Is there any path forward for me? Very low uGPA, ton of research experience, just want to explore my options.

[chowtime_cat]

Hello all,

I am currently weighing my options when it comes to PhD programs, MD/PhD programs, and MD or DO programs in the future. As an undergraduate it was a pipe dream to go to medical school and my grades never got high enough to seriously consider applying straight out of undergrad but recently began to think more seriously about going back and retaking classes, taking MCAT or GRE and then doing a MS or SMP and then applying for medical school or PhD programs, or even both as a long-shot “might as well”. I figure either way, I need to retake some classes (~60-70 to get up to a 3.0 uGPA) and/or get an MS (or SMP if there is a chance it would help me at all) so I might as well re-reconsider a career in the medical field or a combined medical/medical science career and so an SMP or an MS wouldn’t hurt me. Just want some advice so here is some more info. Feel free to ask questions or point out if any of this seems ridiculous or far-fetched, I am probably getting too wishful at least for the MD/DO or combined degrees but just want to hear some perspective and what someone would do if they were me.

- I have a 2.66 undergraduate GPA and a 3.0 sGPA. Terrible test anxiety that left me extremely defeated and without a lot of morale.

- No upward trend, just one really bad semester and then straight A/average/below average semesters.

- First semester I lost two friends, one to drunk driving and one to suicide within a very few short months (one friend committed suicide over the death of the other) and just didn’t care about school but couldn’t drop out because I didn’t want to give up my dreams of working in the medical field or in medical research/public health.

- Transferred schools after terrible first semester to a community college, then applied to a new university and graduated from there

- Have been taking graduate-level coursework at the Harvard Extension School

- Have 3 years of biomedical research (2 in infectious disease immunology as an undergrad with 1 poster and now 1, with a longer-term option here, in cancer immunology)

- Have 5 months scribe experience (did this in-between graduation and starting my current job)

- Really interested in infectious disease medicine, immunology, maternal/fetal medicine, and oncology, and addressing health disparities when it comes to research and access.

- My current job is as an RA at Harvard Medical School in a prolific and amazing lab where I have found myself to thrive more than I ever thought possible. I got this job based on my previous research experience and great recommendations because despite being an average to sub-par student, I have always loved biology and biomedical science and care a lot about learning, participation and leading discussions as well as researching ideas in depth every chance I get, I was just a very test-anxious person who has also suffered some setbacks that compounded.

- I am currently in charge of a few projects as well as being a main researcher in multiple ongoing projects in my cancer immunology lab, at least one publication expected in January/February with more rolling out over the next 2+ years. The grant I work under has funding guaranteed until 2022, with a commitment on my part of at least 2 years. After our grant ends I will still be employed by HMS but will shift onto different projects should I choose to stay.

- I have stellar recommenders from both undergrad professors, my undergrad PI, the post-docs and PhD students that I have worked for and with, my current PI (who is an EXTREMELY renowned person whose name I’m sure will carry a lot of weight on its own) and multiple supervisors and at least one current professor from HMS that can speak to my graduate school readiness.

- Haven’t taken the GRE

- Haven’t taken the MCAT

- MA Resident, previous TX resident for 15 years

- White, female, 24 years old

- Taking “graduate-level" courses through Harvard Extension, can take undergrad courses to boost GPA if that would be more helpful (I get the courses at a big discount so it's not too big of a deal to take a few here and there)

Let me know your thoughts, please! I am trying to be very realistic and am sure I will be able to go into academic research (I am confident I will be able to get into a PhD program within the next 2 years) but am a lot less sure that there is any chance for me to turn this ship around for med school opportunities and would like to think about it more before I fully divert my focus on something else.

Thank you!

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[jhmmd]

Hello all,

I am currently weighing my options when it comes to PhD programs, MD/PhD programs, and MD or DO programs in the future. As an undergraduate it was a pipe dream to go to medical school and my grades never got high enough to seriously consider applying straight out of undergrad but recently began to think more seriously about going back and retaking classes, taking MCAT or GRE and then doing a MS or SMP and then applying for medical school or PhD programs, or even both as a long-shot “might as well”. I figure either way, I need to retake some classes (~60-70 to get up to a 3.0 uGPA) and/or get an MS (or SMP if there is a chance it would help me at all) so I might as well re-reconsider a career in the medical field or a combined medical/medical science career and so an SMP or an MS wouldn’t hurt me. Just want some advice so here is some more info. Feel free to ask questions or point out if any of this seems ridiculous or far-fetched, I am probably getting too wishful at least for the MD/DO or combined degrees but just want to hear some perspective and what someone would do if they were me.

