Nontraditional premed needs advice

[Pearlsandgold]

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I recently graduated and decided I do want to pursue medicine

Major: Biology
Graduation Year: 2025
Undergrad GPA (cGPA / sGPA): 2.60/2.30
Clinical Experience (role + hours):
- Medical assistant: 1,500 hrs roughly
- Children's Emergency room child life (ongoing): 4 hrs

Shadowing:
No shadowing

Research:
No research 🙁

Nonclinical Volunteering:

Baby fund campaign
- Getting into leadership more
- 20 hrs

SPCA



I hope to do 42 credits of diy postbacc work, take the mcat and then apply to georgetown's SMP program (but I know I'll have to research some more SMP programs and not put my eggs all in one basket)

Undergrad was ROUGH. Got diagnosed with depression, adhd, and anxiety and cut off my family (due to one violent family member) before sophomore year. Was living on campus full time because I couldn't go home and things went downhill from there.

I was lucky to get into a pretty "prestigious" liberal arts school but I wasn't prepared to take advantage like I should have. My math skills were at a 5th grade level and I had too much pride to actually slow down and fix those gaps in knowledge (I also didn't know how to study math). I constantly flip flopped between what I wanted to do so my bio degree is a lot more humanities based than most.

Senior year, I sort of got it together, gained that motivation to learn again. Chemistry was always brutal for me but I got a B- in accelerated organic chem 1.

I'm currently studying basic math to test into precalc so I can prepare myself for calculus. I'm still fighting the urge to rush even now.

My DIY postbacc plan

Spring 2026:
Precalculus
Public Health


Future sequence (order dependent on class availability)

Also I need to get a 4.0 in 42 credits to get to a 3.0

Calc
Orgo 2
Statistics
Physics 1
Anatomy and Physio 1

Physics 2
Biochem
Higher level bio course
Anatomy and physio 2

Genetics (retake bc I got a D)
Biochem 2
Higher level science
Higher level science
Higher level science
Higher level science

Unsure of when to start studying for the MCAT

I plan to matriculate in 2029

 

[Faha]

You should accumulate 50 hours of in person physician shadowing (including primary care and DO) and 150 hours of non clinical volunteering such as food bank or homeless shelter. The time to take the MCAT would be after you have finished all your science courses. Do not take the MCAT until your practice scores are consistently over 500. Many schools no longer require Calculus.

 

[CopaceticOne]

I recently graduated and decided I do want to pursue medicine

Major: Biology
Graduation Year: 2025
Undergrad GPA (cGPA / sGPA): 2.60/2.30
Clinical Experience (role + hours):
- Medical assistant: 1,500 hrs roughly
- Children's Emergency room child life (ongoing): 4 hrs

Shadowing:
No shadowing

Research:
No research 🙁

Nonclinical Volunteering:

Baby fund campaign
- Getting into leadership more
- 20 hrs

SPCA



I hope to do 42 credits of diy postbacc work, take the mcat and then apply to georgetown's SMP program (but I know I'll have to research some more SMP programs and not put my eggs all in one basket)

Undergrad was ROUGH. Got diagnosed with depression, adhd, and anxiety and cut off my family (due to one violent family member) before sophomore year. Was living on campus full time because I couldn't go home and things went downhill from there.

I was lucky to get into a pretty "prestigious" liberal arts school but I wasn't prepared to take advantage like I should have. My math skills were at a 5th grade level and I had too much pride to actually slow down and fix those gaps in knowledge (I also didn't know how to study math). I constantly flip flopped between what I wanted to do so my bio degree is a lot more humanities based than most.

Senior year, I sort of got it together, gained that motivation to learn again. Chemistry was always brutal for me but I got a B- in accelerated organic chem 1.

I'm currently studying basic math to test into precalc so I can prepare myself for calculus. I'm still fighting the urge to rush even now.

My DIY postbacc plan

Spring 2026:
Precalculus
Public Health


Future sequence (order dependent on class availability)

Also I need to get a 4.0 in 42 credits to get to a 3.0

Calc
Orgo 2
Statistics
Physics 1
Anatomy and Physio 1

Physics 2
Biochem
Higher level bio course
Anatomy and physio 2

Genetics (retake bc I got a D)
Biochem 2
Higher level science
Higher level science
Higher level science
Higher level science

Unsure of when to start studying for the MCAT

Look at what courses are randomly required for schools. When I was applying there were quite a few I applied to that expected a statistics course, a bunch of others wanted a psych course. Make sure to include those random courses as well.

You have a hard uphill climb. The rigor of medical school is no joke. Workload of learning the material and keeping up is like taking 21+ credits each semester.

I wish you good luck on your journey. In the event that med school doesn’t pan out & your heart really is in the medical / healthcare fields there are other careers, even some that people may not know about: nurse, physician assistant, pathologist assistant, surgical assist, perfusionist, respiratory therapist, etc.

