poor science GPA

[Edivocke]

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I currently have a 3.25 GPA...which isn't bad...but isn't really good either. I have mostly A's and B's...what's weighing me down though is that I got 3 C's in intro premed classes : intro to biology, Chemistry 2, and Chemistry 2 Lab. I had a tragic event happen to me last year and I just could not concentrate in my classes. I basically couldn't study b/c I was so depressed...and I just coasted through the classes and got C's in them. NOT TO MENTION, the university i go to is notorious for the intro premed classes being extremely unfair....----> the class avg in biology was a 43%, and in chem was a 47%.

The final exam avg out of 200 students for my Chemistry 2 Lab final was 22%.....Doesn't this say to people that this professor shouldn't be teaching? I had an 88% in the class before the final, and when I came out of the final I got a C in the class. My exam avg was a 45%.

Anyways, not to harp on my woes too much. The point is is that I can't turn the wheel back and try to get A's in those classes (unless i want to wait another year to graduate...which cannot happen b/c of $$$)...I have 1 more year before I am attending nursing school...(I was originally biochemical engineering for two years).

I was wondering if I stopped taking premed classes now...if a could apply for a postbac later on?

I have these classes left to take:
BIOL 302 Genetics 4
BIOL 302L Genetics Lab 2
CHEM 438 Biochemistry II 3
CHEM 437 Biochemistry 3
CHEM 437L Biochemistry I Lab 2
Math 152 Calc 2 4
PHYS 111 Physics I 4
PHYS 112 Physics II 4
CHEM 351 Organic Chemistry 3
CHEM 352 Organic Chemistry II 3
CHEM 351L Organic Chemistry Lab 1
CHEM 352L Organic Chemistry II Lab 1

I've deliberately not taken these courses b/c of what happened last year. If you are wondering what else I've been taking, I've been taking engineering classes, paramedicine classes, and language classes.

I heard a rumor, I'm not sure if its true or not...but if you take the premed classes in undergrad...you can't apply for a postbac program.

Also, please do not lecture me about this "your going to nursing school to try to get into medical school"....that's not true.

I'm currently have certifications as an EMT-B/Firefighter, ER Volunteer, First Responder, Beach Lifeguard, nursing aide, and i'm working on my Pharmacy Tech class right now. Basically, I want to get as much medical experience as I can ...and try to experience the many different facets open to me.

Unlike some people who want to do undergrad ---> med school. I want to get experience first in other fields...essentially "work up the ladder"... you never know, I might love nursing and never pursue med school.

I was considering finishing my undergrad in Paramedicine...but the paramedics at my fire station that i work at discouraged me, and told me instead to pursue nursing school to be an ER nurse instead (make a lot more money $$$, and is a better job).

Before I finish, lemme just summarize my plan:

Undergrad --> Nursing school --> BSN --> work --> possibly grad school in nursing/Postbac/or PA school --> Medical school

Let me reiterate my main question/point....since my science GPA is crummy, is a postbac the best option for me?

Thanks for reading this long long question

=)

 

[DrHuang]

since you have so many science classes you have yet to take, I think you should concentrate on doing well on those classes to raise your GPA. You could add some serious points to it if you do well in those upcoming classes.

 

[Edivocke]

since you have so many science classes you have yet to take, I think you should concentrate on doing well on those classes to raise your GPA. You could add some serious points to it if you do well in those upcoming classes.

The thing is ...is that I dont' want to take these classes at my university. The premed department at my university just plain sucks...talk about no advice whatsoever.

That's why I want to do a postbac program...b/c its formal...and it has advisors...research opportunites...and you don't have to worry about anything else except for your postbac classes.

 

[Beth_W737]

Certain post-bac programs will not take students who have taken any or many of the med school pre-reqs. Some programs are specifically for those who have taken the pre-reqs and need to retake them. THere is also SMP programs, where students take classes with medical students, I think they get a masters degree, and if they do well, will often get into med school. So if you take the remaining pre-reqs, you could still do some of the post-bac programs that are for those who already did the sciences, or could do a SMP program. Here's a website that lists programs for those who have taken most or all of the pre-reqs already.


http://hpap.syr.edu/LISTPB.HTM

There's another website, AAMC I think, that allows you to search for programs by state, but this website is good because it shows you those programs specifically for people who have taken some or all pre-reqs. Sometimes if you just took one or two years of pre-reqs, you can still apply to the other post-bac programs, but some of them won't consider you or will weigh that negatively. Good luck!

