Pre-Med Struggles

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premedstudies

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Hey all. I need some advice. I am a rising sophomore and I am also pre-med. There are some problems that I have. So, my first semester freshman year I got a D+ in Gen Chem I, which I understand is unacceptable and I must retake the course. The only way for me to do that is if I retake it this upcoming summer term. The issue is that my university does not provide financial aid for summer courses and I would have to pay $4,875 plus additional fees for one course. I am conflicted because I know taking Gen Chem I at a different college may look like I am trying to take the easy way out, but I also do not know how I am going to pay for a summer course.
Secondly, do I still have a chance to apply to medical school with zero clinical related extracurriculars first year. I plan on applying to medical school after junior year, but that possibility seems to be slipping away.
 
1) Take a breath, you’ll be fine

2) Don’t worry about getting clinical experience this early. Although I will say that you should get comfortable with the idea of possibly having to take a gap year.

3) Try to speak with a counselor about what your options are. That does seem like an insane amount of money. Can you perhaps take it the next school year? If worst comes to worst, taking it at a community college isn’t necessarily going to shut doors down the line.
 
Trust me, I would take it next year if if I could. Next semester, I am taking Organic Chemistry and Intro to Biological Sciences, so Gen Chem would be difficult to fit in. There are a few 4-year universities near my home that have significantly lower tuition fees that I am considering.
ClamShell said:
1) Take a breath, you’ll be fine

2) Don’t worry about getting clinical experience this early. Although I will say that you should get comfortable with the idea of possibly having to take a gap year.

3) Try to speak with a counselor about what your options are. That does seem like an insane amount of money. Can you perhaps take it the next school year? If worst comes to worst, taking it at a community college isn’t necessarily going to shut doors down the line.
Click to expand...
 
premedstudies said:
Secondly, do I still have a chance to apply to medical school with zero clinical related extracurriculars first year.
Click to expand...
Nope. My own student interviewers would eat you alive.

What are you going to say when asked how you know you are suited for a life of caring for the sick and suffering? “That you just know”? Imagine how that will go over!

From the wise LizzyM: I am always reminded of a certain frequent poster of a few years ago. He was adamant about not volunteering as he did not want to give his services for free and he was busy and helping others was inconvenient. He matriculated to a medical school and lasted less than one year. He's now in school to become an accountant.

Here's the deal: You need to show AdComs that you know what you're getting into, and show off your altruistic, humanistic side. We need to know that you're going to like being around sick or injured people for the next 40 years.

Here's another way of looking at it: would you buy a new car without test driving it? Buy a new suit or dress without trying it on??

We're also not looking for merely for good medical students, we're looking for people who will make good doctors, and 4.0 GPA robots are a dime-a-dozen.

I've seen plenty of posts here from high GPA/high MCAT candidates who were rejected because they had little patient contact experience.

Not all volunteering needs to be in a hospital. Think hospice, Planned Parenthood, nursing homes, rehab facilities, crisis hotlines, camps for sick children, or clinics.

Some types of volunteer activities are more appealing than others. Volunteering in a nice suburban hospital is all very well and good and all, but doesn't show that you're willing to dig in and get your hands dirty in the same way that working with the developmentally disabled (or homeless, the dying, or Alzheimers or mentally ill or elderly or ESL or domestic, rural impoverished) does. The uncomfortable situations are the ones that really demonstrate your altruism and get you 'brownie points'. Plus, they frankly teach you more -- they develop your compassion and humanity in ways comfortable situations can't.
 
Goro said:
Nope. My own student interviewers would eat you alive.

What are you going to say when asked how you know you are suited for a life of caring for the sick and suffering? “That you just know”? Imagine how that will go over!

From the wise LizzyM: I am always reminded of a certain frequent poster of a few years ago. He was adamant about not volunteering as he did not want to give his services for free and he was busy and helping others was inconvenient. He matriculated to a medical school and lasted less than one year. He's now in school to become an accountant.

