I F’d up and I F’d up bad.

[AcedOchem]

Good afternoon all,

Before I begin this post I’d like to ask that if you do not have anything positive, or at the very least constructive to say, please do not bother. I’ve belittled, harassed and patronized myself enough as it is. With that being said, hello! I am a 1st year SMP student who made possibly the worst decision ever by attending. For context, my undergrad degree is in biology with an upward trend cgpa of 3.1 and sgpa of 2.9 I believe. Undergrad GPA is horrible because I wasn’t focused and put very minimal effort into college. Why? Because I was unsure of myself and what I wanted to do with my life. I was poli-sci until the summer going into my junior year. At an attempt to graduate with my friends I took full course loads (18 credits) from sophomore summer up until I graduated. Thus, I experienced burn out. I was so fixated checking off a list of things to do to get accepted into medical school I foolishly went the smp route and bit off more than I could chew. The program itself is fine, but I am so burned out I couldn’t bring myself to crack open a book. That being said my GPA is bad at a 2.5 rn. I’m set to take mcat June 22nd and have been studying. My latest practice exam I got a 518 (ask for breakdown if you want). What I’ve deduced is that I’m not stupid, just lacked discipline. To make a longish story short, I have one semester left and need to ask chat… am I cooked? Seriously though, please someone help me. I refuse to accept that my medical career has ended and it hasn’t even started. Im literally 22 years old there’s no way, right? I will actually go to a Caribbean med school and crush it just to be a physician if no other schools would accept me. I just don’t know how to Come back from this? Do I do undergrad over again and get a different degree? Do I drop out of this smp? Any feedback (that is once again, either positive or CONSTRUCTIVE is welcomed)

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[Mr.Smile12]

To be fair, can you give us relevant information according to the template?

*~*~*~*IMPORTANT: How to Format Your WAMC Thread for Optimal Results and More!!*~*~*~*

Hello, and welcome to the What Are My Chances (WAMC) forum. The purpose of this forum is to Post threads about your chances of acceptance to MD and/or DO schools Have your school list critiqued and modified by other members of SDN Determine how to strengthen your current application General...

forums.studentdoctor.net

What support are your SMP advisors giving you? What advice have you gotten from them?

 

[AJS59]

Good afternoon all,

Before I begin this post I’d like to ask that if you do not have anything positive, or at the very least constructive to say, please do not bother. I’ve belittled, harassed and patronized myself enough as it is. With that being said, hello! I am a 1st year SMP student who made possibly the worst decision ever by attending. For context, my undergrad degree is in biology with an upward trend cgpa of 3.1 and sgpa of 2.9 I believe. Undergrad GPA is horrible because I wasn’t focused and put very minimal effort into college. Why? Because I was unsure of myself and what I wanted to do with my life. I was poli-sci until the summer going into my junior year. At an attempt to graduate with my friends I took full course loads (18 credits) from sophomore summer up until I graduated. Thus, I experienced burn out. I was so fixated checking off a list of things to do to get accepted into medical school I foolishly went the smp route and bit off more than I could chew. The program itself is fine, but I am so burned out I couldn’t bring myself to crack open a book. That being said my GPA is bad at a 2.5 rn. I’m set to take mcat June 22nd and have been studying. My latest practice exam I got a 518 (ask for breakdown if you want). What I’ve deduced is that I’m not stupid, just lacked discipline. To make a longish story short, I have one semester left and need to ask chat… am I cooked? Seriously though, please someone help me. I refuse to accept that my medical career has ended and it hasn’t even started. Im literally 22 years old there’s no way, right? I will actually go to a Caribbean med school and crush it just to be a physician if no other schools would accept me. I just don’t know how to Come back from this? Do I do undergrad over again and get a different degree? Do I drop out of this smp? Any feedback (that is once again, either positive or CONSTRUCTIVE is welcomed)

Is the 2.5 GPA your SMP or your overall?

I will leave it up to the more experienced people on these forums with regards to your chances with your GPA (I haven't even started med school myself yet, lol) but if I may provide some advice, I don't think it'd be wise to go to a Caribbean med school. While it's not impossible to kick ass in the Caribbean and match you can read plenty of horror stories on these forums about people who went, found themselves with inadequate resources or overly burdensome classes and don't even make it to Step 1, and end up on the receiving end of a mountain of debt with no easy way to pay it off. Even those who make it through the Caribbean generally have a tougher time matching into quality programs; from what I can tell, most US residencies prefer US MDs and DOs infinitely more than Caribbean grads.

Here's a NY Times Article from 2021 for some more context: ‘It’s Tough to Get Out’: How Caribbean Medical Schools Fail Their Students (Published 2021)

Hope this helps a bit and sorry I can't provide any better advice than this.

 

[AcedOchem]

Is the 2.5 GPA your SMP or your overall?

