Should I just give up pre-med?

[Latteandaprayer]

I know the title is dramatic, but honestly I feel I'm 20 steps behind all the pre-meds here and on campus.

I'm a sophomore. My cGPA is 3.74, and my sGPA is a 3.5 (A- in bio lab, B+ in both stats and calc, B in gen chem, A in OChem 1 and lab, A in gen chem lab).

I volunteered at a hospital for six months, but it was a real hassle to get there and back (20 minute drive, no car so a 40 minute bus ride. The only shift that worked with my schedule was from 8-midnight. My dad had to drive 30 minutes to pick me up, drop me off, then go back home). So, when the 6-month contract ended, I didn't go back with the hopes of volunteering at my local hospital. But due to time conflicts, I wasn't able to get an interview at the local one, so now I can't volunteer this semester. I have no other clinical experience.

I have no research. I tried; I applied to 12 labs but all rejected me because of my class and work schedule, or my lack of experience, or just never responded. I'm trying again, but there's no guarantee.

I shadowed one doctor over the summer for a total of 20 hours. I have no other shadowing experience.

I don't have leadership. I'm a member of a couple clubs but no official position.

I know this is coming off as me just saying "pity me!! My circumstances are sad!! My life is so hard!!" but I don't want pity, I need advice. What should I do next? How do I continue? I scheduled a meeting with my pre-med advisor but it's in November.

Ive lurked here long enough to know that a reply is going to be "if pre-med is this stressful for you, then you shouldn't go to med school." It's not the track itself that's stressful or too much, but rather the feeling that I'm not even on it. And if I am, that I'm too far behind.

Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[NotYou20]

If you haven't been able to get that stuff worked into your schedule planning on taking a gap year is a good option. Your grades are fine, you're doing well. No there's no reason for you to drop pre-med. You don't have to "keep pace" you just have to get that stuff taken care of before you apply.

R-E-L-A-X

 

[astrostellar]

"if pre-med is this stressful for you, then you shouldn't go to med school."

grl plz. pre-med stresses me out every second of every day.

also, you're fine. you're a sophomore.

 

[fourandtwo]

You're doing better than I did when I was a sophomore! Never give up

 

[kwu]

I think you are doing fine. Just work a little bit more on your science GPA and you should be good. Finding a research opportunity is not easy, especially, if you have no experience. When I was in your shoes, I sent about 50+ emails to faculties from different departments. I was only able to find one research opportunity in a retrospective study.

Just keep volunteering, shadowing, looking for research, and most importantly, keep your grades up.

Good luck

 

[deleted877060]

It's always a work in progress -- undergrad, med school, residency, fellowships. This road is long and hard, and it just never stops. No reason to be anxious for being "behind," because everyone's got such a long way to go.
Be patient with yourself and do one thing at a time.
1. Raise your sGPA
2. Keep looking for research opportunities -- maybe ask your professor, or look up labs that you might be interested in joining
3. Have you shadowed your PCP? If not, see if there would be a way to do that.
4. Clinical experience doesn't have to come from a hospital -- you can volunteer at hospice, Planned Parenthood, or nursing homes (this one is boarder line non-clinical but good experience regardless). You can check out EMT, CNA, or caretaker jobs if you have the time.
5. Leadership -- no big deal. You're only a sophomore. Join 2 ~3 student orgs that interest you, and put your heart and soul into them. Better yet, maybe start your own club.

"if pre-med is this stressful for you, then you shouldn't go to med school."

If pre-med is not stressful for us this forum probably doesn't have the reason to exist.

It's not the track itself that's stressful or too much, but rather the feeling that I'm not even on it. And if I am, that I'm too far behind.

Medical schools are not going anywhere. You don't have to go to medical school straight out of undergrad, and if your goal truly is to become a physician, not to find satisfaction in yourself for going to medical school at 21, there's no reason to feel "left behind."

 

[MareNostrummm]

If you want to do research, give them your resume and write up an email about why you are interested in their research. Tell them that you can commit at least 15 hours a week. Also, if you mention interest in MD/PHD this gives you bonus points over the premeds trying to check a box.

 

[LizzyM]

It is reasonable to do research in the summer before junior year and then continue through junior year, if possible. Then you put it on your application at the end of junior year, at the earliest, and you're golden.

Is there any health care provider within a short distance of your living quarters? volunteerism need not be only in a hospital. You can try to find an outpatient clinic, physical therapy -rehab services, even home hospice care in your immediate community.

 

[coldspring]

I know the title is dramatic, but honestly I feel I'm 20 steps behind all the pre-meds here and on campus.

