Stressed...will a C in Genetics be highly frowned upon?

[southpawcannon]

Our exam today covered SEVEN chapters and given were 7 short answer essay questions, 5 of which we had to answer and 3 long essay questions, 2 of which were required. No MC at all. I really studied my ass off for this, trying to learn as much as possible considering everything was 'fair game' as her response pretty much was each time when asked. I also had a Calculus exam immediately before, of which I more or less panicked on and bombed because I was so intensely focused on wanting to spend my time on preparing for the Genetics exam, which Ive been studying for quite a bit lately. I went completely blank on it. I could only recall so little. It didn't help that our Cal A prof came down with a big illness last Mon, so we had this Russian dude/dept head come in and lose everyone. He returned Wed and Fri because she was out, and then we had a different guy fill in Mon and give the exam today, and who will be there through the final. So, I studied for this exam less b/c I felt comfortable, but went blank b/c I got stressed. So I ended up not only bombing that exam(where I had a mid B, working towards an A, but will be lucky to have a B now) but also my Genetics exam that currently puts me failing. I go from a 20 on exam 1, a 90 on exam 2 and then probably way back down on this one. I've got the full 25% plus extra for lab and pretty sure the full 10% for two one page papers required for lecture. I at this point would have to make damn near a perfect score on the final, which is cumulative, to just escape with a C. All because of ONE friggin bad day. Luckily both arent on the same day next week. Ive also begun to realize the difficulty with getting LORs for as well now after the only two profs at the univ., with whom I developed really good relationships with, and who knew my academic potential and character, are in prison prob for life(which she deserves) and my advisor of a year, whom she killed. So that's been a big bummer as well.

Im feeling pretty dejected right now...worthless to be exact...I told my lab teach I'm outta here, what's the point in trying to pursue med when I can barely make a C in a 200 level course but As and Bs in upper level neuro, gross and psychopharm. He tried to tell me don't worry, just pass it and move on, explain it later. I've set high standards for myself due to the bad GPA 10+ yrs ago, ironically at the same university, and that I would continue making high grades, so I'm not sure I can find comfort in his optimism I will say I've been to counseling over the past several weeks for other things, and so I'm not sure if the general anxiety I've dealt with can roll over into exams or what, and if so, what can be done.

Thanks

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[Dianyla]

Im feeling pretty dejected right now...worthless to be exact...

You're not worthless. Tell that little voice in the back of your head to STFU.

I told my lab teach I'm outta here, what's the point in trying to pursue med when I can barely make a C in a 200 level course but As and Bs in upper level neuro, gross and psychopharm. He tried to tell me don't worry, just pass it and move on, explain it later.

This is very wise advice. Some subjects, or professors, or combinations of same, just don't work for everyone. I pulled straight As in OChem, then proceeded to get a C+ in Biochem. (And on the retake, I only managed to pull it up to a B+.) And I still don't know why. Getting a C doesn't look great, but if it's an outlier in the rest of your recent academic achievements, just ignore it. It's a zit.

I've set high standards for myself due to the bad GPA 10+ yrs ago, ironically at the same university, and that I would continue making high grades, so I'm not sure I can find comfort in his optimism I will say I've been to counseling over the past several weeks for other things, and so I'm not sure if the general anxiety I've dealt with can roll over into exams or what, and if so, what can be done.

What I am hearing in your post is a whole lot of black-and-white thinking. You had bad grades years ago so now you must get only perfect high grades now. If you don't get perfect grades now, then you're worthless and will never get into medschool. This is a primitive kind of mental processing that is certainly related to your current stress and anxiety, and I encourage you to keep working on it with your counselor. Hang in there.

 

[Choo]

It might also be possible to withdraw from the course, even if the deadline has passed, especially considering the stuff you are going through. I know someone who had an F changed from several years ago to a W, so it can be done. I hate courses like that, too, that span several chapters. It becomes worse when you have an instructor looking for any little thing to take points off.

 

[QofQuimica]

SPC, first thing, you need to take a step back here. It's never a good idea to make major life decisions while you're feeling this kind of stressed and upset. Maybe medicine is for you and maybe it isn't, but you don't have to decide right this second, and you shouldn't decide right this second.

Coming to your classes, and considering that your other post bac grades have been good, it's obvious that you *are* capable of handling tough courses. What you're experiencing is unfortunately a major risk of taking a heavy summer schedule (which you are): you're in a bit over your head. Assuming that it's too late for you to withdraw from one of the classes, all you can do is go forward and score as well as possible on the last tests. Those are the tests you need to focus on right now, not the tests that are over with.

As for how adcoms will respond to a C in genetics, well, you might get some interviewers who ask you about it. If so, like your TA said, then you'll explain.

 

[jackieMD2007]

I know it feels like the end of the world but....it is really not.
A hard exam happens sometimes.

Heck...sometimes even in medical school smart, high-achieving people have an exam where we barely pass or don't do as well as the other medical students.

All that matters is what you do with it. Try to give yourself a break and keep up the good work in your other classes.

Many medical students don't have "perfect" transcripts and "perfect" MCATs, etc...because life doesn't really let real people be perfect all the time.

A break from SDN can help as well if the douchebag gunners are making you stressed. 😎

 

[TFS]

don't let it get you down. is the class curved? is it too late to withdraw?

 

[Lethstang]

i see this in the other non trads i am going thru the pre reqs with. its our second or third time back to school, we are used to getting the A, and when it doesnt happen it seems like our world is imploding.