Here's the deal: You need to show AdComs that you know what you're getting into, and show off your altruistic, humanistic side. We need to know that you're going to like being around sick or injured people for the next 40 years.

Here's another way of looking at it: would you buy a new car without test driving it? Buy a new suit or dress without trying it on??

We're also not looking for merely for good medical students, we're looking for people who will make good doctors, and 4.0 GPA robots are a dime-a-dozen.

I've seen plenty of posts here from high GPA/high MCAT candidates who were rejected because they had little patient contact experience.

Not all volunteering needs to be in a hospital. Think hospice, Planned Parenthood, nursing homes, rehab facilities, crisis hotlines, camps for sick children, or clinics.

Some types of volunteer activities are more appealing than others. Volunteering in a nice suburban hospital is all very well and good and all, but doesn't show that you're willing to dig in and get your hands dirty in the same way that working with the developmentally disabled (or homeless, the dying, or Alzheimers or mentally ill or elderly or ESL or domestic, rural impoverished) does. The uncomfortable situations are the ones that really demonstrate your altruism and get you 'brownie points'. Plus, they frankly teach you more -- they develop your compassion and humanity in ways comfortable situations can't.
Click to expand...

He asked if it’s ok to not have clinical volunteering freshman year
 
premedstudies said:
Depending on how I do on the final exam, I can get a A- or B+. I am obviously trying for the A-. I am taking O-Chem next semester along with Bio.
Click to expand...

It seems like your D+ was due simply to adjusting to college? In which case retaking it should be an easy A since you’re doing very well in Gen Chem II. I would reconsider figuring out a way to take it next year alongside OChem and Bio. I could be biased, however, because OChem was one of the easiest classes I took because I grew up solving puzzles (most of organic chemistry is just puzzles).
 
Goro said:
Nope. My own student interviewers would eat you alive.

What are you going to say when asked how you know you are suited for a life of caring for the sick and suffering? “That you just know”? Imagine how that will go over!

From the wise LizzyM: I am always reminded of a certain frequent poster of a few years ago. He was adamant about not volunteering as he did not want to give his services for free and he was busy and helping others was inconvenient. He matriculated to a medical school and lasted less than one year. He's now in school to become an accountant.

Here's the deal: You need to show AdComs that you know what you're getting into, and show off your altruistic, humanistic side. We need to know that you're going to like being around sick or injured people for the next 40 years.

Here's another way of looking at it: would you buy a new car without test driving it? Buy a new suit or dress without trying it on??

We're also not looking for merely for good medical students, we're looking for people who will make good doctors, and 4.0 GPA robots are a dime-a-dozen.

I've seen plenty of posts here from high GPA/high MCAT candidates who were rejected because they had little patient contact experience.

Not all volunteering needs to be in a hospital. Think hospice, Planned Parenthood, nursing homes, rehab facilities, crisis hotlines, camps for sick children, or clinics.

Some types of volunteer activities are more appealing than others. Volunteering in a nice suburban hospital is all very well and good and all, but doesn't show that you're willing to dig in and get your hands dirty in the same way that working with the developmentally disabled (or homeless, the dying, or Alzheimers or mentally ill or elderly or ESL or domestic, rural impoverished) does. The uncomfortable situations are the ones that really demonstrate your altruism and get you 'brownie points'. Plus, they frankly teach you more -- they develop your compassion and humanity in ways comfortable situations can't.
Click to expand...
I was talking about having no clinical experience freshman year. Why would I intentionally dismiss the importance of volunteering throughout my undergraduate years?
 
ClamShell said:
It seems like your D+ was due simply to adjusting to college? In which case retaking it should be an easy A since you’re doing very well in Gen Chem II. I would reconsider figuring out a way to take it next year alongside OChem and Bio. I could be biased, however, because OChem was one of the easiest classes I took because I grew up solving puzzles (most of organic chemistry is just puzzles).
Click to expand...
I would if it were possibly. The times offered for Gen Chem I conflict with Bio, OChem, and other necessary courses.
 
