Is this even possible or a pipe dream?!

[Willary4MD26]

I'm not even sure where to start. Long time lurker, but first time poster. I'm a 28 year old URM female from the Midwest, who graduated in 2015 from a UG with a mid-tier med school. I double majored in Biology and Neuroscience; however, I graduated with an abysmal GPA in the 2.8 range after undergoing some personal mental health and mental issues my entire sophomore year and senior spring semester. I've always wanted to go to medical school so in Oct 2014 I took the old MCAT ( despite the fact that I had barely even finished the content review, let alone done a decent amount of practice tests or questions, but I didn't want to take the NEW 2015 MCAT) and scored a 22 ( I believe below 500 on new scale). Being the naive 21 that I was, and talking to other pre-meds at my school, I was convinced I could never get into med school with an MCAT score that low and gave up. Sadly, I didn't know about SDN at that time.

Shortly prior to graduation in 2015, I applied for a scribe company. Of course, I didn't hear back until after graduation, but I randomly started working for them in Nov of 2015. I started working at a private practice for them, eventually taking a chief scribe role at a top Children's Hospital then at the hospital associated with the mid-tier med school that I went to UG at. While working as a scribe and closely following the doctors, I realized that I still had the desire to one day become a physician. I found SDN, realized other people have gotten into school with a poor MCAT like mine and extra classes to improved their GPA. I realized I would need to go back to school; however, I knew I still owed my UG back tuition from the summer classes I'd taken prior to graduation due to me spending the prior spring semester aboard despite my parents wishes. During this time, I was promoted to a project manager and was granted the task of staring a scribe program for another local hospital system in their emergency departments, so I was stuck at this low paying job for the next few months because I didn't want to miss out on the opportunity.

I eventually took a higher paying job last year in the lab of a major national medical device company. I am still currently working for this job, and it pays enough to the point that I'll be able to finally pay off my UG and have my transcripts released this year. My main concern now, is that I know I need to go back to school, as it's been 5 years since UG, to repair my GPA and retake the MCAT since my last score was soooooooo crappy and has expired. Since graduating, my UG has added a medical sciences major in which I can most likely take classes at the COM as a DIY Post-Bacc type of thing. After looking at the upcoming classes I'd like to take and the times they're offered, I don't believe it would be possible it for me to work while taking them. Also, I kind of don't want to work so I can fully focus on the classes. I'm hoping that with the classes, I'll be able to get into my UG 's SMP or another similar SMP somewhere, that will ultimately get me into medical school after performing well in it.

I've talked to my mom, and she's willing to let me move home, in which I could stop working and not worry about bills in order to take classes and pursue my dream of becoming a doctor. Only thing holding me back from writing by 2 weeks notice, is even despite all the effort, is my UG performance still to poor to overcome?

I'm open to any and all advice. Thanks in advance.

I apologize for this being so long.

TLR; {I think that's right lol): I am a 28 URM female, graduated UG 5 years ago and did poorly, (2.8 GPA) took MCAT in 2014 with 22 (<500 on new scale I believe). Is it worth it for me to quit my job, move back home and take classes to improve GPA to get into a SMP then eventually med school?

From all my lurking, I've seen you all give great advice: @Goro @LizzyM @gyngyn anything you have to say is greatly appreciated!

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[gyngyn]

A sharp and sustained period of academic excellence in the sciences will go a long way toward calming admissions evaluators.
A strong MCAT will seal the deal.

 

[Goro]

What ethnicity, OP?
Go read my post on reinvention for premeds

 

[jhmmd]

Your GPA is so abysmal that I would recommend Texas Academic Fresh Start. You can retake courses that you took 10+ years ago and your old GPA is wiped out (course by course I believe). Is it worth it to you to wait another 5 years (meanwhile accumulating clinical experience, volunteering, LORs, and whatnot) in order to become a physician? Or are you in too much of a rush? Haste makes waste. Good luck.

