Oteopathic Retake Policy

[Johnd174]

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I'm new to this site so don't be too hard on me. Let me explain my situation:

My first attempt at college didn't go so well. I went for 2 years I failed some classes and barely passed some others. I decided to quit school and joined the Army and became a medic. After spending some time overseas and doing a tour in Afghanistan my term of enlistment ended last month. I've matured a lot since my time in college and starting in January I'm going to take classes again at a four year school.

I know that osteopathic schools have a policy where they replace the first grade of a course with the second grade. Now I'm going to be honest I failed a couple classes two times which I know doesn't look good to admissions. If I retake the classes that I have failed twice can I use the grade that I get now to replace the grade I got for the both the first and second time I took the course? I apologize if my question has been answered somewhere on the forum. I have looked and I have not found anything about the policy about multiple retakes of the same class.

Thanks to anyone who can help me answer my question and I wish all of you the best of luck in your pursuit of being a doctor.

 

[MedPR]

I'm new to this site so don't be too hard on me. Let me explain my situation:

My first attempt at college didn't go so well. I went for 2 years I failed some classes and barely passed some others. I decided to quit school and joined the Army and became a medic. After spending some time overseas and doing a tour in Afghanistan my term of enlistment ended last month. I've matured a lot since my time in college and starting in January I'm going to take classes again at a four year school.

I know that osteopathic schools have a policy where they replace the first grade of a course with the second grade. Now I'm going to be honest I failed a couple classes two times which I know doesn't look good to admissions. If I retake the classes that I have failed twice can I use the grade that I get now to replace the grade I got for the both the first and second time I took the course? I apologize if my question has been answered somewhere on the forum. I have looked and I have not found anything about the policy about multiple retakes of the same class.

Thanks to anyone who can help me answer my question and I wish all of you the best of luck in your pursuit of being a doctor.

AACOMAS factors in the most recent grade. ADCOMs, however, will still see the 2 F's despite not showing up on your GPA.

 

[NurWollen]

I believe so... but I don't know for sure!

 

[Johnd174]

One other quick question. Is it true that if you retake a class at a different school than the school you originally took the class at the grades will then be averaged and not replaced? I read that somewhere on these forums and was wondering if anyone could give me some clarification.

 

[cutandpaste]

No, if the course you are repeating is generic in level i.e. replacing Anatomy 300 with Anatomy 300 at a different Uni or CC than AACOMAS will only count the higher grade of the two. Please search more thouroughly next time.

 

[Johnd174]

No, if the course you are repeating is generic in level i.e. replacing Anatomy 300 with Anatomy 300 at a different Uni or CC than AACOMAS will only count the higher grade of the two. Please search more thouroughly next time.

No need for the attitude bud. I just read a thread a few minutes ago about it and wasn't sure.

Anyway thanks for answering my question.

 

[cutandpaste]

..

 

[Art3MiS]

Careful on courses that sound similar.. for me, I took elementary biochem, then took general biochem. I took general biochem because i thought it would replace the previous one. After talking to aacomas, they told me it wouldn't work because of different course names.

The two courses were equivalent to each other at my university however, as in you could take either to satisfy the biochemistry requirement.

Just a heads up! good luck to you.

 

[TriagePreMed]

No, if the course you are repeating is generic in level i.e. replacing Anatomy 300 with Anatomy 300 at a different Uni or CC than AACOMAS will only count the higher grade of the two. Please search more thouroughly next time.

False. AACOMAS will only accept the most recent grade, so you could potentially be trying to replace a "D" and get an "F" if your attempt ended up that poorly. Please search more thoroughly next time.

OP - You can retake the same course 100x if you want. Only the most recent grade appears.

 

[TriagePreMed]

Careful on courses that sound similar.. for me, I took elementary biochem, then took general biochem. I took general biochem because i thought it would replace the previous one. After talking to aacomas, they told me it wouldn't work because of different course names.

