How do I overcome a 2.5 undergrad GPA (non science major)?

[Northstar208]

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I have been searching this forum for hours and although I have found an abundance of information, none of it specifically caters to my particular situation. I graduated from UCLA with a 2.547 gpa and an African American Studies major. I want to pursue a career as an MD. My problem is I cannot find any post-bac programs what accept such a low GPA aside from SFSU. Also, even with SFSU which has a minimum GPA requirement of a 2.5, a 2.547 is not exactly competitive. I have been searching for programs for hours. I do not have a clue what I should do. I know there is no fixing a crap undergrad GPA but there has to be some way I can make up for past mistakes. Should I attend community college and take med school prerequisites there? I am willing to do whatever it takes. I just need some assistance from people that have experience with such things.

Additional Info: Also, I have looked into the University of California Post Bac Consortium, the AAMC website, and this website. All programs, aside from SFSU, require higher GPA requirements to apply.

 

[amazing tekkers]

Why is your gpa so low?

Are you an under-represented minority (black, mexican, etc.)?

Did you take medical school prerequisites while you were in college?

 

[Northstar208]

Yes I am an under-represented minority. I did not take medical school prerequisites in college. My gpa is low for a lot of reasons including but not limited to problems with alcoholism... if i'm being honest.

 

[QuentinT88]

Why is your gpa so low?

Are you an under-represented minority (black, mexican, etc.)?

Did you take medical school prerequisites while you were in college?

I don't see the relevance in asking the op if he/she is a urm. it has no basis. That being said, I can imagine UCLA ( a top 25 school) is a rigorous school, even in non-science majors. But a 2.5 even from a top school won't help with med school, as the op knows.

If I were you, I would look into (a) UCLA extension (b) Berkley extension (c) enrolling in a local state school as a "degree seeking" student while doing an informal post bacc. The last option should be considering a cc.

Op you def have your work cut out for you. But it is doable, especially if your aiming for DO schools. MD will be much, much harder to obtain

 

[Northstar208]

I keep seeing posts about DO schools as opposed to MD. Is it actually more doable for someone in a situation such as mine? Why is this a continuing trend? Also, I will look into enrolling in a local state school as a "degree seeking" student. I know that at UCLA, many of the extension courses are not taught by UCLA professors (I would not be surprised if extension courses were taught by CC professors) so I see no point in paying more just because they are said to be UCLA courses. UCLA extension just seems like a way to capitalize on the schools name without actually offering extension students the universities resources.

 

[MrLogan13]

If you are in CA, I don't see a problem doing an informal post bacc at a CC. I have five friends that have done their informal post baccs at a CA CC (within 40 minutes drive from UCLA...without traffic lol) and gain admission to medical schools. If you really, really want to avoid a CC and can't get into an SMP, take your pre-reqs as a non-degree seeking student at a UC campus.

 

[Northstar208]

Oh, I don't know. Maybe it has to do with the MILLION threads about how DO schools offer grade replacement.

Hmm, this information is new to me. Can you explain? Or post a link?

 

[Northstar208]

If you are in CA, I don't see a problem doing an informal post bacc at a CC. I have five friends that have done their informal post baccs at a CA CC (within 40 minutes drive from UCLA...without traffic lol) and gain admission to medical schools. If you really, really want to avoid a CC and can't get into an SMP, take your pre-reqs as a non-degree seeking student at a UC campus.

An informal post-bac at a CC? That does not sound realistic...

 

[QuentinT88]

An informal post-bac at a CC? That does not sound realistic...

It is realistic. Plenty of pple take this route. Although some med schools frown on cc classes for pre-req classes. But if your concern is money, than it might be your best option

 

[QuentinT88]

Hmm, this information is new to me. Can you explain? Or post a link?

Just google DO grade replacement. Or search the DO forums. It will be easy to pull a 2.5 to a 3.0 +. However, since you mentioned that you don't have any premed courses yet, the bulk of your retakes will be from non-science courses...

 

[MrLogan13]

An informal post-bac at a CC? That does not sound realistic...

Why does that not sound realistic? Plenty of people do this, especially non-trads. Personally, I did all my prereqs except for physics at a CC.

