Question regarding master's degrees

[deleted812153]

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Hello,

I recently graduated with a 3.22 cGPA and 3.37 sGPA. My first year GPA was ~2.5, which wrecked my competitiveness for DO.

Many have suggested doing Master's classes. Do these classes have to be in the sciences? I struggled with my upper div science classwork because I hated learning about boring BS that I will never use (biomedical sciences undergrad; wanted to learn medical stuff but couldn't). Medical school is of course full of useless fluff, but at least the end is in sight.

I'm reluctant to go back to college to study the same things I hated in the first place. I have a friend who did a master's in Medical Anthropology and is now at NYMC. Is there a masters I can do for a field I genuinely enjoy like history, psychology or something similar? Would that matter for admissions?

Thank you for any advice you can offer. If this is a bad thread, don't hesitate to report it. I'm new here.

 

[alecseriously]

If you are going to do a masters program to increase your chances, it needs to be hard science and research based. One exception is if you do an MPH and are heavy into research working closely with PIs (physician preferred). This includes study design and patient contact. However, you are not going to increase your sGPA.

Heavy science MS > MBS > SMP >>>>>>>>> MA.


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[JoeUSA]

If you are going to do a masters program to increase your chances, it needs to be hard science and research based. One exception is if you do an MPH and are heavy into research working closely with PIs (physician preferred). This includes study design and patient contact. However, you are not going to increase your sGPA.

Heavy science MS > MBS > SMP >>>>>>>>> MA.


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I agree. The masters program should include courses that are similar to medical school courses. This is an opportunity to demonstrate that you can succeed in medical school. If you do well in the basic medical sciences in a masters program in the basic medical sciences you should do well in medical school. The Admission Committee does not want to admit students who have a high risk of failing out of medical school. Ideally, I would enter a masters program that is offered by a medical school.

 

[gamieg]

your GPA is on the lower side, but it's not technically uncompetitive, especially for DO. what do your mcat score and extracurriculars look like? especially for newer schools like BCOM or ARCOM, your numbers would be fine with a decent mcat. this is of course with the understanding that you are fine with going to any school.

I also don't know what you mean by your first year GPA ruining your chances. strong upward academic trends will work in your favor.

if you do a masters in history or something unrelated to the medical field, I think the main question adcoms would have is "if this applicant wanted to better his GPA and knew that it wasn't the most competitive, why did he choose this route?" it would call into question your seriousness about medicine and whether you think it's worth the sacrifice. the same question would likely surface if they caught any indication that you thought upper div science coursework was just fluff.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

You honestly don't need a masters for DO, especially if you have a good trend up from that 2.5. I personally would just put all my efforts into doing really well in the MCAT and trying to get a 508+.

 

[deleted812153]

Thank you all for your input.

One more question:

I have three C's or Ds on my undergrad transcript, in easy cheese classes like EN101 and Sociology. Replacing them under the new GR policy with a B+ (assuming I get an A in the class the second go around) raises my cGPA to a 3.4. Is that worth doing?

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Thank you all for your input.

One more question:

I have three C's or Ds on my undergrad transcript, in easy cheese classes like EN101 and Sociology. Replacing them under the new GR policy with a B+ (assuming I get an A in the class the second go around) raises my cGPA to a 3.4. Is that worth doing?

What do you mean? Grade replacement doesn't exist anymore? Having a 3.4/3.37 would be good for just about any DO school with the right MCAT

 

[AlmondCroissant]

Thank you all for your input.

One more question:

I have three C's or Ds on my undergrad transcript, in easy cheese classes like EN101 and Sociology. Replacing them under the new GR policy with a B+ (assuming I get an A in the class the second go around) raises my cGPA to a 3.4. Is that worth doing?

I thought it was that if you retook the class, then it's just like a new class that shows up on your transcript. So for example, if you have a C in a 3 credit class, retake and get A, then its just 6 credits of a B.

 

[deleted812153]

It was my understanding that it works like this:

First attempt: C
Second Attempt: A
On Transcript: average of both attempts, so B.

Is this incorrect?

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

It was my understanding that it works like this:

First attempt: C
Second Attempt: A
On Transcript: average of both attempts, so B.

Is this incorrect?

Usually the transcript just has all attempts as it's own class, so it would read like this

Fall semester
Chem 1 - C - 3.0 credits

Winter semester
Chem 1 - A - 3.0 credits

So it's impacts your GPA like 6 credits of B, but the transcript shows all attempts, and for each attempt the number of credits get added to the total credit amount. Make sense?

 

[deleted812153]

Dammit. Thank you.

 

[MountainClimber94]

In some cases, 6 credits with a B may be better or worse than 3 credits with a B average.


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[Goro]

If you want to show us that you could handle medical school, take medical school like classes.

Capeesh?

Hello,

I recently graduated with a 3.22 cGPA and 3.37 sGPA. My first year GPA was ~2.5, which wrecked my competitiveness for DO.

Many have suggested doing Master's classes. Do these classes have to be in the sciences? I struggled with my upper div science classwork because I hated learning about boring BS that I will never use (biomedical sciences undergrad; wanted to learn medical stuff but couldn't). Medical school is of course full of useless fluff, but at least the end is in sight.

I'm reluctant to go back to college to study the same things I hated in the first place. I have a friend who did a master's in Medical Anthropology and is now at NYMC. Is there a masters I can do for a field I genuinely enjoy like history, psychology or something similar? Would that matter for admissions?

Thank you for any advice you can offer. If this is a bad thread, don't hesitate to report it. I'm new here.

 

[ealovee]

I got my bachelors in Biological Anthropology too LOL @Donald J. Trump

 

[Peach Newport]

Thank you all for your input.

One more question:

I have three C's or Ds on my undergrad transcript, in easy cheese classes like EN101 and Sociology. Replacing them under the new GR policy with a B+ (assuming I get an A in the class the second go around) raises my cGPA to a 3.4. Is that worth doing?

So you might say you got an... easy D?