I'm a sophomore. My cGPA is 3.74, and my sGPA is a 3.5 (A- in bio lab, B+ in both stats and calc, B in gen chem, A in OChem 1 and lab, A in gen chem lab).

I volunteered at a hospital for six months, but it was a real hassle to get there and back (20 minute drive, no car so a 40 minute bus ride. The only shift that worked with my schedule was from 8-midnight. My dad had to drive 30 minutes to pick me up, drop me off, then go back home). So, when the 6-month contract ended, I didn't go back with the hopes of volunteering at my local hospital. But due to time conflicts, I wasn't able to get an interview at the local one, so now I can't volunteer this semester. I have no other clinical experience.

I have no research. I tried; I applied to 12 labs but all rejected me because of my class and work schedule, or my lack of experience, or just never responded. I'm trying again, but there's no guarantee.

I shadowed one doctor over the summer for a total of 20 hours. I have no other shadowing experience.

I don't have leadership. I'm a member of a couple clubs but no official position.

I know this is coming off as me just saying "pity me!! My circumstances are sad!! My life is so hard!!" but I don't want pity, I need advice. What should I do next? How do I continue? I scheduled a meeting with my pre-med advisor but it's in November.

Ive lurked here long enough to know that a reply is going to be "if pre-med is this stressful for you, then you shouldn't go to med school." It's not the track itself that's stressful or too much, but rather the feeling that I'm not even on it. And if I am, that I'm too far behind.

Thanks!

I know the title is dramatic, but honestly I feel I'm 20 steps behind all the pre-meds here and on campus.

I'm a sophomore. My cGPA is 3.74, and my sGPA is a 3.5 (A- in bio lab, B+ in both stats and calc, B in gen chem, A in OChem 1 and lab, A in gen chem lab).

I volunteered at a hospital for six months, but it was a real hassle to get there and back (20 minute drive, no car so a 40 minute bus ride. The only shift that worked with my schedule was from 8-midnight. My dad had to drive 30 minutes to pick me up, drop me off, then go back home). So, when the 6-month contract ended, I didn't go back with the hopes of volunteering at my local hospital. But due to time conflicts, I wasn't able to get an interview at the local one, so now I can't volunteer this semester. I have no other clinical experience.

I have no research. I tried; I applied to 12 labs but all rejected me because of my class and work schedule, or my lack of experience, or just never responded. I'm trying again, but there's no guarantee.

I shadowed one doctor over

I know the title is dramatic, but honestly I feel I'm 20 steps behind all the pre-meds here and on campus.

I'm a sophomore. My cGPA is 3.74, and my sGPA is a 3.5 (A- in bio lab, B+ in both stats and calc, B in gen chem, A in OChem 1 and lab, A in gen chem lab).

I volunteered at a hospital for six months, but it was a real hassle to get there and back (20 minute drive, no car so a 40 minute bus ride. The only shift that worked with my schedule was from 8-midnight. My dad had to drive 30 minutes to pick me up, drop me off, then go back home). So, when the 6-month contract ended, I didn't go back with the hopes of volunteering at my local hospital. But due to time conflicts, I wasn't able to get an interview at the local one, so now I can't volunteer this semester. I have no other clinical experience.

I have no research. I tried; I applied to 12 labs but all rejected me because of my class and work schedule, or my lack of experience, or just never responded. I'm trying again, but there's no guarantee.

I shadowed one doctor over the summer for a total of 20 hours. I have no other shadowing experience.

I don't have leadership. I'm a member of a couple clubs but no official position.

I know this is coming off as me just saying "pity me!! My circumstances are sad!! My life is so hard!!" but I don't want pity, I need advice. What should I do next? How do I continue? I scheduled a meeting with my pre-med advisor but it's in November.

Ive lurked here long enough to know that a reply is going to be "if pre-med is this stressful for you, then you shouldn't go to med school." It's not the track itself that's stressful or too much, but rather the feeling that I'm not even on it. And if I am, that I'm too far behind.

Thanks!

If you want to be a doc, don't give up. Considering where you are in your education to date, you are definitely in the running. GPA is reasonable, and you haven't taken MCAT, so that's a key piece in your calculations, but the volunteering, ec's, and research can be coped with if you are diligent. An acquaintance of mine only had an in-school research project and minimal volunteering, but was accepted at UW. Granted, 1st tier research-oriented programs will look askance at this background, but my point is each applicant is unique, so figure out wast make you interesting and expand upon that. Good luck.