RN here!

[Newtonian21]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Hi people,
I've been lurking in here for quite a bit. I am a non-trad RN with a BSN. My intial goal was med school before some personal circumstances came around. But I have taken the step back up again to pursue my dream. SDN continues to encourage me day in day out. so far started taking classes last year. Previously I had biology classes before I graduated in 2014.
Cell bio A
Advanced cell bio B
A&P I&II A's
Algebra B
Statistics A
All the nursing classes A, B, C's. Nursing school is not hard they just overate it, to get an A was 94% up in my school with all the clinicals and studying same time. Everyone yearned for a pass grade which was 77% to a C. But I tried my best to get the A's and B's I could. However ended up with some C's.

Now since 2015
Gen Chem I B
Genetics B
Gen Chem II B
Gen Chem I&II Labs A
Physics I&II w/ labs B

Overall GPA 3.23. Still have O'chem and Biochem to take. I still work as an RN 36-40hrs a week .
Volunteer 4hrs every week at a homeless shelter. Did research this past semester with a science professor. Plan to continue next semester.
At this point I'm thinking I have a rough path with this GPA. My goal is to get all A's in remainder of my classes, will do what it takes to bring my GPA up a little.
What are my chances? Any RN in the forum who've been admitted? Any body at all please advice. Thanks!

 

[Eccesignum]

Many admitted folks here are RNs (myself included), so welcome.

Unfortunately, not having an MCAT score means nobody can give you a very good prediction as it stands. The MCAT is central to an application.

Your overall GPA is on the low side for MD, which you already know. You have a chance to mitigate some of it if you can pull a very strong performance in the rest of your post-bacc, but that's not something you can absolutely count on. OChem is a notorious weed-out class. How is your sciGPA right now (nursing courses not counted)?

Are you open to DO?

 

[DrMikeP]

GPA is weak, so MD is unlikely if not impossible. DO maybe, depending. It will mostly depend on your MCAT and how you do on final classes, as it looks like a downward trend from A's to B's to ??? may be starting, don't let that happen.

The DO CIB is available so compare yourself to the averages.

 

[Newtonian21]

Many admitted folks here are RNs (myself included), so welcome.

Unfortunately, not having an MCAT score means nobody can give you a very good prediction as it stands. The MCAT is central to an application.

Your overall GPA is on the low side for MD, which you already know. You have a chance to mitigate some of it if you can pull a very strong performance in the rest of your post-bacc, but that's not something you can absolutely count on. OChem is a notorious weed-out class. How is your sciGPA right now (nursing courses not counted)?

Are you open to DO?

How do I calculate my sciGPA? Should I take out all the nursing classes, and recalculate? So far I have no C in any of the sciclasses or anything. The only C's I got are from the nursing classes..Thanks

 

[Newtonian21]

GPA is weak, so MD is unlikely if not impossible. DO maybe, depending. It will mostly depend on your MCAT and how you do on final classes, as it looks like a downward trend from A's to B's to ??? may be starting, don't let that happen.

The DO CIB is available so compare yourself to the averages.

I don't know how this is going to play out..Everytime it just doesn't play any hope. Working through undergrad and supporting a family even now and then classes was tough. My paycheck was mostly into paying tuition d/t not eligible for any loan or grant as international during my first undergrad. I'm using all I got to study for the MCAT. If I do well on it, do you think I will have a chance? I am an URM applicant. DO schools are nice but hardly to see DO doctor in state where I live..

 

[takeonme]

When I calculated my sGPA, some nursing classes counted (physio and pharm I believe) but it really depends on that particular course and its description

 

[Newtonian21]

When I calculated my sGPA, some nursing classes counted (physio and pharm I believe) but it really depends on that particular course and its description

Hi takeonme,
Where do you calculate your gpa? You got a place for that where I can know. It's hard on study to think about this everytime. Seems like you're working hard and something is gonna draw you back. Please let me know.

