Retaking Genetics?

[FluffyCat1212]

Hi guys!

I have a bit of a conundrum. I’m a post-bac student working full-time as a clinical research assistant. In undergrad, I minored in biology (not pre-med), so I took several bio classes then...but that was 3 years ago.

I took genetics my senior year of undergrad (2016) and got a C+. That will satisfy pretty much all of the schools I’m looking at that require it specifically.

My advisor is encouraging me to retake genetics this summer for the purpose of increasing my gpa and preparing for the MCAT. It has been a while since I’ve taken a true bio course, and I’m a little rusty. I hope to take it in May 2020.

However, everyone else I’ve talked to (including my boss) is pushing me to take the summer off for several reasons:

-I may have the opportunity to publish (1st author) this summer
-will be grading exams for summer organic chemistry
-am a bridesmaid in two out of town weddings in the next 6mos (one in July and am maid-of-(dis)honor in November).
-am probably behind in volunteer hours. Recently started clinical volunteering that will allow me to shadow a doc after I hit 100 hours.
-have my hardest semester yet coming up in the fall (physics and biochem while continuing to work full-time).
-need to shadow a DO because I intend to apply to several osteopathic schools.
-recently got MSAR and am feeling a little discouraged, which is causing some burnout.

It will be tough to find the time to beef up the other areas of my application (volunteering, shadowing, publication) if I take a course this summer.

Taking genetics this summer would not affect my cGPA very much (assuming all other post-bacc classes go well), but has the potential to raise my BCPM from a 3.34 to a 3.36 and my BCP from a 3.37 to a 3.40 (best case scenario if I do well in all my future classes). My post-bac gpa is high.

My question is- with all this in mind, would it be worthwhile to retake genetics solely for the purposes of slightly increasing my science gpas and MCAT prep?

Thank you! I apologize for the long post!

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[Sleepingdoc]

If that C+ is the only hole in your resume, then I think you are likely fine without retaking it... before i comment on this anymore, I wanted to know what your other grades on upper level premed classes are...

 

[FluffyCat1212]

Thanks, sleepingdoc.

My grades on the upper level pre-med classes weren’t fantastic because they’re mostly bio and from before I had decided to seriously pursue medicine (during undergrad). I have a C in molecular cell biology, a B+ in metabolism/cell signaling, and an A- in neuroscience (taught through the bio dept) from undergrad. In my post-bacc, I have taken one bio course (topics in cancer biology) and received an A. Those are my upper level courses. The rest of my post-bacc has been pre-reqs.

 

[Sleepingdoc]

Thanks, sleepingdoc.

My grades on the upper level pre-med classes weren’t fantastic because they’re mostly bio and from before I had decided to seriously pursue medicine (during undergrad). I have a C in molecular cell biology, a B+ in metabolism/cell signaling, and an A- in neuroscience (taught through the bio dept) from undergrad. In my post-bacc, I have taken one bio course (topics in cancer biology) and received an A. Those are my upper level courses. The rest of my post-bacc has been pre-reqs.

So looking from academic side, it seems like you are ok GPA wise for DO schools especially if you are a URM... GPA will not change as much unless you get an A and that A completely replaces the C+... The reason why the counselor probably told you to retake genetics is because you want to show the adcom's that you still are a good student and that C+ was because of other factors that were going on when you were an undergrad, again I am not quite sure. GPA is the hardest thing to improve... Once you have a 3.3, it stays pretty much the same no matter how much you try to change it.. Now another factor is, Are you a reapplicant??? which may answer that you want to try to improve your application from last year. If you are not a reapplicant, you will likely get a few interviews.. granted I am only looking at academic side and is only a part of the big picture. Also I am not sure if you have other red flags in your app...

Now the application usually is seen as a whole which includes your personal statement, why you want to go into medicine, clinical skills/exposures, shadowing/scribing,volunteering, etc....

