Med school later....

[Japika]

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3.3 GPA from state Right now. Can maybe get it up to 3.4 once I graduate, but lets stick with the 3.3.

I am currently working as lab manager (Salary from school), in a lab that studies and is working on inhibition of HCV. I also did a year of directed individual study in that same lab (A's).

I will graduate with a major in Cellular and Molecular Biology and two minors in Chemistry and Biomedical Physics.

My grades in all courses (not sure what is relevant), in order from start to now

Anthropology - B
Gen Bio w/ Lab - B+
Comp I - B-
Honors Style and Way of Learning - C (1 hour)
Algebra - B

Gen Bio w/ Lab - B
Comp II - A
Understanding Visual and Performing Arts - B
College Algebra - B

Gen Chem w/ Lab I - B (Summer course in class 5 hours a day (linked lecture and lab) 3 days a week)

Us History to 1877 - A-
Human Anat/Phy W/ Lab I - B+
Gen Chem II - B
Gen Chem II Lab - A
Pre Calc - A

Calc I - C+
Philosophy - A
General Psychology -A
Contemporary World Religion - A
Statistical Methods - A

General Genetics - B+

Organic Chem I - A
Cell Structure and Function - B
College Physics A - B
Elementary Spanish I - C+

Organic Chem II - B+
College Physics B - B
Elementary Spanish II - A-
Statistics for Biology - A

Plant Biology - B-
Hepatitis C (research experience) - A
Evolution - B+
Intermediate Spanish - B+

I will be the first to say my grades are horrible, but I also feel, most of my "bad" (C's) were all in classes like Calculus and Spanish. Beyond my grades, I am a smart kid, I just have a hard time with multiple choice tests. When it comes to application of what I have learned, I am solid, and that is exemplified by the recommendation letters written by my research professor and O Chem I professor. But that's enough excuses.

I haven't taken the MCAT, I haven't taken Biochemistry, I haven't taken O Chem Lab (both can be taken in the spring next year (I THINK)). Up until recently, I wanted to go to law school but I have had a change of heart and I am thinking of medical school.

Now, for the most important thing. I don't want to go to med school right now. I am planning on joining the military after I graduate. Probably the Officer Candidate School. Maybe just enlisted, but I am going to push for something related to health. Either Army Medical Officer, or Navy Corpsmen. I may go into aviation, seeing how that is being offered too me.

What do you guys think my chances will be after the military? What about now without the military if I took the courses required, studied for the MCAT, and wait a year after graduation?

I also worked as a vehicle mechanic my first two years of college at my fathers automotive shop (if that counts for anything).



My EC's are


Relay for Life every year
Inducted member in to Tri Beta Biological Honors Society.
I am also a member of Bio Mentors a mentoring program, where I set up office hours and tutor other undergrads.
I also volunteered in the Emergency Room at my home towns hospital.

That's my basic resume, I recently got my acceptance letters to law school, and had a change of heart and don't really want to do law school.


Any input would be great, but the major questions are. Could i get into medical school now? Could I get in after the military? What should I work on, to make medical school happen?

 

[Japika]

I use the AMCAS GPA Calc and it says I have a BCPM GPA 2.39
Overall GPA 3.31

I wanted to get a philosophy degree when I first enrolled. Should I take that chance to get two majors and bring my gpa up instead of the military?

Any advice is greatly appreciated, even if it is, negative IE "You should just give up...".

 

[Mobius1985]

Even if you compensate for your GPA of 3.31 with an MCAT score of 34, MD (allopathic) med schools are going to look at your BCPM GPA of 2.39 and assume you won't be able to do well in an upper-level science curriculum in medical school. Besides an excellent MCAT, you'd need to spend maybe one-two more years getting straight As in difficult science classes to prove you could do it (which would, incidently, raise your GPA, too). Medical schools don't care if you have two majors, or a minor. You will be judged by your stats. Taking two more years of philosophy might raise your GPA, but it won't prove you can do well in med school.

If you go into the military (and don't make any assumptions about Officer Candidate School, just because you have an undergrad degree. A relative of mine joined, having been lied to by a recruiter, and spent 4 years as an enlisted person.) and become a corpman/medic, you'd have excellent clinical experience and a great EC to list for leadership, but you would still be judged by your undergrad GPA.

If you are willing to apply to DO (osteopathic) medical schools, a GPA of 3.4 and an MCAT of 24 would be competitive, but they still expect a decent amount of clinical experience so they can be sure you are committed to medicine, via volunteerism (of which you have some)or a job, and shadowing. I suspect they would also be more reassured to see some recent As in upper-level undergrad science classes. You might consider checking out the pre-osteo forum on SDN, especially the stickies at the top of their page, and learn about what it's all about. If you don't want to spend a lot of time fixing your GPA, DO is the way to go, and they too would love you more with military medic experience under your belt.

