Please post your individual STATS for being admitted...low gpa

[DrMagic]

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I am in need of help. Here are my STATS first before we get started talking:

Osteopathic GPA
Science: 2.83
CUM: 2.98
(includes engineering courses in science and retaken math course for CUM)

Allopathic GPA
Science: 2.35
CUM: 2.79
(all courses taken)

Degree: BS Mechanical Engineering expected Fall 2010 (large big 12 school)
with departmental honors
minor: mathematics
(2 semesters left; upward trend past 2 years)

My plan is to retake bio I which I got an F at one school and a C at another school, as well as take bio II and organic I and II which concludes my pre-req classes. One question I have is if I should take these at the CC or a university? I was also planning on working as an engineer and taking 1 or 2 courses at once, but planning on finishing the courses no later than summer 2011. After the course retake of bio I, even if I got a B in the course, my GPA should raise a lot, as I have the F and C factored into the GPA calculation currently. Then getting good grades in the other courses should help as well. After this I plan on taking the MCAT.

ECs:
(please offer extremely helpful EC ideas)
habitat for humanity
other organization for home rebuilding
research and thesis in progress for updated orthopedic hip surgery implants
research in different screws for ortho surgery
research in revolutionary dental device
worked at 2 top tier engineering firms (Monsanto and another)
-planning on shadowing an orthopedic surgeon and other specialists with a DO and MD
-am thinking of volunteering at a hospital while I have more time which is now, but not sure if it is critical (plus I don't know how I would go about doing this)

My main concern is for you all to offer recommendations to increase my profile as well as let me know if anything you see on it is good or bad. I would suspect the GPA to be on the rise up, especially after having the bio 1 retaken which will replace a C and an F, as well as taking no hard engineering courses at the same time when I am finishing my pre-reqs of Bio II and the organics.

I would also appreciate you all to post your STATS, especially the ones who scored lower, and reached the goal of getting a med school acceptance.

Right now both caribbean and DO I am considering with myself feeling that a US MD may take too much time to increase my profile for successful admission.

 

[J1515]

If you got an F and a C in introductory bio, what makes you think you can handle medical school material? They will ask you this on interviews.

 

[JaggerPlate]

I am in need of help. Here are my STATS first before we get started talking:

Osteopathic GPA
Science: 2.83
CUM: 2.98
(includes engineering courses in science and retaken math course for CUM)

Allopathic GPA
Science: 2.35
CUM: 2.79
(all courses taken)

Degree: BS Mechanical Engineering expected Fall 2010 (large big 12 school)
with departmental honors
minor: mathematics
(2 semesters left; upward trend past 2 years)

My plan is to retake bio I which I got an F at one school and a C at another school, as well as take bio II and organic I and II which concludes my pre-req classes. One question I have is if I should take these at the CC or a university? I was also planning on working as an engineer and taking 1 or 2 courses at once, but planning on finishing the courses no later than summer 2011. After the course retake of bio I, even if I got a B in the course, my GPA should raise a lot, as I have the F and C factored into the GPA calculation currently. Then getting good grades in the other courses should help as well. After this I plan on taking the MCAT.

ECs:
(please offer extremely helpful EC ideas)
habitat for humanity
other organization for home rebuilding
research and thesis in progress for updated orthopedic hip surgery implants
research in different screws for ortho surgery
research in revolutionary dental device
worked at 2 top tier engineering firms (Monsanto and another)
-planning on shadowing an orthopedic surgeon and other specialists with a DO and MD
-am thinking of volunteering at a hospital while I have more time which is now, but not sure if it is critical (plus I don't know how I would go about doing this)

My main concern is for you all to offer recommendations to increase my profile as well as let me know if anything you see on it is good or bad. I would suspect the GPA to be on the rise up, especially after having the bio 1 retaken which will replace a C and an F, as well as taking no hard engineering courses at the same time when I am finishing my pre-reqs of Bio II and the organics.

I would also appreciate you all to post your STATS, especially the ones who scored lower, and reached the goal of getting a med school acceptance.

Right now both caribbean and DO I am considering with myself feeling that a US MD may take too much time to increase my profile for successful admission.

