I have considering giving up.

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Carbon090

Carbon090

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As of right now I go to a small school in Pennsylvania, my gpa is a 4.00. The problem is that I'm behind. After my first semester last year, I was forced to take the following spring semester off because of loan problems, so I took Gen. Chem 2 in the summer so I could take Organic in the fall.

I just got my first Organic Chem exam back and got an 86. And honestly it completely discouraged me. I studied to the point where I could give a speech about what was on that exam yet I got an 86, and this is one of those times where I really don't feel as if I'm doctor material. I have friends who are out having a blast and I'm always studying or doing school things.

I just need advice whether I should still go for it or just get a ph.D. The worst part is that my major is biochem and I love this stuff, yet that grade kind of just smacked me in the face. Does anyone else feel this way?
 
dont worry

it's always sunny in Philadelphia
 
OP, I know MDs that had under 3.0 GPAs in college, and are tremendously successful and gifted healers today.

The point is, getting an 86 on an organic assessment is by no means the litmus test of your medical viability or ability.

Organic is tough material, learn from your mistakes, reshape your thinking, and keep your eye on the prize.

Life throws curveballs, it sounds like its prime time to learn how to hit them.

You can do it!
 
We all run up against our share of hard tests, even if we think we rocked it. Don't let one test grade discourage you (I'd be saying this even if you got an F).

It sounds like you might need more of a work/life balance. Good doctors have more than just book smarts. Get out there and find an activity that you enjoy that has nothing to do with your medical school dreams. It will make you a more well-rounded person.
 
so.... much...... troll..............
 
"I have considering giving up."

LOL wut?
 
If an 86 isn't an A in your ochem class, your ochem class isn't very hard.
 
Response if troll (99% probability):

failed_troll.jpg


Response if not troll (1% probability):

If an 86 on an exam makes you unsettled, you probably shouldn't go into medicine. Or you need to do some serious reevaluation of yourself and chill the hell out.
 
Carbon090 said:
As of right now I go to a small school in Pennsylvania, my gpa is a 4.00. The problem is that I'm behind. After my first semester last year, I was forced to take the following spring semester off because of loan problems, so I took Gen. Chem 2 in the summer so I could take Organic in the fall.

I just got my first Organic Chem exam back and got an 86. And honestly it completely discouraged me. I studied to the point where I could give a speech about what was on that exam yet I got an 86, and this is one of those times where I really don't feel as if I'm doctor material. I have friends who are out having a blast and I'm always studying or doing school things.

I just need advice whether I should still go for it or just get a ph.D. The worst part is that my major is biochem and I love this stuff, yet that grade kind of just smacked me in the face. Does anyone else feel this way?
Click to expand...

I just got a bio exam back and got a score that was close to yours, and I was also pretty bummed because I felt like I had completely mastered the material. Like your score, it's also an A when you factor in the curve, but it still is discouraging. Deep down, I know that it's neurotic and petty to get hung up on it, and you probably know that too. The moral of the story is to separate the things that matter from the things that don't. 1 exam score, or one grade for a course are things that don't matter. My 0.02.
 
For those of you who replied I appreciate it.

Anyway it was 5 in the morning when I typed this, I was really tired so I do apologize to those to took offense of my English.

I'm hung up on a lot of family issues so the grade bothered me more than it should have, I realize now that it is only one exam and I do have a tendency of being high strung.

Anyway thanks!
 
Devastating personal problems aside, an 86 on an undergraduate exam is not something to freak out about. For one, it is pretty high for an organic chemistry class, and other posters above seem to agree (your prof may end up scaling the exam and/or final grades anyway). Second, it is far from being a significant event, or even a significant test, in your life. If you're serious about medical school, you will have to deal with the MCAT, all your shelf exams, the boards, etc. If you're going to let a major life goal hinge on your performance on one undergrad exam (particularly when that performance was actually decent, if not "perfect")... I'm a little concerned. If you truly want to go into medicine, you should not let one test dictate your ambitions. And if you eventually get there, you'd better be prepared to deal with situations that aren't perfect.

(I apologize if this sounds harsh; it's impossible to convey tone on the internet. However, too many good people become obsessed with things like this, and it doesn't lead them down a good road.)
 
I appreciate it ssajm.

You are absolutely right, and it's true I over reacted. Normally something like this wouldn't bother me at all, since I usually just make sure I know the material for the next exam better. Just a slight impulse of reacting the wrong way.
 