 

[FluffyCat1212]

Thanks for the insights. I’m not URM, nor a reapplicant. I still have to take some pre-reqs (+biochem), so I hope to apply next cycle.

I don’t believe I have any red flags? My freshman gpas were fairly low because I had some adjustment issues to college coursework, and living on my own in general. After that, there’s a definite upward trend to my cGPA and a small upward trend with my bio classes. The genetics grade is the exception because I took on way too much that semester with research and ECs. If all continues to go well this fall and spring, my final cGPA regardless of whether or not I take (and do well in) genetics will be a 3.62.

I will have a decent amount of service hours at a hospital, especially if I take the summer off of classes). I work daily with participants in my current study, and will work with participants in hospital settings with a study I’m being trained on this summer. I have shadowed approx 40 hrs. I think my ECs are okay and, at the very least, a little unique.

Also, won’t DO schools consider both genetics grades? I believe I heard that they recently stopped their grade replacement policies!

 

[Sleepingdoc]

Thanks for the insights. I’m not URM, nor a reapplicant. I still have to take some pre-reqs (+biochem), so I hope to apply next cycle.

I don’t believe I have any red flags? My freshman gpas were fairly low because I had some adjustment issues to college coursework, and living on my own in general. After that, there’s a definite upward trend to my cGPA and a small upward trend with my bio classes. The genetics grade is the exception because I took on way too much that semester with research and ECs. If all continues to go well this fall and spring, my final cGPA regardless of whether or not I take (and do well in) genetics will be a 3.62.

I will have a decent amount of service hours at a hospital, especially if I take the summer off of classes). I work daily with participants in my current study, and will work with participants in hospital settings with a study I’m being trained on this summer. I have shadowed approx 40 hrs. I think my ECs are okay and, at the very least, a little unique.

Also, won’t DO schools consider both genetics grades? I believe I heard that they recently stopped their grade replacement policies!

I thought your cgpa was 3.4 not 3.6...
With a 3.6, your academic side should be fine, even if you are not a URM. Your EC's look fine. Did the counselor address why repeat other than GPA reasons.. which is not gonna help you a lot..

I was an applicant a while ago... so not quite sure how the grade replacement/average policy has changed, maybe other can chime in with that.
From the application perspective, yes they will look at both grades but its better if they see that all of a sudden that C+ was really a B+ or an A- or an A.. after a retake.

 

[FluffyCat1212]

Oops, sorry about that! My first post was a little rambling. Thanks for the vote of confidence. I really appreciate it. MSAR was a bit of a shock to my system and made getting med school feel almost impossible.

Thanks also for your advice about taking my other upper level courses into account. If it wouldn’t be a detriment either gpa- or MCAT-wise, I would really love to take the summer off of courses so that I can do everything possible to make this fall a little less hectic. And also just found out that the summer orgo grading commitment is going to be around 10hrs/wk on top of my full-time and she’s hopefully going to be one of my LOR writers so backing out isn’t an option. Since fall is hectic and spring is all physics II and MCAT, there probably won’t be a better time to work on the publication than this summer, so I’m hesitant to give that up as well.

It also wouldn’t be the exact same genetics course because it’s through a different university. I guess I really hadn’t considered that until now.

Since my upper level bio grades aren’t stellar, do you think not retaking genetics would be problematic?

 

[Sleepingdoc]

Oops, sorry about that! My first post was a little rambling. Thanks for the vote of confidence. I really appreciate it. MSAR was a bit of a shock to my system and made getting med school feel almost impossible.

Thanks also for your advice about taking my other upper level courses into account. If it wouldn’t be a detriment either gpa- or MCAT-wise, I would really love to take the summer off of courses so that I can do everything possible to make this fall a little less hectic. And also just found out that the summer orgo grading commitment is going to be around 10hrs/wk on top of my full-time and she’s hopefully going to be one of my LOR writers so backing out isn’t an option. Since fall is hectic and spring is all physics II and MCAT, there probably won’t be a better time to work on the publication than this summer, so I’m hesitant to give that up as well.