- I have a 2.66 undergraduate GPA and a 3.0 sGPA. Terrible test anxiety that left me extremely defeated and without a lot of morale.

- No upward trend, just one really bad semester and then straight A/average/below average semesters.

- First semester I lost two friends, one to drunk driving and one to suicide within a very few short months (one friend committed suicide over the death of the other) and just didn’t care about school but couldn’t drop out because I didn’t want to give up my dreams of working in the medical field or in medical research/public health.

- Transferred schools after terrible first semester to a community college, then applied to a new university and graduated from there

- Have been taking graduate-level coursework at the Harvard Extension School

- Have 3 years of biomedical research (2 in infectious disease immunology as an undergrad with 1 poster and now 1, with a longer-term option here, in cancer immunology)

- Have 5 months scribe experience (did this in-between graduation and starting my current job)

- Really interested in infectious disease medicine, immunology, maternal/fetal medicine, and oncology, and addressing health disparities when it comes to research and access.

- My current job is as an RA at Harvard Medical School in a prolific and amazing lab where I have found myself to thrive more than I ever thought possible. I got this job based on my previous research experience and great recommendations because despite being an average to sub-par student, I have always loved biology and biomedical science and care a lot about learning, participation and leading discussions as well as researching ideas in depth every chance I get, I was just a very test-anxious person who has also suffered some setbacks that compounded.

- I am currently in charge of a few projects as well as being a main researcher in multiple ongoing projects in my cancer immunology lab, at least one publication expected in January/February with more rolling out over the next 2+ years. The grant I work under has funding guaranteed until 2022, with a commitment on my part of at least 2 years. After our grant ends I will still be employed by HMS but will shift onto different projects should I choose to stay.

- I have stellar recommenders from both undergrad professors, my undergrad PI, the post-docs and PhD students that I have worked for and with, my current PI (who is an EXTREMELY renowned person whose name I’m sure will carry a lot of weight on its own) and multiple supervisors and at least one current professor from HMS that can speak to my graduate school readiness.

- Haven’t taken the GRE

- Haven’t taken the MCAT

- MA Resident, previous TX resident for 15 years

- White, female, 24 years old

- Taking “graduate-level" courses through Harvard Extension, can take undergrad courses to boost GPA if that would be more helpful (I get the courses at a big discount so it's not too big of a deal to take a few here and there)

Let me know your thoughts, please! I am trying to be very realistic and am sure I will be able to go into academic research (I am confident I will be able to get into a PhD program within the next 2 years) but am a lot less sure that there is any chance for me to turn this ship around for med school opportunities and would like to think about it more before I fully divert my focus on something else.

Thank you!

Hi,

It's going to be impossible to give you realistic advice w/out a MCAT score. While this may sound harsh, med school, residency, and beyond are chock-full of test after test after test after test--and if you keep doing poorly, you're going to end up with a ton of debt.

If you can't perform on the MCAT, maybe consider something else. Because you're so passionate about medicine, I would
1) Take a MCAT course from an official test prep company so that you know you have exhausted your options (rather than self-study)
2) See how you do
3) Have a list of alternate options ready in case the exam doesn't go as planned

Alternatively, you could try therapy/career counseling for strategies and possibly CBT/medication. Not meant as medical advice, but we all know what it's like to be anxious before/after/during an important test.

Good luck!

 

[MedicallyEnthused]

Hello all,

I am currently weighing my options when it comes to PhD programs, MD/PhD programs, and MD or DO programs in the future. As an undergraduate it was a pipe dream to go to medical school and my grades never got high enough to seriously consider applying straight out of undergrad but recently began to think more seriously about going back and retaking classes, taking MCAT or GRE and then doing a MS or SMP and then applying for medical school or PhD programs, or even both as a long-shot “might as well”. I figure either way, I need to retake some classes (~60-70 to get up to a 3.0 uGPA) and/or get an MS (or SMP if there is a chance it would help me at all) so I might as well re-reconsider a career in the medical field or a combined medical/medical science career and so an SMP or an MS wouldn’t hurt me. Just want some advice so here is some more info. Feel free to ask questions or point out if any of this seems ridiculous or far-fetched, I am probably getting too wishful at least for the MD/DO or combined degrees but just want to hear some perspective and what someone would do if they were me.