 

[Willary4MD26]

What ethnicity, OP?
Go read my post on reinvention for premeds

African American, first generation college graduate. Will definitely be reading, thanks.

 

[Willary4MD26]

Your GPA is so abysmal that I would recommend Texas Academic Fresh Start. You can retake courses that you took 10+ years ago and your old GPA is wiped out (course by course I believe). Is it worth it to you to wait another 5 years (meanwhile accumulating clinical experience, volunteering, LORs, and whatnot) in order to become a physician? Or are you in too much of a rush? Haste makes waste. Good luck.

So the Texas Academic Fresh Start works even if the classes weren't taken in the state? I've looked at a similar program at my UG, unfortunately, I have way to many credits to qualify for it. At this point, 5 years doesn't seem to bad, given the fact it's gonna take me at least another two to make my application stronger; however, I would really like to apply before I turn 30, or at least not yet 31, which means I only have until 2022.

 

[jhmmd]

You won't be alone if you're over 30 in med school. Many med students these days are nontrads, with the average age of med students steadily increasing year by year. Again, I would encourage you not to rush this (if you're serious about it), and retake the MCAT (could you take a prep class maybe to prepare? Might be worth the investment).

I am not an expert on TX Fresh Start so I would recommend that you call them, and get whatever you need in writing.

 

[Willary4MD26]

You won't be alone if you're over 30 in med school. Many med students these days are nontrads, with the average age of med students steadily increasing year by year. Again, I would encourage you not to rush this (if you're serious about it), and retake the MCAT (could you take a prep class maybe to prepare? Might be worth the investment).

I am not an expert on TX Fresh Start so I would recommend that you call them, and get whatever you need in writing.

I am considering enrolling in the MCAT prep class that my UG offers. I'd rather do that as it's roughly $600 compared to the thousands from a testing service. I am serious and definitely don't want to rush the process.

 

[mmchick]

So the Texas Academic Fresh Start works even if the classes weren't taken in the state? I've looked at a similar program at my UG, unfortunately, I have way to many credits to qualify for it. At this point, 5 years doesn't seem to bad, given the fact it's gonna take me at least another two to make my application stronger; however, I would really like to apply before I turn 30, or at least not yet 31, which means I only have until 2022.

Please do not put off another 5 years to enter this kind of very uniquely circumstantial program. You could easily apply to SMP programs and achieve comparable (if not, better) results by performing well in one of these programs with a guaranteed interview at a med school with linker programs.

You could also likely get away with a heap of DIY upper-level science courses from a 4-year university + great MCAT score. I don't think you have to drastically wait when you have two very viable options in front of you. If you excel in either one of these routes with a sufficient MCAT (510+) you should be good for most MDs and all DOs; your previous UG will be considered lightly in these more prevailing recent change of events.

 

[jhmmd]

Please do not put off another 5 years to enter this kind of very uniquely circumstantial program. You could easily apply to SMP programs and achieve comparable (if not, better) results by performing well in one of these programs with a guaranteed interview at a med school with linker programs.

You could also likely get away with a heap of DIY upper-level science courses from a 4-year university + great MCAT score. I don't think you have to drastically wait when you have two very viable options in front of you. If you excel in either one of these routes with a sufficient MCAT (510+) you should be good for most MDs and all DOs; your previous UG will be considered lightly in these more prevailing recent change of events.

A SMP is a gamble though; poor or even mediocre performance in a SMP WILL sink your application--for good. I'd say your best bet is improving your MCAT and/or re-taking courses (DO schools replace the grade IF you take exactly the same class; AMCAS averages the two grades). Hope this helps.

 

[Shotapp]

DO schools replace the grade IF you take exactly the same class

Wrong. DO schools don't replace grades anymore. Grade replacement is no longer a thing since 2017.

 

[jhmmd]

Wrong. DO schools don't replace grades anymore. Grade replacement is no longer a thing since 2017.

Well, it varies by school. I should have clarified that. Sorry

Here's a link: do schools grade replacement - بحث Google