I wanted to write out what I am going through to ask everyone's opinion here and see if I should just give up on my dream and find something else or if I can still avenge myself...The situation is this:
I am going into my sophomore year of college. I started out as a neuroscience major but, after taking an upper level philosophy class, I realized I did very well at something else that I also really enjoyed, so I switched my major to philosophy with a pre-med track.
I am a brain tumor survivor. I underwent several operations and while I have removed the tumor, even several years later I am still dealing with obstacles including daily pain-some sever headaches on a weekly basis, AM nausea, etc. I struggled my freshemen year learning how to balance my pain and academics and have paid the price for it. My first semester GPA was a 2.3 and my second a 3.0. My grades in intro bio are a D- and a C and in Chem they are a D+ and a C-. Biology wasn't so much hard for me as I was simply never in class-they were VERY early AM and I was on a med schedule that often left me missing class to spend my AM hours throwing up or being super nauseous. Chemistry did not come so easily but it was harder to do well when dealing with some of my problems. In the last few months I have finally found something to keep most of my pain away and am much better than I have ever been.
My experience medically is what has made me want to become a doctor, specifically a neurologist, so as to help others who have had to deal with similar problems such as myself.
Recently, my adviser basically told me that I should stop trying now and that there is no way that I will get into an American Medical School.
I do not want to believe this as I am far too motivated and passionate. I realize that these are very poor grades. However, I am hoping that the philosophy will help some, as I have only gotten As and quite frankly am so confident in my abilities with it that I know I will not get lower than an A in any such class. I am moving on to molecular bio and organic chem in the fall and will be utilizing every possible resource to ensure that I pull as high a grade as possible in both, certainly no lower than a B if I can help it. They are also at later times and I am physically much healthier.
I thought/think that if I write very good essays (writing is one of my greatest strengths), have good LOTR and volunteer experience and a good MCAT score, that I may still have a chance....I also hope that some of life experience will allow me to stand out a little
My question to those of you at SDN is...is my goal of getting into medical school still attainable despite a poor start, or am I doomed to fail?
Thank you very much!
I am going into my sophomore year of college. I started out as a neuroscience major but, after taking an upper level philosophy class, I realized I did very well at something else that I also really enjoyed, so I switched my major to philosophy with a pre-med track.
I am a brain tumor survivor. I underwent several operations and while I have removed the tumor, even several years later I am still dealing with obstacles including daily pain-some sever headaches on a weekly basis, AM nausea, etc. I struggled my freshemen year learning how to balance my pain and academics and have paid the price for it. My first semester GPA was a 2.3 and my second a 3.0. My grades in intro bio are a D- and a C and in Chem they are a D+ and a C-. Biology wasn't so much hard for me as I was simply never in class-they were VERY early AM and I was on a med schedule that often left me missing class to spend my AM hours throwing up or being super nauseous. Chemistry did not come so easily but it was harder to do well when dealing with some of my problems. In the last few months I have finally found something to keep most of my pain away and am much better than I have ever been.
My experience medically is what has made me want to become a doctor, specifically a neurologist, so as to help others who have had to deal with similar problems such as myself.
Recently, my adviser basically told me that I should stop trying now and that there is no way that I will get into an American Medical School.
I do not want to believe this as I am far too motivated and passionate. I realize that these are very poor grades. However, I am hoping that the philosophy will help some, as I have only gotten As and quite frankly am so confident in my abilities with it that I know I will not get lower than an A in any such class. I am moving on to molecular bio and organic chem in the fall and will be utilizing every possible resource to ensure that I pull as high a grade as possible in both, certainly no lower than a B if I can help it. They are also at later times and I am physically much healthier.
I thought/think that if I write very good essays (writing is one of my greatest strengths), have good LOTR and volunteer experience and a good MCAT score, that I may still have a chance....I also hope that some of life experience will allow me to stand out a little
My question to those of you at SDN is...is my goal of getting into medical school still attainable despite a poor start, or am I doomed to fail?
Thank you very much!
) you could still elevate to a 3.6+ cgpa, which is plenty adequate. with a marvelous life story to boot. at 19yo, everything is still possible. let no one tell you otherwise.
