Should I switch my Career choice?

[bry627]

HI I'm an undergrad student at a states school in my 2nd year my stats are:
GPA: 2.8
EMT-B license (but this has expired and I haven't renewed it)
Steady volunteer work at Yale-New Haven and summer internship
I know I didn't take school seriously in my 1st year and i failed Human Physiology and I received a C in english and physical geo.
BUT recently I received A's in gen. chem. 1st semester of organic and i have an A- as my midterm grade this semester.
I got a B in Physics for scientist and engineering
and B's in most of my general electives.

Now I've been told by relitives who are doctors that if continue to do well and do well in my MCATs i should be OK, but I feel like by having a 2.8 and failing a class as important as Physiology I've fu*ked myself royally.
When I graduate my school I'll have a degree in Chem. with a biochem concentration.
I've recently applied to a Pharmacy school and have been told I would be accepted if I take certain courses and do well, it's not the career of my choice and I would be very unhappy with it, but is that my only option now?

I've already begun studying for the MCATs will a high MCAT score offset my GPA considerably.
I know this isn't the most coherent question, but I've been bugging out all week till I worked up the courage to post here so I'm sorry if I'm rambling.
Please help,
Bry

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[Drrrrrr. Celty]

you went from pharmacy attempt to medical school possibility? If I were you, I'd start retaking a bunch of classes which you did bad in, including your F in anatomy. Then get a 28+ on the mcat apply broadly to DO schools broadly.

 

[jturkel]

no. you need to retake the courses you failed and got C's and below in to be competitive just for DO school. and you would need an mcat in the upper 30s after retaking your courses and getting As to just be somewhat competitive.

 

[Untraditional]

You have to retake anything you have a C D or F in and this time you have to get an A. If you do that and put up a decent MCAT score you should be competetive. Especially if you've been working as a paramedic.

 

[bry627]

I've just begun to look into going from pharm. to medschool, but it's not my preferred method.
As for retaking the classes I plan to do that either this summer or in the fall.
Thank for the quick feedback.
any other advice?

 

[bry627]

You have to retake anything you have a C D or F in and this time you have to get an A. If you do that and put up a decent MCAT score you should be competetive. Especially if you've been working as a paramedic.

I worked as an EMT-B for a year not quite a paramedic, but then i went to school out of state and my license was not valid. Since then it has expired

 

[Untraditional]

I worked as an EMT-B for a year not quite a paramedic, but then i went to school out of state and my license was not valid. Since then it has expired

Well aside from the grades, anything you can do to get exposure will help your cause. Paid work or shadowing that puts you in the mix with patients will go a long way. You could also be a candidate for a SMP if you can put up a good MCAT. Might be the way to go for you.

Why do you want to be a doctor? Why not some other health-related career?

 

[bry627]

Well aside from the grades, anything you can do to get exposure will help your cause. Paid work or shadowing that puts you in the mix with patients will go a long way. You could also be a candidate for a SMP if you can put up a good MCAT. Might be the way to go for you.

Why do you want to be a doctor? Why not some other health-related career?

I want to be a doctor for a combination of reasons I love science and medicine the human body is fascinating (I know i failed phys, but that was do to me not taking it seriously not lack of interest), I also would like to help people with actual patient interaction, my mom has been in and out of hospitals quite frequently and I can see the impact health care professionals have on people.
As for why a doctor? Well I wouldn't be opposed to being a PA or nurse, but I would like to be a surgeon or cardiologist and a being a PA or Nurse wouldn't be so bad if they weren't so limited if the help they can offer.

 

[bry627]

bump

 

[Untraditional]

I also would like to help people with actual patient interaction
...

I wouldn't be opposed to being a PA or nurse, but I would like to be a surgeon or cardiologist and a being a PA or Nurse wouldn't be so bad if they weren't so limited if the help they can offer.

NNP or nursing might be right up your alley. If you work in an ICU, for example, you will have 1-on-1 or 1-on-2 patient interaction most of the time. If you really like to know your patients' stories, this could be a good alternative.

*Not that you can't do that in cardiology but it might be an easier path to what you want.

 

[Auriga]

NP and PA are great fields. But they are still slightly different from MD/DO. I recommend you shadow at least one of each, including pharmacy, to get a realistic idea of what you want. That will also put the fire into your blood to do whatever you freaking have to in order to get what you want. And gather support for future letters of reference.

Don't do anything for a career that you don't absolutely love. I learned that by working at crap jobs before I went back to school, and now I would be done with residency by now if I hadn't gotten lost along the way.

My transcript boasts 6 F's and more W's than I can count. I had serious health and family problems, but regardless that was considered inexcusable. I applied with a 3.0 gpa (after 45 credits of A's) and even one of my advisors told me that I had no chance of getting in anywhere. My MCAT score changed everything. Out of 22 schools, 3 interviews, 1 acceptance and 2 waits...and I applied late in the year.

43% of applicants got in last year, according to calculations from AAMC data...but if it's what you really want, you can make it happen even if not the first year. Apply to as many schools as your savings can handle, DO and MD.

Edit:
I forgot to mention I started shadowing in the ER when I decided to go for NP. I thought NP would be easier and quicker and that I had no chance at getting into med school anyways. NP is awesome but ask them what they feel the pros and cons are of it. It might be exactly what you are wanting to do. There are NP second assists who do a good part of surgeries. The ER NP's do most sutures etc so the docs can focus on the strokes. But after learning from all points of view, I finally got a clear picture of what I really wanted.

 

[Untraditional]

I recommend you shadow at least one of each, including pharmacy, to get a realistic idea of what you want.

Great advice!