A few posters mentioned earlier some professor/student/exam combos dont work. Ive seen brilliant ppl barely pass a class because of the mismatch. It happens. You just have to move on.

 

[drtroy]

Our exam today covered SEVEN chapters and given were 7 short answer essay questions, 5 of which we had to answer and 3 long essay questions, 2 of which were required. No MC at all. I really studied my ass off for this, trying to learn as much as possible considering everything was 'fair game' as her response pretty much was each time when asked. I also had a Calculus exam immediately before, of which I more or less panicked on and bombed because I was so intensely focused on wanting to spend my time on preparing for the Genetics exam, which Ive been studying for quite a bit lately. I went completely blank on it. I could only recall so little. It didn't help that our Cal A prof came down with a big illness last Mon, so we had this Russian dude/dept head come in and lose everyone. He returned Wed and Fri because she was out, and then we had a different guy fill in Mon and give the exam today, and who will be there through the final. So, I studied for this exam less b/c I felt comfortable, but went blank b/c I got stressed. So I ended up not only bombing that exam(where I had a mid B, working towards an A, but will be lucky to have a B now) but also my Genetics exam that currently puts me failing. I go from a 20 on exam 1, a 90 on exam 2 and then probably way back down on this one. I've got the full 25% plus extra for lab and pretty sure the full 10% for two one page papers required for lecture. I at this point would have to make damn near a perfect score on the final, which is cumulative, to just escape with a C. All because of ONE friggin bad day. Luckily both arent on the same day next week. Ive also begun to realize the difficulty with getting LORs for as well now after the only two profs at the univ., with whom I developed really good relationships with, and who knew my academic potential and character, are in prison prob for life(which she deserves) and my advisor of a year, whom she killed. So that's been a big bummer as well.

Im feeling pretty dejected right now...worthless to be exact...I told my lab teach I'm outta here, what's the point in trying to pursue med when I can barely make a C in a 200 level course but As and Bs in upper level neuro, gross and psychopharm. He tried to tell me don't worry, just pass it and move on, explain it later. I've set high standards for myself due to the bad GPA 10+ yrs ago, ironically at the same university, and that I would continue making high grades, so I'm not sure I can find comfort in his optimism I will say I've been to counseling over the past several weeks for other things, and so I'm not sure if the general anxiety I've dealt with can roll over into exams or what, and if so, what can be done.

Thanks

I think your being way to hard on yourself. My best friend is an infectious disease specialist and he had a couple of C's and C+'s in undergrad courses and he still became a doctor. I am 34 right now and am in my junior year of undergrad and I have a couple of C's and when I talk to the premed advisor she told me not to sweat it too much. Just keep studying hard and I think if you really want to be a doctor, you will be.

 

[MCAT guy]

Our exam today covered SEVEN chapters and given were 7 short answer essay questions, 5 of which we had to answer and 3 long essay questions, 2 of which were required. No MC at all. I really studied my ass off for this, trying to learn as much as possible considering everything was 'fair game' as her response pretty much was each time when asked. I also had a Calculus exam immediately before, of which I more or less panicked on and bombed because I was so intensely focused on wanting to spend my time on preparing for the Genetics exam, which Ive been studying for quite a bit lately. I went completely blank on it. I could only recall so little. It didn't help that our Cal A prof came down with a big illness last Mon, so we had this Russian dude/dept head come in and lose everyone. He returned Wed and Fri because she was out, and then we had a different guy fill in Mon and give the exam today, and who will be there through the final. So, I studied for this exam less b/c I felt comfortable, but went blank b/c I got stressed. So I ended up not only bombing that exam(where I had a mid B, working towards an A, but will be lucky to have a B now) but also my Genetics exam that currently puts me failing. I go from a 20 on exam 1, a 90 on exam 2 and then probably way back down on this one. I've got the full 25% plus extra for lab and pretty sure the full 10% for two one page papers required for lecture. I at this point would have to make damn near a perfect score on the final, which is cumulative, to just escape with a C. All because of ONE friggin bad day. Luckily both arent on the same day next week. Ive also begun to realize the difficulty with getting LORs for as well now after the only two profs at the univ., with whom I developed really good relationships with, and who knew my academic potential and character, are in prison prob for life(which she deserves) and my advisor of a year, whom she killed. So that's been a big bummer as well.

Im feeling pretty dejected right now...worthless to be exact...I told my lab teach I'm outta here, what's the point in trying to pursue med when I can barely make a C in a 200 level course but As and Bs in upper level neuro, gross and psychopharm. He tried to tell me don't worry, just pass it and move on, explain it later. I've set high standards for myself due to the bad GPA 10+ yrs ago, ironically at the same university, and that I would continue making high grades, so I'm not sure I can find comfort in his optimism I will say I've been to counseling over the past several weeks for other things, and so I'm not sure if the general anxiety I've dealt with can roll over into exams or what, and if so, what can be done.

Thanks

First off, relax.

Relax.

Like others said, take a step back. Do your best for now and think about the future later when your mind is clear.

Don't stress about the level of class. I've had 100 or 200 level classes that are 3 times harder than 400 level classes, it is usually because the professor sucks or is vague. Don't stress out. There is a reason people are doing well and a reason you didn't. It may just be anxiety issues, it may be strategy, it may be something else. Don't think it is because you don't have some magic ability, that is rarely the case. The people doing well are doing more reading or more practice or something, maybe they have better study habits.

Understand that you are jumping into this game late and they are in the middle of their prime, they have been students for the last decade and the ones you compete with are pre-med, so they are super intense students. Relax, you can do it, but you will need to find new approaches and be crafty.

Good luck