What are my chances really!? Nontraditional applicant

[Futuremedchick]

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Stats:
Graduated from an HBCU CGPA: 3.61
Major: Psychology, Minors: Spanish and Leadership Studies
Served as President and Vice President of Psi Chi( Psychology Honor Society) and Corresponding Secretary for Alpha Mu Gamma (Foreign Language Honor Society)
Logged 100 hrs shadowing a local pediatrician, and next week I begin volunteering in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Currently I am waiting to hear back from a postbacc program I applied to, however I have begun taking prereqs at the local community college.

I was originally a biology freshman year and got a C, C, and A in the science courses I did complete. My senior year of college I decided that I wanted to go back to my first love which is medicine. I made all A's both semesters senior year, and I currently have A's in the science courses I am taking now. As much as I want to become a physician, I feel like I'm not competitive enough. With these stats is it possible to become a physician or am I not being realistic at all?

Thanks for your time and response!!!

 

[Catalystik]

Stats:
Graduated from an HBCU CGPA: 3.61
Major: Psychology, Minors: Spanish and Leadership Studies
Served as President and Vice President of Psi Chi( Psychology Honor Society) and Corresponding Secretary for Alpha Mu Gamma (Foreign Language Honor Society)
Logged 100 hrs shadowing a local pediatrician, and next week I begin volunteering in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Currently I am waiting to hear back from a postbacc program I applied to, however I have begun taking prereqs at the local community college.

I was originally a biology freshman year and got a C, C, and A in the science courses I did complete. My senior year of college I decided that I wanted to go back to my first love which is medicine. I made all A's both semesters senior year, and I currently have A's in the science courses I am taking now. As much as I want to become a physician, I feel like I'm not competitive enough. With these stats is it possible to become a physician or am I not being realistic at all?

Thanks for your time and response!!!

The average MD acceptee BCPM GPA is 3.61, which is a good goal for you to aim for. For each C, four equal-weight As would be needed to negate their negative effect and return your BCPM to this baseline. Considering your current progress, and your already-good cGPA, this should be achievable for you. Even if you don't quite make it, a steep upward grade trend usually reflects positively. Just don't let your grades take a dive when you start at the four-year school. Besides the standard prerequisites, many schools also require/recommend Biochem, stats, and some upper-level Bio. These will give you further opportunities to shine.

 

[Futuremedchick]

Great! Thank you for your words of encouragement.

 

[Catalystik]

Your leadership and shadowing look good. The neonatal ICU will be a good place to view intensive medicine. Eventually, you might like to broaden your experience with sick people and spend some time with patients old enough to communicate with you better.

Teaching and nonmedical community service are also of benefit to an application (these could be combined into a single activity), as would be a research experience (might be available in the NICU).

 

[Futuremedchick]

I completed 400 hrs of community service because I served as a mentor/tutor to a young lady who attends my church. I tutored her in Math and Spanish. Moreover, I was a research assistant in the Psychology dept. It wasn't clinically based, so I wasn't sure if it would still be relevant when it comes to applying for medical school.

 

[Catalystik]

I completed 400 hrs of community service because I served as a mentor/tutor to a young lady who attends my church. I tutored her in Math and Spanish. Moreover, I was a research assistant in the Psychology dept. It wasn't clinically based, so I wasn't sure if it would still be relevant when it comes to applying for medical school.

All this sounds great. So long as the research is hypothesis based and you have an understanding of the research method used, it will help you.

 

[Futuremedchick]

Awesome! Thank you so much!