Totally confused nursing student

[sc4s2cg]

Hello

I am a nursing student at Kent State University, realized being a doctor would really take me on the road I set out for myself just last spring (2009). After reading a book about the MCAT, med school, and the application process, I started to panic that maybe, just maybe, I could be too late. But I did the following anyways:

1. Took Gen Chem one and two (with labs) over the summer 09
2. Talked with advisors in fall 09 and spring 10
3. Took trig in the fall of 09
4. Failed a nursing class in the fall 09 (D), was overloaded
5. Took calculus spring 10, successfully passed nursing class (B)
6. Volunteered with Hospice in spring 10
7. Found my (first) job at the child development center in spring 10

My GPA currently is 3.54 (overall). I have the following sciences under my belt, none of the bios are part of the premed curriculum but am told that med schools won't hold these against me either:

1. Biological Structure and Function (C my very first semester of college in Fall 07. Retook again in Fall 08 and got A)
2. Fundamentals of Chemistry (C+ very first Fall 07, A in Summer 08)
3. Basic Microbiology (B- in Spring 08)
4. Intro to Organic Chemistry (B- in Spring 08)
5. Modeling Algebra (A in Fall 08, nursing requirement. Turned out acceptable Trig prereq too)
6. Human Physiology (A in Spring 09)
7. General Chemistry I (B), I Lab (A), II (A), II Lab (A) all in Summer 09
8. Human Genetics (B in Fall 09)
9. Trigonometry (A in Fall 09)
10. Analytic Geometry and Calculus I (A- in Spring 10)
11. Research Methods in Psychology (A in Spring 10)

My Science+Math GPA as of now is 3.39. The maximum I can get, assuming I get A's in Ochem I + II including all labs, and Physics I + II including all labs is a 3.55.

So I've been getting a lot of contradictory reports. Guidance says my biology courses are fine for both MCAT and Med School. Students warned me against believing everything guidance says, shared horror stories of other nursing students who found out that the courses "do not transfer".

Question 1: Am I good with my sciences? Is my science GPA (3.39 now, max 3.55) OK?

Plan so far:

1. Take Organic Chemistry I + Lab, and II + Lab this summer (June 14-August 27)
2. Take Physics I in Fall 10
3. Take Physics II in Spring 11
4. MCAT in May, more likely June or July 2011
5. Apply to med school ???
6. NCLEX (nursing board exam) in Spring 2012 or Winter 2011, depending if I can handle taking a summer nursing course after MCAT

Question 2: Just to confirm, I apply to med school one year after I took the MCAT and got good results, correct?

A med student I know told me to start studying for the MCAT this summer if I am taking it in Spring/Summer 2011. So I got a bunch of MCAT books loaded in my room now, however today I was reading some threads on the board and found that people recommend to study no more than 3-6 months before the MCAT. Question: When do I start studying?

As to EC (I assume that is "extracurricular activities"?) my plan is the following:

1. Hospice throughout my years, started in Spring 11
2. Continue volunteering at the church nursery, started 3-5 years ago
3. Continue working at the Child Development Center part time, max 10 hours/week. This because (in order) I love children, plan to be a pediatrist, need the experience, need the money, need to show I care for people for the application process
4. Be more active with Amnesty International throughout the years, didn't participate this semester because of night classes (calculus and research)
5. Become a member of PhIDE, a premed organization I think. Guidance recommended
6. Clinicals basically cover my "experience in a hospital"
7. Research running and it's effects on emotional stability in summer 11. This because I see many talk of research on the forums and RL, and I conveniently had to outline a "fake" research for my research methods class
8. Shadow a doctor in either summer 10, 11, or 12

Question 3: Is this not enough? Too much?

I am also a runner, and as soon as I get rid of this Runner's Knee (PFS), I plan to retrain myself and get ready for a marathon in Spring 11. Good distraction before/after MCAT.

Question 4: Does running count as an EC? I use it for my own sanity and emotional, psychological, and physical discipline. Or is this just a "hobby", even as ingrained it is into my life?

I am at a loss as to organizations. Does PhIDE and AI count? Are they good?

Question 5: As a foreign student who moved to the US with his family in 1997, and went back to Hungary twice, will ESL hurt my MCAT?

Final, overall, question 6 Is my plan of action appropriate? I can't decide whether this will be just too much for me or not enough for medical school. I am also uncertain as to how my preparation for MCAT will go, when to start. The nursing program's exams are all application based, so in a year or so I will be fine with regards to applying information given to me to real life situations. Problem is, I'm not sure if this is good for MCAT or not. Will this go against me?

And I had one more question that completely escaped as I was writing. But I would like to submit this before I do anything else, see what you guys say.

