Low GPA but want a Residency!

[smileyman22336]

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Okay, I wish I would have been more mature when I started school, but there's no way to go back to the past. I thought I'd just do retail and coast through with C's...what a big mistake. I now just started seeing how retail is and I don't think I could do it for the rest of my life. My GPA, mainly due to my second year, is below 3.0. I know this is absolutely intense, cause most residencies have aa 3.0 cut off, but what things can I do to still apply? I really want to match. I'm currently done with my P2 year and starting P3 in fall. That's my only chance to raise my GPA (God knows how much I can, but I'll aim high). Also, as far as a resume to apply for residencies, all I can say is that I'm a retail tech (and just started too, I know, not much). Therefore, if you can also advise me on what extracurricular or other things I can do to look better in the eyes of the residency people please let me know. I pretty much have a year to raise my GPA and two years to get some extra stuff going on my resume that'll make me a better candidate. And yes, I'm sure I want to do a residency.

 

[smileyman22336]

BTW, I've completed a class in PCCA and we got a certificate for it, can I add that on my resume, if it helps at all?

 

[MatCauthon]

You might be able to do a residency if you start doing leadership activities and research projects with the right people. You also need to be willing to do a residency anywhere. You are more likely to be picked up by a residency program in the middle of nowhere. I have seen a couple sub-3.0 GPA students match.

 

[GoldfishPharmD]

Like you stated, you need to get that GPA up. Most places won't even look at you if you don't have at least a 3.0. I think if you ace everything your P3 year, you can make it possible. I would join your school's chapter of ACCP and ASHP as those normally have meetings talking about residencies and what you can do to make yourself a candidate. Work experience of any kind is good even retail. If you can get a hospital internship, I would try that. That'll boost your application as well. P4 year, have well-rounded rotations. Take clinical electives- cardiology, oncology, ID, etc. Make sure you can get good letters. Apply broadly during your P4 year- not just those ultra competitive medical centers. You still have time to turn things around.

 

[mp808]

Okay, I wish I would have been more mature when I started school, but there's no way to go back to the past. I thought I'd just do retail and coast through with C's...what a big mistake. I now just started seeing how retail is and I don't think I could do it for the rest of my life. My GPA, mainly due to my second year, is below 3.0. I know this is absolutely intense, cause most residencies have aa 3.0 cut off, but what things can I do to still apply? I really want to match. I'm currently done with my P2 year and starting P3 in fall. That's my only chance to raise my GPA (God knows how much I can, but I'll aim high). Also, as far as a resume to apply for residencies, all I can say is that I'm a retail tech (and just started too, I know, not much). Therefore, if you can also advise me on what extracurricular or other things I can do to look better in the eyes of the residency people please let me know. I pretty much have a year to raise my GPA and two years to get some extra stuff going on my resume that'll make me a better candidate. And yes, I'm sure I want to do a residency.

Did you ever get into a residency program? My GPA is pretty low as a second year and I'm wondering if there's even a slight chance of getting matched...

 

[gwarm01]

Did you ever get into a residency program? My GPA is pretty low as a second year and I'm wondering if there's even a slight chance of getting matched...

How low are we talking? You have a lot of time to get it up. Think you can manage a 3.0 by graduation?

 

[mp808]

How low are we talking? You have a lot of time to get it up. Think you can manage a 3.0 by graduation?

Honestly, probably not. I'm at a 2.7 right now. I only have two semesters left to get it up and I don't think I could raise it all the way to a 3.0... I'd really would prefer to do a residency in a more rural town but I wonder if my GPA would be too low for even that...

 

[leek_eater]

Honestly, probably not. I'm at a 2.7 right now. I only have two semesters left to get it up and I don't think I could raise it all the way to a 3.0... I'd really would prefer to do a residency in a more rural town but I wonder if my GPA would be too low for even that...

This probably isn't the helpful response you wanted...but let me know how it goes since I'm pretty much in the same boat.
What if you made an appointment with your dean of student affairs and told him/her everything you have relayed here? Usually they're pretty good at addressing those types of concerns and if you ask them to be realistic about prospects, they will.

 

[ethyl]

For others in this situation in the future, consider hitting other components of residency screening algorithms.
-***Do a Midyear student poster*** or get your name somewhere on a professor's or preceptor's publication.
-Participate in as many clinical competitions as possible (bonus if you win)
-Have significant club leadership (not just treasurer).
-Volunteer in some interesting events outside of your usual required curriculum.
-Take electives in critical care, ID, anticoag, emergency care or trauma.

 

[Lebanesepharmacist]

You might be able to do a residency if you start doing leadership activities and research projects with the right people. You also need to be willing to do a residency anywhere. You are more likely to be picked up by a residency program in the middle of nowhere. I have seen a couple sub-3.0 GPA students match.

Can you give examples of "residency programs in the middle of nowhere?". Thank you!

 

[projektreverb]

Can you give examples of "residency programs in the middle of nowhere?". Thank you!

First thing that comes to mind is midwest states like Arkansas and that likes.

 

[PA_dud3]

First thing that comes to mind is midwest states like Arkansas and that likes.

Rural NC hospitals have a surprising number of residencies. Not just PGY-1 either, a few have PGY-2 programs.

 

[deleted950169]

Rural NC hospitals have a surprising number of residencies. Not just PGY-1 either, a few have PGY-2 programs.

Lol, North Carolina is one of the hardest states to get a residency in because of their expanded scope of practice for clinical pharmacists. I applied to a few programs there, heard back from exactly zero of them. Had decent but not great stats and pretty much got annihilated in the residency application process, which ended up being the best outcome possible for me

 

[PA_dud3]

Lol, North Carolina is one of the hardest states to get a residency in because of their expanded scope of practice for clinical pharmacists. I applied to a few programs there, heard back from exactly zero of them. Had decent but not great stats and pretty much got annihilated in the residency application process, which ended up being the best outcome possible for me

Lol maybe it was just you, an average of like 40% or so of nc grads get residencies of some type. Maybe out of state had something to do with it. Campbell grads had like 30% residency acceptance and Eshelman had like 50% accepted. Wingate is in the 20-30% range too.

 

[deleted950169]

Lol maybe it was just you, an average of like 40% or so of nc grads get residencies of some type. Maybe out of state had something to do with it. Campbell grads had like 30% residency acceptance and Eshelman had like 50% accepted. Wingate is in the 20-30% range too.

I was out of state, they tend to prefer in state students so unless someone is from NC your advice was pretty irrelevant. And it's certainly wasn't just me, the year I applied to residency, over 50% of applicants withdrew due to lack of interview or didn't match.

 

[PA_dud3]

I was out of state, they tend to prefer in state students so unless someone is from NC your advice was pretty irrelevant. And it's certainly wasn't just me, the year I applied to residency, over 50% of applicants withdrew due to lack of interview or didn't match.

Perhaps I shouldn't have said maybe it's just you, sorry. I don't have much knowledge of out of state NC residency apps, was just speaking from my own personal knowledge. The good thing about NC is if you are in state and want to practice clinically it seems a bit easier to get well established than in other states, due to "provider status" CPP's have and the relative ease in state people have getting residencies.