Beth

I currently have a 3.25 GPA...which isn't bad...but isn't really good either. I have mostly A's and B's...what's weighing me down though is that I got 3 C's in intro premed classes : intro to biology, Chemistry 2, and Chemistry 2 Lab. I had a tragic event happen to me last year and I just could not concentrate in my classes. I basically couldn't study b/c I was so depressed...and I just coasted through the classes and got C's in them. NOT TO MENTION, the university i go to is notorious for the intro premed classes being extremely unfair....----> the class avg in biology was a 43%, and in chem was a 47%.

The final exam avg out of 200 students for my Chemistry 2 Lab final was 22%.....Doesn't this say to people that this professor shouldn't be teaching? I had an 88% in the class before the final, and when I came out of the final I got a C in the class. My exam avg was a 45%.

Anyways, not to harp on my woes too much. The point is is that I can't turn the wheel back and try to get A's in those classes (unless i want to wait another year to graduate...which cannot happen b/c of $$$)...I have 1 more year before I am attending nursing school...(I was originally biochemical engineering for two years).

I was wondering if I stopped taking premed classes now...if a could apply for a postbac later on?

I have these classes left to take:
BIOL 302 Genetics 4
BIOL 302L Genetics Lab 2
CHEM 438 Biochemistry II 3
CHEM 437 Biochemistry 3
CHEM 437L Biochemistry I Lab 2
Math 152 Calc 2 4
PHYS 111 Physics I 4
PHYS 112 Physics II 4
CHEM 351 Organic Chemistry 3
CHEM 352 Organic Chemistry II 3
CHEM 351L Organic Chemistry Lab 1
CHEM 352L Organic Chemistry II Lab 1

I've deliberately not taken these courses b/c of what happened last year. If you are wondering what else I've been taking, I've been taking engineering classes, paramedicine classes, and language classes.

I heard a rumor, I'm not sure if its true or not...but if you take the premed classes in undergrad...you can't apply for a postbac program.

Also, please do not lecture me about this "your going to nursing school to try to get into medical school"....that's not true.

I'm currently have certifications as an EMT-B/Firefighter, ER Volunteer, First Responder, Beach Lifeguard, nursing aide, and i'm working on my Pharmacy Tech class right now. Basically, I want to get as much medical experience as I can ...and try to experience the many different facets open to me.

Unlike some people who want to do undergrad ---> med school. I want to get experience first in other fields...essentially "work up the ladder"... you never know, I might love nursing and never pursue med school.

I was considering finishing my undergrad in Paramedicine...but the paramedics at my fire station that i work at discouraged me, and told me instead to pursue nursing school to be an ER nurse instead (make a lot more money $$$, and is a better job).

Before I finish, lemme just summarize my plan:

Undergrad --> Nursing school --> BSN --> work --> possibly grad school in nursing/Postbac/or PA school --> Medical school

Let me reiterate my main question/point....since my science GPA is crummy, is a postbac the best option for me?

Thanks for reading this long long question

=)

 

[riceman04]

The thing is ...is that I dont' want to take these classes at my university. The premed department at my university just plain sucks...talk about no advice whatsoever.

That's why I want to do a postbac program...b/c its formal...and it has advisors...research opportunites...and you don't have to worry about anything else except for your postbac classes.

You know I had a similar situation happen during my first semester freshman year. Yeah it traumatized me (even though I was not pre-med as a freshman), but I did well in the upper level courses I took at my undergrad. I am in the Penn Special Science Program right now. This program is specifically designed for students who have already completed their lower level courses.

I am taking histology (this is a typical med school class), genetics, and clinical research in emergency medicine I.

Check it out

cya