I am a graduating senior in college and have made the spontaneous but strong decision that I want to go into medicine. (You know how when you flip a coin, you figure out what you actually want by how you feel when its in the air? It was like that. I was/am trying to apply for public health masters programs right now and in a panic I've realized its not right/ not my end goal).
I am just unsure whether it is even a possibility at this point. I've been examining things that I wasn't even taking into consideration throughout my undergraduate career. My GPA is 3.67 and will likely be 3.7 by the time I graduate, but upon just calculating my BCPM gpa, it is only about 3.45. This is largely due to a poor but passing grade in a chemistry class, which I have signed up to re-take next semester (my last semester) although I'm not sure if that will even help.
I have 2 years research experience in a microbio lab, have volunteered in a hospital for 3 semesters, have studied abroad where I did projects with HIV education and teaching kids in underserved areas, and a couple other minor ECs. I was unable to join any campus orgs/ do leadership however because I've been working evenings/weekends the past 3 years (at a medical library) and it just wasn't possible. I don't have clinical experience and to be honest don't even know what exactly that entails. Haven't shadowed doctors. Obviously haven't taken the MCAT. Another big problem is that I haven't formed relationships with professors. I'm struggling even to get the letters for the MPH. My research PI will write an excellent one but that's about where I'm at. I suppose it's not too late, as I could form relationships with professors next semester. Yet another problem is that my residency is in Idaho, where there are no medical schools (yet). So I am necessarily applying OOS, even if I apply in the state where I'm doing my undergrad (Ohio).
So in general I'm wondering if there's any chance I can go to medical school. If I take the MCAT and do stellar, can it rescue my poor bcpm? Do I even have time to take the MCAT since I'd need to apply this summer? If I do the MPH (in Epidemiology) and get better grades there, can that help my chances? What about an MS? Or am I better off taking another year off to just focus on improving my application+establish residency? If I do that, how do I maintain professors willing to write me letters of recommendation? And do I need special letters that are different from what I'd need for other programs?
Stressin'.
I am just unsure whether it is even a possibility at this point. I've been examining things that I wasn't even taking into consideration throughout my undergraduate career. My GPA is 3.67 and will likely be 3.7 by the time I graduate, but upon just calculating my BCPM gpa, it is only about 3.45. This is largely due to a poor but passing grade in a chemistry class, which I have signed up to re-take next semester (my last semester) although I'm not sure if that will even help.
I have 2 years research experience in a microbio lab, have volunteered in a hospital for 3 semesters, have studied abroad where I did projects with HIV education and teaching kids in underserved areas, and a couple other minor ECs. I was unable to join any campus orgs/ do leadership however because I've been working evenings/weekends the past 3 years (at a medical library) and it just wasn't possible. I don't have clinical experience and to be honest don't even know what exactly that entails. Haven't shadowed doctors. Obviously haven't taken the MCAT. Another big problem is that I haven't formed relationships with professors. I'm struggling even to get the letters for the MPH. My research PI will write an excellent one but that's about where I'm at. I suppose it's not too late, as I could form relationships with professors next semester. Yet another problem is that my residency is in Idaho, where there are no medical schools (yet). So I am necessarily applying OOS, even if I apply in the state where I'm doing my undergrad (Ohio).
So in general I'm wondering if there's any chance I can go to medical school. If I take the MCAT and do stellar, can it rescue my poor bcpm? Do I even have time to take the MCAT since I'd need to apply this summer? If I do the MPH (in Epidemiology) and get better grades there, can that help my chances? What about an MS? Or am I better off taking another year off to just focus on improving my application+establish residency? If I do that, how do I maintain professors willing to write me letters of recommendation? And do I need special letters that are different from what I'd need for other programs?
Stressin'.
