Post-bacc'ing

[hopefool]

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Hey all,

I am a post-bac at Stony Brook University in NY. I started my journey last fall(Fall 2007). I have taken Gen Chem 1 and 2, and the corresponding labs for each, two intro bio courses, BIO 202 and 203, Calculus 1 and Physics 1 with lab. I am now in my toughest semester yet taking, Mammalian Physiology, Cancer Biology, Physics 2, Orgo 1, and Cell Signaling while TA'ing two of the Biology courses I took last year. My gpa as a post-bac is a 3.6. I volunteer at a great hospital and work (for pay) on the weekends.

Before asking for advice I need to relay my undergraduate experience. Cornell grad, 2006, 2.5 gpa. I played baseball for part of my college experience, didnt have much focus and didnt realize the gravity of the academic hole I was digging for myself. That being said...

Things are going fairly well thus far. However, I am rapidly approaching a point of reckoning. The spring semester will hold for me, Orgo 2, Genetics, maybe Bio-Chem and something else(probably TA again). My question lies with future plans....

The way I see it, I have a few options:

-studying during the summer for a fall MCAT and applying to a caribbean school for start of their January semester.

-applying for a graduate program in the biological sciences, or a masters in public health.

-continuing on at Stony Brook while working as a CNA(certified nurse assistant) and prolonging my plans indefinitely, to better my chances for either graduate school or ultimately a US MD or DO school.

Additionally, although my courseload is heavy I should be able to finish this semester and next with a cumulative gpa of, at the very least, 3.5. Hopefully my recent academic performance will alleviate some prejudice towards my past grades.

THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOUR HELP!!

 

[Isoprop]

it's a little hard what you are asking advice about. sounds like you are on the right track. finish your prereqs, take the mcat, and see where you stand from there. with a high mcat score, you could probably make the jump to an SMP (if you like) and get into med school. in fact, you could skip SMPs altogether and try to apply early and broadly (~30 schools) and might catch a few bites, especially DO school who tend to be more forgiving about past academic trouble.

was there any classes you got C- or lower at your undegrad? if so, can you retake them at your current school?

anyway, it's hard to judge your position w/o an MCAT. so keep it up.

edit: reread your post. i think you should definitely try US MD or DO before trying carrib. grad programs/MPHs will help marginally if at all in getting into med school.

 

[hopefool]

Thanks so much for the advice, especially with the grad/MPH programs. I wouldnt use a program as a stepping stone, per se. A grad or MPH degree would be a valuable and worthwhile educational experience, however, as my ultimate goal is going to med school perhaps it is somewhat extraneous and would take up too much time.

I got a bunch of C's in undergrad. I was no kind of student(well I was some kind 🙂 I feel that with a decent MCAT I could get into a caribbean school in about a year. I know people, firsthand who have gone through Ross, and SGU and now rotate and or work in very reputable hospitals in the area(NYC). I would of course rather go to an US MD or DO school. A fellow on the board by the name of Texas Triathlete had a 2.6 gpa when he applied to schools and got a few interviews from MD schools and eventually got into a DO school, so it can be done. I think since my gpa will never be all that great I need to be strong in other areas, namely clinical. I probably should compile several hundred hours in a clinical setting. That in addition to a high MCAT should serve me well. I know of someone who made it into DUKE with a 2.8 gpa and a 39 MCAT. 😎

Thanks again!

it's a little hard what you are asking advice about. sounds like you are on the right track. finish your prereqs, take the mcat, and see where you stand from there. with a high mcat score, you could probably make the jump to an SMP (if you like) and get into med school. in fact, you could skip SMPs altogether and try to apply early and broadly (~30 schools) and might catch a few bites, especially DO school who tend to be more forgiving about past academic trouble.

was there any classes you got C- or lower at your undegrad? if so, can you retake them at your current school?

anyway, it's hard to judge your position w/o an MCAT. so keep it up.

edit: reread your post. i think you should definitely try US MD or DO before trying carrib. grad programs/MPHs will help marginally if at all in getting into med school.

 

[Isoprop]

good to hear.

last piece of advice: don't get into the "i must get xx on my MCAT to get into med school" mindset. i mean try to get within a reasonably competitive range (upper 20's to lower 30's), but aiming for a ridiculously high score puts unnecessary pressure on yourself. just go in and do your best. once you have an mcat score, it's easier to see where you stand, what your chances are, and what options you have.

good luck.

 

[gman33]

You can't make a plan until you are clear on your goals.
Starting with that low of a UG gpa, US MD schools are basically shot.

DO is a good option, as you can retake your poor classes from the past and only count the new grades. Continue to focus on your postbacc, but rather than taking additional science courses, retake some old courses. This will be a much faster way to raise your GPA.

Get your old transcripts, find your lowest grades, and start retaking those classes first. I know it probably seems crazy to retake "Basketweaving 101" just because for got an F the first time around. That's part of the game when you need to boost grades.