Thank you for reading this far, any help is greatly appreciated.

Question 7: Should I take the MCAT in Spring 2011, and go to med school in Fall 2012 (and risk burnout or the vacation effect); take MCAT Spring 2011, and apply to med school Fall 2012 to get into med school Fall 2013 (and risk the one year effect) ; take MCAT Spring 2012, and apply to med school Fall 2012 to get into med school Fall 2013 (but risk my NCLEX and MCAT scores)?

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[nm8948]

Your cGPA of 3.54 is good but can use a little work, I would aim for atleast for a 3.6. I didn't see that you calculated your sGPA? If I overlooked it I apologize, but your sGPA should be atleast a 3.6 for a good chance of getting into a med school. I think you should get some more clinical volunteering/shadowing and some non-medical based volunteering, such as volunteering at a local food bank. As far as the MCAT goes, you need to take physics and organic before taking the test, and you should aim for a 30 or higher. If you find some schools that you are interested in you should look at that schools standards and required or recommended course work and see what you are lacking or do have. That's all I can think of right now, good luck! Oh and I would say that the running would not count as an EC but rather as a hobby unless you are on the track team or any sort of team.

 

[Catalystik]

1) You didn't state your BCPM GPA which consiists of all science and math classes.
2) You apply to med school in the summer 15 months before you matriculate. You can take your MCAT at any time, from two years earlier to after you've submitted your application (assuming some confidence of what your score will be).
3) "Real" research, leadership, and teaching experience would also strengthen your application.
4) In the AMCAS "Experiences" section, Hobbies is a selectable category where your running would fit nicely. Clubs don't help much unless you assume a leadership role.
5) ESL people are more likely to have trouble with the verbal score, but after living in the states 13 years, you are unlikely to have a problem with that. If you are not a citizen or green card holder, it will be much more difficult to get into a US med school.
6) There is a good plan for MCAT study stickied to the top of the MCAT Discussion Forum. Whether the science you've taken will be rigorous enough to help you excel on the MCAT remains to be seen. Why not look in some of the books you bought and see if the Bio question content looks familiar or not.

 

[sc4s2cg]

Wow, thank you for the quick replies!

Just calculated sGPA.

Right now it is 3.39, including all the repeats. The maximum sGPA I can get now is a 3.55, assuming I get all A's in Ochem and Physics.

This is including Modeling Algebra, Trig, and Calc I. I added these to the OP.

nm8948, would Red Cross count as a non-medical volunteering opportunity? Was looking at them today, so just wondering. I will definitely look into the food banks around here too.

2) Catalystik, by 15 months do you mean applying to med school 15 months before I would like to be accepted by? And take the MCAT whenever?
3) Catalystik, would my being a sub/TA at the child development center count as leadership/teaching? I never actually taught as a teacher, but was in charge of a group of 2-6 year olds in various situations. Teaching came when rules had to be reinforced.

 

[Catalystik]

2) Catalystik, by 15 months do you mean applying to med school 15 months before I would like to be accepted by? And take the MCAT whenever?
3) Catalystik, would my being a sub/TA at the child development center count as leadership/teaching? I never actually taught as a teacher, but was in charge of a group of 2-6 year olds in various situations. Teaching came when rules had to be reinforced.

2) If one applied June 2010 and got an acceptance during that application season, med school classes might begin as late as September 2011 at some schools (but most start in August, some in June/July). So matriculation could occur as late as 15 months after application. MCAT is usually taken right before or around the time of application, but some take it 2-3 years before they apply (and a rare school takes scores as old as 4-10 years).

3) I feel that "Teaching" refers to activities that translate into the ability that physicians must have to motivate and educate patients to do what is necessary to care for themselves and other family members. So I would not list teaching 2-6 year-olds under Teaching. "Leadership" refers to peer leadership. So call it Community Service or Employment instead. JMO.

 

[sc4s2cg]

Thank you.

Any thoughts on the cGPA/sGPA?

 

[Catalystik]

A 3.54/3.39 are both below the medians for accepted students of 3.66/3.6, but not too far off. The closer you get to the medians, the better, and the less strength you'll need in your MCAT score to compensate.

 

[sc4s2cg]

Thank you so much Catalystik

So I just entered my grades into an excel worksheet for premed students, and I have a few questions.

Do we count *all* math and sciences? For example, statistics was required for my nursing major, but is not needed on the MCAT. Do I count that towards the sGPA? Because if so, my sGPA just shot up to a 3.42 and the maximum I can get is a 3.59, enhancing my chances. My cGPA can shoot up drastically over the next two years so that is no worry. 3.62 with only the Ochem and Physics and Cell Bio counted, no LERs or Nursing classes.