Frankly, I'd be worried about DO admission as well. You shouldn't think of it as some second choice, or in line with Caribbean schools. Some schools have 3.0 cutoffs, others have some near 2.75 or something. I'd be nervous to be near either of them. Replacing an F with a C also isn't great, and like J said, will be brought up in potential interviews. Also, the big question in your application here is the MCAT. Do you have a score??? If you scored a 33 or something, I'd say not to sweat the GPA as much. However, assuming you don't score something abnormally high (which is in no way meant to be an insult), you need to fix your GPA. My advice would be either a post bacc program, a special masters program, or doing some sort of regular masters program and dominating so that you can at least prove you have the ability to perform at a medical school level. Sorry to be harsh, but there are issues here, and I hope you aren't looking at DO schools strictly based on your stats. Also, I wouldn't expect a ton of people to post their stats ... most who want to, create an MDApps profile, otherwise ... it's kind of private and helps to remain anonymous on the web.

 

[beckhunter116]

I'll also throw out there that you need some kind of healthcare experience and that can be done via volunteering at a hospital or low-income/free clinic. The majority of hospitals will have a volunteer link on there website (just look around). You fill out an application, they call, set up interview, do orientation, and start.

Also, if you are serious about this then you need to take more classes than just the pre-reqs and a few retakes because you need to establish that you are a new student that can handle a heavy science courseload and get all A's or mostly A's with a few B's.

 

[Everglide]

You're going to need retakes on anything science less than a B, plus solid grades in upper level sciences wouldn't hurt to add on.

Post bacc, special masters, etc might be necessary even after the retakes in order to give yourself a fair shot. Mainly because significantly moving your gpa with one year of credits left is not going to be easy.

Obviously a decent 30+ MCAT score would help and some may even call it necessary. Volunteering and shadowing is a must.

 

[Dr Yiot]

I think before you retake any courses whatsoever, you need to evaluate what is causing these bad grades. Is it because your lazy? Is it because you are working at the same time and don't have the time for school? is it because your study habbits are not productive. First you need to find the source of the problem before you just go ahead and keep taking classes the way you are or you won't see a change anyways. Then after you have discovered the issue, retake any classes you recieved less than a B in like others have stated. I would do this along with taking other upper level bio courses to show that you can handle a hard courseload. I would not take more engineering classes as this does not help your med school application out whatsoever. Go with the classes that matter and do not absolutely do not take classes that are super difficult that med school's could care less about? why risk damaging your GPA? I would take a year off and do this. Then and only then after retaking your classes, if you have above a 3.0 in both sci and cum then sit for the mcat. However this can be tricky, make sure that you reciece at least a B in all of your prereq's before sitting. Take this from someone who knew they were going to retake the classes but tried sitting for the exam prior to having mastered the material. A C shows that you have not grasped the concepts and shows that you don't understand the material. Something that is neccesary for the mcat. If you feel you have a firm grasp then take 3 months out of your life and study to pull a 30+ you will need to show that you mastered the material because your GPA is questionable. Pulling a respectable score on the mcat with a low gpa with put the admissions commitees mind at ease regarding you mastering the science curriculum. After you have done, these 2 things the rest EC's LOR's etc are all up to you and very individual. I would concentrate on what I have suggested. I have been were you are, maybe even worse and have dug myself out of a very large whole and I am finally applying this may so it can be done just stay positive as you will probobly have to work harder than you ever have to get to where you wanna be. Good luck

 

[Dr Yiot]

If you got an F and a C in introductory bio, what makes you think you can handle medical school material? They will ask you this on interviews.

your such a kind soul.....

 

[scummie]

I think before you retake any courses whatsoever, you need to evaluate what is causing these bad grades. Is it because your lazy? Is it because you are working at the same time and don't have the time for school? is it because your study habbits are not productive. First you need to find the source of the problem before you just go ahead and keep taking classes the way you are or you won't see a change anyways. Then after you have discovered the issue, retake any classes you recieved less than a B in like others have stated. I would do this along with taking other upper level bio courses to show that you can handle a hard courseload. I would not take more engineering classes as this does not help your med school application out whatsoever. Go with the classes that matter and do not absolutely do not take classes that are super difficult that med school's could care less about? why risk damaging your GPA? I would take a year off and do this. Then and only then after retaking your classes, if you have above a 3.0 in both sci and cum then sit for the mcat. However this can be tricky, make sure that you reciece at least a B in all of your prereq's before sitting. Take this from someone who knew they were going to retake the classes but tried sitting for the exam prior to having mastered the material. A C shows that you have not grasped the concepts and shows that you don't understand the material. Something that is neccesary for the mcat. If you feel you have a firm grasp then take 3 months out of your life and study to pull a 30+ you will need to show that you mastered the material because your GPA is questionable. Pulling a respectable score on the mcat with a low gpa with put the admissions commitees mind at ease regarding you mastering the science curriculum. After you have done, these 2 things the rest EC's LOR's etc are all up to you and very individual. I would concentrate on what I have suggested. I have been were you are, maybe even worse and have dug myself out of a very large whole and I am finally applying this may so it can be done just stay positive as you will probobly have to work harder than you ever have to get to where you wanna be. Good luck

Basically everything Dr. Yiot said. I barely had a 3.0 when I applied but my MCAT was a 30. Also, save yourself some heartache and get your stuff in like June or July. Being an early applicant can save your butt.