 

[Pearlsandgold]

Look at what courses are randomly required for schools. When I was applying there were quite a few I applied to that expected a statistics course, a bunch of others wanted a psych course. Make sure to include those random courses as well.

You have a hard uphill climb. The rigor of medical school is no joke. Workload of learning the material and keeping up is like taking 21+ credits each semester.

I wish you good luck on your journey. In the event that med school doesn’t pan out & your heart really is in the medical / healthcare fields there are other careers, even some that people may not know about: nurse, physician assistant, pathologist assistant, surgical assist, perfusionist, respiratory therapist, etc.

Thank you, I followed goro's guide to reinvention so I'm not retaking any courses I got a C or above in so these classes were what was left.

 

[LuckyDr2Be]

You don’t need calculus, what state are you in? Start doing virtual shadowing and look for remote volunteering opportunities clinical and non clinical you enjoy, you need to show longevity

If you get less than a 3.0 its not ideal but if you get into a science bases SMP with a linkage and get a high GPA you’ll be able to get in

Also you don’t need a straight stats in math if you get it in psych or something else it’s also fine

Higher level bio is great but really focus on the core prerequisites and do well then sprinkle the rest on top

 

[Pearlsandgold]

You don’t need calculus, what state are you in? Start doing virtual shadowing and look for remote volunteering opportunities clinical and non clinical you enjoy, you need to show longevity

If you get less than a 3.0 its not ideal but if you get into a science bases SMP with a linkage and get a high GPA you’ll be able to get in

Also you don’t need a straight stats in math if you get it in psych or something else it’s also fine

Higher level bio is great but really focus on the core prerequisites and do well then sprinkle the rest on top

Thank you,

I double checked and it turns out it's not listed and most schools don't require calculus anymore.
I was and still am so ashamed with still pursuing this with my current gpa that I've been just going off of here and there posts. I might have ended up making the postbacc plan more brutal than it needed to be.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

My own opinion without knowing a thing about you other than your WAMC profile.

You need to work for a while. You figuratively graduated yesterday; you are staring at taking an SMP to get a shot at medical school, and your GPA gives me little confidence in your plan. I don't know if you just majored in a ridiculously hard major (like mechanical engineering) or a biomedical science, but you have to stop rushing. You'll feel more shame if you fail out of an SMP and totally shut the door to medical school. Yes, there's always the Caribbean or outside of the country if you are just going to take any route to a medical school, but you may find yourself in an even worse situation.

Plenty of people work for a few years before they mature enough with their study skills to tackle rigorous biomedical science classes in an SMP. Just like having a bad IA your senior year, you need more time between the end of your undergrad and the start of your SMP for many of these programs to take your intention to become a physician more seriously. This means postponing your intended matriculation until you get "adult" living experience, clinical experience, and dedicated non-clinical community service. You need to connect with real mentors who believe in you and can help rebuild your confidence in yourself, your purpose as a physician, and your preparation for medical school's challenges.

 

[LuckyDr2Be]

Thank you,

I double checked and it turns out it's not listed and most schools don't require calculus anymore.
I was and still am so ashamed with still pursuing this with my current gpa that I've been just going off of here and there posts. I might have ended up making the postbacc plan more brutal than it needed to be.

Ultimately you can do this.

If you want this don’t punish yourself but keep your goals in sight and move towards it strategically

Your GPA is your GPA. Now it’s about focusing on your redemption arc. don’t overcommit, it can negatively impact you.

If your undergrad has a learning center. Stop by and see if you can speak to a learning specialist so you can figure out the best ways to study, take the VARK questionnaire to figure out your learning style.

You can get in, look through Reddit there are people with similar profiles who get masters degrees and the like and kill it and get in. Dont give up!

 

[Pearlsandgold]

My own opinion without knowing a thing about you other than your WAMC profile.

You need to work for a while. You figuratively graduated yesterday; you are staring at taking an SMP to get a shot at medical school, and your GPA gives me little confidence in your plan. I don't know if you just majored in a ridiculously hard major (like mechanical engineering) or a biomedical science, but you have to stop rushing. You'll feel more shame if you fail out of an SMP and totally shut the door to medical school. Yes, there's always the Caribbean or outside of the country if you are just going to take any route to a medical school, but you may find yourself in an even worse situation.

Plenty of people work for a few years before they mature enough with their study skills to tackle rigorous biomedical science classes in an SMP. Just like having a bad IA your senior year, you need more time between the end of your undergrad and the start of your SMP for many of these programs to take your intention to become a physician more seriously. This means postponing your intended matriculation until you get "adult" living experience, clinical experience, and dedicated non-clinical community service. You need to connect with real mentors who believe in you and can help rebuild your confidence in yourself, your purpose as a physician, and your preparation for medical school's challenges.

I agree with not rushing but I would have to take do some diy postbacc work before an SMP. I graduated in Jan 2025 and if I start in Jan 2026, it will have been a year with no undergrad work. But I think I will reconsider the SMP, I will see how I do with these two classes.