LOST AND CONFUSE. Need help/advice on retaking pre reqs classes and many more.

[GILT]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hi all,
This is my first post and I have tons of questions that I hope you guys can help me with.

I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in June 2010. I have a cumulative GPA of 3.06 and science GPA is around 2.6 -2.7.
I have taken many other science courses besides the pre reqs such as pathology, physiology, microbiology(Clinical and Medical) and Clinical Biochemistry, Hematology, Immunohematology, Immunology in 2009 and 2010.

Most of my science grades are in the C to B- and only a couple As (Immunology and Physical Chemistry and Immunohematology).
My major downfall is scoring a D+ in ORganic Chemistry 2 and D in Genetics.
I did not retake these classes before I graduate due to the heavy workload of my major which require me to stay in classes and lab from 8am to 5pm everyday.

I know the key to get into Medical School is GOOD grades and obviously I do not have that.

I am lost and confused and in a dilemma.
What is the First Step I should take.
My biggest question right now is Should I retake ALL the PRe reqs courses and try to Get As in all of them? I was told that If I retake any classes after graduation, the score would not be average in but it will be seen as a separate grade.
Does that mean all these classes that I will be retaking be counted under POST BACH GPA?
Whats an average grade I have to get since this is my second time around repeating all the courses?

Do I even stand a change in getting to medical school in the US or should I just consider the caribbean?



Lost and Confused.
Gil

 

[lsu hopeful]

Did you go into that degree planning to apply to Med School?

If you decided on Med School after, then you're in a situation where you need to polish your GPA record before applying. But that's not the only thing... have you shadowed a physician? Have you volunteered in your community?

It's a combination of a lot of things and my biggest question is the first one above... has this been your plan all along or are you just now changing? If you're just now changing, my advice to people in your position is the best advice I received when I was in the same spot... go shadow a physician for several months before you move any further. Make sure it's REALLY what you want to do.

 

[0919mmk]

Hi all,
This is my first post and I have tons of questions that I hope you guys can help me with.

I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in June 2010. I have a cumulative GPA of 3.06 and science GPA is around 2.6 -2.7.
I have taken many other science courses besides the pre reqs such as pathology, physiology, microbiology(Clinical and Medical) and Clinical Biochemistry, Hematology, Immunohematology, Immunology in 2009 and 2010.

Most of my science grades are in the C to B- and only a couple As (Immunology and Physical Chemistry and Immunohematology).
My major downfall is scoring a D+ in ORganic Chemistry 2 and D in Genetics.
I did not retake these classes before I graduate due to the heavy workload of my major which require me to stay in classes and lab from 8am to 5pm everyday.

I know the key to get into Medical School is GOOD grades and obviously I do not have that.

I am lost and confused and in a dilemma.
What is the First Step I should take.
My biggest question right now is Should I retake ALL the PRe reqs courses and try to Get As in all of them? I was told that If I retake any classes after graduation, the score would not be average in but it will be seen as a separate grade.
Does that mean all these classes that I will be retaking be counted under POST BACH GPA?
Whats an average grade I have to get since this is my second time around repeating all the courses?

Do I even stand a change in getting to medical school in the US or should I just consider the caribbean?



Lost and Confused.
Gil

OK- lots of questions is right!

1)You have taken a lot of science classes, so it will be tough to get it to budge back up in to the >3.0 range. I think that if you want to get in to an MD program, you'd pretty much need to take a whole bunch of postbacc credits with all A's. At the very least, you have to retake any prereqs where you got <C and get A's in them.

2) Yes, if you retake these, they will be seen as separate grades UNLESS you are applying DO, in which case they will replace your bad grades in that class.

3) It seems like you are thinking US MD, or else carrib MD. You should consider US DO. Like I said, their grade replacement policy could help you a lot. But even to get in to DO, you NEED to start taking postbacc classes asap, and getting A's in them. That should be your starting place if this is really what you want to do. You have a long road ahead of you, but the non-trad forum is full of people who walked that road successfully. Of course, the sample is biased, and there are many more who were not willing/able to do it.

4) Yes, any undergrad-level classes you take from here on out are postbacc.

5) This is the most valuable advice I can give you: Consider US DO before Carrib!

