Prerequisites retake advice HELP!

[Monix]

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Medical school has always been on my mind. Graduated 10 yrs ago B.S. Biology. Took all the prerequisites. Stable career as analytical chemist since graduating. No MCAT yet. Cumulative GPA 2.87. Science GPA isn't stated on transcript. I didn't do so hot in some classes. Which of the following do I retake? Or what do you recommend? Masters in science? Postbacc? DIY postbacc? I have enrolled in classes through out the years and retaken a few already. And I plan on taking the MCAT in the next cycle. Need your advice. I'm only posting classes where I received C's or lower. The rest are A's and B's.

Freshman:
G.Bio I lab = D (can/should I retake only the lab)
G.Chem I = D *retake =B*
College algebra = C

G.Chem II= C- *retake=in process*
Compisition II= C+ (this is considered English prerequisite?)
Intro.to calculus= C+ *retake=B+*
G.Bio II lab= C-

Sophmore:
Comparative Anatomy & Physiology I
=C+
Pathophysiology= C

O.Chem II= F *retake following semester=C+* (can/should I retake O.Chem I+lab?)
O.Chem II lab= C

Junior:
G.physics I= C
G.physics II= C

Senior:
Bioethics=D
G.Biochem= C

 

[holdthemayo]

Step 1 is to figure out why you are consistently earning Cs, Ds, and Fs through 4 years of science coursework. There is no point in retaking anything until you figure that out.

You best bet is to retake everything you listed (except the calculus you retook with a B+) and earn As, then apply DO. I don't think a masters would be that helpful for you. A DIY post bacc is fine (and cheaper) but you could do a structured if you were so inclined. I think your Gen Chem 1 retake can be fine, but you need to be getting As on your retakes. Straight Bs probably won't cut it.

Honestly you will have a lot of work ahead of you to repair 4 years of subpar work. You can find people on here who succeeded and plenty more who are in the process. I recommend searching other GPA recovery or Low GPA threads to read up on what has worked for others.

 

[Monix]

Quite honestly, I was immature and wasn't properly adviced. I did not know/understand how much weight my GPA carried to get into med schools. As far as this forum, I've only just come across it in the last few months. I realized/ found out on my own after graduation how important my GPA was upon taking an MCAT Prep course and with this forum i understand GPA is CRITICAL. I'll add although I received a D and a C Senior year I did make dean's list for 2 semesters junior and senior years. Looking at my transcript I did better in higher level science classes (exception of biochem and bioethics) as I approached my last 2 years. I also did a summer research fellowship where I conducted and presented my own research (not published). I also did shadowing for a summer at a low income hospital in south america. Got to delivery babies! Highlight of my life. More shadowing at a pediatricians office in the U.S. More shadowing at an ER in the U.S. Still, I felt burned out by the time last semester of senior year rolled in. Anyway, upon taking those retakes years later and getting B's I feel I am more mature and disciplined. I also feel like I understand the material much better than before. But B's won't cut it, so thank you for pointing that out.

I've started my search for 4 yr universities that fit my full time working schedule so I can retake those classes.

Thanks for your advice. I am currently stalking all those threads.

 

[holdthemayo]

Your challenge will be to show that your were immature, rather than you are immature. It sounds like not much time has passed since your last semester of poor grades. What have you done to mature since then. A strong upward trend would have helped with that, but it looks like your Cs and Ds were right through until the end. Making deans list those two semesters shows that you are smart enough to make the grades, but you need multiple semesters of consistent As to prove that you have matured. Also keep volunteering and shadowing in the US.

The shadowing in South America is fine, but taking an active role in the delivery is not shadowing. What qualifications do you have to deliver babies?

 

[Monix]

All great points! Thanks again for your input. I'm taking it all into consideration and planning my next steps. One of which is retaking these classes over a few number of semesters due to my full time job.