Give up. We have enough neurotics types like you in med school already, it kills the fun!
 
ehe why in the world would you worry with an 86 on the first exam??? I scored Bs in all my Ochem 1 exams 96 on a makeup exam and ended up with like the 3rd highest grade in the class of 35+ oh ya my 84 average got curved to an solid A+ .. Our ochem test is all fill in the blank, drawing mechanisms etc no easy stuff..
If I had a GPA like yours going into ochem I would be more worried about how in the world can I get a 35+ MCAT so I can get in a top tier medical school lol..
 
ColeOnTheRoll said:
Response if troll (99% probability):

failed_troll.jpg


Response if not troll (1% probability):

If an 86 on an exam makes you unsettled, you probably shouldn't go into medicine. Or you need to do some serious reevaluation of yourself and chill the hell out.
Click to expand...

by listening to lil wayne 🙂?
 
Carbon090 said:
For those of you who replied I appreciate it.

Anyway it was 5 in the morning when I typed this, I was really tired so I do apologize to those to took offense of my English.

I'm hung up on a lot of family issues so the grade bothered me more than it should have, I realize now that it is only one exam and I do have a tendency of being high strung.

Anyway thanks!
Click to expand...


People aren't taking offense to your English, they are thinking you are most likely trying to brag about your grades.

Look, on the off chance that you are for seriously (serious):

1. All that matters is the final grade. An 86% on a quiz is not going to be on you transcripts, so don't worry.

2. There are plenty of people who get far worse grades on their transcripts and get in to med school.

3. You are going to have to learn to cope with "failure" (which this isn't, but you think it is). Nobody is perfect, and if you take an 86% that hard, what are you going to do when a patient dies even though you gave it your best shot? It will happen, and if you can't accept that kind of thing, then maybe this really isn't for you. Not trying to be mean, it's just the truth.

If you really want to be a doctor you won't give up at the slightest sign of resistance, which again, this really isn't.
 
I remember once I got a 43/125 on Organic II and it was a solid B!
 
Don't feel discouraged, although you are in for a rough road ahead. I shadowed a neurosurgeon this summer and he told me that if you don't ace your first orgo exam, you should probably start researching Caribbean med schools.

Here's an intuitive guide which should help you master Orgo I:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0&feature=related
 
Carbon090 said:
As of right now I go to a small school in Pennsylvania, my gpa is a 4.00. The problem is that I'm behind. After my first semester last year, I was forced to take the following spring semester off because of loan problems, so I took Gen. Chem 2 in the summer so I could take Organic in the fall.

I just got my first Organic Chem exam back and got an 86. And honestly it completely discouraged me. I studied to the point where I could give a speech about what was on that exam yet I got an 86, and this is one of those times where I really don't feel as if I'm doctor material. I have friends who are out having a blast and I'm always studying or doing school things.

I just need advice whether I should still go for it or just get a ph.D. The worst part is that my major is biochem and I love this stuff, yet that grade kind of just smacked me in the face. Does anyone else feel this way?
Click to expand...

Look even if you decided to take 5 years to finish your BS you won't be behind. There are brilliant people who don't get into med school until late 20's early 30's or later.

Besides that, Organic isn't about recitation, it's about understanding. Maybe you need a tutor to get a different perspective on the material.

Next, that self-loathing attitude isn't going to cut it, if you want it stop crying over an 86 and just work your a** of on labwork and homework to help with the grade. Besides now you know what you're up against on the exam.

Furthermore, be more careful about how you word things, thousands of people are extremely happy about having "just a Ph.D" because it is the one thing that they really wanted to do with their life. Don't ever think your better than someone else just because you have a different opinion of their pursuits. Technically your still a freshmen so learn these lessons now before that attitude hurts you.

I know you're not a troll kid, so don't come on here sounding like one, search around this site for inspirational stories if you need one. But don't whine about your 4.0 being in jeopardy. SDN has bigger fish to fry.
 
don't let that bring you down... if anything, that should be motivation to study harder. if your unsure about whether to go the md or phd route, get some clinical and research experience... that will definitely help you decide what to do with your life.
 
hahaha a 86 on a test is bad? I've gotten a couple C-'s on test before, seriously, a 86 in Ochem is pretty good and you should be happy with that because with the curve that will round up to a solid A...Wow your 4.0 is more then enough to get you to medical school especially with a solid >30 Mcat score. Seriously lots of people get in to medical school with less then a 4.0...And one B on a test won't kill you, willing to admit it or not lots of people on this board havve done poor on test i guarantee it dont feel to bad you should be happy with a 86 in ochem
 
Sorry if i'm feeding a troll but...

I would have killed to get an 86 on my ochem exam. Our class averages were like 40% or lower on every exam

If you are not aware of this already, a lot of pre-meds don't do so hot in ochem and have gotten into med school just fine. Be thankful that you somehow amazingly have a knack for it or go to a school where it's not as hard as it should be.
 
...
 
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