Another question is, is "Cell Biology" required for the MCAT?

 

[Catalystik]

Yes, you count all math and science. For statistics, even if it has a NURS code in front of the course number, list it as MATH.

Cell Bio is not required for the MCAT, but along with Genetics, Biochem, and Physiology, may enhance your ability to do better (and they also have some value at the med school level).

 

[sc4s2cg]

Hm..so "Research Methods in Psychology" was about the theory behind the statistics, and how scientists/researchers use them. I assume that wouldn't count as either science nor math correct?

Also, my university only counts the best grade out of the retaken classes for the cGPA. Do med schools recalculate with all grades, or take the uni cGPA at face value?

I remembered my last question from the OP.

I am at a crosspoint. I cannot figure out whether to take the MCAT next year in the spring, or the year after that. The dilemma is this: since medical school is in the 100,000$s, I was figuring I may take a year off and work as a nurse to accumulate some money. However, I am afraid of three things:

1. Taking the MCAT around the same time as, most likely after the NCLEX by delaying it from next year to 2012, would effect the MCAT score.
2. Taking a year off to get money might make it harder to get into "studying" mode in med school, if accepted, and thus the extra money would be spent on retaking classes...if that is even allowed.
3. I would also like to take a couple weeks to go to Taize and vacate over the summer, however I am unsure as to how, again, this would effect my ability to get back into the study mode. I have taken summer classes throughout my college career.

Question 7: Should I take the MCAT in Spring 2011, and go to med school in Fall 2012 (and risk burnout or the vacation effect); take MCAT Spring 2011, and apply to med school Fall 2012 to get into med school Fall 2013 (and risk the one year effect) ; take MCAT Spring 2012, and apply to med school Fall 2012 to get into med school Fall 2013 (but risk my NCLEX and MCAT scores)?

 

[Catalystik]

1) "Research Methods in Psychology" was about the theory behind the statistics, and how scientists/researchers use them. I assume that wouldn't count as either science nor math correct?

2) Also, my university only counts the best grade out of the retaken classes for the cGPA. Do med schools recalculate with all grades, or take the uni cGPA at face value?

3) I am at a crosspoint. I cannot figure out whether to take the MCAT next year in the spring, or the year after that. The dilemma is this: since medical school is in the 100,000$s, I was figuring I may take a year off and work as a nurse to accumulate some money. However, I am afraid of three things:

1. Taking the MCAT around the same time as, most likely after the NCLEX by delaying it from next year to 2012, would effect the MCAT score.
2. Taking a year off to get money might make it harder to get into "studying" mode in med school, if accepted, and thus the extra money would be spent on retaking classes...if that is even allowed.
3. I would also like to take a couple weeks to go to Taize and vacate over the summer, however I am unsure as to how, again, this would effect my ability to get back into the study mode. I have taken summer classes throughout my college career.

Question 7: Should I take the MCAT in Spring 2011, and go to med school in Fall 2012 (and risk burnout or the vacation effect); take MCAT Spring 2011, and apply to med school Fall 2012 to get into med school Fall 2013 (and risk the one year effect) ; take MCAT Spring 2012, and apply to med school Fall 2012 to get into med school Fall 2013 (but risk my NCLEX and MCAT scores)?

1) I doubt it.

2) AMCAS (MD) requires all your transcripts. They will include all grades earned. AACOMAS (DO) only includes the most recent grade (not the best).

3) (7) It is for you to judge your own capability and time management skills. There is no rush. Do what is best for you, when you are ready to do it. Even folks in their late 20s, 30s, and older get into med school.

 

[sc4s2cg]

2) If my previous nursing class is counted, that will certainly limit my chances. With that, the maximum possible (if I am a 4.0 student from this summer's ochem on) cGPA I may get is a 3.59, instead of a 3.66. sGPA will, of course, stay the same. Although I assume that the sudden change in grades, especially if 4.0 or 3.8-9ish, after that course mistake would be considered in my application/interview? This is rather discouraging.

If this hurts my chances, I assume I will have to consider a DO vs. an MD.

 

[MiniMoo]

A ~3.5 is a little bit below average, but it won't put you out of the running for allopathic schools provided you do well on the MCAT (30+). I had a 3.5 and did just fine.

 

[Catalystik]

If this hurts my chances, I assume I will have to consider a DO vs. an MD.

One bad grade will not put you out of the running for MD. If you need more time to bring up your GPA because perfect 4.0s aren't in your future, you can always take more classes in summer school, during a fifth year in college, or as postbaccalaureate classes.

And DO med schools are available if you like their location, philosophy (not so different from MD anymore), or need some academic forgiveness.