- I have a 2.66 undergraduate GPA and a 3.0 sGPA. Terrible test anxiety that left me extremely defeated and without a lot of morale.

- No upward trend, just one really bad semester and then straight A/average/below average semesters.

- First semester I lost two friends, one to drunk driving and one to suicide within a very few short months (one friend committed suicide over the death of the other) and just didn’t care about school but couldn’t drop out because I didn’t want to give up my dreams of working in the medical field or in medical research/public health.

- Transferred schools after terrible first semester to a community college, then applied to a new university and graduated from there

- Have been taking graduate-level coursework at the Harvard Extension School

- Have 3 years of biomedical research (2 in infectious disease immunology as an undergrad with 1 poster and now 1, with a longer-term option here, in cancer immunology)

- Have 5 months scribe experience (did this in-between graduation and starting my current job)

- Really interested in infectious disease medicine, immunology, maternal/fetal medicine, and oncology, and addressing health disparities when it comes to research and access.

- My current job is as an RA at Harvard Medical School in a prolific and amazing lab where I have found myself to thrive more than I ever thought possible. I got this job based on my previous research experience and great recommendations because despite being an average to sub-par student, I have always loved biology and biomedical science and care a lot about learning, participation and leading discussions as well as researching ideas in depth every chance I get, I was just a very test-anxious person who has also suffered some setbacks that compounded.

- I am currently in charge of a few projects as well as being a main researcher in multiple ongoing projects in my cancer immunology lab, at least one publication expected in January/February with more rolling out over the next 2+ years. The grant I work under has funding guaranteed until 2022, with a commitment on my part of at least 2 years. After our grant ends I will still be employed by HMS but will shift onto different projects should I choose to stay.

- I have stellar recommenders from both undergrad professors, my undergrad PI, the post-docs and PhD students that I have worked for and with, my current PI (who is an EXTREMELY renowned person whose name I’m sure will carry a lot of weight on its own) and multiple supervisors and at least one current professor from HMS that can speak to my graduate school readiness.

- Haven’t taken the GRE

- Haven’t taken the MCAT

- MA Resident, previous TX resident for 15 years

- White, female, 24 years old

- Taking “graduate-level" courses through Harvard Extension, can take undergrad courses to boost GPA if that would be more helpful (I get the courses at a big discount so it's not too big of a deal to take a few here and there)

Let me know your thoughts, please! I am trying to be very realistic and am sure I will be able to go into academic research (I am confident I will be able to get into a PhD program within the next 2 years) but am a lot less sure that there is any chance for me to turn this ship around for med school opportunities and would like to think about it more before I fully divert my focus on something else.

Thank you!

Check out Goro's guide for reinvention.

Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

So you want to be a doctor, but your GPA is terrible. Is that the end? Rule #1: Take a deep breath, and stop fussing. The sky is not falling. But you are going to need to reinvent yourself. This will take both time and money. And always remember that you’re in a marathon now, not a sprint...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Everything you need to know is there.

Just know, I have read about many people and personally know of a few people who had much worse GPAs than you, and through doing undergrad postbaccs and/or SMPs (with stellar grades) they were eventually admitted to medical school.

Based on your GPAs, if you can study and get a solid MCAT score, I would just go for a 1 year postbacc program if I were you. With 1 year of solid grades and a good MCAT, that should be enough to gain an acceptance. Worse case, you can always go for an SMP the year after.

Good luck!

 

[chowtime_cat]

Check out Goro's guide for reinvention.

Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

So you want to be a doctor, but your GPA is terrible. Is that the end? Rule #1: Take a deep breath, and stop fussing. The sky is not falling. But you are going to need to reinvent yourself. This will take both time and money. And always remember that you’re in a marathon now, not a sprint...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Everything you need to know is there.

Just know, I have read about many people and personally know of a few people who had much worse GPAs than you, and through doing undergrad postbaccs and/or SMPs (with stellar grades) they were eventually admitted to medical school.

Based on your GPAs, if you can study and get a solid MCAT score, I would just go for a 1 year postbacc program if I were you. With 1 year of solid grades and a good MCAT, that should be enough to gain an acceptance. Worse case, you can always go for an SMP the year after.

Good luck!

