Need Advice for Reinvention & Beyond

[eugenedelacroix]

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[Goro]

I'm going to preface by saying I know I screwed up. I know I did.

TLDR: I got extremely depressed, grades sunk, and graduated a year early and started working b/c of aforementioned depression. Lots of stuff was going on both from family side and internally what I was experiencing. I realize that med school is iffy about applicants who have had mental health issues (at least according to these forums), but I'm doing a lot better now...but my application is a mess.

cGPA: ~3.3
sGPA: x < 3.0 ...yup

MCAT: 517 (one thing going for me, and if that)

What have I been doing since I graduated?
1) Working full-time in global health consulting & strategy. This job is great, exciting, and I do feel like I'm making an impact...but I feel so out of tune in working directly with the population...which is why on the weekends I also:

2) Work as a medical scribe (24 hrs/weekend)

I'm working around 70-80hrs/week total right now to do both jobs + volunteering, other organizational work, etc, so I know med school is what I want.


My other EC's do include hospital volunteering, non clinical volunteering, and having founded organizations of my own. Not gonna go to deeply into these EC's, but overall, they are indeed above average and I have traveled around the country/world for them. I will work on getting my shadowing hours hopefully soon.

@Goro @LizzyM and @ everyone who can provide me constructive criticism, please do help me. I really want this, and while I did struggle extremely with my mental health, and sometimes still do, I know that I can do this - and now more than ever - want to and am willing to work hard to do this.

Goro, I've read your advice for reinvention, but my largest concern at this point is getting above the 3.0 threshold for the sGPA which might be near impossible and being screened out automatically. So, what do I do? I know I need to do a post bacc of some sorts but I'm not sure if I should do a DIY, a SMP, or even both. I do have a few science pre reqs that I actually do need to finish as well. Would genuinely be so appreciative of your time for some feedback & advice.

It's no longer about the GPA. A school that offers (and others) won't care about the GPA if you ace their program.\
Finish the science pre-reqs and then figure out whether a DIY post-bac or SMP is best for you.

 

[eugenedelacroix]

It's no longer about the GPA. A school that offers (and others) won't care about the GPA if you ace their program.\
Finish the science pre-reqs and then figure out whether a DIY post-bac or SMP is best for you.

Thank you for your reply. I'm registered to take the last two science pre reqs I need beginning Fall. How long/many credit hours would say are needed to show adcoms I can handle med school? A.K.A. how long should my post bacc ideally last if I were to do a DIY?

Additionally, I know on your reinvention post you said CC are fine if costs are an issue. I live in a metropolitan city so 4 year university classes are in the several thousands/3 hour credit class. I'm enrolled in a CC right now for cost purposes, but I'm willing to spend for the 4 year uni classes (by way of partial loans) *if* you believe that would make a difference to ad coms. Does it? I couldn't find any conclusive information about it.

Thanks again!

 

[Dr.Gains]

Thank you for your reply. I'm registered to take the last two science pre reqs I need beginning Fall. How long/many credit hours would say are needed to show adcoms I can handle med school? A.K.A. how long should my post bacc ideally last if I were to do a DIY?

I would suggest you read this in detail. Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention
It should have all the answers to your questions. However, Goro suggest ideally a 1-2 year DIY post back (15-17 Credit hours a semester to show medical schools you can handle a full course load) for DO schools + maybe 1 year SMP for MD schools.