one bad semester due to medical problems

[tweek125]

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I was hospitalized some time ago and recently just released, missing a number of classes and adding on to my absences due to the same illness before i was hospitalized. In my time i was sick and patient, i missed a lot of work for classes (and midterm or 2) which i'm not sure i'll be able to make up, especially in my science/pre-req classes. I already know i'm not going to come out with a stellar GPA (i would be happy with anything above a 3 right now). My doctor recommended i do a medical withdraw from the semester, but if this happened i will have spent and taken out in loans - thousands of dollars with nothing to show for it, not to mention there's no way i would be able to return until possibly next year.

basically, i'm thinking of just trying to tough it out for the rest of this semester. assuming i remain in good health and work my ass off for the rest of college, how badly would this first bad semester look to medical schools?

EDIT: and when i mean a bad semester, i mean getting mostly B's (hopefully) and C's

 

[jyb5011]

You will be fine. One semester won't determine anything, expecially if it is early on. As long as you are healthy and able to increase your gpa you will be totally fine.

 

[luke587]

i dont think getting mostly B's considering you have been in a hospital for alot of the semester, or a good chunk of it, is that bad.
Just make sure to write a letter to medical schools you apply to explaining the situation, most of the time every student has a "bad" semester. As long as you have a upward trend you will be fine

 

[Seven of Nine]

your school should have a student advocacy center. see if they can offer any support or services that would help you. they might be able to put more pressure on faculty and professors to be more accommodating for students who are facing similar [significant] circumstances. if you talk to them early enough, you may be able to postpone/makeup the work and tests you've missed.

 

[Catalystik]

At my school, if you get a complete retroactive medical withdrawal for good cause, with adequate documentation, you get the tuition money back. I'm not sure about what happens with a dorm contract, (you did use it, after all) but this would be worth asking about at your school.

 

[tweek125]

At my school, if you get a complete retroactive medical withdrawal for good cause, with adequate documentation, you get the tuition money back. I'm not sure about what happens with a dorm contract, (you did use it, after all) but this would be worth asking about at your school.

i'll definitely ask about that and see if my school has something similar.

 

[Catalystik]

Attaining a full recovery will be difficult enough without the stress of worrying about "a bad semester." I hope it works out for you, even if it takes all of next semester to remediate the coursework because they won't let you essentially start over. Take it slow and do it right. There's no reason to settle for Bs and Cs when you're entitiled to all due consideration from your profs.

 

[DocBell]

attaining a full recovery will be difficult enough without the stress of worrying about "a bad semester." i hope it works out for you, even if it takes all of next semester to remediate the coursework because they won't let you essentially start over. Take it slow and do it right. There's no reason to settle for bs and cs when you're entitiled to all due consideration from your profs.

+1.

 

[Drbound2012]

I was hospitalized some time ago and recently just released, missing a number of classes and adding on to my absences due to the same illness before i was hospitalized. In my time i was sick and patient, i missed a lot of work for classes (and midterm or 2) which i'm not sure i'll be able to make up, especially in my science/pre-req classes. I already know i'm not going to come out with a stellar GPA (i would be happy with anything above a 3 right now). My doctor recommended i do a medical withdraw from the semester, but if this happened i will have spent and taken out in loans - thousands of dollars with nothing to show for it, not to mention there's no way i would be able to return until possibly next year.

basically, i'm thinking of just trying to tough it out for the rest of this semester. assuming i remain in good health and work my ass off for the rest of college, how badly would this first bad semester look to medical schools?

EDIT: and when i mean a bad semester, i mean getting mostly B's (hopefully) and C's

I had a similiar situation last year. You might see if the school will work with you --- if a professor will allow you to take an "I", which will decrease your work load, yet keep your full time status. See what extended arrangements (time limit to convert the "I") and use holiday break, and next semester to work on a self paced completion. That is what I did, my gpa still took a hit, but it helped. None of my science professors would do that, but maybe you will have better luck..

Just make sure you focus on getting better -- running on a half tank doesn't cut it.

Good Luck!