Thank you very much for this feedback. So my biggest killers in undergrad were chemistry courses. My biology gpa, including upper levels is like a 3.7, but chemistry and math Cs and my first semester of Fs drag it down a ton. Would it be good to retake chemistry courses and math courses as a DIY post-bacc and then do an SMP to do more med-school level biomedical courses? I have tons of biomed upper levels (the only one I would retake is physiology because I got a C) including parasitology, molecular, micro, immunology, etc. all of which are As. I find that my biggest problem when exploring structured post-bacc programs is that they push for upper level bio courses and I honestly don’t feel like that would help me at this point, especially since I’ve already gotten As in most that are offered.

 

[Philly145]

Terrible test anxiety that left me extremely defeated and without a lot of morale.

Have you overcome this?

 

[chowtime_cat]

Have you overcome this?

I would say that I still get nervous but I used to feel so anxious because it was like being trapped in a cycle of “oh god my future is on the line, what if I fail and never get a job?” And now that I clearly have a job, and a good one, things feel a lot less do or die. I have learned to balance time much better, and learned how to prepare more thoroughly so that I don’t worry as much. Once I was in all upper levels, I was acing tests, including my biochem and molecular classes which were very exam heavy. I think I have for the most part grown out of the test anxiety and also been able to tell myself that it’s okay if I don’t do as well because I’m not trapped by a bad grade as I will still have a job and job opportunities.

 

[MedicallyEnthused]

Thank you very much for this feedback. So my biggest killers in undergrad were chemistry courses. My biology gpa, including upper levels is like a 3.7, but chemistry and math Cs and my first semester of Fs drag it down a ton. Would it be good to retake chemistry courses and math courses as a DIY post-bacc and then do an SMP to do more med-school level biomedical courses? I have tons of biomed upper levels (the only one I would retake is physiology because I got a C) including parasitology, molecular, micro, immunology, etc. all of which are As. I find that my biggest problem when exploring structured post-bacc programs is that they push for upper level bio courses and I honestly don’t feel like that would help me at this point, especially since I’ve already gotten As in most that are offered.

Honestly, the only time you should ever consider retaking a course, is if you got a C- or worse. Just a C is fine and is not that big deal. The main reason is because medical schools consider a C- or lower the same as failing and won't accept the course.
Also like I said, I doubt you will need an SMP if you can do well in a 1 year postbac, as well as get a good MCAT score.
An SMP is like a last resort, costing as much as 1 year of medschool (normally around 30-50k for the year), and is meant for people with lower gpas. All the people I know that went for an SMP had a sub 3.0 undergrad gpa (even after their postbaccs).

I just think with just a 1 year postbacc, your app will be strong enough. You just need to be smart on where you apply (and your MCAT score will help be a deciding factor in that). There are tons of schools out there that do a holistic review or only look at the last 30-60 credits, rather than your entire college career. So a 3.0 cutoff that some schools have wont matter, especially since you have a 3.0sgpa already.
But if you still feel the need for an SMP, go for it. Just know it will be as difficult as the 1st year of med school and if you do poorly, theres very little you can do to get into med school. They are high risk-high reward for that reason and you should only take an SMP as a last resort.

I really recommend that you take a full semester off, just to study for the MCAT, since it sounds like your chem/physics/math can be a bit weak.
But like I said, don't retake those courses unless you got a C- or lower. At most, just audit a course you feel really weak on. But honestly, it's pretty easy to self study, even if you did really badly in the course in undergrad.

 

[chowtime_cat]

Also like I said, I doubt you will need an SMP if you can do well in a 1 year postbac, as well as get a good MCAT score.

Okay, that makes sense. And are you referring specifically to a structured postbac program? For example, BU has a postbac program but they require a specific GPA (which I am sure is flexible-ish with the right approach and contacting the admissions people?), as does Tufts. Just listing those two examples because they are the ones I am most familiar with atm.

 

[MedicallyEnthused]

Okay, that makes sense. And are you referring specifically to a structured postbac program? For example, BU has a postbac program but they require a specific GPA (which I am sure is flexible-ish with the right approach and contacting the admissions people?), as does Tufts. Just listing those two examples because they are the ones I am most familiar with atm.

No, it doesn't matter. DIY or formal, as long as it is an undergrad postbacc taking only sciences courses (ideally upper level bio courses).

 

[unexpectedcomplications]

You should re-take every science class that you received a B- or lower at your local CC or state college. Do this for 1 year while studying for the MCAT. Spend 1 month on just MCAT practice tests after your post bacc. An MCAT score of 510+ will open many doors.