 

[Laryngophed]

If you got an F and a C in introductory bio, what makes you think you can handle medical school material? They will ask you this on interviews.

your such a kind soul.....

It may have not been the most eloquent way to state it, but it's a legitimate question the OP will face in an interview.

 

[Dr Yiot]

It may have not been the most eloquent way to state it, but it's a legitimate question the OP will face in an interview.

oh absolutely, its just i remember when i once posted a thread like this and i was in need of some help 2. these are things that the applicant already knows he's going to have to face, thats why he created this thread. people imo need to be less rough around the edges and more wiling to help people out, maybe by bieng a little more compassionate. it sux when ur the one on the recieving end.

 

[scummie]

It may have not been the most eloquent way to state it, but it's a legitimate question the OP will face in an interview.

Definitely. Some variation thereof is a popular interview question. Furthermore, if you got a C the second time around in just introductory bio, how are you going to manage when it comes time for med school coursework? You can't retake that many classes before getting kicked out. You've gotta figure out where you're screwing up.

I know traditionally, engineers have always had a lower GPA. Some schools I talked to said they looked at the rigor of the major, others said they didn't care. I'm about to graduate with an engineering degree as well. If I could do it all over again, I'd pick an easier science major and the application process would have been waaaaay sweeter. Maybe you should look into changing majors.

 

[DrMagic]

I think before you retake any courses whatsoever, you need to evaluate what is causing these bad grades. Is it because your lazy? Is it because you are working at the same time and don't have the time for school? is it because your study habbits are not productive. First you need to find the source of the problem before you just go ahead and keep taking classes the way you are or you won't see a change anyways. Then after you have discovered the issue, retake any classes you recieved less than a B in like others have stated. I would do this along with taking other upper level bio courses to show that you can handle a hard courseload. I would not take more engineering classes as this does not help your med school application out whatsoever. Go with the classes that matter and do not absolutely do not take classes that are super difficult that med school's could care less about? why risk damaging your GPA? I would take a year off and do this. Then and only then after retaking your classes, if you have above a 3.0 in both sci and cum then sit for the mcat. However this can be tricky, make sure that you reciece at least a B in all of your prereq's before sitting. Take this from someone who knew they were going to retake the classes but tried sitting for the exam prior to having mastered the material. A C shows that you have not grasped the concepts and shows that you don't understand the material. Something that is neccesary for the mcat. If you feel you have a firm grasp then take 3 months out of your life and study to pull a 30+ you will need to show that you mastered the material because your GPA is questionable. Pulling a respectable score on the mcat with a low gpa with put the admissions commitees mind at ease regarding you mastering the science curriculum. After you have done, these 2 things the rest EC's LOR's etc are all up to you and very individual. I would concentrate on what I have suggested. I have been were you are, maybe even worse and have dug myself out of a very large whole and I am finally applying this may so it can be done just stay positive as you will probobly have to work harder than you ever have to get to where you wanna be. Good luck

I have thought about this and think it would be best to get my degree first, and my GPA has been rising for the past 2 years. The classes that are engineering related that I have left are much easier and my schedule is more balanced because I got really hard classes done. The MCAT I will take extreme importance to taking. I am the type of person that on exams in school I get many 100s, probably 5 this semester, but the problem is when I have projects in every class, 4 to 5 tests in each week this past semester, and extremely time consuming homework in ever class, its hard to get a perfect grade if the exam is at the same time. If I have 1 class that is on an exam week when I have no other tests I know the grade will be high before I take it. Still my feeling of the MCAT makes me a bit nervous and I will have to do so much preperation and training before I sit for that. I feel by the time I take the remaining pre-reqs they will feel easy just being able to study and take the class without worrying about projects and massive complicated homeworks full of differential equations and physics. When I got an F and a C I was just drinking all the time and didn't really care about school that much.

