Please help me... MAJOR panic attack.

Med School Insiders
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
he he calm down dude

First off eat

Second off your doing all that you can try not to overload yourself if you dont' have enough time to eat drop a fricken major if you have the pre reqs and the experience you will be fine

Keep shadowing DO's

Read up on the subject and concentrate on the MCAT as much as possible when I say this I mean 12 credits a semester for the year that you take it don't take to much more than that becuase your GPA will drop along with your MCAT scores becuase you will be worried about how much class work you have to do.

I switched my major 5 times finally I realized that I should do somthing that will allow me free reighn becuase once I'm in medical school that is what I'll be doing for the rest of my life. I love it dont' get me wrong but have room to have some fun and enjoy your experience the more you are high strung and stressed out the lower your grades will be. chill out and if you have any Qs

PM me

good luck
 
First of all...take a DEEP breath. Now let it out. Now do that again. You are okay. You are 22 years old and underwent some major stressors, but you are going to be just fine.

Don't worry about taking a year - or two, or five - off before you start medical school. I should be starting next year at the ripe old age of 27. There are many other non-traditional students starting in their 30s and 40s; people who have entirely switched careers. You should check out the non-trad forum for some pretty uplifting stories.

After you've graduated from college, D.O. schools would like to see a cumulative GPA certainly above 3.0, more like a 3.3-3.5. A science GPA of at least 3.0 is a good start, but raising it even to a 3.1 or 3.2 would be more helpful. An MCAT score of 26-28 would put you in good standing as well.

Your experiences are good. Shadowing a D.O. is a great step. Volunteering and doing research are also great, as is participating in extracurricular activities. So you've got some of the basics down pat.

Take another deep breath. Now let it out!

When I see die-hard pre-meds throwing themselves into every possible activity they could imagine to help themselves get into med school, I cringe a bit. Now that I've taken more than five years off after college, I realize the value of a little extra "living" before I take on the rigors of med school. Working 9-5 for five years (first as a public health researcher, then as a social worker) was very different than being a student and has helped me "grow up" tremendously. I feel like the time "off" I've taken has only helped me in my aspirations to be a doctor, not hindered it in any way.

If you're worried about your academics, do what I did and take a few courses after you graduate. I took 11 credits this past summer in nutrition, lifespan development, and statistics and aced 'em (while working full-time) - and I think it's helped improve my application, not only because I did well but because I showed the med schools that I've got some major time management skills. Even though I've already applied, I'm taking anatomy right now just to keep my brain in shape. And I've easily settled back into "student mode," despite my initial fears.

Don't let this be a panicky moment for you. Let it be a growing process. If you take a year or more off, do something that is meaningful to you, not just what you think will help you get into med school. If you're really into research, that's great, but there's a lot more out there. What do you really, really like to do?

You're embarking on a neat, sometimes curvaceous path that is not always easy-breezy but is certainly always exciting. Don't stress too much. Develop your stress management skills now while you're young, really focus on that, and you'll be good to go by the time med school rolls around!
 
jesus ur only 22...wat are u panicking about again? worse case scenario u retake classes to improve GPA..and u retake mcat if u got a low score..1 year wasted...ur now a old geezer at the age of 23...calm down..and let reality settle in
 
Yeah, definitely relax a bit if you can and take a look around here.

I think you're okay provided your grades are on an upward swing. Look into the avg GPA of matriculants and you'll find it's not too too far off your own. Added to that are the last 60 credit-hour GPA, the changes in GPA due to retakes, etc and you could have a more powerful hand of cards than you think.

Otherwise, in terms of extracurriculars, you've definitely dotted all your i's and crossed all your t's. You're in the running. One thing, though: I'd bow out from one of the E-boards if possible -- that's too much stress. There's no reason for you to kill yourself over that. Leadership in one club is enough to say, "Yes, I have leadership experience."

Now, if you can get an MCAT between 25-30 and apply as early as possible, I think you'd be in a good place. Good luck! 👍

Let us know how it goes.
 
Thank you for all those you have responded so far. 👍 👍 👍

Many of you are hanging up on the age and panic part of my post. Ok I know that for many of you 22 is an nice cool number and a year 'wasted' isnt much, but for my family it is a big financial strain. If this was only about me I'd make it easier and less stressful but my decision of what to do and my opportunities of what I can do (hopefully you will tell me what those are) will also dictate the health and financial status of 4 other people and I can't afford to take it lightly at all. Every day I got to live with the madness of trying to prove to some DO school that I AM a good wellrounded person who can be a great DO if given the chance to. But then when I come home I got to stare at all my family member's faces who are getting to physically and mentally sick of working so hard to sustain everybody and everything from ground ZERO and constantly asking when I will be able to provide food on the plate for them or when they (&i) will know that my & their future is at least a bit secure if they fall down horribly ill. (please don't tell me a load fixes everything, we've been there).

So, if any of you can, please specifically answer my questions. I'm not wining, Im telling it like it is. I just need help. Lots of help I suppose.