 

[Northstar208]

Just google DO grade replacement. Or search the DO forums. It will be easy to pull a 2.5 to a 3.0 +. However, since you mentioned that you don't have any premed courses yet, the bulk of your retakes will be from non-science courses...

Yes, all of my retakes will probably be from non science courses which should be incredibly easy provided I can find the right classes to match some of the courses I did poorly in at UCLA. I did Google DO grade replacement. So if I am applying to a DO school and I retake all of the classes I did poorly in at UCLA at a community or a cal state, DO schools will replace these poor grades with the new grades instead of average them? Correct?

 

[Northstar208]

Why does that not sound realistic? Plenty of people do this, especially non-trads. Personally, I did all my prereqs except for physics at a CC.

Sorry. The way I wrote that sounded off. I did not mean to say that you are wrong, I was actually wondering if that is a realistic option. I have been reading other forum posts about this subject and everybody seems to have a different opinion on the matter.

 

[MrLogan13]

Sorry. The way I wrote that sounded off. I did not mean to say that you are wrong, I was actually wondering if that is a realistic option. I have been reading other forum posts about this subject and everybody seems to have a different opinion on the matter.

Forget people's opinions, do what you need to do. Head over to the non-traditional forum and you'll find that there are quite a few people who have done this. At the very least, you could use it to raise your GPA enough to apply to an SMP. It'd be much cheaper than taking courses at a UC as a non-degree seeking student, although that's certainly an option if you want to do that.

 

[Northstar208]

Forget people's opinions, do what you need to do. Head over to the non-traditional forum and you'll find that there are quite a few people who have done this. At the very least, you could use it to raise your GPA enough to apply to an SMP. It'd be much cheaper than taking courses at a UC as a non-degree seeking student, although that's certainly an option if you want to do that.

I am glad that this is an option as it would make things so much easier for me given my current living situation. Thank you for the information and I will also look into SMP options.

 

[argle_bargle]

I am glad that this is an option as it would make things so much easier for me given my current living situation. Thank you for the information and I will also look into SMP options.

Do you have any clinical experience? Why do you want to go into medicine?

It sounds like you haven't taken any science classes so I think it's important that you really consider your options and motivations before diving in. It's a long road ahead and it's definitely not easy. Good luck.

 

[Northstar208]

Do you have any clinical experience? Why do you want to go into medicine?

It sounds like you haven't taken any science classes so I think it's important that you really consider your options and motivations before diving in. It's a long road ahead and it's definitely not easy. Good luck.

No, I do not have any clinical experience.

Medicine to me is an innovative field with limitless possibilities. I have been trying to figure out what I want to do with my life for years and nothing ever seems appealing to me, primarily because most things seem to lack excitement. A career in medicine will challenge me unlike most of the repetitive career choices out there. Also, I want something that I can devote myself to completely. I don't want to pursue a career for the sake of 'paying the bills.' I want my career to correlate with my character in a definitive way. Everything else literally seems far too dull for me. So it's either medicine or misery for me. Not to sound dramatic, but everything else seriously seems uninteresting to the point of misery lol. Oh, and I have to feel like I am doing something meaningful, as cliche as that sounds.

 

[argle_bargle]

Medicine to me is an innovative field with limitless possibilities. I have been trying to figure out what I want to do with my life for years and nothing ever seems appealing to me, primarily because most things seem to lack excitement. A career in medicine will challenge me unlike most of the repetitive career choices out there. Also, I want something that I can devote myself to completely. I don't want to pursue a career for the sake of 'paying the bills.' I want my career to correlate with my character in a definitive way. Everything else literally seems far too dull for me. So it's either medicine or misery for me. Not to sound dramatic, but everything else seriously seems uninteresting to the point of misery lol. Also, I do not have any clinical experience.

My advice would be to definitely volunteer or somehow spend some time inside a hospital/clinic/etc. I like what you said, but the reality is that medicine IS a job just like any other, and there are times when it is extremely repetitive. I work in a large ER and the one complaint I hear from physicians I work with IS the repetitive nature of the work which can really burn you out after a while. But it definitely is an interesting and challenging field and some people really develop a passion for it. Good luck with whatever you choose!