 

[chowtime_cat]

You should re-take every science class that you received a B- or lower at your local CC or state college. Do this for 1 year while studying for the MCAT. Spend 1 month on just MCAT practice tests after your post bacc. An MCAT score of 510+ will open many doors.

Do you think that the goal should be a year of retakes to show I can handle those classes/prep for MCAT or should my goal to be to get my gpa above 3.0? That would take approx 60 courses.

 

[jhmmd]

Honestly, the only time you should ever consider retaking a course, is if you got a C- or worse. Just a C is fine and is not that big deal. The main reason is because medical schools consider a C- or lower the same as failing and won't accept the course.
Also like I said, I doubt you will need an SMP if you can do well in a 1 year postbac, as well as get a good MCAT score.
An SMP is like a last resort, costing as much as 1 year of medschool (normally around 30-50k for the year), and is meant for people with lower gpas. All the people I know that went for an SMP had a sub 3.0 undergrad gpa (even after their postbaccs).

I just think with just a 1 year postbacc, your app will be strong enough. You just need to be smart on where you apply (and your MCAT score will help be a deciding factor in that). There are tons of schools out there that do a holistic review or only look at the last 30-60 credits, rather than your entire college career. So a 3.0 cutoff that some schools have wont matter, especially since you have a 3.0sgpa already.
But if you still feel the need for an SMP, go for it. Just know it will be as difficult as the 1st year of med school and if you do poorly, theres very little you can do to get into med school. They are high risk-high reward for that reason and you should only take an SMP as a last resort.

I really recommend that you take a full semester off, just to study for the MCAT, since it sounds like your chem/physics/math can be a bit weak.
But like I said, don't retake those courses unless you got a C- or lower. At most, just audit a course you feel really weak on. But honestly, it's pretty easy to self study, even if you did really badly in the course in undergrad.

The importance of the bolded words above cannot be underestimated.

Do you think that the goal should be a year of retakes to show I can handle those classes/prep for MCAT or should my goal to be to get my gpa above 3.0? That would take approx 60 courses.

Like MedicallyEnthused already said, ANY course that you got a <C- in should be taken again, because med schools will not count a C- or below as passing. I would retake these courses + sprinkle in some upper div biology electives.

What does the rest of your application look like? Volunteering, clinical volunteering, ECs? I saw that you were a scribe and have extensive research experience; schools will be looking for the other elements of your app as well.
Good luck

 

[Goro]

Hello all,

I am currently weighing my options when it comes to PhD programs, MD/PhD programs, and MD or DO programs in the future. As an undergraduate it was a pipe dream to go to medical school and my grades never got high enough to seriously consider applying straight out of undergrad but recently began to think more seriously about going back and retaking classes, taking MCAT or GRE and then doing a MS or SMP and then applying for medical school or PhD programs, or even both as a long-shot “might as well”. I figure either way, I need to retake some classes (~60-70 to get up to a 3.0 uGPA) and/or get an MS (or SMP if there is a chance it would help me at all) so I might as well re-reconsider a career in the medical field or a combined medical/medical science career and so an SMP or an MS wouldn’t hurt me. Just want some advice so here is some more info. Feel free to ask questions or point out if any of this seems ridiculous or far-fetched, I am probably getting too wishful at least for the MD/DO or combined degrees but just want to hear some perspective and what someone would do if they were me.

- I have a 2.66 undergraduate GPA and a 3.0 sGPA. Terrible test anxiety that left me extremely defeated and without a lot of morale.

- No upward trend, just one really bad semester and then straight A/average/below average semesters.

- First semester I lost two friends, one to drunk driving and one to suicide within a very few short months (one friend committed suicide over the death of the other) and just didn’t care about school but couldn’t drop out because I didn’t want to give up my dreams of working in the medical field or in medical research/public health.

- Transferred schools after terrible first semester to a community college, then applied to a new university and graduated from there

- Have been taking graduate-level coursework at the Harvard Extension School

- Have 3 years of biomedical research (2 in infectious disease immunology as an undergrad with 1 poster and now 1, with a longer-term option here, in cancer immunology)

- Have 5 months scribe experience (did this in-between graduation and starting my current job)

- Really interested in infectious disease medicine, immunology, maternal/fetal medicine, and oncology, and addressing health disparities when it comes to research and access.

