I’m definitely not the only one! What should I do with my situation?

[joshualander]

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Hello,

I’m new to this forum and searched around for answers to my particular situation but it’s so unique that I couldn’t really find all the answers. I figured I’d share it and get some feedback while hopefully not asking information already posted.
Where do I begin? Well for your sake, I’ll try to keep it simple. I have considered medicine for many years while not deciding on it 100% and have taken most of the premed requirements at a community college a couple years ago more for my own interests as opposed to taking them as a requirement. I had A’s and B’s in them and finished my associates with a 3.7 gpa. It is important to note that I am a 27 year old student who spent 8 years to get my associates since college wasn’t originally my intention and I wasn’t focused or cared for that matter. Therefore my science gpa actually averages out to C’s and maybe some D’s because of numerous attempts on certain classes over the years including a few science prerequisites. With that being said, I am now finishing up my bachelors degree online in liberal arts at Umass Amherst. I have finally decided that I believe medicine is the right fit for me but obviously my path is quite hectic. Now from my understanding many medical schools prefer prerequisites be taken at at university or 4 year school. If this is the case then my question for you is...non-degree to redo prerequisites or post bacc to enhance gpa? Since 2018 when I returned to school, I have been incredibly focused and brought my previous CC gpa from 1.4 to 3.7 in a years time and I will finish my online degree with a 3.7 - 3.8 cGPA as well. sGPA averages out to 3.0 I believe. The current grades aren’t what will prevent me from moving forward, it’s the averaged grades including those from my past that brings my numbers down. I’m stuck here as to what to do and would appreciate some feedback from those who were or are in similar situations. Hopefully this isn’t too unorganized for you to understand. Thanks,

Josh

 

[deleted1085158]

I'm in a similar boat but I'm older than you. The one thing I have learned is that a very solid MCAT can go a long way.

Realistically, I think MD programs are long shots for those who are rehabilitating their GPA's but that doesn't mean you can't apply DO and still achieve your dreams. For at least the last decade I have seen all types of new programs come up and programs that are changing their incoming requirements. A few years ago there were two MS programs that I was interested in but I did not meet the qualifications and today those programs changed up their requirements and now I can apply.

You just have to grind it out if you want it bad enough. Like I said, get high grades from here on out and really approach the MCAT well. The past is the past.

 

[acstylin]

I was there too. After 80 credits at a 3.7 gpa, I pulled my GPA up to 3.05- good enough to meet min requirements at most schools. I did well on the MCAT (514) and applied broadly to MD and DO all over the country. I got a kajillion rejections. I counted. It was exactly one kajillion. I was accepted to my number one choice which was also my home state MD school and an MD in TX that I loved. I also scored a bunch of DO invites so I consider it a successful cycle all around. Re-invention is real. A lot of schools don’t care. Your low gpa is a permanent stain. A lot of schools do care though and they’ll welcome you with open arms.

 

[curbsideconsult]

Hello,

I’m new to this forum and searched around for answers to my particular situation but it’s so unique that I couldn’t really find all the answers. I figured I’d share it and get some feedback while hopefully not asking information already posted.
Where do I begin? Well for your sake, I’ll try to keep it simple. I have considered medicine for many years while not deciding on it 100% and have taken most of the premed requirements at a community college a couple years ago more for my own interests as opposed to taking them as a requirement. I had A’s and B’s in them and finished my associates with a 3.7 gpa. It is important to note that I am a 27 year old student who spent 8 years to get my associates since college wasn’t originally my intention and I wasn’t focused or cared for that matter. Therefore my science gpa actually averages out to C’s and maybe some D’s because of numerous attempts on certain classes over the years including a few science prerequisites. With that being said, I am now finishing up my bachelors degree online in liberal arts at Umass Amherst. I have finally decided that I believe medicine is the right fit for me but obviously my path is quite hectic. Now from my understanding many medical schools prefer prerequisites be taken at at university or 4 year school. If this is the case then my question for you is...non-degree to redo prerequisites or post bacc to enhance gpa? Since 2018 when I returned to school, I have been incredibly focused and brought my previous CC gpa from 1.4 to 3.7 in a years time and I will finish my online degree with a 3.7 - 3.8 cGPA as well. sGPA averages out to 3.0 I believe. The current grades aren’t what will prevent me from moving forward, it’s the averaged grades including those from my past that brings my numbers down. I’m stuck here as to what to do and would appreciate some feedback from those who were or are in similar situations. Hopefully this isn’t too unorganized for you to understand. Thanks,