It also wouldn’t be the exact same genetics course because it’s through a different university. I guess I really hadn’t considered that until now.

Since my upper level bio grades aren’t stellar, do you think not retaking genetics would be problematic?

Your upper level bio grades are average except... Genetics is a C+, C in mol biology... those are the main concerns. The question you have to ask yourself is, Do you have a 4-5 specific schools in your mind? Are they very competitive?

If not then you can try apply this year and see if there are any bites on the bait for this cycle... (Keep in mind that turning down an acceptance because you did not get into the school of your choice may not be a great idea). if not, then you can reapply the following year with improvements such as retaking Genetics or Mol Bio... Again this is the way I thought- I am not sure if that would be the approach everyone else would take. You should ask your counselor if this is a good approach, and if you want to do this?

 

[FluffyCat1212]

Thanks. I do have a list of several schools, which encompasses both allopathic and osteopathic. I think that they are all about the average level of competitiveness for medical schools. Several are state schools, a few OOS but in states where I have strong familial ties.

That’s a good consideration that I didn’t necessarily excel in some of my upper-level bio courses. I am planning on taking a couple of upper-level courses during application year (cell bio and possibly genetics if not this summer) in case I don’t get in this cycle, and am most definitely taking biochem this fall. I’m a little concerned that, if I over exert myself this summer, my grades will suffer next fall. I had hoped to use the summer to prepare a bit for the fall in terms of studying ahead and volunteer hours.

Also, I took my metabolism and cell signalling course abroad in Ireland, but the course was recognized and awarded credit by my university. Is that an issue?

I met with my counselor a while back and she initially told me I should take genetics. After I explained that I have already taken it during undergrad and outlined my alternative plan for the summer, she became a little wishy-washy with her advice and basically told me that either would work. I’ve had some questions since and sent her some emails that she hasn’t responded to. She has been difficult to get in touch with all semester, and I got a little tired of thinking of different ways to word “just following up on my previous email”, so that’s what brought me here!

 

[FluffyCat1212]

your advisor knows you and your entire story better than anyone on an anonymous internet forum

I agree, however my advisor has been extremely difficult to get in touch with throughout this, and the advice she has given on this subject hasn’t exactly been helpful in making the final decision( I.e. wishy-washy). I am here as a last resort. Thank you for your suggestion, however.

 

[Sleepingdoc]

I agree, however my advisor has been extremely difficult to get in touch with throughout this, and the advice she has given on this subject hasn’t exactly been helpful in making the final decision( I.e. wishy-washy). I am here as a last resort. Thank you for your suggestion, however.

You should really talk to your advisor, make an appointment rather than just sending email.. the poster is right that you should not rely on someone else.. because there is so much more to your story than the snapshot I am getting... I would not like to give wrong info. I would not trust anyone on this forum either... so really they are your resource.

 

[FluffyCat1212]

You should really talk to your advisor, make an appointment rather than just sending email.. the poster is right that you should not rely on someone else.. because there is so much more to your story than the snapshot I am getting... I would not like to give wrong info. I would not trust anyone on this forum either... so really they are your resource.

Once again, I appreciate your advice and understand your viewpoint. The soonest I can schedule with her is June 17th, which is a week after classes start. As previously stated, I met with her a while ago regarding this issue and found her advice on the subject vague and unhelpful. She encouraged me to take it, then said that my plans for taking the summer off would also work with a little hesitation. Ultimately, I left the appointment even more conflicted than I was beforehand.

She has also given some advice to my friends that wasn’t exactly the best, so I just wanted to see if anybody with more first-hand exposure to the process had any suggestions. I don’t mean to badmouth her. I’m sure she has a lot to deal with and premed affairs are rarely black-and-white.

I will figure it out. Thank you both for your time and input.