 

[takeonme]

Hi takeonme,
Where do you calculate your gpa? You got a place for that where I can know. It's hard on study to think about this everytime. Seems like you're working hard and something is gonna draw you back. Please let me know.

I believe I just googled a GPA calculator and entered in all my science classes. I didn't include any nursing classes unless they were actually considered BIO classes. Have you spoken to your pre med counselor? They can serve as a resource for you. I haven't been admitted (currently sitting on a WL) but I've been in your position with the same uncertainty and fears. Wishing you the best of luck

 

[Newtonian21]

I believe I just googled a GPA calculator and entered in all my science classes. I didn't include any nursing classes unless they were actually considered BIO classes. Have you spoken to your pre med counselor? They can serve as a resource for you. I haven't been admitted (currently sitting on a WL) but I've been in your position with the same uncertainty and fears. Wishing you the best of luck

Yea I have an advisor currently keeps saying he has no doubt in me succeeding. I can tell you if not for the nursing classes I would be up in a high gpa. But I can't complain, settling in a different country with uncertainty was tough. But here I am now fully knowing what's going on. I have cut down my hours alot moved to 1 room to succeed this. But you know raising a gpa takes time and semesters. I will try apply to DO and MD. The only UND is the only med school in my state besides U of M close by. I will try my best to keep the gpa as is and see if the remaining classes can do some. Any other help from you will be appreciated.

 

[Newtonian21]

My school has Gen chem I&II this summer. Should I retake them both to get an A's in those classes? And then ratake Physics I in the fall? I've heard people say don't retake classes with B's. Retaking them might help a little with the GPA. Any input?

 

[Eccesignum]

The link in the first post of this thread is a very useful AMCAS GPA calculator someone made. It will divide your GPA by year as adcoms will see it, and will show you your sGPA as well if you manually check your science courses.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/amcas-gpa-calculator-revised.590424/

An advisor telling someone with a 3.2 that they have no doubt about them succeeding is doing them a huge disservice. Medical schools do care about the outer orbit of road traveled and maturity level, and from your posts you sound like you may have an interesting backstory that will interest people. But before they can care about that, their main focus is making sure they're admitting people who can handle the academic rigor of medical school. Yes, you'll see people with unusually low GPAs getting into medical school (on paper I'm one of them too). However, these are almost always people who came from a low initial situation and did post-bacc work that was extremely strong. So far of your actual pre-requisities, you're making lackluster B's on top of an already low GPA. One B is never an issue but a string of them is going to be concerning.

I wouldn't retake B's, it's not worth it. However, know that DO schools practice grade replacement, which means that if you retake any class from the past they will only look at the second grade. So if you have C's or below in any class that's actually repeatable (not nursing courses but perhaps old pre-reqs or the like), I would do that. Concentrate on stomping the heck out of Organic and anything you have remaining. Take another few upper-div science if you can, and get A's. Prepare very, very well for the MCAT and only take it when you're ready.

Once you have a final package, so to speak, of cGPA, sGPA, MCAT score, and extracurriculars, then people can give you a much better idea of where you stand.

 

[Newtonian21]

The link in the first post of this thread is a very useful AMCAS GPA calculator someone made. It will divide your GPA by year as adcoms will see it, and will show you your sGPA as well if you manually check your science courses.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/amcas-gpa-calculator-revised.590424/

An advisor telling someone with a 3.2 that they have no doubt about them succeeding is doing them a huge disservice. Medical schools do care about the outer orbit of road traveled and maturity level, and from your posts you sound like you may have an interesting backstory that will interest people. But before they can care about that, their main focus is making sure they're admitting people who can handle the academic rigor of medical school. Yes, you'll see people with unusually low GPAs getting into medical school (on paper I'm one of them too). However, these are almost always people who came from a low initial situation and did post-bacc work that was extremely strong. So far of your actual pre-requisities, you're making lackluster B's on top of an already low GPA. One B is never an issue but a string of them is going to be concerning.

