MD & DO I'm Lost and I Need Help

[xXVoicesXx]

2.53 sGPA at 34 credit hours
3.27 cGPA at 113 credit hours
NC student
Junior in Psychology

Pre-req classes taken: (1 year of general biology, 1 year of general chemistry, 1 advanced level biology, 1 statistics, 1 year of college level mathematics)

Bad grades: 1 F (math during high school; retaken with A), 1 W (biology, technically retaken, but not exact equivalent, but got an A), 1 W (chemistry, taken during high school, retook with a C), several C's (statistics, both chemistries, a few general-ed and major classes)

I also have a handful of psychology courses (as in, with the PSY course code instead of BIOL or MATH) that could technically be BCPM, but it's up to the AMCAS to decided. I didn't include them in the GPA or credit hour for sGPA, but it's nothing below a B

No research experience, no volunteer experience, no clinical experience, nothing useful
Of course, no MCAT

How do I go about med school? Because I'm obviously in a deep hole with very little help. I'm already planning on taking 1-2 years for a gap year. I'm done with my psychology major requirements (only 1-2 classes in undergrad psychology left, but I don't need the classes), so I was planning on using my senior year to do my first set of pre-reqs (orgo, physics, more biology), but I'm not going to do that if it's not worth it.

Had undiagnosed ADHD, depression, and anxiety. Finally been diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety (my depressive symptoms were not apparent enough at the time to be diagnosed, but I definitely had it during my freshman year of college) but awaiting treatment.

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[JibsGuy52]

You need to get A's in all sGPA courses immediately. Don't overdue yourself though. Only you know what you can handle.

You also need to start getting some EC work in. Volunteering, shadowing, clinical exposure, research, etc, etc.

MCAT is on the back burner for now. Take care of your more pressing issues first such as your coursework. Look to take an MCAT in a gap year where you can ensure you nail it. 505+ for DO schools with your stats is within range. MD is a longshot right now.

 

[rufflev]

Your sGPA is quite low for both MD/DO schools - you'll have to apply fairly broadly once the application process comes around.

I would recommend that you take a good amount of science courses in order to raise your sGPA; however, note that organic chemistry and physics are fairly difficult courses, so make sure you don't overload yourself that you do bad in your remaining courses. Furthermore, I would recommend doing a post-bacc program that focuses on raising your sGPA since you have relatively few credit hours and doing 1-2 years of course work will definitely raise it (if you do well).

In regards to your research/volunteer/clinical experience, I would recommend that you volunteer and shadow immediately. Find some opportunities where you can volunteer on a consistent basis, whether it be once a week or once a month. You'll want to build up your volunteering and to my knowledge, medical schools prefer seeing that you've volunteered over a long period of time, say 2 years at a clinic, than 100 hours in a month. (Plus you can falsify the number of hours volunteered more easily as not all organizations track your hours.)

As for your MCAT, I would say you should aim for the highest score possible since your GPA is low. In order to do this, make sure you know the best way to study for yourself (better to study efficiently) and also take multiple practice tests to gauge your score. You can search for other threads on this forum regarding study schedules and MCAT results.

*Edit - You might have to consider the fact that you may need to take more than 1-2 gap years.

 

[Goro]

Well, at this rate, you don't.

You need to fix what's broken first, and then start back at a long period of GPA salvage (not repair...you can't repair what you're at right now). You need to show Adcoms that you can handle med school and the way to do that is sustained acadmic excellence from now on.

Go read every post by the wise DrMidlife. Start here with post #6:
Paramedic to MD/DO - are there schools which waive prereqs?

And you also need to know what you're getting into. Start shadowing and volunteering with patients, and also do non-clinical volunteering as well. Yes, you need to do it all.

How do I go about med school? Because I'm obviously in a deep hole with very little help. I'm already planning on taking 1-2 years for a gap year. I'm done with my psychology major requirements (only 1-2 classes in undergrad psychology left, but I don't need the classes), so I was planning on using my senior year to do my first set of pre-reqs (orgo, physics, more biology), but I'm not going to do that if it's not worth it.

Had undiagnosed ADHD, depression, and anxiety. Finally been diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety (my depressive symptoms were not apparent enough at the time to be diagnosed, but I definitely had it during my freshman year of college) but awaiting treatment.[/QUOTE]

 

[precisiongraphic]

I would propose an alternate strategy. Unless your next year can't be postponed (like you have a full-ride scholarship that can't be deferred/delayed), I would suggest taking the gap years now. If you take more sciences and get Bs or worse, your pre-med dreams are over.
1) Graduate now (without taking more prerequisites) and get your mental and physical health totally stable.
2) Get a job as a scribe or as an administrator at a physician's office or something that relates to medicine. Continue to shadow MDs/DOs, volunteer etc. Do this for 12-18 months.
3) Then go back to school to take the rest of your prerequisite classes in a year or so when you're sure that you can get all As.
4) Start with repeating any science pre-reqs that you got Cs on. Get As.
5) Then take classes like cell bio, genetics, neurobiology - upper level science that you can do well on.
6) Then take physics, biochem, and Orgo Chem when you've really gotten your bearings and you know you can get As. (Except if you don't get an A on O-chem don't freak out.)

This is the longer way but a safer strategy.

2.53 sGPA at 34 credit hours
3.27 cGPA at 113 credit hours
NC student
Junior in Psychology

Pre-req classes taken: (1 year of general biology, 1 year of general chemistry, 1 advanced level biology, 1 statistics, 1 year of college level mathematics)

Bad grades: 1 F (math during high school; retaken with A), 1 W (biology, technically retaken, but not exact equivalent, but got an A), 1 W (chemistry, taken during high school, retook with a C), several C's (statistics, both chemistries, a few general-ed and major classes)

I also have a handful of psychology courses (as in, with the PSY course code instead of BIOL or MATH) that could technically be BCPM, but it's up to the AMCAS to decided. I didn't include them in the GPA or credit hour for sGPA, but it's nothing below a B

No research experience, no volunteer experience, no clinical experience, nothing useful
Of course, no MCAT

How do I go about med school? Because I'm obviously in a deep hole with very little help. I'm already planning on taking 1-2 years for a gap year. I'm done with my psychology major requirements (only 1-2 classes in undergrad psychology left, but I don't need the classes), so I was planning on using my senior year to do my first set of pre-reqs (orgo, physics, more biology), but I'm not going to do that if it's not worth it.

Had undiagnosed ADHD, depression, and anxiety. Finally been diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety (my depressive symptoms were not apparent enough at the time to be diagnosed, but I definitely had it during my freshman year of college) but awaiting treatment.

 

[Kouneko]

@Goro She only has 34 credits in her sciences though. Really wouldn't call it a need for GPA salvage yet. I don't think it'll be hard for her to bring that up IF she can start doing well in science classes. OP said that she can pretty much devote her last year of the university taking science prereqs, couple that year with an additional year of upper bios then she would be at around 60-70 extra units in sciences. If she can pull off As then she'll have like 3.5-3.6 + a very very strong trend which might be competitive for even MD schools.

Getting OP's ADHD, depression, anxiety, etc. under control would be a priority, then start on ECs immediately after that. Don't overwhelm yourself with science courses, I would take a slowly increasing courseload, from 2 a semester to 3 to 4, etc, take summer courses if you need to. Start to develop a good study habit which would help in a long run for sure.