Out of luck with medicine?

[djanson08]

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Hello

First of all, my GPA was low. 2.95. I was hoping for a SMP since I obviously wouldn't get into med school, so I applied to VCU, BU, and Tufts (I didn't have an MCAT score, only GRE).

I've already been rejected by BU and VCU (not even so much as a waitlist)..chances are Tufts will reject me too since they're more stringent than VCU, right?

Since an SMP was my last resort to pursuing medicine, and I might not be able to do one, is my career in medicine compromised now?

I ask because I'm deciding what I want to do - I believe my sGPA was lower than my cGPA, so I was considering community college and retaking/acing my science classes.

I was also considering not doing medicine anymore...I have a degree in engineering, and wouldn't be against pursuing a career in engineering.

I also could find a job in engineering, while taking the science courses @ night or something similar...or just drop medicine all together, do engineering, and do a masters or something else down the line (not SMP..masters in eng or finance).

Basically, I'm asking you that since my SMP luck is out, am I pretty much SOL if I don't want to spend 3-4 years raising my GPA to do med?

 

[DrMidlife]

If you browse some of the low GPA threads here, you'll see this general subject discussed to death. Nobody seriously suggests doing 3-4 more years of undergrad. Lots of people will seriously suggest that you consider DO.

IMHO you're jumping the gun by trying to do an SMP with a sub-3.0 and without a good MCAT score. When you start an SMP, you should have every darned thing you need to get into med school wrapped up all tidy with the sole exception of undergrad GPA. Otherwise you're not getting into a good SMP.

IMHO you should start with doing enough additional undergrad coursework, preferably in upper div science, to get your GPAs up over 3.0, and to demonstrate to SMPs (and later to med schools) that you're serious.

It's on you to demonstrate that you can handle the ridiculously difficult all-science triple load of coursework that you'll find in med school. If you're up for demonstrating that, and you're able to work really hard instead of the typical waiting-for-a-miracle thing in order to get A's in hard classes, then there's no reason you can't pursue medicine. But frankly, it sounds like you're looking for an excuse to stop trying. Your 3.0-ish competition is willing to do anything to get into med school - do you want to go up against that (honest question, not a rhetorical one)?

Best of luck to you.

 

[theWUbear]

IMHO you should start with doing enough additional undergrad coursework, preferably in upper div science, to get your GPAs up over 3.0, and to demonstrate to SMPs (and later to med schools) that you're serious.

+1

Your plan should be to do one year of upper level science classes, stay in touch with SMP admissions, and apply next spring after a 4.0 this fall. Next May you update SMP admissions with your second 4.0 semester. you get into the SMP despite lower stats than the average person because you've been in touch with admissions over the course of a year and a half and have shown them fantastic recent performance. you apply to med school after your SMP year

 

[DrAndy]

.

 

[djanson08]

Hi all, thanks for the replies. I appreciate the words of encouragement. Some things:

First of all, I decided not to cancel my MCAT studying and keep at it. I have a Kaplan class and didn't take my refund, so I'm still on for that too, along with my home studying. Here's to getting a good MCAT score later this year!

Anyway, so I've considered it. Right now, SMP for 2011-2012 is out at the moment. I doubt Tufts will accept me if VCU didn't. So I have some options now..

First of all, if I want to be real stubborn, I could keep applying to grad programs..such as Mississippi College, Wayne State, Loyola physiology (not MAMS..heard MSP is new and looking for people) etc. Do those (after my MCAT) and hope to do well.

Second, consider D.O. With the grade replacement, I can retake classes I did poorly in at a community college, and I did the calculations, it would raise my overall GPA to ~3.35 cGPA, 3.63 sGPA. Would this, along with a good MCAT score I hope to achieve following this summer, be competitive for DO schools applying next year? In the mean time, I'd attempt to find a scribe position, research position, etc as well (most of these classes are 1 day/week..I didn't do well in undergrad not b/c the material was challenging, but because of bad habits... I wouldn't go to class, study, etc..those have changed in my last 2 years in college since I took both physics and o. chem in my first 2 years).

Finally, there's also taking upper div classes as suggested.

If option 2 was a possibility, that would be favorable in my opinion. I feel like this option would allow me to apply to med school sooner (rather than go to an SMP first) if the stats are cut out and I make those grades since I could apply to medical school at the same time *as if* I had done an SMP this year (so I'd be applying in 2012). Plus, the grade replacements really boost my GPA more than tacking on extra credits.

Option 1 would be nice if I could start this year since I waste no semesters or whatnot.

Option 3 I'm a bit partial too because since I've taken so many classes, adding credits and getting A's in them is great, but it doesn't change my GPA too much (this is why I like option 2..it has a more profound effect on my GPA since not only would I add A's, but also get rid of C's and B-'s..if grade replacement works as I think it does)..

So, looking forward to responses to this. Any other tips are welcome, thanks for the help so far.

Edit: WITHOUT grade replacement and retaking classes I got C's in (about 23 credits total, 13 this fall, 10 in the spring), my gpa goes from 2.89 to 3.04 and sGPA from 2.8 to 3.05 assuming I score well in those classes.