I am worried about what you said about retaking courses that I get a C in. I figured if I retake the bio and get an A, my science will be well above 3.0 and CUM. If I continue that progress with 2 As in the organics, or even 1 A and 1 B my CUM should raise to about 3.4. The problem is I wasn't going to retake courses I had a C in like Chem I. I got a B in Chem II. I got an A in all my physics classes.

 

[DrMagic]

Definitely. Some variation thereof is a popular interview question. Furthermore, if you got a C the second time around in just introductory bio, how are you going to manage when it comes time for med school coursework? You can't retake that many classes before getting kicked out. You've gotta figure out where you're screwing up.

I know traditionally, engineers have always had a lower GPA. Some schools I talked to said they looked at the rigor of the major, others said they didn't care. I'm about to graduate with an engineering degree as well. If I could do it all over again, I'd pick an easier science major and the application process would have been waaaaay sweeter. Maybe you should look into changing majors.

SCUMMIE, that is a good tip, but I have so few engineering courses remaining, and the ones I do have left are these LAB type courses where the instructor makes the course easy. I also have a capstone course where the average GPA is 4.0 last semester on the grade website (my school posts all grades for each teacher). There is only like one class I am worried about a bit, and I will study every night for. My research courses (6 credits) my professor told me he will give me As in. Last semester though the major almost killed me, but I still managed a 3.5 for the semester. The amount of projects and homework through the semester would have blown any of your minds, there were no breaks it sucked! It was the combination of courses I took that made it hard, which now will be avoided for my remaining semesters.

 

[scummie]

I have thought about this and think it would be best to get my degree first, and my GPA has been rising for the past 2 years. The classes that are engineering related that I have left are much easier and my schedule is more balanced because I got really hard classes done. The MCAT I will take extreme importance to taking. I am the type of person that on exams in school I get many 100s, probably 5 this semester, but the problem is when I have projects in every class, 4 to 5 tests in each week this past semester, and extremely time consuming homework in ever class, its hard to get a perfect grade if the exam is at the same time. If I have 1 class that is on an exam week when I have no other tests I know the grade will be high before I take it. Still my feeling of the MCAT makes me a bit nervous and I will have to do so much preperation and training before I sit for that. I feel by the time I take the remaining pre-reqs they will feel easy just being able to study and take the class without worrying about projects and massive complicated homeworks full of differential equations and physics. When I got an F and a C I was just drinking all the time and didn't really care about school that much.

I am worried about what you said about retaking courses that I get a C in. I figured if I retake the bio and get an A, my science will be well above 3.0 and CUM. If I continue that progress with 2 As in the organics, or even 1 A and 1 B my CUM should raise to about 3.4. The problem is I wasn't going to retake courses I had a C in like Chem I. I got a B in Chem II. I got an A in all my physics classes.

If you have C-'s, they aren't going to cut it for matriculation requirements. Retake as many classes as you can to raise up that GPA. There will be other applicants who have higher GPA's who got it right the first time. Also, everyone says, "Oh yeah, I can get an A in the retake and then my GPA will be 3.99999." Well, it don't always turn out that way. You can make all the spreadsheets you want, but you have got to put in 110% or you won't be able to get in. Also, if you're going to do well on the MCAT, you're gonna have to work on your time management. Another typical interview question entails your academic weaknesses. Time management is probably one of the worst answers you could say, along with a desire to make sweet love to cadavers. JK

 

[Dr Yiot]

I have thought about this and think it would be best to get my degree first, and my GPA has been rising for the past 2 years. The classes that are engineering related that I have left are much easier and my schedule is more balanced because I got really hard classes done. The MCAT I will take extreme importance to taking. I am the type of person that on exams in school I get many 100s, probably 5 this semester, but the problem is when I have projects in every class, 4 to 5 tests in each week this past semester, and extremely time consuming homework in ever class, its hard to get a perfect grade if the exam is at the same time. If I have 1 class that is on an exam week when I have no other tests I know the grade will be high before I take it. Still my feeling of the MCAT makes me a bit nervous and I will have to do so much preperation and training before I sit for that. I feel by the time I take the remaining pre-reqs they will feel easy just being able to study and take the class without worrying about projects and massive complicated homeworks full of differential equations and physics. When I got an F and a C I was just drinking all the time and didn't really care about school that much.

I am worried about what you said about retaking courses that I get a C in. I figured if I retake the bio and get an A, my science will be well above 3.0 and CUM. If I continue that progress with 2 As in the organics, or even 1 A and 1 B my CUM should raise to about 3.4. The problem is I wasn't going to retake courses I had a C in like Chem I. I got a B in Chem II. I got an A in all my physics classes.

