Realistic for me to pursue medicine?

[runtranquilo]

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[occams_razor]

Okay, I'm not one to need affirmation via the internet but I feel like I am at a fork in the road in my undergraduate and I need to decide what I want to do from here... I'm a 1st semester sophomore at University of Arizona, physiology & molecular biology major, spanish minor with a 3.51 cGPA right now, don't know how sGPA works with my dual enrollment credits.

40 units of dual enrollment transfer from high school, including:
gen bio 1&2 and labs- all As
gen chem 1&lab- As
calc 1&2- A&B

--way too overconfident when I got to college retaking core science classes and ended up with all this:
gen bio 1&2- B labs-A& B
gen chem 1-B lab-A
gen chem 2-C (slacked off, doing grade replacement next semester...)

And now it's looking like another 3.5 average for this semester with a B in ochem and B in anatomy 1

My extracurriculars:
President of Food allergy campus advocacy club, member in 3 other random prehealth ones
Co-chair of city wide allergen awareness expo
1.5 yrs of physiology research, 1 poster presentation, co-author on a paper about to be published
3 months volunteering in a medical clinic in Peru
Fluent in spanish
40 hours shadowing cardiothoracic surgeon
50 hours hospital volunteering, so far

My brother had a 3.9c/3.8s/31MCAT with lacking ECs but still got in a mid tier MD school right out of undergrad and I really pale in comparison regarding grades. I'd be fine shooting for DO but would that be realistic for me with all my Bs? I'm confident with the ECs I have going for me so far but my GPA is a huge hurdle for me. Thanks everyone...

Your 3.5 GPA isn't bad (ie you can still get into an MD school with that GPA) but since it is slightly below the average for MD matriculants you will need a strong MCAT. other things that are important include applying early and broadly and having great Letters of recommendation.

Your research experience with the poster and pub is great. being fluent in Spanish will also work in your favor. I would try to gain more clinical experience though

You said your brother had lacking ECs and even with a great GPA and MCAT poor ECs will do you in. This is why even those applicants with a 4.0/45 do not have a 100% acceptance rate.

 

[Nicco]

In my opinion I think you are still in the game. If you're ready/willing to work hard then you will be fine. Get great marks in your classes, and give your all to the MCAT when it comes around. You'll be just fine. Your extracurriculars sound great. Make sure to secure some strong letters too!

 

[thegypsyqueen]

You'd be fine for DO if you can keep it up and do well on the MCAT. You are on the low end for MD but not out of the game. Do your best and see where it puts you.

 

[dismorfik]

Definitely realistic! Focus on MCAT it will make or break your app.