Good luck man


EDIT: Yeah LSUhopeful is right- before you do any of the stuff I suggested, you should really consider why you want to do this, and whether you are willing to suffer for a few years before applying (so that you can suffer in med school a few years so that you can suffer in residency for a few years 🙂

 

[GILT]

Did you go into that degree planning to apply to Med School?

If you decided on Med School after, then you're in a situation where you need to polish your GPA record before applying. But that's not the only thing... have you shadowed a physician? Have you volunteered in your community?

It's a combination of a lot of things and my biggest question is the first one above... has this been your plan all along or are you just now changing? If you're just now changing, my advice to people in your position is the best advice I received when I was in the same spot... go shadow a physician for several months before you move any further. Make sure it's REALLY what you want to do.

To answer your question Yes and No.
I was pre med going into College, decided to do Pre dental instead and came to realization that it wont happen due to my grades.
So I would say I was a confused kid with no set goals in life. Therefore did not put my heart and soul into it.

ANyways, I am currently working full time as a blood bank technologist. I havent shadow a physician but I do work with them. After I straighten things out I will definitely look into shadowing a physician.

Thanks for your help.

 

[GILT]

OK- lots of questions is right!

1)You have taken a lot of science classes, so it will be tough to get it to budge back up in to the >3.0 range. I think that if you want to get in to an MD program, you'd pretty much need to take a whole bunch of postbacc credits with all A's. At the very least, you have to retake any prereqs where you got <C and get A's in them.

2) Yes, if you retake these, they will be seen as separate grades UNLESS you are applying DO, in which case they will replace your bad grades in that class.

3) It seems like you are thinking US MD, or else carrib MD. You should consider US DO. Like I said, their grade replacement policy could help you a lot. But even to get in to DO, you NEED to start taking postbacc classes asap, and getting A's in them. That should be your starting place if this is really what you want to do. You have a long road ahead of you, but the non-trad forum is full of people who walked that road successfully. Of course, the sample is biased, and there are many more who were not willing/able to do it.

4) Yes, any undergrad-level classes you take from here on out are postbacc.

5) This is the most valuable advice I can give you: Consider US DO before Carrib!

Good luck man


EDIT: Yeah LSUhopeful is right- before you do any of the stuff I suggested, you should really consider why you want to do this, and whether you are willing to suffer for a few years before applying (so that you can suffer in med school a few years so that you can suffer in residency for a few years 🙂

Hi,
Thanks for your advice, I have already started looking into classes to retake.
Does it matter if its a summer session course? WOuld it be of an disadvantage?

Why dont you consider schools in the Caribbean? I have a few acquitances who got accepted or are in the Caribbean Med schools and they have pretty decent grades. Sometimes I wonder if I should just apply there to save time and money.

 

[EdLongshanks]

Do I even stand a change in getting to medical school in the US or should I just consider the caribbean?

Ok, I'm going to get busted for saying this, but, oh well.

You should firstly, figure out why you didn't make good grades. You either have no idea how to study or you lack the capacity to learn these things. In either case, going to medical school anywhere is a bad idea.

You can try the Caribbean if you want, but if you are under the impression that Caribbean medical classes are easier than the classes that you have already done poorly in, then you are mistaken.

You have something pretty important to do before applying to medical school.

I wonder if you have thought about what else you may want to do in life. You might beat the odds and become a doctor, but you may not. If you are in the majority that don't, what are you going to do that will make you happy.

 

[Pons Asinorum]

Hi,

Why dont you consider schools in the Caribbean? I have a few acquitances who got accepted or are in the Caribbean Med schools and they have pretty decent grades. Sometimes I wonder if I should just apply there to save time and money.

There is extensive discussion about the negatives of Caribbean programs both in this and the other pre-allo forums. Please do a search and read through some of that info before we send this thread down the rabbit hole of Carib bashing. The gist: Carib programs have a less-than-ideal track record of a) getting students successfully past the boards, and b) into competitive residencies. On top of that, they are expensive.

 

[0919mmk]

There is extensive discussion about the negatives of Caribbean programs both in this and the other pre-allo forums. Please do a search and read through some of that info before we send this thread down the rabbit hole of Carib bashing. The gist: Carib programs have a less-than-ideal track record of a) getting students successfully past the boards, and b) into competitive residencies. On top of that, they are expensive.

Yes this is what I was referring to. Carrib may be the right choice for some people, but there are a lot of drawbacks. There are indeed tons of threads already dedicated to this on SDN -check them out GILT.