 

[NonTradJp]

If you can afford it, you can take extension classes without being in a formal post-bacc. I would suggest you talk to an extension advisor.

 

[Snoopy2006]

With all respect, you're worried about bringing your GPA up to get into a field you clearly do not understand. Going into medicine because everything else seems dull is one of the five worst reasons I've heard for going into medicine.

Medicine is not a field where you get an A for effort. You have an enormous amount of responsibility as a physician. A GPA of 2.5, even if brought up, will make many adcoms question whether you have the requisite skillset to succeed in medicine.

Your first priorities are to 1) make sure any problems with alcoholism are sorted out and in your past and 2) to work in the field for a period of time and get true exposure to the healthcare setting. Without exposure to medicine and a better understanding of why you chose this field, you're wasting your time bringing up your GPA.

 

[LizzyM]

It sounds like you need the expertise of @Goro who has a good handle on DO admissions and what it takes to reinvent one's self.

Personally, I'd suggest trying to get in as a non-degree student anywhere and starting with Biology I and II, Chem I and II and see how you do. Start slowly and aim for nothing less than A-.

 

[Northstar208]

My advice would be to definitely volunteer or somehow spend some time inside a hospital/clinic/etc. I like what you said, but the reality is that medicine IS a job just like any other, and there are times when it is extremely repetitive. I work in a large ER and the one complaint I hear from physicians I work with IS the repetitive nature of the work which can really burn you out after a while. But it definitely is an interesting and challenging field and some people really develop a passion for it. Good luck with whatever you choose!

I would love to do some volunteer work. That is something that I was actually looking into, it's just kind of hard to find information about.

 

[Northstar208]

With all respect, you're worried about bringing your GPA up to get into a field you clearly do not understand. Going into medicine because everything else seems dull is one of the five worst reasons I've heard for going into medicine.

Medicine is not a field where you get an A for effort. You have an enormous amount of responsibility as a physician. A GPA of 2.5, even if brought up, will make many adcoms question whether you have the requisite skillset to succeed in medicine.

Your first priorities are to 1) make sure any problems with alcoholism are sorted out and in your past and 2) to work in the field for a period of time and get true exposure to the healthcare setting. Without exposure to medicine and a better understanding of why you chose this field, you're wasting your time bringing up your GPA.

With respect, my original post was not intended to seek advise about my alcoholism. I simply mentioned it because somebody asked why my gpa was so low. Also, nothing that I have said conveys the idea that I believe that I will be able to jump into medicine and get "an A for effort." As mentioned previously, I understand the impact of my low undergrad GPA which is why I am dedicated to finding a way to circumvent past mistakes. One thing that I will take from your comment is the point about "exposure to medicine." I agree, I have a long road ahead of me and volunteer work is in no way out of the questions.

 

[Northstar208]

It sounds like you need the expertise of @Goro who has a good handle on DO admissions and what it takes to reinvent one's self.

Personally, I'd suggest trying to get in as a non-degree student anywhere and starting with Biology I and II, Chem I and II and see how you do. Start slowly and aim for nothing less than A-.

Very sound advise. I definitely agree with what you said about starting slowly. Also, when you say that I should try to get in as a non-degree student "anywhere," does that include cc's or are you referring only to four year institutions?

 

[Goro]

100% agree with this sound advice and others presented in this thread.

Personally, I'd suggest trying to get in as a non-degree student anywhere and starting with Biology I and II, Chem I and II and see how you do. Start slowly and aim for nothing less than A-.

Yes.
I keep seeing posts about DO schools as opposed to MD. Is it actually more doable for someone in a situation such as mine?

See above, "grade replacement." Retake all F/D/C science coursework. Does wonders for the GPA. You can DIY this anywhere, at your own pace.
Why is this a continuing trend? Also, I will look into enrolling in a local state school as a "degree seeking" student. I know that at UCLA, many of the extension courses are not taught by UCLA professors (I would not be surprised if extension courses were taught by CC professors) so I see no point in paying more just because they are said to be UCLA courses. UCLA extension just seems like a way to capitalize on the schools name without actually offering extension students the universities resources.