I will leave it up to the more experienced people on these forums with regards to your chances with your GPA (I haven't even started med school myself yet, lol) but if I may provide some advice, I don't think it'd be wise to go to a Caribbean med school. While it's not impossible to kick ass in the Caribbean and match you can read plenty of horror stories on these forums about people who went, found themselves with inadequate resources or overly burdensome classes and don't even make it to Step 1, and end up on the receiving end of a mountain of debt with no easy way to pay it off. Even those who make it through the Caribbean generally have a tougher time matching into quality programs; from what I can tell, most US residencies prefer US MDs and DOs infinitely more than Caribbean grads.

Here's a NY Times Article from 2021 for some more context: ‘It’s Tough to Get Out’: How Caribbean Medical Schools Fail Their Students (Published 2021)

Hope this helps a bit and sorry I can't provide any better advice than this.

Thanks for the insight I really appreciate. And if you’re applying this cycle or have already been accepted, Congrats and best of luck! I know the horror stories of Caribbean but when push comes to shove do I really have a choice? Granted not thinking things through got me where I am right now so you might be on to something. No matter, we move!

 

[AcedOchem]

To be fair, can you give us relevant information according to the template?

*~*~*~*IMPORTANT: How to Format Your WAMC Thread for Optimal Results and More!!*~*~*~*

Hello, and welcome to the What Are My Chances (WAMC) forum. The purpose of this forum is to Post threads about your chances of acceptance to MD and/or DO schools Have your school list critiqued and modified by other members of SDN Determine how to strengthen your current application General...

forums.studentdoctor.net

What support are your SMP advisors giving you? What advice have you gotten from them?

My apologies I didn’t even see the template. As follows:

1. 3.1 cgpa 3.0 sgpa (as calc. By AMCAS)
2. Have not officially taken MCAT but my test scores in order as follows with breakdown of most recent. Diagnostic- 496, 1st FL, 504, 2nd FL, 509, 3rd FL, 518 (chem/phys- 130, CARS- 131, Bio/Biochem- 129, Psych/Soc 128)
3. In Massachusetts
4. Black American
5. Xavier University
6. 100 hrs of clinical exp.
7. 820 hrs of research in mRNA Vaccines (started around covid) started before I switched to premed and saw it through.
8. Have shadowed Emergency med, general practice, and dermatology. NP’s, PA’s and physicians.
9. Soup kitchens, homeless shelters, nursing homes, methadone clinic 500 hrs
10. Student government, bio peer mentor, tutor, and worked some jobs in undergrad.

And to answer the question about my advisors, they stopped responding to my emails haha. Haven’t talked to them in months. As you can see, I’m not that interesting. I grew up in what we would consider middle class. I don’t have a very unique story, I was lazy my first semester of college to where I got kicked out, had to appeal and was able to bring myself through out. After finishing went straight through to a sup burnt out as ever and am completely bombing. Not hanging it up until every med school personally tells me to with a handwritten letter that I’m stupid for even trying. Thanks people!! <3

 

[lanzhou_lamian]

You're not in a great position. You did poorly in undergrad, which happens. I think the bigger problem is you then did poorly in an SMP. The SMP is meant to be a second chance to not only show that you're academically capable, but also that you've matured and fixed the problems that prevented you from doing well the first time. With a 2.5 GPA, you've done neither of these things.

You've failed the SMP, so I don't think staying in or dropping out the SMP is really the question. If you stay, you need to make sure that you've figured out what you're doing wrong so that you can get as close to a 4.0 as possible. If you can't confidently say that, then leaving the SMP saves you money and more potential damage to your GPA.

Regardless, at some point, you're going to need to show schools that you're capable of performing well academically, because you haven't done that yet. That would probably be in the form of a DIY postbacc with upper level science courses. You will need to get near perfect grades in that. Even then, you'll need to apply broadly with many new schools and DO schools who are receptive to reinvention.

Lastly, I'd caution you against Caribbean schools. Caribbean schools prey on people just like you, people who have never succeeded academically who are convinced that they will magically be able to do so once they get into med school. There's a reason why attrition and match rates for Carib grads are so bad. You need to make major changes to how you approach academics before thinking about matriculating to a medical school, otherwise you're going to be another Carib failure statistic.

 

[AcedOchem]

You're not in a great position. You did poorly in undergrad, which happens. I think the bigger problem is you then did poorly in an SMP. The SMP is meant to be a second chance to not only show that you're academically capable, but also that you've matured and fixed the problems that prevented you from doing well the first time. With a 2.5 GPA, you've done neither of these things.

You've failed the SMP, so I don't think staying in or dropping out the SMP is really the question. If you stay, you need to make sure that you've figured out what you're doing wrong so that you can get as close to a 4.0 as possible. If you can't confidently say that, then leaving the SMP saves you money and more potential damage to your GPA.

Regardless, at some point, you're going to need to show schools that you're capable of performing well academically, because you haven't done that yet. That would probably be in the form of a DIY postbacc with upper level science courses. You will need to get near perfect grades in that. Even then, you'll need to apply broadly with many new schools and DO schools who are receptive to reinvention.

