MD Non-traditional student, 2.87gpa 46 credits. Honest opinions appreciated!

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iturri

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Anyones opinion or advice is highly appreciated! An epiphany hit me this summer and directed me to a pre-med advisor at my university who told me that med school is possible, but more perspective is always helpful.
GPA: 2.87 (46 credits)
sGPA: 2.00 (one science course)

I know that straight A's are not out of the picture, and could raise my GPA to a 3.5 in two years with a 4.00.
Currently registered for pre-calc, intro chem, psychology, and other general requirements. Planning on getting volunteer hours, and have done two days of shadowing with an orthopedic surgeon.

There is no excuse for my immature approach to university. I spent a lot of time in the library reading material that was not related to my classes. (Researching the origins of public school and university in America; eugenics) The damage is done, but I'm willing to do everything and anything to go to med school.

Please feel free to offer your most brutally honest opinions with regard to my chances of med school.
Thank You!

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Anyones opinion or advice is highly appreciated! An epiphany hit me this summer and directed me to a pre-med advisor at my university who told me that med school is possible, but more perspective is always helpful.
GPA: 2.87 (46 credits)
sGPA: 2.00 (one science course)

I know that straight A's are not out of the picture, and could raise my GPA to a 3.5 in two years with a 4.00.
Currently registered for pre-calc, intro chem, psychology, and other general requirements. Planning on getting volunteer hours, and have done two days of shadowing with an orthopedic surgeon.

There is no excuse for my immature approach to university. I spent a lot of time in the library reading material that was not related to my classes. (Researching the origins of public school and university in America; eugenics) The damage is done, but I'm willing to do everything and anything to go to med school.

Please feel free to offer your most brutally honest opinions with regard to my chances of med school.
Thank You!

It's not a bad thing to read other things that interest you. What is bad is your lack of prioritization (doing outside things over your courses).

Brutally honest opinion incoming....

What makes you think that you can somehow get straight As after your relatively horrendous course grades, which have consistently proved otherwise? I agree it's important to make projections to see what your potential GPA could be, and it's also important to hope for the best and be optimistic....... but you can't honestly make a bold assumption that you can get two years worth of straight As with such a poor track record. Realistically... two years of straight As is not even in the frame of your picture.

Your excuse is also lame.... just being in the library reading other interesting topics don't account for such a low GPA ever.... until you admit the truth to yourself about what the major reasons held you back, you won't improve.

Without an MCAT yet and limited ECs, your med school chances aren't even slim... it's zero.
 
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slim to none.
What? That's a bit ridiculous. OP what's done is done. Fix your study habits, knock the MCAT out of the park, and apply strategically. Best of luck!
 
What? That's a bit ridiculous. OP what's done is done. Fix your study habits, knock the MCAT out of the park, and apply strategically. Best of luck!

I believe he was referring to his recent chances, and even with short-term improvement.... which I'm inclined to agree with. The OP will only have a chance with a long-term plan (probably >= 3yrs)
 
Just speaking from a GPA point of view a 3.5 would be great. Even if you mess up a little with some a- b+ or b you would still have a 3.3. I would recommend figuring out what is making you take such a hard hit on your academics and try to work on that.

Med schools will also want you to take an MCAT which if you did well in your courses and have better study habits you should be able to do well in. Also some other EC such as research volunteer and clinical.

For now focus on your grades and try to get at least a 3.5 average GPA this next quarter/semester.
 
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Are you taking intro to chem or inorganic chem I? Some schools offer both, but med schools require only inorganic (both levels). Consult MSAR to see if this class fulfills the chem requirement. x
 
Thanks everyone for your honesty,

doc05, fair enough.

FutureHopeful?, I know that A's are possible because I know how to sit in a library and study. The truth is I was delusional and felt that I could somehow figure out a way to fix the problems I see in my university and American public schooling as a whole. This was and still is something that is very important to me, but I realize now that this isn't realistic nor profitable. What I now know is that I want to have a career that has a significant impact on peoples lives, and I can't think of an occupation that fits that description more than that of a medical doctor. Yes, I've got a hole to dig myself out of and a long road ahead, but I'm willing to go to school for 4+ years, postpone graduation, do post-bacc, SMP, ect. Do you have any advice for a long term plan?

Nave, thank you very much for the encouragement!

Poro, is 3.5 really enough this semester? I'm taking 16 credits.

gothicfoxes, since I didn't figure my direction until this summer I couldn't get into college chemistry, so I'm registering for Preparation for Chemistry.

Very grateful for your responses!
 
how nontraditional are you? age? your chances are very slim, and while you do seem motivated, it's going to be a very long uphill battle before you even get into medical school. and a career in medicine isn't all that great. there are probably more realistic options for you.
 
doc05, only one semester off. What makes you say that a medical career isn't all that great? I've been looking into other options, but they don't seem as fulfilling to me. Can you think of any alternatives? I can't. You seem like you know the medical field pretty well, are you in medical practice? Do you have a specialty?
 
There is no excuse for my immature approach to university. I spent a lot of time in the library reading material that was not related to my classes. (Researching the origins of public school and university in America; eugenics)
.....


