Need Guidance

[skrtaroni]

First time posting so sorry if this isn't the right place to post. I didn't want to do a what are my chances since I don't really have most of the list to fill out, just wanted advice on my current situation since I am a first generation college/pre-med student:

Like I said I am currently a 21 y/o Biology Pre-med student, California living filipino-american, graduated with honors in high school with a scholarship to a university, got bored of living in my hometown so decided to move to southern California where I have been attending community college for the past 3 years. Next semester I am looking at transferring back to a 4 year since California required a lot of general education requirements as well as none of my classes transferring from my previous university.

Unfortunately when I moved out here I fell into a big depression emotionally and struggled to make ends meet being thrown into the deep end of independence. I failed a whole semester and got by with C's until 2 semesters ago I showed an upward trend and have been consistently getting good grades since. However, I met with a counselor and it looks like my transfer GPA would be 2.94 going back into university. My motivation and drive is apparent as last semester I took Bio, OChem, Physics, and Stats, passing with B's and higher in these classes, and I'm taking the continuation of these same exact classes this semester as well. Needless to say, I am very serious about trying to get back in shape and have demonstrated a great upward curve after dealing with life, and I plan to study the MCAT this summer with my other pre-med classmates and take it in the fall. I am also working on getting a job in phlebotomy as I recently passed my course and am waiting for an externship possibility before fully receiving my license and working to get clinical hours.

What would you guys suggest in terms of how I can still follow the MD path or is DO more realistic? I would also like to know what other extra-curricular activities you guys would suggest to help gain experience as well as make me a better applicant. Thank you in advance!

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[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums.

First, have your looked at the free Premed Planner App?

Premed Planner App - HPSA

HPSA offers a free mobile app, Premed Planner, which allows students to plan their journey to medical school and track activities.

www.hpsa.org

Let us know if you have questions with it.

Second, prioritize learning and getting good grades on your prerequisites.

Third, you are looking up clinical experience/ employment. You need shadowing. Balance with community service activities like food distribution, shelter volunteer, job and tax preparation, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation.

Keep your options open regarding MD/DO. Degrees are a means to the end you want (unlike undergrad degrees), but they are only a first step in the long training process you will have to go through.

 

[Rachapkis]

This thread (Goro's advice for premeds who need reinvention) has a lot of useful information in it.

Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention (updated for 2021)

EDIT: Post in WAMC forum for recommended school lists. This thread isn't for that. So you want to be a doctor, but your GPA is terrible. Is that the end? Rule #1: Take a deep breath, and stop fussing. The sky is not falling. But you are going to need to reinvent yourself. This will take...

forums.studentdoctor.net

 

[Goro]

First time posting so sorry if this isn't the right place to post. I didn't want to do a what are my chances since I don't really have most of the list to fill out, just wanted advice on my current situation since I am a first generation college/pre-med student: Like I said I am currently a 21 y/o Biology Pre-med student, California living filipino-american, graduated with honors in high school with a scholarship to a university, got bored of living in my hometown so decided to move to southern California where I have been attending community college for the past 3 years. Next semester I am looking at transferring back to a 4 year since California required a lot of general education requirements as well as none of my classes transferring from my previous university. Unfortunately when I moved out here I fell into a big depression emotionally and struggled to make ends meet being thrown into the deep end of independence. I failed a whole semester and got by with C's until 2 semesters ago I showed an upward trend and have been consistently getting good grades since. However, I met with a counselor and it looks like my transfer GPA would be 2.94 going back into university. My motivation and drive is apparent as last semester I took Bio, OChem, Physics, and Stats, passing with B's and higher in these classes, and I'm taking the continuation of these same exact classes this semester as well. Needless to say, I am very serious about trying to get back in shape and have demonstrated a great upward curve after dealing with life, and I plan to study the MCAT this summer with my other pre-med classmates and take it in the fall. I am also working on getting a job in phlebotomy as I recently passed my course and am waiting for an externship possibility before fully receiving my license and working to get clinical hours. What would you guys suggest in terms of how I can still follow the MD path or is DO more realistic? I would also like to know what other extra-curricular activities you guys would suggest to help gain experience as well as make me a better applicant. Thank you in advance!

