Really messed up in undergrad.. Now making up for it through post bacc

[mms818]

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Hey guys-

So I really messed up in my undergrad. I got a BS in biochemistry and I honestly messed up really bad. (cGPA~2.5)

I'm not here to hear how I can't do med school or anything so please don't waste any time writing that out..

By the time I realized it.. It was too late and I already had my BS. I was told by an advisor by school I could retake all my pre med course work at UCLA Extension and so I've started working on that. So far I've taken 3 courses and have a 3.20 GPA at extension.

I've also started to do some research at UCLA, and am in the process of working on getting into a volunteering program soon.

I've signed up for the mcat later this year and will be starting my Kaplan classes soon.

Is this the right way to go?

Is there anything else I can or should do to actually make myself stand out/be able to actually be considered for US med schools.

At this point is there anything that could be done?


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[DrMidlife]

I could not be more serious about the following: search SDN on "low GPA" and read like your career depends on it. Because it does. Read like you're looking for diamonds. You'll find them. Read read read read read. Take notes. Take charge. When you see 3 different reputable sources saying the same thing repeatedly, then you can be fairly confident of the guidance. If you get bored, take a break, come back & try again. Your competition for a seat in med school doesn't have to do this. You don't get to use their yardstick. It comes down to all the things that kept you from getting a good GPA in the first place: focus, discipline, work ethic.

Premed advisers are good at advising high GPA cookie-cutter premeds. They don't get paid enough nor do they have to care enough to design successful comebacks. The advice you got is about 10% of what you need. Nobody but you is going to care about finding the other 90% of what you need.

What I see all the time when I post the above: now you'll get pissed off and post your opinions about it
What I almost never see: now you'll go do the boatloads of work you have to do, and come back in a few months with a nice deep understanding of your situation and some questions about relatively fine points of your strategy

Best of luck to you.

 

[Seattle Mariners Fan]

Median matriculant non-urm has a 3.7 cGPA and a 3.7 sGPA.

If you're a urm you're fine if you do OK on the MCAT. Otherwise, I think you have a tough road ahead of you for DO and a very tough road ahead for MD.

 

[Goro]

Yes, this is exactly what post-bacs are for.

You need to shadow doctors, and do clinical and nonclinical volunteering. Doing research helps as well, but you get cut some slack on this because you're a non-trad student now.

Look up DrMidlife's wise posts on this subject.

Is this the right way to go?

Is there anything else I can or should do to actually make myself stand out/be able to actually be considered for US med schools.

At this point is there anything that could be done?

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[DrMikeP]

I could not be more serious about the following: search SDN on "low GPA" and read like your career depends on it. Because it does. Read like you're looking for diamonds. You'll find them. Read read read read read. Take notes. Take charge. When you see 3 different reputable sources saying the same thing repeatedly, then you can be fairly confident of the guidance. If you get bored, take a break, come back & try again. Your competition for a seat in med school doesn't have to do this. You don't get to use their yardstick. It comes down to all the things that kept you from getting a good GPA in the first place: focus, discipline, work ethic.

Premed advisers are good at advising high GPA cookie-cutter premeds. They don't get paid enough nor do they have to care enough to design successful comebacks. The advice you got is about 10% of what you need. Nobody but you is going to care about finding the other 90% of what you need.

What I see all the time when I post the above: now you'll get pissed off and post your opinions about it
What I almost never see: now you'll go do the boatloads of work you have to do, and come back in a few months with a nice deep understanding of your situation and some questions about relatively fine points of your strategy

Best of luck to you.

I couldn't have put it better.

Your goal is to make yourself into an exception. Do it right and you have a shot, don't listen and join the 60% who don't make it.

 

[mms818]

Do you guys have any advice on how to find really good EC/clinical experience?


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[Ad2b]

read like your career depends on it. Because it does. Read like you're looking for diamonds. You'll find them. Read read read read read. Take notes.

@mms818 - did you already fail the first line in the answer from DrMidLife???? REALLY??? 🙁

 

[DrMikeP]

@mms818 - did you already fail the first line in the answer from DrMidLife???? REALLY??? 🙁

Do you guys have any advice on how to find really good EC/clinical experience?

sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

Reading, studying and learning from what one reads is an important skill, even more important is being able to consolidate and synthesis all of that info into an actionable plan. It's a trait of a successful medical student. The advice you seek is in the information you were directed to read! This is my last comment on this thread.