Must disagree with this. Reinvention by acing a post-bac or SMP, combined with an excellent MCAT score, is rewarded by a number of MD schools, such as Case, Duke, Vanderbilt, U Miami, and BU, to name a few. Plus, ALL DO schools.

A GPA of 2.5, even if brought up, will make many adcoms question whether you have the requisite skillset to succeed in medicine.


Start by inquiring at your local houses of worship.
I would love to do some volunteer work. That is something that I was actually looking into, it's just kind of hard to find information about.

 

[Northstar208]

My advice would be to definitely volunteer or somehow spend some time inside a hospital/clinic/etc. I like what you said, but the reality is that medicine IS a job just like any other, and there are times when it is extremely repetitive. I work in a large ER and the one complaint I hear from physicians I work with IS the repetitive nature of the work which can really burn you out after a while. But it definitely is an interesting and challenging field and some people really develop a passion for it. Good luck with whatever you choose!

Oh, and just a side note, I actually spend a substantial amount of time at hospitals due to one of my parents being severely ill.

100% agree with this sound advice and others presented in this thread.

Personally, I'd suggest trying to get in as a non-degree student anywhere and starting with Biology I and II, Chem I and II and see how you do. Start slowly and aim for nothing less than A-.

Yes.
I keep seeing posts about DO schools as opposed to MD. Is it actually more doable for someone in a situation such as mine?

See above, "grade replacement." Retake all F/D/C science coursework. Does wonders for the GPA. You can DIY this anywhere, at your own pace.
Why is this a continuing trend? Also, I will look into enrolling in a local state school as a "degree seeking" student. I know that at UCLA, many of the extension courses are not taught by UCLA professors (I would not be surprised if extension courses were taught by CC professors) so I see no point in paying more just because they are said to be UCLA courses. UCLA extension just seems like a way to capitalize on the schools name without actually offering extension students the universities resources.


Must disagree with this. Reinvention by acing a post-bac or SMP, combined with an excellent MCAT score, is rewarded by a number of MD schools, such as Case, Duke, Vanderbilt, U Miami, and BU, to name a few. Plus, ALL DO schools.

A GPA of 2.5, even if brought up, will make many adcoms question whether you have the requisite skillset to succeed in medicine.


Start by inquiring at your local houses of worship.
I would love to do some volunteer work. That is something that I was actually looking into, it's just kind of hard to find information about.

I am so glad that you decided to chime in. Seems like you are very knowledgeable about matters involving reinvention. Stupid question, what do you mean by "you can DIY this anywhere," regarding DO schools and ones ability to retake F/D/C courses? Also, does this only apply to science coursework? I ask because I only did poorly in two science classes during undergrad (C+). Most of my D's are in classes completely unrelated to science or med school prerequisites. Also, do you have any opinion about taking my prerequisites at a community college in California? And when you say that I should inquire about volunteer work at my local houses of worship, are you saying that these places offer volunteer work at hospitals and clinics? Thanks in advance for your assistance.

 

[Dr Turkelton]

I was in a similar situation a few years back and am getting ready to start at an MD school this summer. Can you just take classes at your undergrad as a non degree student? Spend 1 year taking a full course load of science classes and get as close to a 4.0 as possible. You need to prove to yourself and others that you can handle a rigorous science course load before you start thinking about med school.

 

[Goro]

teaching moment! this is NOT the same as shadowing and clinical volunteering. Anyone trying to claim they understand what they're getting into by doing this would be treated the same as someone trying to claim credit for breathing.

Oh, and just a side note, I actually spend a substantial amount of time at hospitals due to one of my parents being severely ill.


You can take such coursework at the local CC, or the local UG school.
what do you mean by "you can DIY this anywhere," regarding DO schools and ones ability to retake F/D/C courses?

Yes, grade replacement applies only to science classes.
Also, does this only apply to science coursework? I ask because I only did poorly in two science classes during undergrad (C+). Most of my D's are in classes completely unrelated to science or med school prerequisites.

DO schools are way less fussy about this than MD schools, which vary in their allowing CC coursework for the pre-reqs. We have a number of CA students in our classes, and they have plenty of CC credits, which do not hurt them in our Admissions process.