Can you kindly rewrite, paragraphs, please?

The waterfall of text is very difficult to parse through.

 

[skrtaroni]

Can you kindly rewrite, paragraphs, please?

The waterfall of text is very difficult to parse through.

Edited just for you.

 

[AJS59]

First time posting so sorry if this isn't the right place to post. I didn't want to do a what are my chances since I don't really have most of the list to fill out, just wanted advice on my current situation since I am a first generation college/pre-med student:

Like I said I am currently a 21 y/o Biology Pre-med student, California living filipino-american, graduated with honors in high school with a scholarship to a university, got bored of living in my hometown so decided to move to southern California where I have been attending community college for the past 3 years. Next semester I am looking at transferring back to a 4 year since California required a lot of general education requirements as well as none of my classes transferring from my previous university.

Unfortunately when I moved out here I fell into a big depression emotionally and struggled to make ends meet being thrown into the deep end of independence. I failed a whole semester and got by with C's until 2 semesters ago I showed an upward trend and have been consistently getting good grades since. However, I met with a counselor and it looks like my transfer GPA would be 2.94 going back into university. My motivation and drive is apparent as last semester I took Bio, OChem, Physics, and Stats, passing with B's and higher in these classes, and I'm taking the continuation of these same exact classes this semester as well. Needless to say, I am very serious about trying to get back in shape and have demonstrated a great upward curve after dealing with life, and I plan to study the MCAT this summer with my other pre-med classmates and take it in the fall. I am also working on getting a job in phlebotomy as I recently passed my course and am waiting for an externship possibility before fully receiving my license and working to get clinical hours.

What would you guys suggest in terms of how I can still follow the MD path or is DO more realistic? I would also like to know what other extra-curricular activities you guys would suggest to help gain experience as well as make me a better applicant. Thank you in advance!

For what little advice I can provide (Goro, Lizzy, others may be able to give more) getting the clinical hours up is good but you'll also need some non-clinical volunteering as well. Could be anywhere — I started doing some time at a soup kitchen, for example.

 

[candbgirl]

What was the reason you got a whole semester of Fs? Any chance you can petition your school to let you retroactively withdraw. Not sure you know but each and every course you have taken counts towards your GPAs. If you could get rid of that semester it would help you out a lot.

 

[KaiBuzz]

Honestly, from this point forward, you need to be getting A’s in community college courses rather than B’s. When you transfer to a 4 year university, you also need to get A’s in all your classes. Don’t take your MCAT until you graduate from college and have studied extensively.

 

[Goro]

First time posting so sorry if this isn't the right place to post. I didn't want to do a what are my chances since I don't really have most of the list to fill out, just wanted advice on my current situation since I am a first generation college/pre-med student:

Like I said I am currently a 21 y/o Biology Pre-med student, California living filipino-american, graduated with honors in high school with a scholarship to a university, got bored of living in my hometown so decided to move to southern California where I have been attending community college for the past 3 years. Next semester I am looking at transferring back to a 4 year since California required a lot of general education requirements as well as none of my classes transferring from my previous university.

Unfortunately when I moved out here I fell into a big depression emotionally and struggled to make ends meet being thrown into the deep end of independence. I failed a whole semester and got by with C's until 2 semesters ago I showed an upward trend and have been consistently getting good grades since. However, I met with a counselor and it looks like my transfer GPA would be 2.94 going back into university. My motivation and drive is apparent as last semester I took Bio, OChem, Physics, and Stats, passing with B's and higher in these classes, and I'm taking the continuation of these same exact classes this semester as well. Needless to say, I am very serious about trying to get back in shape and have demonstrated a great upward curve after dealing with life, and I plan to study the MCAT this summer with my other pre-med classmates and take it in the fall. I am also working on getting a job in phlebotomy as I recently passed my course and am waiting for an externship possibility before fully receiving my license and working to get clinical hours.

