Undergrad Classes After Masters in Biomedical Sciences

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[heybubbaa]

Do you have an MCAT score?

 

[238460]

Why put urself through all this trouble? If you havent taken the mcat yet..study well and make sure u do well ..actually VERY WELL on the mcat...instead of wasting time and money repeating those classes.

 

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@heybubbaa @238460
Thank you for your responses! I haven't taken the MCAT yet, I will be taking it in Jan. 2017.
I'm not sure what schools will think of my low GPA, and I hear that some schools (allopathic, I believe) screen at a 3.25 cut off (is this true?)

If I take 24 credit hours (science), I can raise my AMCAS GPA to a 3.3 cGPA and 3.35 sGPA (I think I can do well in my state school's classes, since I was able to obtain good grades in my post bacc program)

 

[heybubbaa]

@heybubbaa @238460
Thank you for your responses! I haven't taken the MCAT yet, I will be taking it in Jan. 2017.
I'm not sure what schools will think of my low GPA, and I hear that some schools (allopathic, I believe) screen at a 3.25 cut off (is this true?)

Your MD GPA is very low - and right now you need to decide if you want to gun for MD, or if you would rather try for DO. I'll be honest, for MD you will need a very high MCAT score, which is why I was curious if you had taken the MCAT. For DO, your GPA is slightly below average, but with the post-bac work, it really shouldn't hold you back. Right now, I think it would be practical to aim for DO, and if that means retaking Cs, then I don't think that would be a bad idea as replacing a C/D/F with an A at this point is the only thing that will have a major impact on your overall GPA. Start shadowing DOs, and try to get a good DO letter of rec. My best advice is to aim for DO, and if you end up doing very well on the MCAT, then you can start thinking about MD. And for DO you will still need a good MCAT score, so plan accordingly.

And some MD schools screen at 3.3 - but from what I've heard, if there are screens in place they are usually for the MCAT. I know many people who have gotten into good MD schools with GPAs lower than yours. Of course, they all had very good MCAT scores.

 

[windowls]

Thank you, @heybubbaa
If I do obtain a good MCAT score early next year, would it be wise to take a semester full of upper level bio courses that I haven't taken at that point? That way, it'll increase my GPA for AMCAS, and show adcoms that I can handle a full course load and do well in it?
This fall, I am leaning towards re-taking the C and focus on the MCAT

 

[238460]

Thank you, @heybubbaa
If I do obtain a good MCAT score early next year, would it be wise to take a semester full of upper level bio courses that I haven't taken at that point? That way, it'll increase my GPA for AMCAS, and show adcoms that I can handle a full course load and do well in it?
This fall, I am leaning towards re-taking the C and focus on the MCAT

Do make sure retaking those "C" classes will not hurt your MCAT study time...i think this test can make a major difference. Like @heybubba said.. there are people with lower GPA that get into MD schools. Just make sure you do well in your re-takes and on the exam. Retaking the classes isn't a bad idea.

But you have done a post-bacc program already isnt that "upper level bio courses?" OR didn't it include some upper level classes like cell biology, neurosciences ...etc so why would you want to take them again the fall?

 

[windowls]

Do make sure retaking those "C" classes will not hurt your MCAT study time...i think this test can make a major difference. Like @heybubba said.. there are people with lower GPA that get into MD schools. Just make sure you do well in your re-takes and on the exam. Retaking the classes isn't a bad idea.

But you have done a post-bacc program already isnt that "upper level bio courses?" OR didn't it include some upper level classes like cell biology, neurosciences ...etc so why would you want to take them again the fall?

The post bac program was a Master's level program and was essentially all science courses, since it is geared for academic enhancement for med school admissions. Since it was graduate level, that GPA won't be factored into my undergrad GPA. That's why I am thinking about taking some upper division bio courses at the undergraduate level, so it would boost my undergraduate GPA.