Josh

A few thoughts:

• Online only classes =/= brick and mortar schools/classes forced to go online due to covid so your non-science med school prereqs (e.g. psychology, sociology) may not count.
• A good, formal post-bacc is likely out of the question for you if you're thinking of places like Bryn Mawr. The non-degree route is fine.
• Med schools are surprisingly good at detecting GPA trends and will look favorably on an upward curve.
• How do you know you want to do medicine?

 

[joshualander]

I'm in a similar boat but I'm older than you. The one thing I have learned is that a very solid MCAT can go a long way.

Realistically, I think MD programs are long shots for those who are rehabilitating their GPA's but that doesn't mean you can't apply DO and still achieve your dreams. For at least the last decade I have seen all types of new programs come up and programs that are changing their incoming requirements. A few years ago there were two MS programs that I was interested in but I did not meet the qualifications and today those programs changed up their requirements and now I can apply.

You just have to grind it out if you want it bad enough. Like I said, get high grades from here on out and really approach the MCAT well. The past is the past.

Hi,
Thanks for your feedback! I do believe that the MCAT will definitely give me a leg up if I can nail it. I thought perhaps I should finish my remaining prerequisites at university and then study like I’ve never studied before for the MCAT to hopefully demonstrate that those past grades weren’t a true representation of my abilities.
- Josh

 

[joshualander]

I was there too. After 80 credits at a 3.7 gpa, I pulled my GPA up to 3.05- good enough to meet min requirements at most schools. I did well on the MCAT (514) and applied broadly to MD and DO all over the country. I got a kajillion rejections. I counted. It was exactly one kajillion. I was accepted to my number one choice which was also my home state MD school and an MD in TX that I loved. I also scored a bunch of DO invites so I consider it a successful cycle all around. Re-invention is real. A lot of schools don’t care. Your low gpa is a permanent stain. A lot of schools do care though and they’ll welcome you with open arms.

Hi,

Congrats on your acceptance! If you don’t mind me asking, since your gpa was low for the average applicant, did you do any additional courses besides those in your degree? And you’re saying you had a science gpa of 3.05 right?
- Josh

 

[joshualander]

A few thoughts:

• Online only classes =/= brick and mortar schools/classes forced to go online due to covid so your non-science med school prereqs (e.g. psychology, sociology) may not count.
• A good, formal post-bacc is likely out of the question for you if you're thinking of places like Bryn Mawr. The non-degree route is fine.
• Med schools are surprisingly good at detecting GPA trends and will look favorably on an upward curve.
• How do you know you want to do medicine?

Hello,
You’re definitely right that the non-sci pre reqs might be difficult since they were done online. If I was going to do a post bacc, it would be through one of the local universities most likely but I was also considering others as well. My only thing is that I’ve found post baccs for career changers or gpa enhancements and I’ve completed almost all pre reqs with A’s and B’s, grades that don’t warrant needing to be retaken. I just worry that the actual courses they were all done at community college and won’t be viewed favorably and that’s why I feel the need to redo them.
There is one reason I want to be a doctor. Long story but I’ll keep it short. I’ve had 11 orthopedic surgeries, 10 for one condition and having to overcome the obstacles in my life while witnessing a skilled team of doctors essentially rebuild me has convinced me that I want to be on the other side of the table changing lives for the better, just as these men and women did for me.
- Josh

 

[acstylin]

Hi,

Congrats on your acceptance! If you don’t mind me asking, since your gpa was low for the average applicant, did you do any additional courses besides those in your degree? And you’re saying you had a science gpa of 3.05 right?
- Josh

My overall was 3.05. I don’t remember my science breakdown. I didn’t get a bachelors as a young person. I only got an A.S. When I came back to school I finished my bachelors and completed the med school pre-reqs.