 

[mms818]

My bad. I was at work and didn't realize it wasn't detailed enough.

What I meant is that considering the situation- since I'm no longer considered a "traditional" student and I'm at a much larger disadvantage, are there certain "qualities" I should look for in an opportunity to volunteer/shadow? Are there some opportunities that will have a better impact over others?


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[mms818]

Ohhhh and also-

I tutor in all subjects. ( my students all have brought up their grades to an A in whatever subjects I help them out in). In the future could I maybe get some LOR from the parents or the CEO of the company? :/


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[Shotapp]

Your main focus right now should be learning how to get A's, more A's, and then some more. Your current 3.2 post-bac gpa is not going to cut it...worry about EC's a little later. As of now you are digging yourself further in the mess you created.

 

[mms818]

I know... I'm still working on my post bacc. I've only taken 3 classes so far.


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[DrMidlife]

Troll. smh.

 

[P0ke]

Do you guys have any advice on how to find really good EC/clinical experience?


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Yeah you could work as a surgical tech for 40 years. That'd be an excellent EC/clinical experience.

 

[Goro]

Hospice
Nursing homes
Local houses of worship.

Do you guys have any advice on how to find really good EC/clinical experience?


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[Ad2b]

So, your GPA is still poor. You're not reading posts on the "LOW GPA" ... and you're worried about ECs. If you do not fix the GPA, ECs won't matter. Ever as in Taylor Swift never ever, ever... or never ever... like seriously. Ever.

To me, and I'm a 100% nobody, you're kind of hosed. The best thing any non-trad (or trad, actually) can do is: learn, take advice, listen to it, at a minimum use the advice to research (not one size fits all), consolidate the information, and create an action plan.

As a non-traditional student we are not at a disadvantage until we make ourselves one. The goal is to be a sponge, not a brick. I wish u the best.

 

[DrMidlife]

public service announcement in response to private message: "looking through some posts" is not even slightly similar to being the grownup, doing the work to take charge of your fate.

100 hours from now you will either have given up because you're not even serious, or you will have made a good start with obsessively reading SDN late into the night early in the morning through breakfast through lunch on your phone on your laptop on your girl/boyfriend's laptop in your dreams and your nightmares.

My past self is your competition and I totally kicked your ass, fyi.

 

[Ad2b]

My past self is your competition and I totally kicked your ass, fyi.

#doublepumpfist #fyah! 🙂

 

[Ad2b]

I know... I'm still working on my post bacc. I've only taken 3 classes so far.

have a 3.20 GPA at extension.

1. your grades are still poor
2. you don't listen to advice given by those who have been successful
3. hubris

Have you considered maybe MHA? Honestly, the nontrads I've found on this forum, and old farts, are all ears; playing more sponge than brick.

 

[EleanorAbernathyMD]

Your main focus right now should be learning how to get A's, more A's, and then some more. Your current 3.2 post-bac gpa is not going to cut it...worry about EC's a little later. As of now you are digging yourself further in the mess you created.

I will second this. I did a formal postbacc through the UC system and they hammered into us: 4.0. You should be focusing on classes as if you were a med student. Postbacc is essentially M0 and you need to show them you can master the material.


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[etp123]

obsessively reading SDN late into the night early in the morning through breakfast through lunch on your phone on your laptop on your girl/boyfriend's laptop in your dreams and your nightmares.

Can confirm. I have actually had dreams and nightmares about reading sd.net posts...

 

[VPDcurt]

I was in a similar situation 13 years ago: low undergrad GPA, low MCAT score. Did a post-bacc/masters (~ 3.9 GPA) with a year of research, retook the MCAT and went up 9 points to a competitive score. Applied twice to medical school in the US, waitlisted at 3 places first time, waitlisted at 4 the second time around - got in about a month before classes started (rescinded an offer/deposit I put on a caribbean MD acceptance). Ended up starting med school in '06 (wanted to prove to myself that I deserved it - got AOA!). Just finished a gen surg residency, am now board-certified and finishing up a fellowship this July. It can be done but requires so much hard and persistence - I have not let up for the past 13 years. Whatever you do from now on, you have to absolutely nail it in order to make your story compelling.