This is why I hate life.

[shockazulu]

I'm an UG at the University of Arizona. I transferred from a CC for this semester. My GPA over there was a 3.3 . (3 semesters, 50 credits) I had a 3.7 but my last semester there was similar to my last semester in High School. I didn't care (hence, how I ended up at a CC) Now, here at the UofA I have 3 A's and 1 B (a 3.75 GPA). 3 of my classes are science related and I've gained an interest in going to med school. I feel as if I cheated myself with my lackluster motivation and really regret mailing it in, not once, but twice.

The problem is I'm currently a Criminal Justice major. The only Med School prereq I have completed is English. I figured if I switched my major and gave myself a margin or error I will probably end up with a 3.5-3.6 gpa. The problem with that is that it would take me 2 more semesters( I set a goal for myself to grad in May of 2016 )to complete everything. If I were to switch majors completely and solely focus on finishing prereqs for Med School, I would be done rather quickly but there is no promise that I will actually get into even a DO school, or even enjoy those classes. Not to mention I'm not sure the U of A has a major that I could get into.

Lets say I finish my prereqs by the end of my junior year. Should I take the MCAT in that summer, then send in my applications? My GPA would be a 3.61. Ideally I don't want to take a gap year as I would feel like I was wasting time.

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[UTsksk]

You don't have to switch majors. Take the pre reqs and see how you feel after them. If you're worried about how long it'll take to finish the pre reqs, utilize summer classes. Did my physics and ochem over one summer. It wasn't fun but I got the grades I needed.

 

[chizledfrmstone]

Chill, relax, bear down!

I went to UA and with a similar GPA to what you're aiming for I got 8 interviews.

Btw, don't go to the pre-med advisors. They don't know jack ****.


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[AlbinoHawk DO]

Take the shortest path there. If that is your current major plus the requirements, go for it. If it is a change of major, do it. Don't stress out about getting in after your weak sort. The important thing is now you know and it won't repeat itself. A 3.5 is very respectable and reasonable for DO admittance.

 

[shockazulu]

=

Btw, don't go to the pre-med advisors. They don't know jack ****.

Wow, I was just on their little website figuring out how to arrange an appointment. May I ask why not? It seems like the easiest approach here would be to change my minor to "Pre Med" (Criminal Justice majors have to have a minor or another major for some reason). That way it wouldn't really be that difficult to take the prereqs and still graduate on time.

 

[chizledfrmstone]

Wow, I was just on their little website figuring out how to arrange an appointment. May I ask why not? It seems like the easiest approach here would be to change my minor to "Pre Med" (Criminal Justice majors have to have a minor or another major for some reason). That way it wouldn't really be that difficult to take the prereqs and still graduate on time.

For the sake of privacy I can't get into specifics but they often gave me wrong information. I graduated a few semesters ago so the advisors may have changed but it was a waste of time. At the time they looked down on DO schools.

Now I remember there was a pre med minor. You don't even need to officially have the pre med minor. Just take the classes. Your major advisor might be able to add it if you want.

PM me the profs who teach the pre reqs and I'll tell you if they're good.

Quit overthinking these things. You will be fine.


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[Mad Jack]

Slow the hell down OP. Your problem isn't your major, it's your impatience. If you take the MCAT next summer, you will not be adequately prepared and you will probably bomb it. You need to chill, finish up your degree, then do your prereqs afterward. Get in as many prereqs as you can before you graduate, but don't try to cram it all in. If you slow down, you will almost certainly get accepted to a DO school. But if you keep to this attitude of impatience, you will almost certainly fail. There is no such thing as wasted time in life- a gap year is a year that you can use to grow and develop as a person and applicant. It could very well be the best year of your life if you let it.

Living isn't about the destination, it's about the journey. If you're always in a hurry to get to the next place, you'll miss out on the life you could be living right now, and the next thing you know, you'll have been so busy hurrying from one destination to the next (med school, residency, fellowship, your first job, your first directorship, etc.) that you'll look around and realize you are old and dying and you missed out on everything by being so focused on the future.

 

[Goro]

100% agree. And Adcoms don't care about your major...we care that you do well in it.

Slow the hell down OP. Your problem isn't your major, it's your impatience. If you take the MCAT next summer, you will not be adequately prepared and you will probably bomb it. You need to chill, finish up your degree, then do your prereqs afterward. Get in as many prereqs as you can before you graduate, but don't try to cram it all in. If you slow down, you will almost certainly get accepted to a DO school. But if you keep to this attitude of impatience, you will almost certainly fail. There is no such thing as wasted time in life- a gap year is a year that you can use to grow and develop as a person and applicant. It could very well be the best year of your life if you let it.