 

[Japika]

Even if you compensate for your GPA of 3.31 with an MCAT score of 34, MD (allopathic) med schools are going to look at your BCPM GPA of 2.39 and assume you won't be able to do well in an upper-level science curriculum in medical school. Besides an excellent MCAT, you'd need to spend maybe one-two more years getting straight As in difficult science classes to prove you could do it (which would, incidently, raise your GPA, too). Medical schools don't care if you have two majors, or a minor. You will be judged by your stats. Taking two more years of philosophy might raise your GPA, but it won't prove you can do well in med school.

If you go into the military (and don't make any assumptions about Officer Candidate School, just because you have an undergrad degree. A relative of mine joined, having been lied to by a recruiter, and spent 4 years as an enlisted person.) and become a corpman/medic, you'd have excellent clinical experience and a great EC to list for leadership, but you would still be judged by your undergrad GPA.

If you are willing to apply to DO (osteopathic) medical schools, a GPA of 3.4 and an MCAT of 24 would be competitive, but they still expect a decent amount of clinical experience so they can be sure you are committed to medicine, via volunteerism (of which you have some)or a job, and shadowing. I suspect they would also be more reassured to see some recent As in upper-level undergrad science classes. You might consider checking out the pre-osteo forum on SDN, especially the stickies at the top of their page, and learn about what it's all about. If you don't want to spend a lot of time fixing your GPA, DO is the way to go, and they too would love you more with military medic experience under your belt.

O man, Unless somebody edited my post after they recalculated my BCPM GPA, I think I miss typed it. I believe I met to type 3.39 for BCPM. But to be honest, when I used the calc, I did not know what courses I need to count as BCPM, so I used every Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Math Course i have taken, including my Undergrade Virus research, and statistics classes.

After I submit this, I am going to recalculate my GPA's using the ASMAC.... w/e it's called calculator using EVERY Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Math Course. If i miss typed or calculated something wrong, I will reply with what I have, as well as editing my post. I am also going to add the courses I am taking right now and may take next semester, which are Biomedical Physics, HCV research (Does that count as a Biology?????), Ochem Lab and biochem Biochem and the biology courses (atleast 8 more hours).

This semester (which arnt in the GPA calc) I am taking Biomedical Physics, and HCV Research (does that count?), Ecology, Prokaryotic, Micobiology Lab, and Biocalculs Lab. Next semester, im am sure going to take Immunology, Immunology Lab (if I can bully my way into a seat), Biomedical Physics 2, and Verterbrate Physology. I may tweak my schedual and take Biochem and Ochem lab (to give me a chance at med school later), and I may postpone graduation till after this summer, so I can finish classes I need to have to get into med school like bio chem, o chem lab, and classes like Pchem. and I may at that time, take what I need to get a minor in philosophy.


I really do appreciate your original reply, and would GREATLY appreciate another reply, based on the idea that my BCPM GPA is not 2.39. If it is, 2.39, and a mod recauluated my GPA, then edited my post, I am sorry for wasting your time, and I will give up on med school at that time.

 

[Japika]

I recalculated using every course above, checking every Biology (including Undergrad Research), Chemistry, Physics and Math Course (From Int Alg to Bio Stats).

ASMAC gave me
3.32 OGPA
3.30 BCPM

If i can get all A's (wouldn't count on it, so lets use the GPA's above as solid senior year aswell) my GPA for both be 3.499 +-.0001

What should I try to do my last semester of college if I wanted to make this medical school thing happen (with or without going to the military). I know I need to take biochemistry, and Ochem lab. Anything else?

Thank you again for any input...

 

[Mobius1985]

I really do appreciate your original reply, and would GREATLY appreciate another reply, based on the idea that my BCPM GPA is not 2.39.

ASMAC gave me
3.32 OGPA
3.30 BCPM

If i can get all A's (wouldn't count on it, so lets use the GPA's above as solid senior year aswell) my GPA for both be 3.499 +-.0001

What should I try to do my last semester of college if I wanted to make this medical school thing happen (with or without going to the military). I know I need to take biochemistry, and Ochem lab. Anything else?

That sure looks better! Straight As (if attained) will look great and the GPA improvement will put you in the ballpark. Don't over-extend yourself though. It would be better to get straight As with a smaller course load, than to get in a lot of science, with some Bs.

You'd try to get a minimum MCAT of 32. if you have a GPA of ~3.5. Yes your research counts as bio. I don't think you need P Chem. Other than improved grades and good MCAT, you need more clinical exposure. Work on that ASAP, just in case you decide to apply to med school without going into the military first.

 

[Japika]

anybody else have some input. I need all the advice I can get...