Non-traditional route to Osteopathic School

[HumbleHealing]

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Hi everyone,

First and foremost I want to say how happy I am to stumble upon this website. The immense information I find here is promising!

In any case, I'm writing this post desperately hoping many of you fine people can help answer my question pertaining to re-taking lower division pre-req at a Community College.

Now I've read many post about how many med schools frown upon Bachelor students going back to CC to re-take their pre-req sciences. However, my case is a bit unique and I do hope you have the patience to read this lengthy entry, so here goes.

First I present you a laundry list of my undergrad academic history to get a better understanding of where I come from.

Background information
*2005-2009: Biology Major
Went to community college and took all lower division pre-reqs.
-Physics 1 = C
-Physics 2 = C
-Chem 1 = B
-Chem 2 = C
-Bio 1 = B
-Bio 2 = C
-Ochem 1 = B
-Ochem 2 = C
-I worked part time as a phlebotomist, did clinical work, and research at UC Berkeley Lab.

Science GPA = 2.4
Total CC GPA = 3.2

*2009-2012
Transferred into UC Davis.

-Biochem = F
-Physiology = C-

switched majors to English and pursue a career in journalism. I wanted to try my hands on fresh major.

Science GPA ~ 2.2
Total UC Davis GPA = 2.39
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I later graduated and worked at NPR for a bit as a radio intern. However, after hearing my girlfriend relapse into leukemia--I quit my NPR position to be with her. Since then, my love for science reignited and took on whole new meaning. It became a personal and important decision.

My goal now is to do whatever it takes to get into D.O. program--since I'm very interested in their holistic method of healing and primary care. However, I am a bit confused as to how I should enhance my low gpa.

I can't do a formal post-bacc since many programs requires a 2.6-3.0 gpa (I'm at 2.4). Instead I'm doing an informal path. I am planning to retake all my pre-req class and earn an A in all of them (more empahais on the past "C"s courses for my lower div). I know D.O. admission committee takes the highest grade, so that's good.

My question to you guys is, how would D.O. programs (for example Touro University) feel about me re-taking pre-reqs at a CC? I understand that they want to see an upward trend in both grades and difficulty of classes. But the thing is that since I took my pre-reqs at a CC before, would re-taking them at a CC again be unfavorable (since I never took them at a 4-year to begin with).

After pre-reqs at CC, I am planning to take my upper division courses at UC Berkeley Extension or any open University in the northern california area. So hopefully if I do well at this extension, it shows an upward trend in both grade and class difficulty.

I know the path ahead of me is not easy, since I will have to dedicate many years to salvage my grade--but I really don't have a choice at the moment. I can't imagine myself doing anything else than medicine.

Thank you for reading. 🙂

 

[coolingglasses]

Can't speak for your situation specifically, but I thought it was interesting that you had gone the opposite direction as me in terms of majors... I was journalism for a couple of years before I headed down the science/health science path.

If your choice is between retaking your courses and acing them at a CC or risking a tougher run at a 4-year, I'd go for the CC. With your GPA in its current state, you -have to- knock out those Cs and that F.

 

[HumbleHealing]

Thanks for suggestion Coolingglasses. I've enrolled myself in a couple of pre-reqs next semester so hopefully this will get the ball rolling.

 

[shamwowzer]

If you have a legitimate reason for attending a CC then you'd just have to explain it to the committee. With that said, they may see your atrocious grades @ berkeley/davis and wonder if you're taking CC as a shortcut. Either way, you have to repair those pre reqs, so just do the best you can with what you have.

Sent from my DROID2 using Tapatalk

 

[bdsnell]

I'm also a non trad and took the prereqs for the first time post bac. we're all in this together, so hang in there!

My opinion is that getting A's is numero uno in priority. Perhaps it would look better retaking the classes at a non CC, but not THAT much i wouldn't think... getting an A in any class shows you tried hard and you understood the majority of the material. Physics 1 at CC will be teaching the same material, and testing the same material, as Physics 1 at UC Berkeley Ext. It is important that you personally understand this stuff so you can do well on the MCAT.

Also, since you're already planning on advancing to a non CC for the upper division classes, you kind of already solve the problem for yourself. If an ad com thought you were taking the easy way out by retaking those initial classes at an easier college, they would then see that you pushed yourself later on and HOPEFULLY got A's in the harder classes as well.

I think your plan is solid. BUT, you MUST get those A's. Prepare yourself for long nights and a loss of friends.

 

[Goro]

Definitely try to re-take as many of those poor grade classes together. We've low-waitlisted people who took one here, one there. You ned to show us you can handle a lot of challenging material in a small amount of time.

Thanks for suggestion Coolingglasses. I've enrolled myself in a couple of pre-reqs next semester so hopefully this will get the ball rolling.

 

[NontradICUdoc]

You have a lot of work to do. You have dug yourself into a hole that you need to get out of. Is it possible? Yes, I did it. Is it easy? No freaking way. Will it take time? A whole lot of it.

It took me about 10 years to get out of that hole. What you want to show the adcoms is that you can handle high level science work. The good thing about AACOMAS is that they replace the poor grades with the good ones. In addition, there is no stand hard rule that you have to do a formal post-bacc program. You can do one on your own.

If you have B's in some of your pre-reqs then why are you going to retake them? Focus on the classes that you did poorly on but it would be better to do it at a 4 year institution. Once you have completed those then focus on higher level science courses. You have to strive for perfection because you need to show them that you can do it. Once you have completed all of those courses with good grades, then and only then focus on the MCAT. Do not even think about the MCAT until you are complete with the task at hand. You need to focus. Make a plan and stick to it. Do not try to rush it. You are entering into a marathon and never ever a sprint.

Good luck

 

[GOMERE]

It's going to take 2 A to get 1 C looking decent. I think you should just finish a degree. Then do a post bac, or a masters program. So much better to have a good GPA when 1 A is 4.0, 2 A is 4.0, instead of 2 A to make 1 C look good, 4 A to make 1 F okay in terms of GPA

 

[cabinbuilder]

To the OP, my transcript was worse than yours. Getting out of the hole can be done but you are going to have to really step up and prove your worth and show that you can deal with all these classes at the same time and do really well. You cannot afford to ***** foot and take 1-2 classes at a time. Medical school is 35 credits hours the first semester and there is no such thing as dropping classes. You have to show you can do it all and then some so they will believe you wont drop out, fail, have a mental breakdown, etc.

It will probably take you two years to fix everyting.

I would take the physics, chem, physio and organic one year and the bio, biochem, organic lab the next year. take the MCAT the summer after the first year and see how you do that gives you time to retake if need be. Start applying the June of year if you have regained ground on your GPA otherwise save your money.


It may take time before you get in. I did all my GPA repair in one year. I took physics, biochem, chem I/II, organic, and organic lab all at the same time. My biology class grades were fine. I took the MCAT 3 times. I worked a 32 hour week the repair year and had a family.

IT TOOK ME 3 APPLICATION CYCLES BEFORE I WAS ADMITTED TO MEDICAL SCHOOL. I DID NOT CHANGE MY APPLICATION IN ANY WAY AT THAT TIME.

IT IS A GAMBLE, DON'T BE DISCOURAGED IF YOU DONT GET IN THE FIRST TIME. BE SURE YOU GET YOUR APPLICATION IN ON THE FIRST DAY OF OPENING. DELAY WILL ONLY HURT YOUR CHANCES.