Im not sure if I am understanding you correctly but do not even attempt to teach yourself the material and sit for the mcat without all of the prereq's. As far as the drinking and bieng lazy realize that this has to discontinue. I would also encourage you to take lighter course loads than you have, however medical school curriculum(from what I hear) will be like what your describing. Enormous amounts of material bieng thrown at you and your going to be tested on it frequently. Make sure you know in yourself that you can handle this. Take lighter course loads and increase your gpa. BTW I don't know how 4 classes would raise you from a 2.8 to a 3.4 it just doesnt seem feasible even with grade replacement. I would seriously consider doing an informal post bach where you complete the prereqs and retake ones you did poorly along with other upper level bio's. make sure you clear this up and then rock the mcat. success on the mcat does have to a certain extent depend on how you do in your classes. you don't see too many people with all C's pull in the high to even mid 20's. straigten yourself out. you now know what you gotta do kick some but and take some names.

 

[DrMagic]

Basically everything Dr. Yiot said. I barely had a 3.0 when I applied but my MCAT was a 30. Also, save yourself some heartache and get your stuff in like June or July. Being an early applicant can save your butt.

Have you been accepted with those STATS Scummie? What type of prep did you use for the MCATs? I am planning on applying early, I need every advantage I can get.

 

[Dr Yiot]

If you have C-'s, they aren't going to cut it for matriculation requirements. Retake as many classes as you can to raise up that GPA. There will be other applicants who have higher GPA's who got it right the first time. Also, everyone says, "Oh yeah, I can get an A in the retake and then my GPA will be 3.99999." Well, it don't always turn out that way. You can make all the spreadsheets you want, but you have got to put in 110% or you won't be able to get in. Also, if you're going to do well on the MCAT, you're gonna have to work on your time management. Another typical interview question entails your academic weaknesses. Time management is probably one of the worst answers you could say, along with a desire to make sweet love to cadavers. JK

i love cadavears......😀

 

[scummie]

Have you been accepted with those STATS Scummie? What type of prep did you use for the MCATs? I am planning on applying early, I need every advantage I can get.

Of course, being an engineer, I had a pretty strong science/math background, so my MCAT prep was different from other people's. I also didn't have that much time to study since I was working full-time. Only used EK and a buttload of practice MCAT exams.

I have been accepted to multiple schools, multiple interviews, etc. etc. etc.

 

[DrMagic]

If you have C-'s, they aren't going to cut it for matriculation requirements. Retake as many classes as you can to raise up that GPA. There will be other applicants who have higher GPA's who got it right the first time. Also, everyone says, "Oh yeah, I can get an A in the retake and then my GPA will be 3.99999." Well, it don't always turn out that way. You can make all the spreadsheets you want, but you have got to put in 110% or you won't be able to get in. Also, if you're going to do well on the MCAT, you're gonna have to work on your time management. Another typical interview question entails your academic weaknesses. Time management is probably one of the worst answers you could say, along with a desire to make sweet love to cadavers. JK

Making love to sweet cadavers or hitting on the nurses lol.......

 

[DrMagic]

Of course, being an engineer, I had a pretty strong science/math background, so my MCAT prep was different from other people's. I also didn't have that much time to study since I was working full-time. Only used EK and a buttload of practice MCAT exams.

I have been accepted to multiple schools, multiple interviews, etc. etc. etc.

I think the fact that you are an engineer and that you had a similar GPA gives me hope. I have this strange feeling I will do well on the MCAT, because if I figure out how to study for it I will get used to the types of questions.

I am wondering if anything stood out on your application as far as ECs. Or basically what I mean is can you tell me some of your ECs?

 

[scummie]

Couple summers of research, few posters, nothing like a Nature publication. Some volunteering, some shadowing, nothing too crazy. Honestly, I have no idea how the hell I got into med school this year, but I did. My pre-med advisors were totally unsupportive. Search function is your friend. Look at other low GPA threads to see what other people did. Obviously, your GPA is a weak point of your application. So bring that up and strengthen every other aspect of your application.

Of course, if you cure cancer, you're a shoe in.

 

[DrMagic]

Couple summers of research, few posters, nothing like a Nature publication. Some volunteering, some shadowing, nothing too crazy. Honestly, I have no idea how the hell I got into med school this year, but I did. My pre-med advisors were totally unsupportive. Search function is your friend. Look at other low GPA threads to see what other people did. Obviously, your GPA is a weak point of your application. So bring that up and strengthen every other aspect of your application.