Also, do you have any opinion about taking my prerequisites at a community college in California?

No, I'm talking about non-clinical ECs, which show us your humanism and altruism.
Not all volunteering needs to be in a hospital. Think hospice, Planned Parenthood, nursing homes, rehab facilities, crisis hotlines, camps for sick children, or clinics.
And when you say that I should inquire about volunteer work at my local houses of worship, are you saying that these places offer volunteer work at hospitals and clinics?

 

[Northstar208]

I was in a similar situation a few years back and am getting ready to start at an MD school this summer. Can you just take classes at your undergrad as a non degree student? Spend 1 year taking a full course load of science classes and get as close to a 4.0 as possible. You need to prove to yourself and others that you can handle a rigorous science course load before you start thinking about med school.

I appreciate your advice. Unfortunately, I cannot afford to take classes at my undergrad school as a non degree student.

 

[Northstar208]

teaching moment! this is NOT the same as shadowing and clinical volunteering. Anyone trying to claim they understand what they're getting into by doing this would be treated the same as someone trying to claim credit for breathing.

Oh, and just a side note, I actually spend a substantial amount of time at hospitals due to one of my parents being severely ill.


You can take such coursework at the local CC, or the local UG school.
what do you mean by "you can DIY this anywhere," regarding DO schools and ones ability to retake F/D/C courses?

Yes, grade replacement applies only to science classes.
Also, does this only apply to science coursework? I ask because I only did poorly in two science classes during undergrad (C+). Most of my D's are in classes completely unrelated to science or med school prerequisites.

DO schools are way less fussy about this than MD schools, which vary in their allowing CC coursework for the pre-reqs. We have a number of CA students in our classes, and they have plenty of CC credits, which do not hurt them in our Admissions process.

Also, do you have any opinion about taking my prerequisites at a community college in California?

No, I'm talking about non-clinical ECs, which show us your humanism and altruism.
Not all volunteering needs to be in a hospital. Think hospice, Planned Parenthood, nursing homes, rehab facilities, crisis hotlines, camps for sick children, or clinics.
And when you say that I should inquire about volunteer work at my local houses of worship, are you saying that these places offer volunteer work at hospitals and clinics?

Great advice.

I actually have a foot in for volunteer work at a rehab facility. I will definitely try to make that happen.

Ok so thus far, based on the much appreciated information provided by yourself and others on the forum I can conclude that CC classes are an option if it is all that I can afford, volunteer work is a must, and that DO schools might be worth some serious consideration.

 

[Instatewaiter]

No, I do not have any clinical experience.

Medicine to me is an innovative field with limitless possibilities. I have been trying to figure out what I want to do with my life for years and nothing ever seems appealing to me, primarily because most things seem to lack excitement. A career in medicine will challenge me unlike most of the repetitive career choices out there. Also, I want something that I can devote myself to completely. I don't want to pursue a career for the sake of 'paying the bills.' I want my career to correlate with my character in a definitive way. Everything else literally seems far too dull for me. So it's either medicine or misery for me. Not to sound dramatic, but everything else seriously seems uninteresting to the point of misery lol. Oh, and I have to feel like I am doing something meaningful, as cliche as that sounds.

Medicine is also monotonous at times. It is also a much longer road than you realize. You're probably looking at 2-3 years of grade rehab just to get into medical school, perhaps longer. Then 4 years of schooling which is much more difficult and demanding in terms of time and effort than anything you experienced at UCLA. Then residency which will be even more of a time suck than that.

You have literally ZERO experience with medicine and have clearly a superficial understanding of the process to get in and more importantly the process to get through medical school. You havent even done any clinical volunteering/shadowing. Come on. Don't get caught up in the glamorization of medicine. It is not always as glamorous as people think, especially not the training part. You need to do a lot more research before you embark on this journey.

Start by perusing the post-bacc forum and by doing a little shadowing.

 

[deleted480308]

I appreciate your advice. Unfortunately, I cannot afford to take classes at my undergrad school as a non degree student.