Well that escalated quickly.
 
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If you have 2 years to go you can increase your GPA to a respectable level; with a good MCAT you can be competitive for MD. Hit the books hard.
 
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md-2020, eugenics isn't just breeding, it can also be training or education.

Banco, as a medical student, would you recommend postponing graduation three or four years to raise my GPA? Or would it be more wise to finish undergrad in two and take classes post-bac? I'm okay with a long-term plan, and am willing to assess all options.
 
md-2020, eugenics isn't just breeding, it can also be training or education.

Banco, as a medical student, would you recommend postponing graduation three or four years to raise my GPA? Or would it be more wise to finish undergrad in two and take classes post-bac? I'm okay with a long-term plan, and am willing to assess all options.

Well don't you need 120 credits to graduate anyway? That will take like 2-3 more years from your current 46 credits. So if you can improve your GPA to 3.5 by then, you don't need a post-bacc. Really a post-bacc is just extra classes you take, but if you can just take those classes while in school I don't see a need to graduate early and then go back to school.
 
Banco, ! I don't know much about the MCAT, what kind of score would one with a 3.5 GPA need to get into an allopathic medicine school? I understand there is a new MCAT this year..

Thank You for your response!
 
Ideally you want around 510+ (80+ percentile).
 
Thank you Banco,

Any more opinions/advice for a plan?
 
Allow me to chime in.

You will need to do the following:

Ace everything from now on. Rising trends are good and plenty of med schools place more weight upon them and the entire four year picture. But words are easy, doing is hard.

You will need to excel on MCAT
You need to shadow doctors, and do clinical and non-clinical volunteering.

Knowing how to study is one thing, but knowing how to think and apply are different. All three are important.

Suggest seeing a counselor because your rationale for why you did poorly raises a red flag.

So, yes, with hard work, you can get into med school, even with the scar tissue you're carrying.

md-2020, eugenics isn't just breeding, it can also be training or education.

Banco, as a medical student, would you recommend postponing graduation three or four years to raise my GPA? Or would it be more wise to finish undergrad in two and take classes post-bac? I'm okay with a long-term plan, and am willing to assess all options.
 
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If public education is so interesting, maybe you should pursue an Ed.D instead (although a 3.5 gpa is terrible for education related fields)
Work your way up admin boards. You'll be making a decent salary and a great impact on others' lives eventually.
It doesn't sound like you're that interested in medicine either.
 
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Our stories sound very similar. I came out of two years of college with a 2.61 GPA. (My interests were elsewhere obviously). I took some time off, then tried college again. Became student leader, aced all but one course, volunteered and job shadowed like crazy, and got a 31 MCAT (I think that's 83 percentile).

It was a hard uphill battle. I also had to work to support myself, so MCAT prep was very limited. The stress was occasionally very overwhelming as well.

All that being said, I still only earned a 3.50 cGPA and will need a miracle to make it into medical school. My advice: start saving up now for MCAT prep material and med school applications. The pre-med path is expensive... even with the most ambition in the world, expense can be your greatest hurdle. Although, if you truly want to pursue medicine, it's within your reach.
 
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Thanks Yojimbo, your post provides a very helpful perspective.

All that being said, I still only earned a 3.50 cGPA and will need a miracle to make it into medical school.

I read your very first thread and understand you are doing research at WashU PBPM. That sounds like an excellent stepping stone. Do you still need a "miracle" with good research work?
 
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I am sort of in the same boat as you, but even with straight A's (assuming you do get those grades) the best you can get is maybe a 3.4 cum and probably won't break 3.0 with science. I would recommend thinking about applying post bacc (I plan to do this except with a linkage program). If you do manage to get nothing but 4.0's and stellar EC's and a prominent MCAT score then go right ahead and apply broadly.
 
Thank you Fyiii,

Would it also be worthwhile to not that I'm in MT? Is that what they call a "lucky" state?
 
@iturri Excuse me for asking, but what is MT? Im not use to the short-terms used in this site, sorry.
 
Fyiii,

Montana, I'm going to undergrad in Montana.
 
Fyiii,

Montana, I'm going to undergrad in Montana.
If you actually have ties to the state, it may be reasonable to become a resident in Montana. If you are looking for resources or emotional support (totally not kidding,) these guys should be able to help you.
The **NEW & IMPROVED** official low gpa thread...

Anyones opinion or advice is highly appreciated! An epiphany hit me this summer and directed me to a pre-med advisor at my university who told me that med school is possible, but more perspective is always helpful.
GPA: 2.87 (46 credits)
sGPA: 2.00 (one science course)

I know that straight A's are not out of the picture, and could raise my GPA to a 3.5 in two years with a 4.00.
Currently registered for pre-calc, intro chem, psychology, and other general requirements. Planning on getting volunteer hours, and have done two days of shadowing with an orthopedic surgeon.