Of course, if you cure cancer, you're a shoe in.

If you don't mind me asking did you get into Allopathic, Osteopathic, or Caribbean?

with regards to osteopathic calculation:
Also did you calculate everything that had an engineering designation into your science GPA? Was there any courses like engineering econ that the adcoms left out of the calculation, or furthermore are there any engineering courses you tried to not pass off as science into your osteopathic grade calculation? I read in another forum that no matter what the course was, the applicant left it as science if it had an engineering designation and it counted, including seminars.

 

[Bones DO]

I feel that most admissions committees know how horrible an engineering student's life is, and there is a degree of rightful pity, but I agree with the other posts that an F followed by a C in general bio is a red flag, and a smp might help you hone the skills you need to be not only admitted to med school but successful once you get there. But hey, I had a 3.6 undergrad GPA and a 0.0 graduate GPA and still got a few acceptances so ya never know...

 

[DrMagic]

Couple summers of research, few posters, nothing like a Nature publication. Some volunteering, some shadowing, nothing too crazy. Honestly, I have no idea how the hell I got into med school this year, but I did. My pre-med advisors were totally unsupportive. Search function is your friend. Look at other low GPA threads to see what other people did. Obviously, your GPA is a weak point of your application. So bring that up and strengthen every other aspect of your application.

Of course, if you cure cancer, you're a shoe in.

What was your undergraduate degree in? Did they ask you anything about engineering or make a comment about it in the interviews? It doesn't suprise me that you got in, I have seen other low GPA applicants get accepted that didn't have MCATs in the 30s.

 

[123165]

I feel that most admissions committees know how horrible an engineering student's life is, and there is a degree of rightful pity, but I agree with the other posts that an F followed by a C in general bio is a red flag, and a smp might help you hone the skills you need to be not only admitted to med school but successful once you get there. But hey, I had a 3.6 undergrad GPA and a 0.0 graduate GPA and still got a few acceptances so ya never know...

I think the engineering thing is overplayed a little bit. I agree it is a tough degree, one of the toughest, but I don't think it is that much tougher. A lot of people who go into it have an aptitude for such things, and would struggle in a biology degree. It is just different.

As for the MCAT, who knows. I took a diagnostic test, which was pretty decent, then the entire Kaplan course. I average a 34 for all my full lengths, and turned around and got my diagnostic score. I am an excellent standardized test taker. You just never know, it is a beast of a test.

As for retakes, use your best guess. You need to have some A's in upper level classes (Biochem, neuro, micro, something). if you choose not to retake. Even with the retakes, I would be sure to take a couple upper-level classes.

Out of curiosity, what made you decide for medicine?

 

[DrMagic]

I think the engineering thing is overplayed a little bit. I agree it is a tough degree, one of the toughest, but I don't think it is that much tougher. A lot of people who go into it have an aptitude for such things, and would struggle in a biology degree. It is just different.

As for the MCAT, who knows. I took a diagnostic test, which was pretty decent, then the entire Kaplan course. I average a 34 for all my full lengths, and turned around and got my diagnostic score. I am an excellent standardized test taker. You just never know, it is a beast of a test.

As for retakes, use your best guess. You need to have some A's in upper level classes (Biochem, neuro, micro, something). if you choose not to retake. Even with the retakes, I would be sure to take a couple upper-level classes.

Out of curiosity, what made you decide for medicine?

After seeing how the orthopedic surgeon worked on my mom and his precision, care, and devotion to the operation, it showed me just how great a career in medicine could be and that its something I would enjoy doing everyday and all the time. Its not really a question of why did I choose a career in medicine, but why wouldn't I, its a spectacular thing to do.

Also, I checked your profile on MDapps, congrats on your acceptances. I was wondering if you tried to gain acceptance to UMKC school of medicine or if those apps are pretty much closed to people outside of their 6 year program?

 

[iatros]

OP-

dont set your sights on the minimum standard. dont try to skate in. shoot for 100%, not the bare minimum.

and dont try to solicit comfort among (pre)DOs for you low gpa.... because for some reason i get the idea you think DO is easier and less scary than MD

 

[JaggerPlate]

OP-

dont set your sights on the minimum standard. dont try to skate in. shoot for 100%, not the bare minimum.

Boom ....

 

[Laryngophed]

OP-

dont set your sights on the minimum standard. dont try to skate in. shoot for 100%, not the bare minimum.

and dont try to solicit comfort among (pre)DOs for you low gpa.... because for some reason i get the idea you think DO is easier and less scary than MD

Boom ....

