In need of some guidence

[Kazavana]

Hi and thank you all in advance for any useful information provided,

My current situation is the following and im just not sure what to do next
Im becoming a Junior this fall semester and so far have a 2.1 GPA with 2 F's and 1 withdrawl this is due to having to work 2 jobs and coping with many family issues which inevidably affected my studies but thats overwith now. I passed my first gen chem class with a B+ and failed my second one (already mentioned why) either way i doubt that my gpa can be brought high enough to be competative in the medschool application process. I have not taken most of the premed classes. As of now i am thinking of a post-bac program. Can anyone clear up what a SMA (specialized masters i assume ) is and whats the difference with any other MA provided by schools? I'll be taking many more classes to fullfill my major as well as bring up my gpa but as mentioned doubt it'll be high enough to compete. I know there are programs out there that deal with post-bac that whose core curriculum are the premed classes (bio1-2, gchem1-2, ochem, phys and math sometimes). I was wondering if it would be a good idea to take the premed classes as an undergrad then go into the post-bac program that revolves around those core classes (such as the harvard extension health career program) and basically repeat the classes. Should i bother takin the MCAT before i graduate or wait till during my post-bac program? I guess my most important question is if i should take the science classes as an undergrad and then apply for a post-bac program that is all premed classes? Or take other post-bac programs out there? Or are there other alternatives to getting into medschool? I'm just really lost and dont know what to do right now, all i know is that i have one very set career goal in mind. Btw I'll be starting to volunteer in my local hospital very soon and will be looking for some sort of clinical experience which i know are desparately needed If you have any useful information or suggest please reply on the forum + copy/paste ur reply to my email address "[email protected]" without the quotes with subject heading "Premed thread" Thank you once again

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[FloatingCloud]

Since you will be a junior this coming fall, it is nice that you have two to three years left of undergraduate studies to improve your GPA.

What is your major? What degree are you working towards? Does your major require you to take premed courses?

From what I read about postbacc programs, if you had taken premed courses (basic science core) within 5 years of getting your undergraduate degree, you may not be qualified to even enroll in postbacc programs. It seems to me that postbacc programs are for those who have never taken any science courses at all in college. Thus, if you do take your premed courses while in college, you may have a difficult time getting into a postbacc program to repeat the premed courses, especially when you plan on enrolling in a postbacc right after getting your undergraduate degree.

Also, you mentioned Harvard Extension. (1) Since you are still in college, have you considered taking the time that you have now to study and do well in those pre-med classes, instead of repeating them again a few years down the line? To repeat classes, not only wastes money, but time, too. (2) If you were to enroll in Harvard Extention, would you do their certificate program? Know that their certificate is given to students who have never taken premed prerequisites. (3) Harvard Extension courses are fast-paced, information-loaded classes. For their summer school, they condense one-full year of science into 8-weeks. They also require you to get B's and higher. 'C's are considered 'poor' academic standing.

From the situation you provided to the forum, it may be better to complete your undergraduate studies with strong grades. The MCAT will always be there. There's no need to hurry to sit for the MCAT when you have a full load with work, family, and a desire to get As and Bs in your remaining years of college. Many of my friends who are now successful MDs sat for the MCAT one to two years after getting their undergraduate degrees.

Clinical experience is good, but grades still matter. Since you are still in college, I would suggest the path of my successful MD friends: Finish your undergraduate degree with a stellar GPA starting from your junior year. With your dramatically better grades, future graduate schools will like what they see and so will you. You may want to consider taking your premed core in college and understand them well. With a proper, solid foundation in these premed cores, you will have an easier time preparing for the MCAT. Once you get your undergraduate degree, get a job in the health-care sector. Within one to two years after graduating from college, sit for the MCAT and start applying to MD-school.

There are MD-schools in the state, and also abroad like the Caribbean, or Europe. There are also OD-schools (optometry, eyes only), DO-schools (medicine variety), and DDS-schools (dentistry), to name a few alternatives.

You have a lot of options, but the best advice I would like to reiterate is to start working on getting better grades from now till you get your undergraduate degree. One step at a time. Prioritize. Never hurry.

Good luck. You can do it!

Hi and thank you all in advance for any useful information provided,

My current situation is the following and im just not sure what to do next
Im becoming a Junior this fall semester and so far have a 2.1 GPA with 2 F's and 1 withdrawl this is due to having to work 2 jobs and coping with many family issues which inevidably affected my studies but thats overwith now. I passed my first gen chem class with a B+ and failed my second one (already mentioned why) either way i doubt that my gpa can be brought high enough to be competative in the medschool application process. I have not taken most of the premed classes. As of now i am thinking of a post-bac program. Can anyone clear up what a SMA (specialized masters i assume ) is and whats the difference with any other MA provided by schools? I'll be taking many more classes to fullfill my major as well as bring up my gpa but as mentioned doubt it'll be high enough to compete. I know there are programs out there that deal with post-bac that whose core curriculum are the premed classes (bio1-2, gchem1-2, ochem, phys and math sometimes). I was wondering if it would be a good idea to take the premed classes as an undergrad then go into the post-bac program that revolves around those core classes (such as the harvard extension health career program) and basically repeat the classes. Should i bother takin the MCAT before i graduate or wait till during my post-bac program? I guess my most important question is if i should take the science classes as an undergrad and then apply for a post-bac program that is all premed classes? Or take other post-bac programs out there? Or are there other alternatives to getting into medschool? I'm just really lost and dont know what to do right now, all i know is that i have one very set career goal in mind. Btw I'll be starting to volunteer in my local hospital very soon and will be looking for some sort of clinical experience which i know are desparately needed If you have any useful information or suggest please reply on the forum + copy/paste ur reply to my email address "[email protected]" without the quotes with subject heading "Premed thread" Thank you once again

 

[Kazavana]

Thank you so much. Thanks to your advice I have been able to better plan out my near future. I am a chemistry major working on my first BA and will be taking the premed required classes. I am probably going to take some extra classes to bring up my GPA and advanced chemistry classes hopefully everything will bring my GPA up to a more competative level. Once again Thank You. If anyone else has some other opinion or more to built on what was said plz post The more information i gather the more confident i get Ty

 

[TiggidyTooth]

Thank you so much. Thanks to your advice I have been able to better plan out my near future. I am a chemistry major working on my first BA and will be taking the premed required classes. I am probably going to take some extra classes to bring up my GPA and advanced chemistry classes hopefully everything will bring my GPA up to a more competative level. Once again Thank You. If anyone else has some other opinion or more to built on what was said plz post The more information i gather the more confident i get Ty

If i were you, and I was very much like you, this is what I would do. KICK *SS the next 2 years of your undergrad, sit for the MCAT ideally after your junior or senior year (whenever you have completed you pre-reqs and feel you have a strong knowledge foundation). Then, roll into an SMP like Georgetown, Rosalind Franklin or Boston University, apply to allopathic schools and VOILA!! instant medical school student. Easier said then done. make no mistake, those grades will haunt you and you absolutely need straight A's from here on out. Do not rationalize yourself out of the kind of discipline you need to make those marks.

Good Luck

Tooth