Living isn't about the destination, it's about the journey. If you're always in a hurry to get to the next place, you'll miss out on the life you could be living right now, and the next thing you know, you'll have been so busy hurrying from one destination to the next (med school, residency, fellowship, your first job, your first directorship, etc.) that you'll look around and realize you are old and dying and you missed out on everything by being so focused on the future.

 

[DocWinter]

What's the issue? Take MadJacks advice, cool your jets and finish off your Bachelors in your Criminal Justice program. Take the science pre-reqs either during or after your bachelors and do well in them. Enjoy your summer, do well in classes and give yourself a break if you don't meet every goal you set for yourself before you knew what you wanted to do and what you were capable of. Ease up, man. you'll be fine.

 

[jab1990]

Lmao chillax dude

 

[WalSlave]

As others have said, you're putting the cart waaay before the horse. Get your feet wet with some actual science pre-reqs before you start freaking out. I personally can't imagine knowing for certain I wanted to go to med school without first taking some chemistry and biology or at the very least shadowing/volunteering, but I know that is variable from person to person. Take it slow and focus on getting A's in your pre-reqs rather than finishing them as fast as possible. Good luck.

 

[NCOldie]

Take it from someone who has switched majors more than Elizabeth Taylor had marriages, stick to the major you have! Fit the prereqs in when you can. If you can minor in "pre-med", then do that option. If your school has that option, then that's wonderful.
Oh, and you may not want to say "...but there is no promise that I will actually get into even a DO school...", especially when you've posted in the Pre-DO section. lol
Relax!

 

[shockazulu]

Thanks for the Advice guys. Luckily for me UofA has a Pre Med minor and Criminal Justice requires another Major or a Minor (I have no idea why). Anyway, It is 100% possible for me to do the prereqs next year while staying on schedule to Graduate in May of '16. I know it seems as though I am "rushing" but I can't help it . I have periods (like now) of extra hyperactivity when nothing can get done fast enough, then I have periods where I couldn't care any less (last semester at CC) I really want this, and figure better now than later.

 

[medickdb]

Thanks for the Advice guys. Luckily for me UofA has a Pre Med minor and Criminal Justice requires another Major or a Minor (I have no idea why). Anyway, It is 100% possible for me to do the prereqs next year while staying on schedule to Graduate in May of '16. I know it seems as though I am "rushing" but I can't help it . I have periods (like now) of extra hyperactivity when nothing can get done fast enough, then I have periods where I couldn't care any less (last semester at CC) I really want this, and figure better now than later.

Just don't overload yourself.

 

[abn632]

Slow down, take a look at the long view and then consider all of your options. I'll assume that you were at Pima CC. If speed of knocking out your prereqs is an issue, then return to Pima. You can crank out both gen chem and organic chem in one year (each class is 8 weeks, with labs, Saturday and Sunday). Physics I can be knocked out this summer and physics II this fall. I believe they offer half semester courses in both Bio I and Bio II, but I don't know. Pima CC will give you the speed that you desire - then again, this late in this semester, they're probably all full by now for the summer and fall.

With that in mind, speed isn't necessarily your friend. The MCAT is a rough test - if you're the kind of person that just memorizes enough to get through an exam, then the MCAT will ruin you. We know nothing of your learning style, but fast-paced courses are good for checking the block but they may not provide you with enough time to truly understand the material. The new MCAT will test on other subjects so you'll have to figure out a way to squeeze those in, too. The biggest takeaway from this post is to not rush it. Don't set an artificial deadline (May 2016) if it's unrealistic, if it's too difficult, etc.

TLDR: Don't rush. Plan it out. Calm down.

 

[Ailleurs]

would be done rather quickly but there is no promise that I will actually get into even a DO school, or even enjoy those classes.
^ You do realize that there is a DO/MD residency merger in the works? For your information, DO students actually take the same classes and learn the same things, and perhaps even more than most MD students (this is what I've heard).

And you hate your life? That is a rather strong statement don't you think? There are people who would KILL (not officially of course) to be in your situation. People have been busting their butt to get where they are and I suggest you do the same minus the attitude. Perhaps you can take a lesson in humility or two. And it doesn't hurt to take a semester or two in the process. It might even change your attitude, which will come in handy when it comes to interview time.