My Story

[jayceee]

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The Cliffs Notes version:

2000: Graduate high school with excellent grades. Partial scholarship to University (our version of your Top Tier schools). Typical first year science major.

2001: Switched to Nursing (again, our version of a Top Tier school. Ranked 2nd in Canada).

[2002 moved to Portland, Oregon with my parents, but finished my degree]

2006: Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

2009: Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Critical Care Nursing

Present: Critical Care RN. Working in Cardiac Surgery ICU. Centre (CDN spelling) for Excellent in Cardiac Care (CABGs, valves, VADs, transplants, Impellas...)

My extreme passion: Women's Health and Obstetrics. I've thought about going the CNM route, but would like more knowledge and training, as well as the ability to take on higher risk clients.

Truth: Medically documented health problems led to a poor undergrad GPA. Most people I know are surprised that I managed to graduate from such an intense program despite all the problems I had. I undertand that this will hurt me significantly. I'm prepared to do the work.

Today: I'm 28 years old, thirsty for more knowledge, and know that I'm ready to persue a career in medicine.

Plan: Move back to Portland at the end of this year in order to take advantage of the financial and emotional support that my parents are willing to offer in order to help me achieve my dreams. I will take my science pre-requisits and write the MCAT. Should I be thinking about doing another degree to help bring my undergrad GPA up?

I know this story isn't very unique. Any advice, however, would be much appreciated.

 

[DrMidlife]

Should I be thinking about doing another degree to help bring my undergrad GPA up?

What's your cumulative undergrad GPA? New coursework can improve your GPA, but there's no fixing it. Unfortunately in med school apps you'll be judged by your cumulative undergrad GPA, which includes every college course you've ever taken. It can take years of additional undergrad, and maybe a medical masters program, to comeback from a low GPA.

Best of luck to you.

 

[zebalong]

I would shoot for at least a cum. gpa of 3.5 if you get an MCAT of >30, then apply very very broadly.. and pray.

If I were in your shoes though I would take classes to get at least a 3.6 gpa and aim for an MCAT of >32 to feel confident about my application.

Otherwise if your gpa is low but mcat is decent, then, as the previous poster mentioned there are SMP which fall under the high risk high rewards catagory. If you do well you will greatly increase your chances but if you do poorly, you will GREATLY decrease your chance of getting in.

As an RN, like you, I had schools who LOVED my previous nursing backgrounds, and some schools who really weren't looking for that sort of thing. In all honesty whether or not you do critical care doesn't matter (I was ED) as long as you show evidence of your passion for patient care. You'll be hit and miss and just need to find the school who thinks your background fits in its special niche.

Again, good luck in your journey.

 

[jayceee]

What's your cumulative undergrad GPA? New coursework can improve your GPA, but there's no fixing it. Unfortunately in med school apps you'll be judged by your cumulative undergrad GPA, which includes every college course you've ever taken. It can take years of additional undergrad, and maybe a medical masters program, to comeback from a low GPA.

Best of luck to you.

cGPA 2.8

I understand that this will take years. I'm willing to devote the next ten years of my life to get into medical school. It might sound ridiculous to give up so much of my life to try for a goal that seems unattainable, but I believe it will be worth it in the end.

Does science pre-requs --> MCAT ---> informal post-bacc ---> SMP seem like logical path? It seems like I will need more undergraduate courses to increase my cGPA...

 

[mspeedwagon]

You don't need an informal post-bac and an SMP.

Start with the science pre-reqs and try to ace the MCAT. If you do this you should be a shoe-in for an SMP.

The other option is to do well in the science pre-reqs and re-take classes that were a C or lower. Then plan to apply DO.

Both are viable options.

Does science pre-requs --> MCAT ---> informal post-bacc ---> SMP seem like logical path? It seems like I will need more undergraduate courses to increase my cGPA...

 

[jayceee]

Sometimes it's natural for non-trads to fall into the frustration trap when the goal seems so faraway. But the reality is if it's something you want you just have to knock out the steps in the path and keep chugging along. And it kind of applies to many goals in life. Alot of things we value aren't easy fixes and require consistent continual effort, tinkering, and growth. This is why it's crucial to learn not to deny yourself the pleasure of your path by constantly obsessing on how far a goal seems like it is. What matters is that you're closer today then you were yesterday, last week, last month, or last year. Try to enjoy each individual step if you can (meeting and learning from new people, learning new things) and if you can't, learn to have balance in your life where you make time for things that you do enjoy.