ClamShell said:
It seems like your D+ was due simply to adjusting to college? In which case retaking it should be an easy A since you’re doing very well in Gen Chem II. I would reconsider figuring out a way to take it next year alongside OChem and Bio. I could be biased, however, because OChem was one of the easiest classes I took because I grew up solving puzzles (most of organic chemistry is just puzzles).
Click to expand...

This is not great advice for most people. Ochem is traditionally considered to be one of the most challenging prereqs. I didn't find it terribly challenging since a lot of it is just pattern recognition, but many people struggle with it. There's nothing wrong with having to take a gap year, and it's better to do well in ochem and necessary to get an A in the gen chem retake.
 
If the cost is to high for you, see if you can take it over the summer at a different university. Taking it at a different university is not an “easy route,” necessarily. If one of your local state universities is cheaper, do it. I know one 5 credit summer class at my university is only $1200 but at the flagship is like $3600. So, it is up to you. It also isn’t a big deal, as others have stated, to take time off if needed.
 
Matthew9Thirtyfive said:
This is not great advice for most people. Ochem is traditionally considered to be one of the most challenging prereqs. I didn't find it terribly challenging since a lot of it is just pattern recognition, but many people struggle with it. There's nothing wrong with having to take a gap year, and it's better to do well in ochem and necessary to get an A in the gen chem retake.
Click to expand...

Which was exactly my reason for stating that I was biased because OChem was easy for me personally
 
I am confused how OP got into gen chem II without 'passing' gen chem I.

OP, retake Gen Chem I whenever it best fits into your schedule with a normal load. Don't overload with two chemistry courses and a bio course in one semester. That's just asking for it.
 
ClamShell said:
Which was exactly my reason for stating that I was biased because OChem was easy for me personally
Click to expand...
You literally suggested taking it alongside ochem and bio based on your experience. Saying your opinion is biased doesn't change the fact that you recommended it.
 
ClamShell said:
Which was exactly my reason for stating that I was biased because OChem was easy for me personally
Click to expand...

Yes but you didn’t include a caveat that the vast majority of premeds do not find it to be their easiest class. Just didn’t want OP to expect that.
 
Sunbodi said:
You literally suggested taking it alongside ochem and bio based on your experience. Saying your opinion is biased doesn't change the fact that you recommended it.
Click to expand...

Yes but OP is doing well in Gen Chem II and has already seen material for Gen Chem I.

OP can figure out for himself or herself what is best for them. I’m pretty sure that OP is smart enough to understand that they shouldn’t make life choices solely based on the advice of someone on the internet.

And my recommendation wasn’t even really a space mission. Yes it would be quite difficult but OP needs to assess and evaluate themselves to see if they are ready for taking two chemistry classes (one of which they’ve seen already) in the same semester.

Doesn’t matter though cause OP said it’s a time conflict.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Sunbodi said:
I am confused how OP got into gen chem II without 'passing' gen chem I.
Click to expand...

My guess is OP got a high enough grade to pass onto Gen Chem II but hasn’t gotten a high enough grade to fulfill the requirement at most med schools.

Public undergrads these days have such high enrollments that they’re trying better ways to push people through the process faster and quicker. So some of them are allowing students to finish pre reqs with D’s and move on.

I even have a friend that was required to sign a contract during her undergrad orientation saying that she agrees to graduate in 4 years (essentially banning her from taking a 5th year).
 
Last edited by a moderator:
ClamShell said:
My guess is OP got a high enough grade to pass onto Gen Chem II but hasn’t gotten a high enough grade to fulfill the requirement at most med schools.

Public undergrads these days have such high enrollments that they’re trying better ways to push people through the process faster and quicker. So some of them are allowing students to finish pre reqs with D’s and move on.

I even have a friend that was required to sign a contract during her undergrad orientation saying that she agrees to graduate in 4 years (essentially banning her from taking a 5th year).
Click to expand...
Y undergrad has a 1.7 threshold to move on to the next level...it is sad
 
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