It's getting to be about that time of year. Allo rejections will be rolling in and people will be getting desperate.

 

[DRMRL]

I first took the MCAT and made a 14. I then retook and made a 20. I retook again and made high 30s. No one believes me until I show them my scores. It's sort of funny to look at their faces, but, anyways. The issue here is GPA. just study. sorry, it seems mean but its true. just study study study. I have a 3.73 too. best of luck 🙄

 

[DRMRL]

oh, and something else i wanted to say...by making a 14 the first time, the admincom asked me what the heck happened? but i gave them a straight answer: i just merely wasn't ready. even if you increase from a 14 to 25 or 26...it looks really good to them because it shows them you have dedication to study

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

score a 30+ on the mcat..
get your gpa up to a 3.0
apply to a smp
you'll get in somewhere..
like everyone says..
aim high.. dont aim low..
with your stats and even with a high mcat..
you still might not get in somewhere..

 

[DrMagic]

I first took the MCAT and made a 14. I then retook and made a 20. I retook again and made high 30s. No one believes me until I show them my scores. It's sort of funny to look at their faces, but, anyways. The issue here is GPA. just study. sorry, it seems mean but its true. just study study study. I have a 3.73 too. best of luck 🙄

Thats a nice story. My GPA has kind of been a similar story, It started out extremely low, but I've had above a 3.5 the last 2 semesters. I can just say something like well at the start of the good grades I wanted to be a doctor at that point. I've been planning out my schedule, lets just say its looking good with at least 3 out of 5 classes per semester that will be definite As.

 

[DrMagic]

Question about a course retake:
I have not factored this into the GPA I mentioned above simply because I am not sure about it, regarding the bio I. At the school I am at, they recommended 1 of 2 sequences of courses to satisfy pre-med requirements. 1 sequence of courses had you select 3 main intro biology courses plus 3 of a variety of different lab courses. The 2nd sequence allows a student to pick just 2 courses.

What happened is I took course 1 of 3 from sequence 1, then after I got an F in it, I took the course from sequence 2, which I got a C in. I also got an F and a B in the labs I choose from sequence 1, with 2 credits recieved as an F for the lecture portion. So a total of 3 credits in F and 4 credits in C. If I take a course at another university that is a major biology course, would I be able to replace the prior earned grades since they are all essentially intro biology pre-med courses? I believe I can do that, because differences in credits don't matter, but can I take off the lab as well, even though this university has an odd system with letting you choose what labs you want to take for the bio courses?

 

[scummie]

Question about a course retake:
I have not factored this into the GPA I mentioned above simply because I am not sure about it, regarding the bio I. At the school I am at, they recommended 1 of 2 sequences of courses to satisfy pre-med requirements. 1 sequence of courses had you select 3 main intro biology courses plus 3 of a variety of different lab courses. The 2nd sequence allows a student to pick just 2 courses.

What happened is I took course 1 of 3 from sequence 1, then after I got an F in it, I took the course from sequence 2, which I got a C in. I also got an F and a B in the labs I choose from sequence 1, with 2 credits recieved as an F for the lecture portion. So a total of 3 credits in F and 4 credits in C. If I take a course at another university that is a major biology course, would I be able to replace the prior earned grades since they are all essentially intro biology pre-med courses? I believe I can do that, because differences in credits don't matter, but can I take off the lab as well, even though this university has an odd system with letting you choose what labs you want to take for the bio courses?

In order for a retake to replace a course, it must be the equivalent and the same or greater number of hours.

 

[123165]

After seeing how the orthopedic surgeon worked on my mom and his precision, care, and devotion to the operation, it showed me just how great a career in medicine could be and that its something I would enjoy doing everyday and all the time. Its not really a question of why did I choose a career in medicine, but why wouldn't I, its a spectacular thing to do.

Also, I checked your profile on MDapps, congrats on your acceptances. I was wondering if you tried to gain acceptance to UMKC school of medicine or if those apps are pretty much closed to people outside of their 6 year program?

They take 4 or 5 students every year around January. However many they need to replace 6 year dropouts. It held no interest for me.

The timing is also an issue. You commit before you find out a lot of you other decisions because school starts in January.

 

[DrMagic]

My plans are to apply to almost all if not every school on the list for osteopathic. My question is do the medical school admissions staff members know if I have done this, and will it negatively reflect my profile upon being granted an interview? Let's say I get an interview somewhere, will they be able to know I have applied to all the schools and think "well this person doesn't really want to go to our particular school, he is applying everywhere."