- My current job is as an RA at Harvard Medical School in a prolific and amazing lab where I have found myself to thrive more than I ever thought possible. I got this job based on my previous research experience and great recommendations because despite being an average to sub-par student, I have always loved biology and biomedical science and care a lot about learning, participation and leading discussions as well as researching ideas in depth every chance I get, I was just a very test-anxious person who has also suffered some setbacks that compounded.

- I am currently in charge of a few projects as well as being a main researcher in multiple ongoing projects in my cancer immunology lab, at least one publication expected in January/February with more rolling out over the next 2+ years. The grant I work under has funding guaranteed until 2022, with a commitment on my part of at least 2 years. After our grant ends I will still be employed by HMS but will shift onto different projects should I choose to stay.

- I have stellar recommenders from both undergrad professors, my undergrad PI, the post-docs and PhD students that I have worked for and with, my current PI (who is an EXTREMELY renowned person whose name I’m sure will carry a lot of weight on its own) and multiple supervisors and at least one current professor from HMS that can speak to my graduate school readiness.

- Haven’t taken the GRE

- Haven’t taken the MCAT

- MA Resident, previous TX resident for 15 years

- White, female, 24 years old

- Taking “graduate-level" courses through Harvard Extension, can take undergrad courses to boost GPA if that would be more helpful (I get the courses at a big discount so it's not too big of a deal to take a few here and there)

Let me know your thoughts, please! I am trying to be very realistic and am sure I will be able to go into academic research (I am confident I will be able to get into a PhD program within the next 2 years) but am a lot less sure that there is any chance for me to turn this ship around for med school opportunities and would like to think about it more before I fully divert my focus on something else.

Thank you!

MD/PhD is off the table. Candidates for these need to be superstars.

I'm not getting the vibe that you're interested in Medicine, so go for the PhD. If you are, for mDS and DO (and you will need DO schools on your eventual school list), read this:

• Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

 

[chowtime_cat]

What does the rest of your application look like? Volunteering, clinical volunteering, ECs? I saw that you were a scribe and have extensive research experience; schools will be looking for the other elements of your app as well.
Good luck

Volunteering has all been of a political nature, I’ve been lowly involved in multiple campaigns both local, state, and federal where I door knocked, phone banked, registered people to vote, etc. (From 2016-2020) as well as been in a few officer positions in undergrad:

-Students for Planned Parenthood where I did sexual health outreach and volunteering for student health events or volunteering with local clinics or lobbying at the state capitol and meeting with state legislators

-Women in Physics where I was the treasurer for a semester and volunteered with Girl Scouts events

Other that, nothing clinical as I wasn’t sure about making the time for that over research and working, which turned out well but obviously leaves a hole in my application other than my GPA.
Do you think this will help show that I wasn’t just sitting around doing nothing as an undergrad? I had passions and pursued them, and I balanced my time for things I cared a lot about and basically said “med school isn’t even an option after my first semester” and decided to go all in on what I figured would help me get a good job after graduating rather than spend time focused too much on something that is (still feels this way to some degree, of course) extremely unlikely.

There were lots of options for volunteering clinically up until when I was interested in doing that recently and so I am considering going back to scribing a few days a week if people in my area are needed but I’m not sure of the outlook on additional scribe staffing currently.

 

[chowtime_cat]

MD/PhD is off the table. Candidates for these need to be superstars.

I'm not getting the vibe that you're interested in Medicine, so go for the PhD. If you are, for mDS and DO (and you will need DO schools on your eventual school list), read this:

• Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

Thank you, this guide is great and is helping me think about this whole process a lot!


I definitely am most comfortable in a wet lab but that’s because I really like biology and I worked really hard to get research experience and my current job because I knew research was a surer bet considering med school is a long shot with my gpa! However, I really want to be an advocate for people, and I love science, and I care a lot about health disparities and communication of scientific knowledge. I want to help, more than anything, and realistically my job is not helping impact people every day.


Research is one thing, but care is another, and so political involvement has been one aspect of that for me but doing emerging infectious disease immunology and cancer immunology research really opened up my eyes to health care disparity, as did working with healthcare advocacy lobbying groups and Planned Parenthood. I just want to know if I need to stick to that or if I can become an active participant in the healthcare field to help. I will be happy with a PhD but I will be happier to meet people and try to directly work with them by using my understanding and interest in medical sciences alongside my civic engagement interests.

 

[jhmmd]

Thank you, this guide is great and is helping me think about this whole process a lot!


