please help me !

[ak6zu]

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[Wjldenver]

Hi everyone!
I am a second year student at the University of Virginia. I come from a low income family and I am an immigrant as well. My dad barely makes above the poverty line average income. Because of this since I got out of of high school, I had always wanted to become a doctor so I can earn money to help other low income kids on their path to college by providing them with extra help from my salary and also providing free medical care to low income Americans.
My gpa was average my first year ( I used to live in the dorms). It was a 3.378. I had B+,A- and B's in my chem chem lab bio bio lab and an A in calculus. Second year ruined me. I had to withdraw first semester because of personal reasons ( I was living at home because of financial reasons so I would commute). Iwithdrew because my parents fought literally everyday last semester, they still fight this semester too and I couldn't handle the stress anymore, I was very depressed, at one point I wanted to commit suicide. Anyways this semester I got 2 Ds in my evo eco and genetics (core bio classes), and the rest of my three grades are average. I think I will end up with a 3.083 this year. I am taking orgo and orgo lab I and II over the summer. I definitely want to do a gap year and do an MPH (accelerated if I get in). My question is do I still have a chance at med school or even DO school? I do not want to give up this easily as this is a dream come true for me and my parents. Any help would be gold and thanks for reading this!

Don't stress, pace yourself, be a strategic applicant and always have a plan B. DO schools allow for grade replacement so that may be a more strategic avenue for you to take in lieu of a MPH degree which does not really impress adcom's anyway. And definitely check out the student counseling center at UVA because you need to improve your ability to deal with stress. Both now and as you progress through your academic and professional career.

 

[radian313]

Don't stress, pace yourself, be a strategic applicant and always have a plan B. DO schools allow for grade replacement so that may be a more strategic avenue for you to take in lieu of a MPH degree which does not really impress adcom's anyway. And definitely check out the student counseling center at UVA because you need to improve your ability to deal with stress. Both now and as you progress through your academic and professional career.

This.

Dont just do an MPH to get a 4.0, do it because you want to and want to work in it. I have an MPH, and I worked for a bit using it so hence its a good talking point. If your finances are tight, why add to it? Doing an MPH will set you back more, whereas going DO and doing grade replacement for a few classes may be half of what you would have to pay for an MPH, all the while still not changing your sGPA much (unless you do an Epi track).

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Grade replacement is your friend. Also you might have to decide whether you want to help low income individuals with their health or financially because docs who give free health care (they are absolute saints by the way, this is in no way a rag on people who do this kind of good) usually don't make the mind of money that makes it possible for free donations. Just pointing this out so you know. One of the happiest docs I know basically runs a low income clinic and delivers babies all the time for pennies. His patients absolutely love him.

 

[ak6zu]

Thanks so much for all your replies guys!
I really appreciate it ! <3

 

[Andeve33]

Thanks so much for all your replies guys!
I really appreciate it ! <3

so you've received help out of those comments or not?

 

[FCMike11]

I'd reccomend you read the post I linked for you below. Someone who found out way late he was in medicine for less than compelling reasons, which seemed similar to yours.

http://www-forums.studentdoctor.net/index.php?posts/18106049