Thanks again!
 
haha. calm down. you got a good chance. if you have a year off, look into the 1 year programs offered at most DO schools (LECOM, PCOM, UMDNJ-SOM, CCOM, etc.)

They will help to raise your GPA's and also if you maintain a good GPA, it is a guaranteed interview! goodluck!
 
I, like you decided 1 year ago that medicine was the career choice for me. As all of the above posters have mentioned rock the MCAT. Because your GPA is not where it needs to be I would suggest using that year off to retake some classes and improve your GPA (as was also mentioned above). You are only 22, and I am pretty sure you will still have a few good years left as a physician if you don't get into school ASAP. Good Luck!!!!!!!
 
... (man this was weird, when I was writing a reply, like 4 new posts came up)....
 
very good comments Sarikate, if you haven't posted it I would have wrote something along similar lines.

Crossroads, you have a lot going on for you and it seems like you will make it, but remember, a medical career is a marathon, not a sprint. You are very young at 22 (I think average age of matriculants to DO schools is 24) so one measley year after college not in school will not be bad for you at all. It can be very helpful in fact, if you do stuff that you like and help you feel more ready for medicine. Your grades seem to be on an upward trend and you are becoming more involved in extracurriculars which is all good.

Here is my advice, keep your grades up and improve them if you can, if you are struggling and making yourself miserable trying to get a 4.0 your senior year I don't know if you will look forward to 4 more years of school in your future. Study hard for the MCATs, take practice tests if they are available (my undergrad offered 1 or 2 free practices per year). So if you do well on the MCATS, say 26 or above, then I may suggest not going to a Master's and perhaps doing something more clinical or something that really shows your interest in osteopathy.

Here is where I am coming from: my GPA (both sci and cum) is very similar to yours. I did a one year post-bacc where I took very hard sciences classes and still ended up with a 3.1 which boosted my GPA very little. Fortunately my MCAT was very good, a 30, and I applied very early this year. I was accepted into a DO school so everything worked out, I had 2 "free" years after my post-bacc and now I have another one before school starts.

In summary, take your time, don't stress out too much, it was only after I decided that I would "live" if I didn't get into medical school when everything started going right for me. Best of luck!
 
And I thought he was going to say that one of his letter writers called him the devil...but with less compassion.
 
Crossroads said:
Thank you for all those you have responded so far. 👍 👍 👍

Many of you are hanging up on the age and panic part of my post. Ok I know that for many of you 22 is an nice cool number and a year 'wasted' isnt much, but for my family it is a big financial strain. If this was only about me I'd make it easier and less stressful but my decision of what to do and my opportunities of what I can do (hopefully you will tell me what those are) will also dictate the health and financial status of 4 other people and I can't afford to take it lightly at all. Every day I got to live with the madness of trying to prove to some DO school that I AM a good wellrounded person who can be a great DO if given the chance to. But then when I come home I got to stare at all my family member's faces who are getting to physically and mentally sick of working so hard to sustain everybody and everything from ground ZERO and constantly asking when I will be able to provide food on the plate for them or when they (&i) will know that my & their future is at least a bit secure if they fall down horribly ill. (please don't tell me a load fixes everything, we've been there).

So, if any of you can, please specifically answer my questions. I'm not wining, Im telling it like it is. I just need help. Lots of help I suppose.

Thanks again!
Click to expand...


You're kidding right? My first piece of advice: NEVER EVER tell an ADCOM this is why you're going into medicine, because they will ask you to leave right then and there. My heart bleeds for you, but you do realize that you won't have the money to "fill their plates" for at least another 7 years even after you are accepted.
 
your 22 relax, im 26 soon to be 27 and still probably 1yr or so away from applying to schools and i feel like a geezer, just relax
 
You'll be going $150,000 into debt, remember. How much research have you done on this? It will be a good ten years, like another poster said, before you start making a decent income. Until then, you will be living off student loans (just like nearly all med students).
 
Thanks! But do you ppl think I have a good chance of getting into a DO school with my stats now? Like before a masters program? 😕
 
We are not adcoms. Everything is variable. It's not that you meet a certain number and you are guaranteed in.
 
Yeah I know nothing is a set number in this process. I was just wondering though b/c I'm just too new at all of this and I really don't know what to believe or do any more. I just have the horrible feeling I am missing something really important that will screw me over when applying to a DO school and noone will take me *snif* Thanks for the help 🙂
 
I believe one of the most important parts of your application has not been decided yet...your MCAT score. That being said, what are you doing to prepare yourself for the april MCAT? Are you planning to take a full schedule of classes to graduate in may and prepare for the MCAT at the same time? If this is the case, I would suggest a different plan. Instead of taking courses towards your degree this spring, retake one or two science classes you have done poorly in that will be relavent to the MCAT. Spend the rest of your time studying for the MCAT. You may also consider re-taking another science class during first summer seesion. If you can secure an A in each of these classes it should boost your science gpa, and help you do well on the MCAT. Then you could finish up your degree in the fall semester you would have had off next year.
Good Luck
 
DrJekyl,
Thanks for replying. I am taking enough credit hours to keep me bz now. I am starting (soon) a Kaplan Mcat course once a week lasting till end of May. As for spring, I am planning on taking only 2 classes (last requirements for my majors) and concentrate on the MCAT 24/7. How high of a score do u think I would need? I know, i know-as high as possible; I mean what kind of an MCAT score can overcome the whole gpa issue in order for schools to consider my application.