I wouldn't retake B's, it's not worth it. However, know that DO schools practice grade replacement, which means that if you retake any class from the past they will only look at the second grade. So if you have C's or below in any class that's actually repeatable (not nursing courses but perhaps old pre-reqs or the like), I would do that. Concentrate on stomping the heck out of Organic and anything you have remaining. Take another few upper-div science if you can, and get A's. Prepare very, very well for the MCAT and only take it when you're ready.

Once you have a final package, so to speak, of cGPA, sGPA, MCAT score, and extracurriculars, then people can give you a much better idea of where you stand.

Eccesignum,
Thank you so much, you're God sent. I don't have any C in the major classes except from those nursing school courses I had about 4 C's in those. The problem is I can't retake those classes again since we only needed a pass grade to move on in nursing school then, they won't even let you retake it if you had a C then. I am using all my God given strength to study for O'chem and Biochem and then take some other classes next semester. Thanks for the gpa calculator your sent me. I really appreciate may God bless you so much. Whenever I feel down I come to this thread I've hope through you guys who are God sent. I will keep on pressing in the name of God.

 

[Newtonian21]

The link you sent me really helped. After calculating my science gpa taking out the nursing classes everything ends up being 3.55 BCPM overall. I will sweat to die with organic this summer.

 

[DrMikeP]

I don't know how this is going to play out..Everytime it just doesn't play any hope. Working through undergrad and supporting a family even now and then classes was tough. My paycheck was mostly into paying tuition d/t not eligible for any loan or grant as international during my first undergrad. I'm using all I got to study for the MCAT. If I do well on it, do you think I will have a chance? I am an URM applicant. DO schools are nice but hardly to see DO doctor in state where I live..

Do well on the MCAT and any other classes and you definitely have a chance. Find a DO to shadow, that is one thing that you can control through effort, where other things require effort and a bit of luck.

There are a number of threads of people who made it with difficulties, read some and put in the effort. It's mostly up to you at this point.



Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[DrMikeP]

Hi takeonme,
Where do you calculate your gpa? You got a place for that where I can know. It's hard on study to think about this everytime. Seems like you're working hard and something is gonna draw you back. Please let me know.

Go to the AACOM site and read on what goes into the GPA.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[DrMikeP]

My school has Gen chem I&II this summer. Should I retake them both to get an A's in those classes? And then ratake Physics I in the fall? I've heard people say don't retake classes with B's. Retaking them might help a little with the GPA. Any input?

Don't retake Bs unless you really really need to. Retakes don't help for MD and there are better things to spend your time on.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[jl lin]

I guess this is a possible exception for repeating B's or even A's, though some folks would say that may be risky, so it depends:
If it has been a while and you really need to refresh the material--especially as that materials may relate to other sciences and MCAT, sure. I'd consider re-taking them. That would be a personal choice for me. You surely can refresh on your own, but that takes a certain structure--and that gets tricky when you are working FT and responsible for other stuff. Plus, some stuff has changed, and some labs are more valuable than others. But my philosophy is different from some other folks here in that I like/need to understand firmly whatever I can. To be sure, some will differ from this perspective, strategically and even financially--b/c courses are costly.

Whatever you choose to do, if it were me, I'd sharpen up on chemistry, b/c you don't need another downward trend w/ Ochem and Biochem. And you have to bring up your GPA and make sure you conquer the MCAT.

DOs are getting more and more respect everyday, when people see that they are bright and know what they are doing. In my FP, for example, I always schedule w/ the DO, b/c he's just more of a gifted, on-the-ball physician, period. And everyone else in the practice has figured it out, and trying to get an appointment w/ him is getting tougher and tougher. For other specialities, yes, MD will be in your favor--but that is changing more and more.

My feeling is this: a physician, if through and through a physician, is a PHYSICIAN.
As far as none in your area, well the whole process with staying in your area will ultimately be tough anyway--re: schools, residency, fellowship if taken.
It's not like being a nurse. You have to go where you are accepted and matched. After that, you work to get the best deal/position as a newly boarded physician.