Then sign up as a degree student but ignore the degree and take only the classes you need

 

[Northstar208]

Medicine is also monotonous at times. It is also a much longer road than you realize. You're probably looking at 2-3 years of grade rehab just to get into medical school, perhaps longer. Then 4 years of schooling which is much more difficult and demanding in terms of time and effort than anything you experienced at UCLA. Then residency which will be even more of a time suck than that.

You have literally ZERO experience with medicine and have clearly a superficial understanding of the process to get in and more importantly the process to get through medical school. You havent even done any clinical volunteering/shadowing. Come on. Don't get caught up in the glamorization of medicine. It is not always as glamorous as people think, especially not the training part. You need to do a lot more research before you embark on this journey.

Start by perusing the post-bacc forum and by doing a little shadowing.

I don't really understand what you are trying to say. Of course I have ZERO experience with medicine. I am an aspiring medical professional not an MD. My understanding of the process to get in is in no way superficial so I don't understand where you got that from. Further, who said that my understanding of medicine is based on the ideology that the career path is potentially glamorous? Also, my research is continuous. That is to say that I am constantly doing research and asking questions. I know that I have not yet done any clinical volunteering/shadowing. I am still in the process of gathering information. Most of your points have absolutely nothing to do with anything that has been mentioned in this post. It sort of begs the question... what point are you trying to emphasize?

 

[Northstar208]

Then sign up as a degree student but ignore the degree and take only the classes you need

I don't understand what you mean. Are you saying that I should re-apply to my undergraduate school in pursuit of another degree?

 

[premedbrah]

Just take classes at SMC or UCLA extension

Retake any D's or F's if you can. Enroll and complete your science pre-reqs. I don't see what all the fuss is about plenty of people have done this. Just checkout the 'Non-trad' section of the forums.

Also read every page of the Low GPA success stories thread. Goodluck

 

[Northstar208]

Just take classes at SMC or UCLA extension?

Yes, SMC or any CC would be ideal. This is probably what I will do.

 

[QuentinT88]

Medicine is also monotonous at times. It is also a much longer road than you realize. You're probably looking at 2-3 years of grade rehab just to get into medical school, perhaps longer. Then 4 years of schooling which is much more difficult and demanding in terms of time and effort than anything you experienced at UCLA. Then residency which will be even more of a time suck than that.

You have literally ZERO experience with medicine and have clearly a superficial understanding of the process to get in and more importantly the process to get through medical school. You havent even done any clinical volunteering/shadowing. Come on. Don't get caught up in the glamorization of medicine. It is not always as glamorous as people think, especially not the training part. You need to do a lot more research before you embark on this journey.

Start by perusing the post-bacc forum and by doing a little shadowing.

I think this is for sure the case for most pre-meds, or pple with little knowledge of what the path actually entails. But it seems like the op is doing his/her due diligence.

 

[Instatewaiter]

I don't really understand what you are trying to say. Of course I have ZERO experience with medicine. I am an aspiring medical professional not an MD. My understanding of the process to get in is in no way superficial so I don't understand where you got that from. Further, who said that my understanding of medicine is based on the ideology that the career path is potentially glamorous? Also, my research is continuous. That is to say that I am constantly doing research and asking questions. I know that I have not yet done any clinical volunteering/shadowing. I am still in the process of gathering information. Most of your points have absolutely nothing to do with anything that has been mentioned in this post. It sort of begs the question... what point are you trying to emphasize?

What I'm trying to emphasize is that you are about to go headlong into a process without having done any research on what medicine actually is. How can you actually know that you want to do something if you havent even spent the time to figure out what the job is actually like. It's medicine or misery for you? Really? Without having spent 10 minutes with a doctor seeing what he does. Really!?

First figure out what medicine is about. Then figure out how to get in. My point is, don't waste years of your life until you know you really want to go to medical school. You can't know. It appears from your posts you are just disillusioned with your other options.

 

[premedbrah]

Yes, SMC or any CC would be ideal. This is probably what I will do.

I edited my post with some advice I strongly advise you follow whats on those threads. It will help you with a game plan. Get some Volunteering experience at the local hospitals, I'm sure UCLA has some sort of program. Also; UCLA has numerous URM Programs for Pre-Meds you can join so check those out as well.

