Postbac? 2nd B.S.? DIY program? Help!

[Chrisg120]

Trying to determine what approach is my best chance at MD/DO school. Here's my background:

I obtained my B.S. in Kinesiology with a focus on Exercise Physiology from the University of Maryland. My undergraduate science coursework consisted of:

Chem 1
Biology 1 and 2
Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2
Genetics
Biomechanics
Bioenergetics (Exercise Metabolism)
Kinesiogenomics
and several other upper level Kinesiology specific science electives.

I did not perform to the height of my academic capabilities in undergrad, and my GPA was quite poor (~2.2 upon graduation).

Since graduating from UMD in 2008, I spent ~1 year working as a Clinical Exercise Physiologist in an outpatient Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Clinic and ~2.5 years working as a Clinical Rehabilitation Specialist and licensed Chiropractic Assistant in a high-volume Physical Therapy/Chiropractic practice.

During the course of my employment, I decided to pursue a Masters in Business Administration so that I could augment my clinical skills with practical business knowledge. Due to financial constraints, I left that position at the physical therapy clinic to pursue increased income in order to support myself as well as my family.

I completed my MBA in September of 2013 with a GPA of ~3.8 and am currently working in government technology sales. However, I desire to return to the world of clinical healthcare and believe that I would make a fantastic clinician. I have long desired a career in medicine and am trying to find the right opportunity to get back on the path towards that goal.

So, as you can see, I'm trying to overcome my undergraduate GPA issues, but I do have ~3.5 years of relevant clinical experience and an MBA. I will need to retake chem 1 (got a D freshman year) and essentially all of the sciences for the MCAT (physics, orgo, calc, biochem).

I feel like I'm not a perfect fit for any of the programs, and I also have a wife and infant to consider when taking on a program. Finances aren't a huge issue, but I would like to be efficient as possible in getting my medical career started so taking unnecessary courses isn't optimal.

Any recommendations?

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[connerm]

I'm in a very similar boat to you. 2008 graduate with bad GPA and graduate school wanting to change careers.

You are on the right track in targeting your undergraduate GPA. As you said you will need to retake any official prereqs in which you scored less than a C. Most of your kinesiology coursework will not count towards your science GPA. You need to take a bunch of upper level science courses in order to increase both your undergraduate GPA and BCPM GPA before you should even consider applying to an SMP or DO program. MD is a severe longshot unless you do the SMP route.

You would probably be best off applying to your state university (if it's feasible to take class there) for a second bachelors degree and then perform a DIY post-bacc. If you're in a degree program you will be eligible for financial aid.

Finally, see if you can rock the MCAT.

You have kind of a long road ahead . Then again, so do most of us in this forum. Good luck!

 

[Goro]

Fastest path to being a doctor will be to retake all F/D/C science coursework and let AACOMAS' grade replacement policy do it's stuff, then apply to DO schools.

If you're boning for the MD degree, the best thing will be an SMP, preferably one given at a medical school. Then ace the MCAT. There are MD schools that reward reinvention.

Trying to determine what approach is my best chance at MD/DO school. Here's my background:

I obtained my B.S. in Kinesiology with a focus on Exercise Physiology from the University of Maryland. My undergraduate science coursework consisted of:

Chem 1
Biology 1 and 2
Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2
Genetics
Biomechanics
Bioenergetics (Exercise Metabolism)
Kinesiogenomics
and several other upper level Kinesiology specific science electives.

I did not perform to the height of my academic capabilities in undergrad, and my GPA was quite poor (~2.2 upon graduation).

Since graduating from UMD in 2008, I spent ~1 year working as a Clinical Exercise Physiologist in an outpatient Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Clinic and ~2.5 years working as a Clinical Rehabilitation Specialist and licensed Chiropractic Assistant in a high-volume Physical Therapy/Chiropractic practice.

During the course of my employment, I decided to pursue a Masters in Business Administration so that I could augment my clinical skills with practical business knowledge. Due to financial constraints, I left that position at the physical therapy clinic to pursue increased income in order to support myself as well as my family.

I completed my MBA in September of 2013 with a GPA of ~3.8 and am currently working in government technology sales. However, I desire to return to the world of clinical healthcare and believe that I would make a fantastic clinician. I have long desired a career in medicine and am trying to find the right opportunity to get back on the path towards that goal.

So, as you can see, I'm trying to overcome my undergraduate GPA issues, but I do have ~3.5 years of relevant clinical experience and an MBA. I will need to retake chem 1 (got a D freshman year) and essentially all of the sciences for the MCAT (physics, orgo, calc, biochem).

I feel like I'm not a perfect fit for any of the programs, and I also have a wife and infant to consider when taking on a program. Finances aren't a huge issue, but I would like to be efficient as possible in getting my medical career started so taking unnecessary courses isn't optimal.

Any recommendations?