I already applied to graduate in May so I do not know if I can take or retake any summer classes. I didnt think that is a good thing to do or even if it will count provided that by then I would have technically graduated. I don't know if I should b/c I am going to try to get into a SMP somewhere. 😕


DrJekyl said:
I believe one of the most important parts of your application has not been decided yet...your MCAT score. That being said, what are you doing to prepare yourself for the april MCAT? Are you planning to take a full schedule of classes to graduate in may and prepare for the MCAT at the same time? If this is the case, I would suggest a different plan. Instead of taking courses towards your degree this spring, retake one or two science classes you have done poorly in that will be relavent to the MCAT. Spend the rest of your time studying for the MCAT. You may also consider re-taking another science class during first summer seesion. If you can secure an A in each of these classes it should boost your science gpa, and help you do well on the MCAT. Then you could finish up your degree in the fall semester you would have had off next year.
Good Luck
Click to expand...
 
When your science gpa is calculated on your medical school application it does not matter if the class was taken after your graduated. You can still retake some of the courses you did not do well in, and your new grades will replace the old ones on your DO application. If you retake a few classes in the summer, you can still have your application submitted by august or early september with your new grades. The following is just my opinion, but I think improving your science gpa will give you a better chance of getting an interview than getting a masters degree. I think most schools will do an initial screening of applicants based on their MCATs and gpas in order to decide who gets an interview. Earning a masters, and your ECs, will only make you competitive after you have secured an interview. As for the MCAT, just do the best you can, and don't get discourged if you do poorly on the first few Kaplan practice tests. By the way, is there a particular school you are interested in?
 
DrJekyl said:
When your science gpa is calculated on your medical school application it does not matter if the class was taken after your graduated. You can still retake some of the courses you did not do well in, and your new grades will replace the old ones on your DO application. If you retake a few classes in the summer, you can still have your application submitted by august or early september with your new grades. The following is just my opinion, but I think improving your science gpa will give you a better chance of getting an interview than getting a masters degree. I think most schools will do an initial screening of applicants based on their MCATs and gpas in order to decide who gets an interview. Earning a masters, and your ECs, will only make you competitive after you have secured an interview. As for the MCAT, just do the best you can, and don't get discourged if you do poorly on the first few Kaplan practice tests. By the way, is there a particular school you are interested in?
Click to expand...

😀 👍 Thanks, I will definitelly consider taking some summer classes. (although, as I will be applying to SMPs and to med school as early as possible, I doubt that I will have new grades before the applications are sent out; I'll look more into that). As for schools, I am thinking of CCOM as my #1 choice. It seems like the most affordable & close to me as well. (besides, i dont think that these is something like a "bad DO school" anyway). I am going to apply EVERYWHERE tho. I dont care if I have to take out a loan to sent out all those applicaitons. If there is any shot of me getting into a DO school before a masters I want to make sure I took it. It will really suck if noone takes me and then I'll have to reapply Everywhere again. Pretty much same goes for SMPs. Hope I got a chance somewhere. where that is, I do not know. Any suggestions?
 
I think Dr.Jekyl advice is valid. In fact i am doing exactly what he tells you to do. I am taking my prereq as well as i will be repeating gen chemII in which i diidn't do so well. Taking that one class will give my GPA a nice boost.
I think it is more to your advantage when you prepare for the MCAT to retake some courses even for a review(if you take it in CC you save ton of money otherwise spent for Kaplan etc)...it never hurts your DO application due to the fact that DO schools are more forgiving and have an awsome retake policy (old grades are replaced by new ones).
I am myself going to be 26 in january...plus i am a girl so there you go. I think men have it easier due to life not being so complicated for 9 months if you ever plan to have family and have a clock ticking behind your ear.

Remeber that this is not a race.It's better to do it right then rush through the whole process and then God forbid run out of steem when som ething goes wrong. Take your time and rock the MCAT. If you score in upper 20 lower 30 your application will be more attractive to schools. Usually if you have low GPA you try to make it up with your MCAT.
If you need some idea look up www.mdapplicants.com
just do not bet your right hend on the stats that are there...i am sure many ppl are not totally honest though as far as i know some are.
Good luck:luck:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
Help Me Decide Please
Replies
4
Views
1K
Goro
Goro
E
  • Question Question
ATSU-SOMA Please help
Replies
5
Views
2K
hughmargs
hughmargs
M
Help with school list please
Replies
12
Views
2K
medschoolfailure12
M
Tifrybfwnsfb
  • Locked
School list help please (XX/XXX)
Replies
2
Views
1K
Goro
Goro
W
Please help! Applying to medical school with misdemeanors!
Replies
5
Views
1K
wannabemedsomething
W
Top