Re-evaluating myself

[Med1992]

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Hey guys...I'm new to this website and using my cousin's account

But I just had a bit of a dilemma and I was wondering if any of you would help me figure out how I should proceed from here.

Basically, I've always had a genuine passion for medicine, and I know its the field I want to do. Dentistry interests me some, but I haven't shadowed enough or been in contact with the field enough to know if its for me just yet. But still, I know its the healthcare field that I'd like, be it MD, DO, or DDS.

So I just finished freshman year with 30 credits. All my grades were A's with few B's. In first semester Biology, I got a B, and second semester Biology I got an A. I've always liked Bio, but my main problem is chemistry.

First semester, I got a D in Gen Chem I, and when I retook it, I got a B. I should've gotten an A, but I just kept botching up the labs and reports, which are a part of the overall Chem grade at my school. And now with Gen Chem II, I either have a D or a C, not entirely sure; there's even a slight chance of an F.

With Chem II, I'm taking it this summer, but there's been so much going on...a huge family emergency with my dad made me miss a over a week of classes, and long story short, this has been the worst summer ever, and more importantly, the worst summer to take Chem II alongside everything thats happening in my life right now. Withdrawal date passed already, and there's only a few days left of class (i.e not enough to start pulling myself together).

Assuming I get another bad grade in Gen Chem II, what should I do?

Can you all help me re-evaluate myself and my career options?

Is there any chance of me getting into an MD/DO/DDS school?

Any similar stories?

Please help!!!

Thanks everyone

 

[PreMedOrDead]

Too early to tell, but to be honest, if you're struggling in Gen Chem, bar an awful, difficult professor, you're going to struggle the whole way.

 

[Yoseph101]

Too early to tell, but to be honest, if you're struggling in Gen Chem, bar an awful, difficult professor, you're going to struggle the whole way.

This is a baseless conclusion. Struggling in a single class means nothing about your ability to preform in the long run. Many people struggle in Orgo or physics and they end up doing just fine.

For MD op you are going to need to rock Orgo and you're going to need to rock the PS portion of the MCAT to show them that you can handle chemistry. Do what you need to to do this (i.e. tutoring, office hours, spending every waking hour watching khan academy, reading textbooks etc) For DO just retake the classes and get an A.

First semester, I got a D in Gen Chem I, and when I retook it, I got a B. I should've gotten an A, but I just kept botching up the labs and reports, which are a part of the overall Chem grade at my school. And now with Gen Chem II, I either have a D or a C, not entirely sure; there's even a slight chance of an F.

This really suggests you're not taking advantage of your resources. Bring every lab report to your TA and have them criticize it, seriously. Why exactly are you even doing bad in chemistry? You need to make improvements or your going to be out of the running for all three of them.

 

[Josh7]

I think you need to re-evaluate the way that you study. A single bad grade isn't going to hurt your chances for med school but when it becomes a habit I think you're in a bit of trouble. If I were you I would consider re-taking Gen Chem I and II.. With chemistry you need a really strong foundation or else you aren't going to be able to relate the new concepts with the old which will make new material seem extremely foreign. Imagine how hard Orgo I+II is going to be if you aren't grasping Gen Chem I+II.

Also do you think you were studying enough? I think you might have an argument for withdrawing later in the semester than a normal case so maybe talk to your school's emergency dean.

 

[PreMedOrDead]

This is a baseless conclusion. Struggling in a single class means nothing about your ability to preform in the long run. Many people struggle in Orgo or physics and they end up doing just fine.

For MD op you are going to need to rock Orgo and you're going to need to rock the PS portion of the MCAT to show them that you can handle chemistry. Do what you need to to do this (i.e. tutoring, office hours, spending every waking hour watching khan academy, reading textbooks etc) For DO just retake the classes and get an A.

He didn't say a single class, but he said that he was struggling in several. Even Bs wear down on that good ole GPA. Remember, the average GPA for a matriculant is ~3.67. Even with only 30 credits, having a GPA that'd clearly tanked into the mid/low 2s is going to be an awful, horrible time pulling into MD range.

Podiatry, DO, Carribean maybe, but MD is unlikely unless he pulls 3 4.0 years as classes get progressively harder. I would agree with the above poster, he's going to have to reevaluate his lifestyle, not his career path.

 

[Med1992]

I think the real problem with Chemistry is that it takes me a very long time to grasp the concepts. Sometimes, they seem very abstract that its hard to imagine/picture, and other times, the math just confuses me. I understand a lot of it, its just that when it comes to testing, I get VERY anxious. Otherwise, I do well on homeworks and quizzes.