I definitely am most comfortable in a wet lab but that’s because I really like biology and I worked really hard to get research experience and my current job because I knew research was a surer bet considering med school is a long shot with my gpa! However, I really want to be an advocate for people, and I love science, and I care a lot about health disparities and communication of scientific knowledge. I want to help, more than anything, and realistically my job is not helping impact people every day.


Research is one thing, but care is another, and so political involvement has been one aspect of that for me but doing emerging infectious disease immunology and cancer immunology research really opened up my eyes to health care disparity, as did working with healthcare advocacy lobbying groups and Planned Parenthood. I just want to know if I need to stick to that or if I can become an active participant in the healthcare field to help. I will be happy with a PhD but I will be happier to meet people and try to directly work with them by using my understanding and interest in medical sciences alongside my civic engagement interests.

What about becoming a geneticist?
That would combine your interest in people + your interest in biology.
I understand that your research has to do w/cancer and not sure how far along you are with your PhD. Maybe it is possible to do a dual degree PhD?
Again I wish you the best of luck.

 

[Goro]

Thank you, this guide is great and is helping me think about this whole process a lot!


I definitely am most comfortable in a wet lab but that’s because I really like biology and I worked really hard to get research experience and my current job because I knew research was a surer bet considering med school is a long shot with my gpa! However, I really want to be an advocate for people, and I love science, and I care a lot about health disparities and communication of scientific knowledge. I want to help, more than anything, and realistically my job is not helping impact people every day.


Research is one thing, but care is another, and so political involvement has been one aspect of that for me but doing emerging infectious disease immunology and cancer immunology research really opened up my eyes to health care disparity, as did working with healthcare advocacy lobbying groups and Planned Parenthood. I just want to know if I need to stick to that or if I can become an active participant in the healthcare field to help. I will be happy with a PhD but I will be happier to meet people and try to directly work with them by using my understanding and interest in medical sciences alongside my civic engagement interests.

You can do this with an MPH as well

 

[chowtime_cat]

You can do this with an MPH as well

I guess the problem is that I don't have clinical volunteer hours to show that it's medicine that I'm interested in, only biomedical sciences and healthcare advocacy? I was thinking of presenting myself as combining those two demonstrated interests into why it's not strange that I would want to pursue medicine, and then having more patient involvement over the next 1-2 years to demonstrate that I also care about delivering the healthcare myself. I'm a person of the mindset that if you want it done the way you like it, you should do it yourself, and I could draw negatively from my experience as a scribe where I saw how the doctor/patient relationship shifts when the patient is poor and uneducated compared to one that has money and better insurance. Not all doctors are like this by a longshot, but every doctor makes a difference and I would like to create one more doctor that isn't that way to better the patient's odds.

 

[Goro]

I guess the problem is that I don't have clinical volunteer hours to show that it's medicine that I'm interested in, only biomedical sciences and healthcare advocacy?
No, you have scribing, which although a passive activity, is still considered patient contact experience.

But again, you don't need a medical degree to be a health care advocate.

I was thinking of presenting myself as combining those two demonstrated interests into why it's not strange that I would want to pursue medicine, and then having more patient involvement over the next 1-2 years to demonstrate that I also care about delivering the healthcare myself.

But again, you don't need a medical degree to be a health care advocate.


I'm a person of the mindset that if you want it done the way you like it, you should do it yourself, and I could draw negatively from my experience as a scribe where I saw how the doctor/patient relationship shifts when the patient is poor and uneducated compared to one that has money and better insurance. Not all doctors are like this by a longshot, but every doctor makes a difference and I would like to create one more doctor that isn't that way to better the patient's odds.

Still getting a vibe that Medicine is not your thing, but advocacy is.

And if you want to be an advocate, get an MD/MPH or DO/MPH. You don't need the PhD. Again, you have done way too much damage to your GPSA to be competitive for MD/PhD

 

[unexpectedcomplications]

Do you think that the goal should be a year of retakes to show I can handle those classes/prep for MCAT or should my goal to be to get my gpa above 3.0? That would take approx 60 courses.

The former should be the goal. If you get above a 3.0 that's a bonus, but 1 year of all A's in basic sciences should look good. And it's okay if you're slightly below a 3.0 if you do well on the MCAT (my situation). You would be a shoo-in for DO school. I think MD and MD/PHD are much more difficult in your situation because they require the package of high GPA + high mcat