There is no excuse for my immature approach to university. I spent a lot of time in the library reading material that was not related to my classes. (Researching the origins of public school and university in America; eugenics) The damage is done, but I'm willing to do everything and anything to go to med school.
I don't know what makes you so confident that you will get straight A's for two years, I don't think you have any evidence to support this claim. I'm not trying to give you a hard time, but you need to prove to yourself that you have what it takes here. Waltzing into 16 units of hard-science classes with zero preparation will likely result in a brutal ass-kicking. Take one science class, get an A. Then take two, ace both, and so on.

I noticed your thread is tagged MD, not MD & DO. If you have never heard of DO, you should stop reading and go find out. If you have and are just ignorant of what they do, DO's have all of the rights and privileges of a physician. If you have an unearned and misplaced sense of pride, you need to drop it now. I'm glad you are owning up to your poor performance in school, but you have not earned the right to rule out any options at this point. Even with a 3.5, you would still have stats that are significantly below the average allopathic matriculant.

FYI, college counselors are dumb-as-dirt.

Why are you interested in medicine? This is not made clear in your OP.

]Please feel free to offer your most brutally honest opinions with regard to my chances of med school.

Well you did ask for it. It takes a certain kind of hubris/immaturity to blow off classes so you can research the "fun stuff" that you enjoy learning about while the rest of us were busting our asses. The decision to pursue medicine is not one that should be taken lightly. I think that AdCom's will view your "epiphany" as extremely frivolous. I really do wish the best for you, but I think you need to re-evaluate what you hope to gain out of this whole premed thing. If you decide that this is really what you want, then give it your all.

I know that A's are possible because I know how to sit in a library and study. The truth is I was delusional and felt that I could somehow figure out a way to fix the problems I see in my university and American public schooling as a whole. This was and still is something that is very important to me, but I realize now that this isn't realistic nor profitable. What I now know is that I want to have a career that has a significant impact on peoples lives, and I can't think of an occupation that fits that description more than that of a medical doctor.

Edit: just saw the above...

I find the above quote very troubling.
1.) Everybody sits and studies. Most do so and still don't manage to get A's. The fact that you are going to be a junior in college, and still don't realize this, is a huge red flag.
2.) I certainly agree that you were delusional. Your age is showing more than ever here.
3.) The last sentence is not a good reason to become a doctor. There are literally countless jobs that have a significant impact on people's lives. I recommend you spend some time learning about yourself and what you want out of life before moving forward. Again, I really do wish you the best of luck.
 
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Everything @ZedsDed has said is true. Sitting in the library and studying isn't pulling A's, but efficient study methods and using school resources will earn you an A guaranteed. Use that link for support as well, thats what I do sometimes.
 
Thank you @ZedsDed. The link is super encouraging!

For what its worth, I'll need to be in school for at least 3.5, maybe 4 years to complete my pre med requirements that I've started this semester, which should be enough time for me to get my GPA up to an acceptable level. However I'm concerned that taking a while to complete my bachelors might look bad when applying to medical school. Is this true?

I want to be challenged in my work and my life. Yes I wasn't mature enough for school my first few semesters, but what's done is done. It would be cowardly to give up on med school, but that doesn't mean that I'm not a bit intimidated. Being a doctor isn't attractive for the salary/status, but because it is the most human occupation to me, and can't see myself doing anything else.

D.O. isn't out of the question for me, but obviously an MD would be preferable. In state tuition for Montana is pretty cheap so taking extra years, or another bachelors are things that I plan on doing without destroying myself financially. Also planning to study abroad in a Spanish-speaking country to become fluent and hopefully become more competitive at a med school in the Southern states where the language has is becoming more prevalent. Although, I realize this might also be wishful-thinking.

Any other words of wisdom? I hope I'm not still a delusional teen-ager, with high ambitions and little grasp of reality.
Your comments are most appreciated!
 
I'd like to update my GPA: 3.29. Granted, my classes were pretty easy to get As in, even with a 19 credit load. I understand the following semesters will be much more difficult, and would be eager to read any words of wisdom or advice.

Thanks!
 
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I'd like to update my GPA: 3.29. Granted, my classes were pretty easy to get As in, even with a 19 credit load. I understand the following semesters will be much more difficult, and would be eager to read any words of wisdom or advice.

Thanks!
Congrats. I was reading through this thread, and I was amazed at some of the bad advice that was given to you by people who were so sure you couldn't make it. I was in a much worse situation GPA-wise than you (1.97 through my first year and a half with more than half my classes falling under BCPM), but my GPA in my last 4 years was 3.86. If you can do that and get a good MCAT, you should be competitive for some MD programs, and just about any DO school.
 
I think you have made things much more difficult for yourself to become a doctor but it's still possible. My two words of advice are this:

Time:
You have to seriously look at where you are spending your time. If you want to be a doctor you have to develop the habit of putting first things first. This can mean no more video games, no more TV shows, no more reading books in the library for fun, don't spend large amounts of time hanging out with friends, etc. If you want to know what your priorities are look at your last week, how much time did you spend working on becoming a doctor?? It's time to develop the habit of using a planner and studying non-stop to be a doctor! That's what I've done.

Graduate school:
With your grades you may want to get a masters in public health or a science before you apply. Many schools really respect people with an MPH even if their undergraduate grades are a bit lower.
 
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