In terms of biology, I'm really good, and to be honest, classes like Microbiology and Cell Biology don't frighten me that much because those are things I genuinely like learning. Its seriously only Chemistry. I've heard it said (don't know if its true) that if you hate Gen Chem, you'll like Orgo and vice versa. I hope that stands true.

So basically, if I pull myself together and get excellent grades from here on (especially in Organic and Physics), I can still have a shot?

I know its hard to generalize someone since everyones case is different, but I just like hearing others viewpoints and stories as well. My brother failed Orgo the first time and retook it with an A, got into an MD school, and is now a practicing cardiologist.

Also, I dont think it would look good for me to retake Gen Chem I again because I already did and pulled it off with a B. With regards to Gen Chem II, I probably will have to.

 

[theseeker4]

I think the real problem with Chemistry is that it takes me a very long time to grasp the concepts. Sometimes, they seem very abstract that its hard to imagine/picture, and other times, the math just confuses me. I understand a lot of it, its just that when it comes to testing, I get VERY anxious. Otherwise, I do well on homeworks and quizzes.

In terms of biology, I'm really good, and to be honest, classes like Microbiology and Cell Biology don't frighten me that much because those are things I genuinely like learning. Its seriously only Chemistry. I've heard it said (don't know if its true) that if you hate Gen Chem, you'll like Orgo and vice versa. I hope that stands true.

So basically, if I pull myself together and get excellent grades from here on (especially in Organic and Physics), I can still have a shot?

I know its hard to generalize someone since everyones case is different, but I just like hearing others viewpoints and stories as well. My brother failed Orgo the first time and retook it with an A, got into an MD school, and is now a practicing cardiologist.

Also, I dont think it would look good for me to retake Gen Chem I again because I already did and pulled it off with a B. With regards to Gen Chem II, I probably will have to.

You can turn it around, but statistically it is a long-ish shot. To avoid becoming a statistic, you can't do what many others in your situation do, and that is pushing on without really changing what they are doing. If the abstractness and math of general chemistry is hurting you, how will you do in physics? Bomb physics and you are in a TON of trouble after doing poorly in chem. What you need to do is truly and honestly evaluate yourself, harshly, and figure out what you really need to change to get the A every time. Getting B's isn't good enough, and anything less than a B is a huge step backward for you.

If you can figure out what you need to do, and how, and develop a good support system and backup plans for success in your science courses, proceed. Do NOT take any other science courses until you have done this.

Petition to try to get your summer Chem class changed to a W. Petition the professor, deans, and the president of the university if you have to, but do everything you can, providing all possible documentation of your family emergency, until you have talked face to face with literally every person at your school who has any say in withdrawing.

Whether you can get that to be a W or not, re-take for an A. A W is much better for your GPA than a D or F, but schools will want to see the A, not a B, on a re-take.

Good luck, and don't press forward with courses until you are as sure as you can be that you know what your problem was, are willing and able to change it, and have backup plans and support in place in case your ideas of how to improve fall short.

 

[Med1992]

You can turn it around, but statistically it is a long-ish shot. To avoid becoming a statistic, you can't do what many others in your situation do, and that is pushing on without really changing what they are doing. If the abstractness and math of general chemistry is hurting you, how will you do in physics? Bomb physics and you are in a TON of trouble after doing poorly in chem. What you need to do is truly and honestly evaluate yourself, harshly, and figure out what you really need to change to get the A every time. Getting B's isn't good enough, and anything less than a B is a huge step backward for you.

If you can figure out what you need to do, and how, and develop a good support system and backup plans for success in your science courses, proceed. Do NOT take any other science courses until you have done this.

Petition to try to get your summer Chem class changed to a W. Petition the professor, deans, and the president of the university if you have to, but do everything you can, providing all possible documentation of your family emergency, until you have talked face to face with literally every person at your school who has any say in withdrawing.

Whether you can get that to be a W or not, re-take for an A. A W is much better for your GPA than a D or F, but schools will want to see the A, not a B, on a re-take.

Good luck, and don't press forward with courses until you are as sure as you can be that you know what your problem was, are willing and able to change it, and have backup plans and support in place in case your ideas of how to improve fall short.

Wow that was incredibly helpful. Thank you so much for that help! I definitely will try to get a W asap and will begin harshly reevaluating everything about me.

I really hope everything works out in the end.