Low GPA

[WonderandWander]

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Hi all! I'm hoping to get some (positive?) feedback on my situation. I'm 25 years old and graduated from a decent school, James Madison University. My major was in the health sciences and I was a member of a varsity athletic team (not sure if that even matters at this point...). My undergrad gpa is about a 3.45, but my science gpa is lower, about 2.9 when all is said and done. After undergrad (I graduated at age 21), I signed up for the Continuing Ed Program at UVA to take orgo because I figured "I should just have it under my belt." I flunked it. Two years later, I'm working a full time job and figured I should try it again, just to prove that I could do it. I didn't prepare for the 45 hrs/week of work plus the class... started out really well, getting a B, then missed classes due to work and ended up with a D. I also excused myself because I wasn't "working towards anything", which, while true, is a terrible reason to fail at something. In the end, excuses don't matter: it's still my fault and adcoms are going to see that I failed the course, twice.

In undergrad, I had no clue what I wanted to do with my degree, I only knew that the health care world interested me. I considered nursing, PT, and PA programs. However, over the past two years, I've done a lot of "soul searching" and career exploration, and after talks with various health care professionals, I've decided that I think I would make a great doctor and want to go to medical school.

I know what you're thinking: my grades are NOT that of med school caliber, not even remotely. I'm wondering what I can do to improve my competitiveness in the next two years (applying Fall 2012). I was told by the UVA Post Bacc Pre Med Program that I'm not really a candidate to take their course because I've completely almost all of the pre-reqs, albeit not well, and that I should look into a separate "Pre-Med Certificate" program at another school. If I complete the program (30 credit hours of a masters program upper level bio, some research possible), will my chances of getting into medical school increase that greatly (when considering this, let's also assume that I somehow rock the MCAT (36+))? Any advice? During the next two years, I also plan on shadowing a number of physicians and volunteering significantly. Is there anything else I could do to prove to adcoms that I'm capable of the rigorous academic workload?

 

[Catalystik]

Your undergrad GPA (not counting the D and F) is isn't far from that of the average entering DO med student of 3.48. Considering that AACOMAS, the DO application service only counts the most recent grade when you retake, you can turn things around significantly just by getting an A in Ochem. That might be a good place to start, without commiting to further coursework, because if you can't master it, there's not much point in continuing on this path. Also start the shadowing and clinical volunteering to test whether medicine is right for you. If OChem goes well, and then the rest of the prerequisites, and ideally some upper-level Bio and Biochem, your science GPA would likely be competitive.

So at this point, you could apply to DO schools, or if your MCAT is at least 30, and your AMCAS cGPA with all grades included is 3.0+, you'd be a candidate for a Special Masters Program, which would override your uGPA (which a traditional masters will not). With excellent performance in such a (expensive) program, you have a real shot at an MD program if such is your priority. See SDN's Postbac Programs Forum for more information and available programs.

 

[WonderandWander]

I think that the program suggested to me is similar to a SMP. Here's the link for it http://www.medschool.vcu.edu/graduate/premed_cert/

Let's hypothetically say that I get straight A's through the entire program... would there be any possibility of my getting accepted to UVA (or would it be a snowball's chance in hell?)? My dad completed his residency there (and was chief resident, though I don't know if that matters at all) and I'm acquainted with some of the UVA doctors (I think that some of them teach the med school courses). I'm assuming that as far as med school goes, it's really more what you know than who you know (in contrast to the real world, I've found).

Thoughts? What could I do to actually compete for a spot at UVA?

 

[TriagePreMed]

Thoughts? What could I do to actually compete for a spot at UVA?

Tons of research, leadership, and volunteering would be in order, but even if you had great grades since the beginning, I'd be telling you not to put all your eggs in that basket. There's a lot of gamble for anyone applying there.

 

[Catalystik]

1) I think that the program suggested to me is similar to a SMP. Here's the link for it http://www.medschool.vcu.edu/graduate/premed_cert/

Let's hypothetically say that I get straight A's through the entire program... would there be any possibility of my getting accepted to UVA (or would it be a snowball's chance in hell?)?

2) My dad completed his residency there (and was chief resident, though I don't know if that matters at all) and I'm acquainted with some of the UVA doctors (I think that some of them teach the med school courses). I'm assuming that as far as med school goes, it's really more what you know than who you know (in contrast to the real world, I've found).

Thoughts? What could I do to actually compete for a spot at UVA?

1) The VCU program is considered an SMP. You might poke about in SDN's Postbac Programs Forum and Search for the experience others enrolled have had. For the best input, you should call and ask an advisor from the program what their experience has been getting their students into UVirginia or other institutions you're interested in.

As TriagePreMed points out, aside from grades there are other important expectations by UVa. A substantive research experience might be hard to come by if you're enrolled in an academically challenging program that takes up all your time.

2) Public universities seem less likely to be impressed by a legacy factor than a private school. I think you'll need to depend on your own resources to have a shot.