Improving my GPA - 1.5 Years Since Graduation - Need advice

[MedicallyEnthused]

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Hello everyone,

So I am hoping i can get some advice in how to approach getting into medical school. First let me give you a little snapshot of my story:

Started undergrad at age 21, I instantly fell in love with the biological sciences and even became an EMT and volunteered as such for nearly 3 years during my undergraduate studies. I knew from my 1st year of college onward that I wanted to become a doctor, but unfortunately I was too immature to perform well enough, letting myself get distracted by college life, and not focusing on my studies as I should have. I would say I was extremely immature for my age, up until graduation, where things began to change.

After graduation at age 26, (has been about 1.5 years), I have been doing some serious self reflection over the last 1.5 years, while working at a pathology lab abroad. I realized I must go back to school and work harder than I ever have in my life before because I have come to the realization that If i do not do extremely well moving forward, my dreams of a doctor are over.

So lets get down to the numbers:

Age: 27, almost 28 (1.5 years post graduation).
Cumulative undergrad GPA: 2.67 (3.5 from 1.5 years at a CC, and 2.3 from the rest of my time at a 4 year university).
Major: Cell and Molecular Neuroscience

I told myself from here on out, anything from an undergrad course to a graduate level course, to even medical school, I will treat every single course as if my life depends on it, as if it is my job, as if it medical school. I am talking to eat, breath and live academics and studying.

I have come up with two things I must do to improve my GPA:
1. Retake any and all courses from my undergrad that I did poorly on (getting below a C) and getting as close to straight A's as I can.
This adds up to about 2 semesters worth of courses. This would also be a good time to study and take the MCAT (including summer) when I have none to minimal courses.
2. Get into a 1 year pre-medical masters program and once again I must do as well as possible.

I really can't afford anything lower than an A at this point in any class and I know it.

My initial thoughts were to do the masters program 1st, but a lot of programs have a requirements of 2.75-3.0 minimum GPA. So I am unsure if i will get accepted to any.
Either way, I am in the process of studying for the GRE and plan on taking it in September.

Another thought is to reapply to my old university as a returning student to retake the courses I did poorly in and get as close to straight A's as I can.
They do require I declare another major/degree, from what I graduated in. But I suppose I can just drop out after taking the needed courses I need (and achieving high grades).

The basic question I have is should I go for a masters program before undergrad retakes or the other way around? If I can't get into any masters program, I obviously have no choice. But If i do, I'm really unsure which way to go about it.

Before replying, please don't say I am a lost cause wasting my time and money, that I am too old to go down this path. I have seen and read about many success stories of people who were both older than I am and that have had worse undergrad GPA than I do, that eventually made it to medical school.

Thank you for any and all advice/thoughts on the above.
It is much appreciated!

 

[lumya]

Don't do a master's program unless it's an SMP (your master's grades will not help raise your undergrad GPA because masters programs are known for grade inflation). Take higher-level classes at your local college as a non-student (declaring a major is weird, a lot of places allow you to be a non-degree seeking student). Read Goro's guide for reinvention as a guide for which classes to re-take.

Average age for med school matriculants is like 25. Keeping in mind all the people who enter when they're 22/23, the average shows you're not too old.

 

[MedicallyEnthused]

Don't do a master's program unless it's an SMP (your master's grades will not help raise your undergrad GPA because masters programs are known for grade inflation). Take higher-level classes at your local college as a non-student (lot of them will just let you email the admissions counselors and you don't have to apply). Read Goro's guide for reinvention as a guide for which classes to re-take.

Median age for med school matriculants is like 25. Keeping in mind all the people who enter when they're 22/23, the average shows you're not too old.

The master's programs I am referring to are SMPs. No, it won't help my undergrad gpa, but it shows that I can do well in graduate level courses and has it's own GPA seperate from undergrad that medical schools will look at.

This is a 2 year journey and if all goes according to plan, I will be 30-31 by the time I begin medical school. I have no problems with that, but some people may discourage me based on age.

 

[GreenDuck12]

No, you’re not a lost cause. That being said, do undergraduate retakes before the masters program. The undergrad classes will give you a better foundation of the material before jumping into the “high stakes” SMP. I write high stakes because anything less than excellence in an SMP and your path to medical school will be significantly harder. Ideally, take enough undergraduate courses to get your GPAs above a 3.0 to avoid future autoscreens. You don’t need straight As so don’t put that added pressure on yourself (unless it helps you) but you do need to aim for at least a 3.6+.

 

[MedicallyEnthused]

No, you’re not a lost cause. That being said, do undergraduate retakes before the masters program. The undergrad classes will give you a better foundation of the material before jumping into the “high stakes” SMP. I write high stakes because anything less than excellence in an SMP and your path to medical school will be significantly harder. Ideally, take enough undergraduate courses to get your GPAs above a 3.0 to avoid future autoscreens. You don’t need straight As so don’t put that added pressure on yourself (unless it helps you) but you do need to aim for at least a 3.6+.

Do you think medical school is still possible with a stellar year of undergrad retakes + stellar SNP GPAs, even if my cumulative undergrad GPA is below 3.0?
I did the math and even if i can get a 4.0 with the 1 year I planned to do retakes, It won't be enough to get me to a 3.0. That being said, my potential stellar SNP year will have a separate GPA.

I was hoping to only have 2 years more of school before medical school, but maybe its a better option to go an additional year of undergrad courses?

I know I'm thinking too much ahead, but I really need to plan the next few years step by step. I really know at this point, there is no room for error.

 

[GreenDuck12]

I’m not an expert of DO admissions which is what you’re most likely shooting for here. IMO, for the best chance at an acceptance getting above a 3.0 is important. Schools won’t screen based on graduate GPA but undergraduate GPA. If you undergrad GPA is below the cutoff, you could be rejected before anyone ever sets eyes on your application to see your second degree, upward trend, and SMP performance. If this would mean more than 1 year of undergraduate classes, then so be it. As another poster likes to say, medical schools aren’t going anywhere.