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Quoted: Is there a way
- Thread starter Doodledog
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If becoming a physician is your dream/goal you will have to be persistent. If you are willing to work hard to reach your goal its possible. I think there are some you should strongly consider.
1. POST BAC PROGRAMS- This will strength your knowledge and GPA in the basic sciences and show that you are serious about your committment to pursuing a career in medicine. Consider applying to a well-known post-bac program such as Hopkins or U Penn b/c the name recognition alone could help your chances when you apply to medical school.
2. MCAT PREP COURSE-This will help improve your score on the MCAT drastically if you are committed to studying for the course and attending class.
3. MASTERS DEGREE- Consider pursuing an MS in biology, genetics, micro, or some other science. This will strengthen your GPA and also show persistence and committment. You may consider doing this after the post-bac program since your basic science GPA isn't that great now.
Overall I don't think your chances are shot. Just know that if you want to be a physician there is a long road ahead. I earned 2 bachelor's degrees in college over 5 years, then did post-bac work to finish the pre-reqs 1/2 year, worked full time and took an MCAT prep course. Matriculated into med school in 03 and am looking forward to matching in March 08 and graduating in May 08. Its taken forever and I still have 3 years of residency to complete but I can't see myself doing anything else.
If this is what you want you are going to have to make some tough decisions and be committed to working very hard to improve your app on paper and to sell yourself as a candidate. But, again if this is what you want there is a way, all hope is not lost.
Hope this helps.
1. POST BAC PROGRAMS- This will strength your knowledge and GPA in the basic sciences and show that you are serious about your committment to pursuing a career in medicine. Consider applying to a well-known post-bac program such as Hopkins or U Penn b/c the name recognition alone could help your chances when you apply to medical school.
2. MCAT PREP COURSE-This will help improve your score on the MCAT drastically if you are committed to studying for the course and attending class.
3. MASTERS DEGREE- Consider pursuing an MS in biology, genetics, micro, or some other science. This will strengthen your GPA and also show persistence and committment. You may consider doing this after the post-bac program since your basic science GPA isn't that great now.
Overall I don't think your chances are shot. Just know that if you want to be a physician there is a long road ahead. I earned 2 bachelor's degrees in college over 5 years, then did post-bac work to finish the pre-reqs 1/2 year, worked full time and took an MCAT prep course. Matriculated into med school in 03 and am looking forward to matching in March 08 and graduating in May 08. Its taken forever and I still have 3 years of residency to complete but I can't see myself doing anything else.
If this is what you want you are going to have to make some tough decisions and be committed to working very hard to improve your app on paper and to sell yourself as a candidate. But, again if this is what you want there is a way, all hope is not lost.
Hope this helps.
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What the above poster recommended is excellent advice. I would temper it with this question: What, if anything, will you do different in a postbac program that you could not or did not do in college?
I applied to med school and was not accepted. My plan was to apply next year. But what, if anything, was going to change between this year and next? In my case, nothing. So it was no wonder that I did not get accepted the following year.
You have to take a serious look at yourself and ask if there's anything that will change in the coming years. If you put your best effort in college and got a 3.01, then there's not much that is likely to change even if you take a postbac program. In that case, look at other careers that will satisfy your desire to be involved in medicine but in a different capacity. But if you feel like things will be different this time around, and have a concrete reason why, then by all means go for it. I wish you the best of luck.
I applied to med school and was not accepted. My plan was to apply next year. But what, if anything, was going to change between this year and next? In my case, nothing. So it was no wonder that I did not get accepted the following year.
You have to take a serious look at yourself and ask if there's anything that will change in the coming years. If you put your best effort in college and got a 3.01, then there's not much that is likely to change even if you take a postbac program. In that case, look at other careers that will satisfy your desire to be involved in medicine but in a different capacity. But if you feel like things will be different this time around, and have a concrete reason why, then by all means go for it. I wish you the best of luck.
