014-Final.pdf
 
Goro said:
Jeeze, kid. You're like a guy on minimum wage who doesn't even have a driver's license saying "I can't be happy driving a Ford. Only a Mercedes, Porsche, Tesla, or Ferrari will work for me."
Click to expand...

How do you accept that you'll never be good enough for a Ferrari? That even at your absolute best, you're just a run of the mill Ford, while you see Ferraris racing by you?
 
Regeneron said:
How do you accept that you'll never be good enough for a Ferrari? That even at your absolute best, you're just a run of the mill Ford, while you see Ferraris racing by you?
Click to expand...
I've gotten over the fact that I won't be America's Next Top Model.

I hope you find something that plays to your strengths and makes you happy.
 
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