 

[sagtig]

Some schools actually ask you to list all the schools you have applied to, and whether or not you have received any interviews in the secondaries (I know NSU does that for a fact)

and lots of interviewers will ask you what other schools you have applied to/if you have received any acceptances...

it would be in your best interest to tell the truth, I'm sure adcoms need to, they can find out

 

[kopitar]

It sounds like you just want to be able to squeeze by into med school. If you are having o much trouble balancing your current load what makes you think you can meet the demands of the grueling med school curriculum? My advice is to slow down and rethink your plans. Trying to rush this process is likely only going to turn out disastrous in the end. If I were you I were you (and truly motivated to go to medical school and be a fantastic physician helping as many humans as possible without worrying about the pocket book) I would spend the next two years sharpening my resume; raising the GPA with classes that matter, extensive shadowing & voluntering, and after completing the 8 MCAT associated classes (Phys, OC, Chem, Bio,) I would spend at least 4 months straight studying for the MCAT at minimum 8 hours a day. And after you have done all of this I would get the earliest start possible on the class of 2016 applications. When applying you will want a min 3.0 science and overall, maybe a 23 min MCAT, and some serious conviction in why you want to practice medicine. Why do you want to heal others?

My plans are to apply to almost all if not every school on the list for osteopathic. My question is do the medical school admissions staff members know if I have done this, and will it negatively reflect my profile upon being granted an interview? Let's say I get an interview somewhere, will they be able to know I have applied to all the schools and think "well this person doesn't really want to go to our particular school, he is applying everywhere."

 

[Boilermaker]

You should consider finishing your pre-req courses strongly and retake any courses which you were assigned a low grade in. Next prepare for the MCAT and volunteer in a way you feel you would benefit the people on the recieving end. Shadow doctors to understand the importance of taking on this role in society.

 

[JaggerPlate]

It sounds like you just want to be able to squeeze by into med school. If you are having o much trouble balancing your current load what makes you think you can meet the demands of the grueling med school curriculum? My advice is to slow down and rethink your plans. Trying to rush this process is likely only going to turn out disastrous in the end. If I were you I were you (and truly motivated to go to medical school and be a fantastic physician helping as many humans as possible without worrying about the pocket book) I would spend the next two years sharpening my resume; raising the GPA with classes that matter, extensive shadowing & voluntering, and after completing the 8 MCAT associated classes (Phys, OC, Chem, Bio,) I would spend at least 4 months straight studying for the MCAT at minimum 8 hours a day. And after you have done all of this I would get the earliest start possible on the class of 2016 applications. When applying you will want a min 3.0 science and overall, maybe a 23 min MCAT, and some serious conviction in why you want to practice medicine. Why do you want to heal others?

Crank that MCAT min up significantly.

 

[Boilermaker]

Take the MCAT after preparing for it extremely well. It sounds like you have the ability to take exams, just make sure you take it after you are fully ready. This means after mastery of the pre-reqs and the preperation tools.

 

[kopitar]

Crank that MCAT min up significantly.

Of course, but I say 23 because that is the lowest average I saw for one particular school. What school have you committed to Jagger, I see you on here a lot.

 

[JaggerPlate]

What school have you committed to Jagger, I see you on here a lot.

The best one 😀

 

[123165]

.

 

[Bones DO]

The best one 😀

DMU? I think their stats averages are highest.. bastards haven't offered me an interview yet lol

 

[JaggerPlate]

LoL, your post history is making this more and more clear.

A 23 MCAT won't do the trick at all. Aim for a 28 minimum.

Hahaha, yeah. Also, I agree with the MCAT. Actually though, if his/her GPA stays near a 3.0, I'd really shoot for breaking 30 to offset it.

 

[JaggerPlate]

DMU? I think their stats averages are highest.. bastards haven't offered me an interview yet lol

DMU does have nice averages: 3.7/27+, I believe. However ... it's not the school I will be attending 😀

 

[DrMagic]

Hahaha, yeah. Also, I agree with the MCAT. Actually though, if his/her GPA stays near a 3.0, I'd really shoot for breaking 30 to offset it.

I am definetely shooting for the 30s. I'm not taking the MCAT till I'm getting high scores on the practice tests, and then pushing further. I'm good if I can go all out on a test in one blast, like the ACT I did really well on.

 

[TheTinker]

The best one 😀

Oh Jagger.....you must be attending CCOM!