Retaking premed classes

[Hpforever]

Hey everyone. So basically my undergrad GPA was absolute crap (below 3.0) but I am absolutely certain I want to be a doctor. So I'm retaking all of my premed classes. This semester I took gen chem, orgo 1 and physics 1 along with an upper level bio course. Maybe I got too ambitious and I overestimated myself into thinking I could handle all of those classes plus labs. I had an A or close to an A in all of those classes......and then finals came. Basically I really messed up on the finals, and ended up with a B in all of these classes. It's an improvement from the Ds and Fs, but I can't help but be bummed out that I had an A in all of them. I guess my question is, does getting a B in a retake class show that I can't handle it?

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[DrMidlife]

B's on retakes, for the coursework that must demonstrate your readiness for med school, are definitely a problem. It's difficult to feel confident about MCAT performance given your story.

I had a similar situation when I was younger where I would just run out of steam at the 90% point of any hard class, not be able to make myself keep working, and blow my A. Does that sound familiar? If so, that's a problem that absolutely must be solved if you're going to keep taking classes. Not optional to let it ride.

Preferably at this point you would pick another path that is going to be less tortuous. If you don't want to pick another path, then accept that you have probably 2+ more years of full time academics at a 3.7+ before you can apply to DO school.

I recommend looking at the masters programs that are hosted at DO schools, such as LECOM, which are designed for premed GPA redemption. I do not recommend pursuing MD at this point, because the expense and the risk are too great.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Hpforever]

Thank you for your reply. It was not that I got burned out as much as it was that the finals were tricky and I wasn't as comfortable with the newer material, which made up the majority part of the final. Are lecom, pcom, and vcom the only post bacc for DO schools? And what kind of repair am I looking at for both DO and MD schools?

 

[Tommyguns89]

Well if you apply DO those Bs will replace your D's and F's right? And you were still planning on retaking the rest of the classes. What would your GPA be if you get a 3.7 in the rest of the classes you were planning on retaking?

 

[DrMidlife]

Thank you for your reply. It was not that I got burned out as much as it was that the finals were tricky and I wasn't as comfortable with the newer material, which made up the majority part of the final.

Med school's quite a bit harder, more intense, more volume, more exams. This is why strong success in the prereqs is prioritized so highly in med school admissions, MD and DO.

Are lecom, pcom, and vcom the only post bacc for DO schools?

See the postbac forum for more info on DO SMPs. There are several more. There are not that many DO schools, so pony up and go look at websites. Own this, do the work.

And what kind of repair am I looking at for both DO and MD schools?

When retakes on the prereqs get you B's, honestly you need to let MD go.

Best of luck to you.