One last thing, SMC is a great CC with professors from USC and UCLA teaching there. I went there for a bit and definitely felt like it was a great experience (for a CC). The parking sucks though.

 

[Northstar208]

What I'm trying to emphasize is that you are about to go headlong into a process without having done any research on what medicine actually is. How can you actually know that you want to do something if you havent even spent the time to figure out what the job is actually like. It's medicine or misery for you? Really? Without having spent 10 minutes with a doctor seeing what he does. Really!?

First figure out what medicine is about. Then figure out how to get in. My point is, don't waste years of your life until you know you really want to go to medical school. You can't know. It appears from your posts you are just disillusioned with your other options.

Again, I ask. How do you know the extent of my research?

Seriously, I have no problem with suggestions and/or opinions, but you are just taking shots for the sake of taking shots. You are assuming I am blindly ambitious and you are assuming that I am a person that did zero research and woke up one day and decided I wanted to pursue medicine. This decision is not something that I take lightly. You actually have no idea how extensive my research is. You have no reason to assume that I am going "headlong into a process without having done any research." Furthermore, none of your comments have proved beneficial or helpful. So if you don't mind, I'd appreciate you saving your breath if you don't have any actual advice to contribute.

 

[Northstar208]

I edited my post with some advice I strongly advise you follow whats on those threads. It will help you with a game plan. Get some Volunteering experience at the local hospitals, I'm sure UCLA has some sort of program. Also; UCLA has numerous URM Programs for Pre-Meds you can join so check those out as well.

One last thing, SMC is a great CC with professors from USC and UCLA teaching there. I went there for a bit and definitely felt like it was a great experience (for a CC). The parking sucks though.

I completely agree. I've taken classes at SMC and they were just as rigorous and extensive as UCLA coursework. I've sat in on a couple of extension courses while I was still attending UCLA and I was not impressed. SMC is probably one of the best community colleges out there. When you say URM programs for Pre-Meds at UCLA I assume you are referring to the University of California Post-Bac Consortium?

 

[Northstar208]

Again, I ask. How do you know the extent of my research?

 

[medic86]

Seriously, I have no problem with suggestions and/or opinions, but you are just taking shots for the sake of taking shots. You are assuming I am blindly ambitious and you are assuming that I am a person that did zero research and woke up one day and decided I wanted to pursue medicine. This decision is not something that I take lightly. You actually have no idea how extensive my research is. You have no reason to assume that I am going "headlong into a process without having done any research." Furthermore, none of your comments have proved beneficial or helpful. So if you don't mind, I'd appreciate you saving your breath if you don't have any actual advice to contribute.

He didn't take any shots.

You need to grow some thicker skin.

 

[Northstar208]

He didn't take any shots.

You need to grow some thicker skin.

By shots I mean, he is making assumptions lacking support. Thicker skin? maybe you misinterpret my emotions? All I am saying is that the original posts purpose was to seek information concerning specific questions. It's a waste of time to deter the conversation elsewhere. I guess that's all I will say on the matter.

 

[Northstar208]

I would like to thank everybody for the assistance. The information retained from this thread has been substantial. Wish you all the best!

 

[jamcat]

Folks, if Northstar doesn't like medicine or can't hack it in the sciences, he'll realize that over the course of his post-bacc studies and will not pursue medicine. I'm not sure we need to question his motives at this point.

Northstar, just start acting like a pre-med. You can take whatever courses you need wherever it works for you considering your work schedule, your financial situation, and the course offerings. DO will be the most direct route for you with their grade replacement policies. You now need to be quite obsessive about grades. Start shadowing and volunteering to get a better feel for the field. If you continue to be drawn to medicine, you'll be on the right path. If you realize it's not for you, having some classes with better grades on your record will only help you in whatever career you decide to pursue.

Also recognize that this is going to take quite a few years. Depending on if you have to work to support yourself, you're probably at least 3 years out from being able to apply, and then applying takes a year, so at least four years until you could begin medical school. The best words of wisdom on here is that this is a marathon, not a sprint.