The two courses were equivalent to each other at my university however, as in you could take either to satisfy the biochemistry requirement.

Just a heads up! good luck to you.

AACOMAS rep got it wrong. If you submit the syllabus and show the courses' content are equivalent, replacement must happen.

 

[FutureDrB]

AACOMAS rep got it wrong. If you submit the syllabus and show the courses' content are equivalent, replacement must happen.

True dat. I retook several courses that didn't have the exact same name. Very similar, but not exact. I did however contact AACOM first to make sure, but they said they were fine. Elementary Biochem and General Biochem should be fine, as long as they were the same amount of hours. (The retake can also be a great number of hours, but not less.)

 

[dntke1518]

You are correct that the two failures will raise a red flag to adcoms. If you retake and do well it will take place of the past two grades. As far as AACOMAS counting it as a retake always check with them first I suppose, better to be thorough than sorry. Make sure to point out in your app when you do apply that your maturity level grew after your time in Afghanistan, might get through to some adcoms.

P.S. everyone else BE COOL! Lol its christmas, be jolly...

 

[Johnd174]

Thank you all you have been very helpful. I have one more question. I got a C- in a 2 hour class called Bio 1020 General Biology Lab. The school I will be attending next month does not have a 2 hour BIology Lab class. The most similar class offered is Bio 121 General Biology I which is a 4 hour class. WIll I be able to replace the grade i got in the 2 hour class with the grade I get in the 4 hour class?

 

[FutureDrB]

Thank you all you have been very helpful. I have one more question. I got a C- in a 2 hour class called Bio 1020 General Biology Lab. The school I will be attending next month does not have a 2 hour BIology Lab class. The most similar class offered is Bio 121 General Biology I which is a 4 hour class. WIll I be able to replace the grade i got in the 2 hour class with the grade I get in the 4 hour class?

I'm going to say no. You can't use a class to replace a lab. But in all reality, I wouldn't worry about the C- too much, if at all.

 

[DocGodfather]

Thank you all you have been very helpful. I have one more question. I got a C- in a 2 hour class called Bio 1020 General Biology Lab. The school I will be attending next month does not have a 2 hour BIology Lab class. The most similar class offered is Bio 121 General Biology I which is a 4 hour class. WIll I be able to replace the grade i got in the 2 hour class with the grade I get in the 4 hour class?

If that course comes with a lab, and both labs go over the same stuff, you can get the syllabus for both labs and contact AACOMAS to see if they will replace the single lab with the lecture + lab. However, if Bio 121 is just a lecture with no lab, I will agree with DrB and say probably no on the replacement.

 

[DocGodfather]

I'm going to say no. You can't use a class to replace a lab. But in all reality, I wouldn't worry about the C- too much, if at all.

Happy holidays, bro. Ready for the MCAT? I believe I read you saying that you were taking it sometime this upcoming spring?

 

[FutureDrB]

Happy holidays, bro. Ready for the MCAT? I believe I read you saying that you were taking it sometime this upcoming spring?

Hey man, Happy Holidays. Taking it in March. Not ready yet, but getting there!

 

[rrt]

Hope all is going well OP. I have been here for about half a year, and I will never get tired of repeated questions. I used to be a moderator at a body building forum, and tons would rant on about repeated questions. I for one do not care and am glad you posted.

I too have around 2 years of not so good grades prior to joining the Army, becoming a Medic, then a Respiratory Therapist. I too recently started school, and let me tell you that joining the Army has done wonders for how I view school and my maturity level. I am also looking at applying to DO schools because of grade replacement. In addition to that, I will be utilizing the Texas Fresh Start program which if all works out well will make me as appealing and competitive for Texas MD schools as well as DO schools.

Stick to it man, and stay on the boards. It's nice meeting "newbs" since I am one as well.

Hooah Brother!

RRT

 

[DrWily]

I retook Multivariable calculus 4 times before I got a B in it.

I didn't know what I was doing my first two years of college.