Masters student in need of help!

[biochemOR]

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I didn't decide to pursue medicine until 2nd semester sophomore year and took my classes as quickly as possible to get them all in by graduating. My senior year I tore my ACL and had some trouble getting to classes and studying due to the pain and rehab, that being said, I need some real advice on my chances of getting into medical school.

I graduated with a 2.33 science GPA and 2.44 over all GPA as a mathematics Major. Immediately after graduating I went to Rwanda and volunteered in a small rural clinic for 3 months, delivering babies, doing skin grafts, treating TB, you name it. I came home and worked at my state's university for a year in the department of neurology as a research assistant, eventually publishing a paper in the journal of clinical oncology. During this time I took classes at the state university for public health, something I was interested in and did very well grade wise. I decided not to go for a MPH however. I lost my job due to the economy and got an offer to work as a patient representative in Qingdao, China. For 5 months, I talked to westerners and explained to them what chinese physicans were doing with adult umbilical cord stem cells in the clinic. I was hired because I had a good knowlage of scientific terminology and I could go into the chinese hospitals and get an idea of some of the procedures they were doing. I came home this past fall to start a masters in biochemistry and molecular biology in my home state. I got a 3.73 my first term and am continuing to do well. I took the MCAT at the last minute a year ago and scored a 24. What are my chances? I'm 25 and want this more than anything. I've had the clinical and lab experience I think, but I know my GPA is really killing me. Will I ever be able to bounce back? Thank you for your time.

 

[Catalystik]

Your chances with your current academic record and MCAT score are dismal. That doesn't mean that you couldn't improve your position and "bounce back", but it would take a lot of time and expense to do so. If you are not willing to put a few years of classwork into the redemption in addition to your current masters degree effort, you could apply to Caribbean schools or even an English language Chinese med school school. If you are willing, we can discuss postbac work, DO schools and SMPs.

 

[Morsetlis]

The quickest path to redemption is to retake the C/D/F classes and apply to DO schools.

 

[biochemOR]

I've only taken the MCAT once, what if I were to pump my score up to at least a 30+? My pre-med advisors said I was on the right track, do I really need to go back and retake those classes? I thought a masters in biochemistry and molecular biology would display my ability to handle the academics of medical school. What DO schools would you recommend? Do I have a shot at some of the lower tier private MD schools?

 

[Catalystik]

Do I have a shot at some of the lower tier private MD schools?

To have a shot at MD schools, you'd need a better MCAT score and good performance in a Special Masters Program (SMP). To get into an SMP, you'd need a better undergrad GPA than what you have now. Many want a GPA of greater than 3.0. My calculations say that if you took 7 more semesters of full-time, straight-A undergrad coursework, you'd be close to a 3.0. You can research this option in the Postbaccalaureate Programs Forum of SDN.

Morsetlis is right, that it would take less time to retake your lowest grades and apply to DO med schools which practice grade replacement. Some DO schools do regard graduate level coursework in their decision.

Here is a DO GPA calculation spreadsheet: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=450050 so you can figure out how many classes to retake.

Here is a DO school list with requirements and GPA cut offs:
http://www.aacom.org/resources/bookstore/cib/Documents/cib2010/2010-CIB-complete.pdf

 

[Morsetlis]

I suggest you not listen to any more "pre-med advisors".

 

[biochemOR]

I live in Oregon, so the Pacific North West University of Health Sciences would give me preference. Would that be an option? I talked to many MDs at OHSU and they said retaking classes would be a waist of time, therefore I entered the MS program I'm currently in. The GPA cut off for OHSU is 2.8, which I can get if I do well in my Masters classes. Pretty much I want to know if I need to cut my losses and find another carrer path..........

 

[deleted248403]

So you can't get to a 2.8 because undergrad GPA and grad GPAs are recorded separately.

Taking grad classes doesnt change your undergrad GPA nor does it form a combined cGPA.

I concur with Morse on the listening to those advisors.

If you want medicine, you'll need to have a good hard look at the Carib med schools and consider doing an SMP.

A cGPA of 2.44 will handicap you everywhere you apply, regardless of your graduate school grades