Finally, head over to the non-trad forum, since that's what you'll be. You'll find people who have been through similar situations that might be able to offer a more balanced perspective.

 

[premedbrah]

Folks, if Northstar doesn't like medicine or can't hack it in the sciences, he'll realize that over the course of his post-bacc studies and will not pursue medicine. I'm not sure we need to question his motives at this point.

Northstar, just start acting like a pre-med. You can take whatever courses you need wherever it works for you considering your work schedule, your financial situation, and the course offerings. DO will be the most direct route for you with their grade replacement policies. You now need to be quite obsessive about grades. Start shadowing and volunteering to get a better feel for the field. If you continue to be drawn to medicine, you'll be on the right path. If you realize it's not for you, having some classes with better grades on your record will only help you in whatever career you decide to pursue.

Also recognize that this is going to take quite a few years. Depending on if you have to work to support yourself, you're probably at least 3 years out from being able to apply, and then applying takes a year, so at least four years until you could begin medical school. The best words of wisdom on here is that this is a marathon, not a sprint.

Finally, head over to the non-trad forum, since that's what you'll be. You'll find people who have been through similar situations that might be able to offer a more balanced perspective.

^^^I second everything he says. The bolded points I just really liked 😀

I completely agree. I've taken classes at SMC and they were just as rigorous and extensive as UCLA coursework. I've sat in on a couple of extension courses while I was still attending UCLA and I was not impressed. SMC is probably one of the best community colleges out there. When you say URM programs for Pre-Meds at UCLA I assume you are referring to the University of California Post-Bac Consortium?

Yes there is that program as well as other Summer URM Mentorship programs for Pre-Med/Pre-Dental students. If its possible even have a look at UCI's Post-Bacc program if a formal one is more of interest to you. But IMO the CC route at SMC seems the most reasonable for price/convenience relative to the quality of education you'll receive.

 

[Northstar208]

^^^I second everything he says. The bolded points I just really liked 😀



Yes there is that program as well as other Summer URM Mentorship programs for Pre-Med/Pre-Dental students. If its possible even have a look at UCI's Post-Bacc program if a formal one is more of interest to you. But IMO the CC route at SMC seems the most reasonable for price/convenience relative to the quality of education you'll receive.

I agree. Also, I am not eligible to apply to most formal post bac programs because of my low undergrad gpa.

 

[Northstar208]

Folks, if Northstar doesn't like medicine or can't hack it in the sciences, he'll realize that over the course of his post-bacc studies and will not pursue medicine. I'm not sure we need to question his motives at this point.

Northstar, just start acting like a pre-med. You can take whatever courses you need wherever it works for you considering your work schedule, your financial situation, and the course offerings. DO will be the most direct route for you with their grade replacement policies. You now need to be quite obsessive about grades. Start shadowing and volunteering to get a better feel for the field. If you continue to be drawn to medicine, you'll be on the right path. If you realize it's not for you, having some classes with better grades on your record will only help you in whatever career you decide to pursue.

Also recognize that this is going to take quite a few years. Depending on if you have to work to support yourself, you're probably at least 3 years out from being able to apply, and then applying takes a year, so at least four years until you could begin medical school. The best words of wisdom on here is that this is a marathon, not a sprint.

Finally, head over to the non-trad forum, since that's what you'll be. You'll find people who have been through similar situations that might be able to offer a more balanced perspective.

Wow, thank you so much. This is exactly my point.

 

[Instatewaiter]

Again, I ask. How do you know the extent of my research?

Seriously, I have no problem with suggestions and/or opinions, but you are just taking shots for the sake of taking shots. You are assuming I am blindly ambitious and you are assuming that I am a person that did zero research and woke up one day and decided I wanted to pursue medicine. This decision is not something that I take lightly. You actually have no idea how extensive my research is. You have no reason to assume that I am going "headlong into a process without having done any research." Furthermore, none of your comments have proved beneficial or helpful. So if you don't mind, I'd appreciate you saving your breath if you don't have any actual advice to contribute.

You have no clinical experience. That's like saying I know I want to be a jet fighter and I'd be miserable without being a jet fighter, but ps I have never been on a plane