Lastly, I'd caution you against Caribbean schools. Caribbean schools prey on people just like you, people who have never succeeded academically who are convinced that they will magically be able to do so once they get into med school. There's a reason why attrition and match rates for Carib grads are so bad. You need to make major changes to how you approach academics before thinking about matriculating to a medical school, otherwise you're going to be another Carib failure statistic.

I see. I guess I should mention that I didn’t receive less than a 3.6 cgpa my following semesters just my first year was so bad it still wasn’t enough. I figured out my study habits and how to do it affectively, however I was taking 18 credits of classes for 6 semesters straight to ensure I could graduate because I couldn’t afford not to as my scholarship only lasted 4 years and I went to private school. Doing this caused me to be burned out, I didn’t realize it until I got to my smp.

 

[Faha]

Accumulate another 100+ hours of clinical volunteering with patient contact. Post your MCAT score here when available. The GPA-MCAT grid for Black applicants shows you have a ~75% chance for a MD acceptance if your MCAT is 508 or higher. You chances for DO schools is much higher with all the new schools that have opened up or will open up. When are you planning to take the MCAT ?

 

[AcedOchem]

I’m scheduled June 22nd. So a few more months of studying.

Accumulate another 100+ hours of clinical volunteering with patient contact. Post your MCAT score here when available. The GPA-MCAT grid for Black applicants shows you have a ~75% chance for a MD acceptance if your MCAT is 508 or higher. You chances for DO schools is much higher with all the new schools that have opened up or will open up. When are you planning to take the MCAT ?

 

[Faha]

I’m scheduled June 22nd. So a few more months of studying.

Post your score here when available in July and I will suggest MD and DO schools. Have your MD and DO applications complete in June and ready to submit when you receive your score.

 

[2324applicant]

Good afternoon all,

Before I begin this post I’d like to ask that if you do not have anything positive, or at the very least constructive to say, please do not bother. I’ve belittled, harassed and patronized myself enough as it is. With that being said, hello! I am a 1st year SMP student who made possibly the worst decision ever by attending. For context, my undergrad degree is in biology with an upward trend cgpa of 3.1 and sgpa of 2.9 I believe. Undergrad GPA is horrible because I wasn’t focused and put very minimal effort into college. Why? Because I was unsure of myself and what I wanted to do with my life. I was poli-sci until the summer going into my junior year. At an attempt to graduate with my friends I took full course loads (18 credits) from sophomore summer up until I graduated. Thus, I experienced burn out. I was so fixated checking off a list of things to do to get accepted into medical school I foolishly went the smp route and bit off more than I could chew. The program itself is fine, but I am so burned out I couldn’t bring myself to crack open a book. That being said my GPA is bad at a 2.5 rn. I’m set to take mcat June 22nd and have been studying. My latest practice exam I got a 518 (ask for breakdown if you want). What I’ve deduced is that I’m not stupid, just lacked discipline. To make a longish story short, I have one semester left and need to ask chat… am I cooked? Seriously though, please someone help me. I refuse to accept that my medical career has ended and it hasn’t even started. Im literally 22 years old there’s no way, right? I will actually go to a Caribbean med school and crush it just to be a physician if no other schools would accept me. I just don’t know how to Come back from this? Do I do undergrad over again and get a different degree? Do I drop out of this smp? Any feedback (that is once again, either positive or CONSTRUCTIVE is welcomed)

Absolutely do not do Caribbean schools. If your mcat pans out around your projected score, that will be your saving grace. You really need to boost your clinical hours and volunteer experiences though. I’d recommend considering to reapply next year instead of this year so you can work on these things. If you do, I feel like you’d have a good chance at DO schools. MD may be difficult with the gpa issues. Overall need to convey how much you want this despite your failures so far. If you don’t think you can improve yohr smp gpa I’d consider dropping or delaying graduation so that you can retake some classes bc schools want to see an upward trend. Delaying my app cycle one year more than I wanted was the best thing I could’ve done. Good luck

 

[Stuaccount]

Hi, so first of all, consider not belittling, harassing and patronizing yourself. I was expecting to read something egregious like academic dishonesty or close. You had a setback, that is all.

But now you have to learn to stop making rash decisions that lead to mistakes that compound the setbacks. That means asking yourself why you would be willing to go to a Caribbean school despite it being largely perceived as a very bad idea. At 22, you can afford to slow down and try your best for the best route rather than rush into the worst ones.

I second the DIY idea. Do it in increments. Take one class, make sure you get A in it, then 2 with 2 As etc. You have time on your side, use it to your advantage.

 

[anjie22]

hey! I don't really have advice for you bc i'm literallyyyy in the same situation (3.2 cGPA, 2.9 sGPA, failing my SMP lmao) but that being said, if you think it would be helpful to go through it w someone lmk/hmu <3