What would you guys suggest in terms of how I can still follow the MD path or is DO more realistic? I would also like to know what other extra-curricular activities you guys would suggest to help gain experience as well as make me a better applicant. Thank you in advance!

Glad to hear that you're doing better!
Read my post on reinvention for premeds

 

[skrtaroni]

What was the reason you got a whole semester of Fs? Any chance you can petition your school to let you retroactively withdraw. Not sure you know but each and every course you have taken counts towards your GPAs. If you could get rid of that semester it would help you out a lot.

It was just depression and getting adjusted to independence and beginning to work full time to provide for myself all alone and finding the balance honestly. Thankfully I did retake the classes and got A's so it replaced it on my transcript.

 

[Nontrad_FL_LGBT]

It was just depression and getting adjusted to independence and beginning to work full time to provide for myself all alone and finding the balance honestly. Thankfully I did retake the classes and got A's so it replaced it on my transcript.

Unfortunately these will be averaged on your AMCAS app. They don't do grade forgiveness. If you can, really try for a retro med withdrawal.

 

[LunaOri]

Unfortunately these will be averaged on your AMCAS app. They don't do grade forgiveness. If you can, really try for a retro med withdrawal.

Your school may be open to this, considering you re-took the classes and earned As.

 

[LindaAccepted]

First time posting so sorry if this isn't the right place to post. I didn't want to do a what are my chances since I don't really have most of the list to fill out, just wanted advice on my current situation since I am a first generation college/pre-med student:

Like I said I am currently a 21 y/o Biology Pre-med student, California living filipino-american, graduated with honors in high school with a scholarship to a university, got bored of living in my hometown so decided to move to southern California where I have been attending community college for the past 3 years. Next semester I am looking at transferring back to a 4 year since California required a lot of general education requirements as well as none of my classes transferring from my previous university.

Unfortunately when I moved out here I fell into a big depression emotionally and struggled to make ends meet being thrown into the deep end of independence. I failed a whole semester and got by with C's until 2 semesters ago I showed an upward trend and have been consistently getting good grades since. However, I met with a counselor and it looks like my transfer GPA would be 2.94 going back into university. My motivation and drive is apparent as last semester I took Bio, OChem, Physics, and Stats, passing with B's and higher in these classes, and I'm taking the continuation of these same exact classes this semester as well. Needless to say, I am very serious about trying to get back in shape and have demonstrated a great upward curve after dealing with life, and I plan to study the MCAT this summer with my other pre-med classmates and take it in the fall. I am also working on getting a job in phlebotomy as I recently passed my course and am waiting for an externship possibility before fully receiving my license and working to get clinical hours.

What would you guys suggest in terms of how I can still follow the MD path or is DO more realistic? I would also like to know what other extra-curricular activities you guys would suggest to help gain experience as well as make me a better applicant. Thank you in advance!

I complete agree with those who urge you to increase clinical exposure, which you are doing, and also make sure you have community service.

In terms of your path forward, if you need to take more time to complete the recommended activities and keep your grades up, take it. You need excellent grades going forward. The MCAT will also count a lot so take MCAT prep seriously. Keep an open mind regarding MD or DO and depending on how things go moving forward you may want to consider a post-bac, However, if your grades going forward are competitive and your MCAT is competitive and you have the recommended experience, I'd recommend that you try to apply without taking the time and money for a postbac.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I should also ask: what college/university resources have your used? Many now have specific advisors to help first-generation students. Many prehealth advisors have more awareness of FG challenges, so make sure you ask your prehealth advisors. (Hopefully they agree with what we have said.)

Regardless you need to hone your academic skills. There's likely a staff office to help you with learning strategies to succeed in college/university. Use the resources that you have already paid for with your tuition. Your transfer advisors should help you with your concerns about course credits at the university you want to enter.