Second Try, non trad, premed

[MedGoal1]

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So I guess this is it.

Age: 26

Past:
- Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from a top 30 University in the U.S. (I heard this doesn't matter that much)

- No Science courses taken. Overall GPA is way below 2.5. I did not care about school.
- Graduated in 2006

Present:

Attending Small Private school - originally taking prereq's for Physical Therapy School partially because of my low overall GPA.

Now I realize I want to study medicine because I enjoy my science classes.

Current Semester
Biology 1 - On my way to an A
Physics 1 - On my way to an A
Chemistry 1 - On my way to an A
English Composition 2 - On my way to an A
Drugs and Behavior - I got an 87 on midterm, so I don't know... need to raise.

What do you guys think? I'm planning on transferring to a bigger Private School where they have a premedical studies, biology, biochem majors.
It's going to take me about 2 years.

If I do well in my second bachelor's degree do you think they will overlook my first bachelor degree GPA? or do they just average both?

This 87 in that classes is like a bug... if I have to get all A's in my second bachelor's just to get my overall up to a 3.0.

what if my overall is crap... but my science gpa is competitive? and what is a competitive science gpa?

Any comments and advice is more than appreciated!

 

[njbmd]

So I guess this is it.

Age: 26

Past:
- Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from a top 30 University in the U.S. (I heard this doesn't matter that much)

- No Science courses taken. Overall GPA is way below 2.5. I did not care about school.
- Graduated in 2006

Present:

Attending Small Private school - originally going prereq's for Physical Therapy School partially because of my low overall GPA.

Now I realize I want to study medicine because I enjoy my science classes.

Current Semester
Biology 1 - On my way to an A
Physics 1 - On my way to an A
Chemistry 1 - On my way to an A
English Composition 2 - On my way to an A
Drugs and Behavior - I got an 87 on midterm, so I don't know... need to raise.

What do you guys think? I'm planning on transfering to a bigger Private School where they have a premedical studies, biology, biochem majors.
It's going to take me about 2 years.

If I do well in my second bachelor's degree do you think they will overlook my first bachelor degree GPA? or do they just average both?

This 87 in that classes is like a bug... if I have to get all A's in my second bachelor's just to get my overall up to a 3.0.

what if my overall is crap... but my science gpa is competitive? and what is a competitive science gpa?

Any comments and advice is more than appreciated!

In general, medical schools do not "overlook" any grades. If you are applying for osteopathic medical school, they will substitute new grades for old ones if you are retaking some of your coursework but your old grades are always going to be with you.

For allopathic medical schools, everything that you take at an undergraduate level after your first bachelors degree is postbacc and will be averaged with your previous grades. You would do well to do a Google search for GPA calculators and figure out exactly what your new uGPA will be at the end of every semester when you have your grades.

Doing "damage control" is a very long and expensive process. You are on your way but you have a sizable way to go. Things in your favor are that there is some time and experience between your first degree and second degree but make no mistake, you have a very steep hill to climb. The university you attend is pretty meaningless but your performance is the key.

In addition, you need a strong score on the Medical College Admissions Test with one take. You cannot afford to post anything mediocre so make sure that when the time comes, you are well prepared for this very important test.

If medicine is your dream, then you do what you must do to achieve it. This is done one day at a time and one semester at a time.

 

[NTF]

Now I realize I want to study medicine because I enjoy my science classes.

First of all congratulations on your recent success in your classes.

1) I'd seriously consider trying to get some shadowing time with some doctors and volunteering at a hospital before investing potentially 2-3 years of grueling work to pursue medicine. "Enjoying science classes" is a pretty thin reason to embark on 10+ year journey before a meaningful paycheck (not to mention the 100k+ debt). There are alot of great careers out there that involve science and/or healthcare, so do some legwork investigating whether medicine is really for you beyond the vague notions of being a doctor we all had before we started our individual crazy adventures. (In particular if you're set on healthcare I'd compare the investment and payoff of PA, NP, CRNA, RN jobs and compare them to MD/DO jobs)
2)Once you've decided that the MD/DO route is really for you - you've got some serious GPA rehabilitation to do. The DO route will be easier (and DO schools are often more forgiving) - but considering that your prior indiscretions were in non-science classes you probably won't be able to partake too much in the DO "grade forgiveness". But the upside is I do think that if you raise your cGPA to a 3.0 and have a 3.8ish scGPA you'll be very competitive at DO schools and have a fighting chance at mid-tier/friendly instate allo schools (and the outside chance at an upper tier school). Just be prepared to accept the harsh reality that some allo schools will screen you out based solely on GPA.
3) Make sure you do well on the MCAT (shoot for 33+, 30 minimum) You need all the help you can get to offset your GPA
4) Build your ECs - physician shadowing, clinical exposure, volunteering, leadership activities, biomedical research (publications if at all possible)
5) Get and accumulate awesome LORs
6) Write great PS and secondary essays.

This is best practice advice, so don't interpret anything I said as the minimum for accomplishing your goal (ie don't assume every misstep or falling short of what I said constitutes not getting into med school). Take it more as maximizing your chances of success.

Good Luck!

 

[MedGoal1]

In general, medical schools do not "overlook" any grades. If you are applying for osteopathic medical school, they will substitute new grades for old ones if you are retaking some of your coursework but your old grades are always going to be with you.

For allopathic medical schools, everything that you take at an undergraduate level after your first bachelors degree is postbacc and will be averaged with your previous grades. You would do well to do a Google search for GPA calculators and figure out exactly what your new uGPA will be at the end of every semester when you have your grades.

Doing "damage control" is a very long and expensive process. You are on your way but you have a sizable way to go. Things in your favor are that there is some time and experience between your first degree and second degree but make no mistake, you have a very steep hill to climb. The university you attend is pretty meaningless but your performance is the key.

In addition, you need a strong score on the Medical College Admissions Test with one take. You cannot afford to post anything mediocre so make sure that when the time comes, you are well prepared for this very important test.

If medicine is your dream, then you do what you must do to achieve it. This is done one day at a time and one semester at a time.

If the undergraduate school that I go to does not matter, should I transfer to get a second bachelors degree or should I just stay in my current Private school because I know how the classes are here.

Im anticipating that if I do transfer to the bigger school, the classes will be a little more challenging. For example, I'm taking Physics 1 w/no calc now. At the new school they have physics 1 for premeds w/calculus...

I enjoy my science but I also understand that I need to have a 4.0 GPA in post bac. Should I stay in current school with a higher chance of doing well or should i transfer and get a better education??

What is a strong MCAT? about 30? 27?

 

[bigpharmD]

First of all, why would you go to a private shool and pay waayyy more? If you are willing to shell out for private schooling, I would consider a post-bac program. Especially with your non-science background.

 

[MedGoal1]

The private school I go to has a decent tuition w/ scholarships... it is also 5 minutes away from my house.

I considered a post bac program but my current overall gpa prevents me from getting accepted to them.

I calculated... For me to get an over all 3.0 gpa between my 2 degrees, I need to take this many classes.


I hear ya NonTradFogie and CONGRATS!!