Is postbac for me?

[frankcfromny]

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So basically, my advisor is clueless and just wants me to apply to a PhD program (I do research with her..she thinks I can get into a PhD program with my research exp. and a REU this summer). She has no clue about anything medicine related and I don't have the heart to tell her that I don't like chemistry enough to pursue a PhD.

Basically, I have terrible stats and just want to know if there is anything I can do to salvage my dream of med school or if I shouldn't waste my time and move on to the next thing. I just want someone to be honest. I know I'm not in a great position. I'm not here to make excuses. I'm in a fraternity and my freshman year completely got away from me.

I am currently a junior chemistry major with a cGPA of 3.2 and sGPA of 3.0. I mostly just got B's throughout college with the exception of a C+ in analytical physics. I never got below a B+ in any of my writing, humanities or business minor courses. If it means anything, I lit a fire under my ass this year and I got a 3.6 last semester taking three 300 level chemistry classes including physical chemistry and a couple core classes.

I haven't taken the MCAT yet because I honestly don't even know if its worth it. I was thinking about studying for it this summer to see what kind of score I got if I took it in the fall. I got a 1380 on my SATS and I go to a fairly competitive state college.

Based on research, I think it would be extremely difficult for me to get into a postbac program. But let's just say I did. Would successful completion,coupled with a good MCAT score, even strengthen my application enough to get into a DO or MD program? Or would it be a waste of money and 1-2 years of my life?

I've been an EMT for thee years and I love patient care so letting go of the dream to be a doctor is just a tough pill to swallow. However, life goes on and I need to start making moves in another direction if there is zero possibility of it ever happening. I don't want to go to a med school over seas either.

Thanks for any help,
Frank

 

[DrMidlife]

Find the low GPA thread in this forum - the one that has more than 400,000 views. You're not alone, and you have a variety of choices in how to proceed.

First hint: "postbac" is a useless term. Start researching SMPs.

Second hint: get straight A's from here out, to max your chances. Not kidding. Change your major if you need to.

Best of luck to you.

 

[JSReed]

Second hint: get straight A's from here out, to max your chances. Not kidding. Change your major if you need to.

No joke, this is the best advice you could get. Spend the next 3 semesters torching your classes. If you can manage a 3.7 or higher in each of them, you'll be in decent shape. I wouldn't recommend trying to do mcat in the middle of that (whether during the school year or summer), but if you can do it, more power to you.

You need to do really well in your classes is the point. You're at a point where doing really well could make you a competitive applicant, but doing average or poor would not only make you a poor applicant, but give you a downward trend. I WISH i could be where you are. Make the most of it.