Should I continue with premed route?

[JRD75]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hi,
Just wanted advice from some people.

I am on the pre-med route just like everyone here. Just finished my second year of college.

My first year I had a 2.75GPA for first semester, and the second I was at a 2.5GPA.
I'm not afraid to say this but my mom passed away second semester, she lived outside the country so I was gone from school for 10 straight days. I hate using my moms death as a reason as to why my GPA suffered but it was hard to come back after and catch up on everything.

After my first year at college I transferred closer to home. Second year fall semester, I ended with a 3.7GPA and sprig semester I had a 3.1GPA.(lots of things going on)

I am going to start my third year and I don't know what to do.

I am an intended Nutritional Science Major, taking an extra year, I currently work as a CNA at a hospital, and I volunteer on my free time.

I am also Mexican(not sure if counts as a URM).

If anyone has any advice, really wanna hear it.
Thank you

If need to anything else, feel free to ask.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[mc_bio19]

I'm sorry to hear about your mother and the other struggles that have occurred during your first two years of college. I'd suggest remaining in the Nutritional Science Major if you like the major/courses. If you don't, you're obviously going to struggle.

You don't HAVE to pursue a science/pre-med major for medical school, it simply guarantees that you'll have the prerequisite courses without doing extra work. For example, if you majored in history but wanted to go to med school, you'd have to add in all the prereq courses on top of your major courses. However, I will say a bonus to science/pre-med majors is that you'll have built-in upper level science courses which med schools like to see as well.

With all this being said, if you've got two to three years left, you can certainly do just fine in your current major. You'll have to shift your focus and work very hard to ace your remaining semesters, but it can be done. I personally would avoid switching unless you really need to.

 

[shopsteward]

Was your transfer to a new college in second year still a 4 year college and a full curriculum? Because if so, your 3.7 demonstrates that you have the academic ability you need. What you have not yet demonstrated are 1) the ability to sustain a high level of performance and 2) the ability to deal with outside influences in a way which does not impact your performance. Both of these are qualities you will need in order to have a successful career as a doctor, but they are also necessary to get you into medical school.

You need as a minimum to end your undergraduate studies with a 3.0 GPA both cumulatively and sciences, and the further up from that you can get the better. So spend a little time calculating where you are now, what you need to do (what would a 3.7 from now on, or even a 4.0 from now on, get you?) and how you can get there.

The CNA and volunteer work are great, but right now your priority if you want to be a doctor has to be your GPA, so don't let them get in the way.

You have three years left at college, given the extra year. A lot can change in that time, so if the pre-med route doesn't work out for you don't give up entirely: there are many other routes you can take to a successful career.

Good luck.

 

[chemdoctor]

Sorry about your mom passing away.

Either way, med schools will know you had a lot going on. You don't have to major in science related stuff and it'll make you stand out more anyway.

Also you have an upwards GPA trend. So maybe try to get your cumulative to a 3.5?? And do well on the MCAT. If not, maybe do a post bacc or take a year off to do some other courses here and there. Med schools will understand that you were going through a lot but if you show improvement it can reward you big time. Just be confident, and relax. I don't know for sure, but I feel like if you work hard you should be good.

 

[JRD75]

Thank you for the advice everyone, I am doing the nutritional science program because I like it and it's a good fall back plan just in case I don't get in right away. There's a good number of courses in that major that correlate to pre-med courses.

I'm definitely taking this summer to try and overcome the things that are going on and to try and get focused on getting those As in the rest of my classes.

I'm also taking my upper level courses starting this year so hopefully by my 4th year I should be able to take the MCAT in the summer, then apply while continuing with my 5th year.

Thank you!! Everyone


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[gyngyn]

Thank you for the advice everyone, I am doing the nutritional science program because I like it and it's a good fall back plan just in case I don't get in right away. There's a good number of courses in that major that correlate to pre-med courses.

I'm definitely taking this summer to try and overcome the things that are going on and to try and get focused on getting those As in the rest of my classes.

I'm also taking my upper level courses starting this year so hopefully by my 4th year I should be able to take the MCAT in the summer, then apply while continuing with my 5th year.

Thank you!! Everyone


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

The classes in your major are not likely to count toward your BCPM gpa.
Make sure that that your BCPM gpa stays well above 3.0. Do you know what it is now?