I was wondering how to go about fulfilling some requirements for admission to an SMP. I have a BS in computer science and went the bioinformatics route, b/c I suck at math but love biology. Unfortunately, those engineering classes killed my GPA (2.8). I know I need to take classes at my local community college to improve my undergrad GPA, but also I'm missing the last quarter of ochem, ochem lab, and general chem lab. I did take a lot of upper division biochem labs and got B's in them, for what its worth. I want to know if it's okay to take these classes at a CC. In UC, labs are separate classes but in CC they're integrated w/ lecture, so I really don't know how to fulfill these requirements now that I'm graduated and working. Thanks
No no no no NOOOOOO.
NO! For the love of all that's holy, no!
Oh yeah: Hi, welcome to the postbac forum! I think you've been given some bad advice, out there in the real world.
First, an SMP is what you do when you have a complete med school application but your GPA (and your GPA alone) is keeping you out. It's a last ditch, risky, expensive Hail Mary.
It's absolutely pointless to consider what an SMP wants you to do: focus on what med schools make you do.
Second, your story fits into our "low GPA and still need to finish the prereqs" demographic. There are plenty of people in your shoes.
Third, please don't take courses at a CC. With a low GPA, regardless of your major (I'm CS too), you haven't proven to med schools that you can succeed at hard science coursework in a reputably rigorous environment. Do your prereqs at a university. There are some really great CCs, but not enough to avoid stigma.
Fourth, GPA improvement is limited for you, but you still need to give it a shot. Nobody wants you to stay in undergrad for 6-7 more years to get up to a 3.5, but they DO want to see you get up to a 3.0. Basically you need a year or two of straight A's, both for form and for function.
Fifth, I understand the need to work, but you have a lot of schoolwork to do my friend. I recommend going back to school full time, yes for another year or two of undergrad, likely followed by an SMP.
Other bits:
- do you know about DO, doctor of osteopathy, same practice rights as an MD, slightly lower admissions requirements?
- any chance you can leave California for a more amenable-to-med-school-applicants state?
This is one opinion: please make sure to collect more.
Best of luck to you.
Edit: I thought I was in postbac, d'oh.
Here's a great forum to look into.