Constant frustration about how the future isn't here now is really a way of denigrating your present life needlessly and is often a good recipe for making yourself miserable. I always say life should be more about pursuing joy than escaping failure.

Good luck. If you keep at it you'll make it.

<-- I tear up whenever I read this quote from NTF.

I can make this happen if I just follow one step at a time. I decided to start posting on SDN because I'm pretty unfamiliar with the high education system in the US. Things in Canada are a little different.

Can the 2.8 cGPA + excellent science pre-reqs + excellent MCAT + excellent SMP + a decade of health care experience (by the time I'm ready to apply) get me into medical school?

 

[jayceee]

I would shoot for at least a cum. gpa of 3.5 if you get an MCAT of >30, then apply very very broadly.. and pray.

If I were in your shoes though I would take classes to get at least a 3.6 gpa and aim for an MCAT of >32 to feel confident about my application.

Otherwise if your gpa is low but mcat is decent, then, as the previous poster mentioned there are SMP which fall under the high risk high rewards catagory. If you do well you will greatly increase your chances but if you do poorly, you will GREATLY decrease your chance of getting in.

As an RN, like you, I had schools who LOVED my previous nursing backgrounds, and some schools who really weren't looking for that sort of thing. In all honesty whether or not you do critical care doesn't matter (I was ED) as long as you show evidence of your passion for patient care. You'll be hit and miss and just need to find the school who thinks your background fits in its special niche.

Again, good luck in your journey.

Zebalong: I noticed that you applied to OHSU med. Do you know of any SMPs or post-baccs in the Portland area?

 

[student1799]

Can the 2.8 cGPA + excellent science pre-reqs + excellent MCAT + excellent SMP + a decade of health care experience (by the time I'm ready to apply) get me into medical school?

I think you can get into med school, and possibly without doing an SMP, if you work really hard and play your cards right when applying. See [thread=675835]this thread ("Low GPA Success Stories")[/thread], as well as [post=7643870]this excellent post by NTF[/post] for an idea of how some other people did it. (I also got into med school with a lower-than-average GPA due to past baggage, but I haven't posted in these threads.)

As NTF spells out in his post, it's crucial to get as close to straight A's as you can in your postbacc classes. This will go a long way in convincing adcoms that you have really turned a corner, and that you will be able to handle the workload and stress of med school. Your life won't be over if you get one B, but you need to go into every single class with the aim of getting an A--and the work habits to make that possible.

As to "playing your cards right," I'm referring to school selection and the application process, but it's early to be thinking about those things. You have to start by excelling in your premed classes, and then getting a strong MCAT score. Once your GPA and MCAT are in the bag (and are hopefully stellar), it will be time to talk application strategy.

Good luck. I think you can make it if you throw yourself into this heart and soul.

 

[jayceee]

I think you can get into med school, and possibly without doing an SMP, if you work really hard and play your cards right when applying. See [thread=675835]this thread ("Low GPA Success Stories")[/thread], as well as [post=7643870]this excellent post by NTF[/post] for an idea of how some other people did it. (I also got into med school with a lower-than-average GPA due to past baggage, but I haven't posted in these threads.)

As NTF spells out in his post, it's crucial to get as close to straight A's as you can in your postbacc classes. This will go a long way in convincing adcoms that you have really turned a corner, and that you will be able to handle the workload and stress of med school. Your life won't be over if you get one B, but you need to go into every single class with the aim of getting an A--and the work habits to make that possible.

As to "playing your cards right," I'm referring to school selection and the application process, but it's early to be thinking about those things. You have to start by excelling in your premed classes, and then getting a strong MCAT score. Once your GPA and MCAT are in the bag (and are hopefully stellar), it will be time to talk application strategy.

Good luck. I think you can make it if you throw yourself into this heart and soul.

Thank you very much for the links. They're inspirational. Here goes nothing. 🙂

 

[Northwesterly]

Zebalong: I noticed that you applied to OHSU med. Do you know of any SMPs or post-baccs in the Portland area?

Well, PSU offers all the courses you'll need (you enroll as a non-degree student) along with a decent advising center and committee letter--it's more expensive than the alternative (PCC) but 4 year institutions seem to be most adcoms' preference if you can afford it. The quarter system (fall winter spring terms) is a little funky but I've been pretty happy there overall.

 

[jayceee]

Update:

Turning 30 this year. Moved to Portland (from Vancouver, Canada) last year to take advantage of rent free living with my parents. Working as an ICU RN. I'll be taking my first pre-req this April.

I'm very nervous, but excited to finally be able to make my dream a reality.