What are my chances

[DrMeggers]

I'm currently in my first semester as a senior in college. I just started my pre med classes in Spring of my Junior year and I'm already making below average grades. Im a Psychology major with a Philosophy minor so my GPA currently stands at a 3.56 but I'm afriand that low B's and C's (possibly an F that I will be retaking in Physics 2 since if I dont pass the Lab portion I fail the whole course). These pre-med courses are just going to keep lowering my GPA. I'm trying to be realistic with myself... I'm just not a naturally smart person. I'm failing to understand the core bio/chem/physics topics. I realize I'm fairly early in the game so theres still pleanty of time to raise or at least maintain my GPA but I'm really trying and have already made 1 AB & B (bio 1/stats at community college), C & C (Physics/Chem 1 at 4-year). Then this semester of a possible F... Theres an obvious downward trend and I'm pretty sure its going to continue.

Its always been my dream to become at psychiatrist, none of the other physician fields intrest me to be honest. I know this is a bad mindset, but from my understanding psychiatry is fairly less competive field compared to other medical professions. I also wish to specialize in PTSD and plan to join the military after I graduate durning my 2nd (or 3rd?) gap year since I will obviously be a 5th year senior next year.

For Ec: I will have around 150 hours at Mayo Clinic as transporter/hospise volunteer and 60 hours at a nursing home for playing BINGO (both long term), and then just general short term volunteering at the Polar Plunge, Meals on wheels, and other local organizations totaling about 30 hours. I plan to do a Wisconsin express AHEC program that will look at how medicine works in a prison enviornment this spring and I hope to volunteer at a local veterans help support group place next semester. Otherwise I dont have any expirence in the health profession as an actual job, I work as a waitress and am not willing to give this up due to money concerns.

I do not have any recomedation letters, no research expirence, have not started studing for the MCAT (plan to take after all my pre-med courses next spring) but I will do it early enough to do the application early, and I dont care how much it costs I will apply very broadly (15-25 schools) and I'm 100% okay with DO schools.

I have been very stressed out these past few years and I'm unsure if medicine is even a possibility to me if my grades continue to be C's in pre-med courses. I'm not a great test taker so I'm worried that my MCAT wont be impressive either. Also I'm pretty narrow minded in that I only want to be a psychiatrist. My plan B would be to go into councling through a Masters/PhD in Psychology but I would much prefer the medical school rout at this point. If I choose to do grad school I could graduate on time (this year), if I choose med-school it would be an extra year of schooling and then waiting around for 1/2 years during application process since I will apply a second time if I dont get in the first time around. Im not opposed to "wasting" my time since this it what I truely want to do. Any advice would be much appreciated.

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[deleted953743]

3.5-6 GPA is barely good enough for some DO schools if you apply broadly but never fall below that.

Actually 3.5-3.6 is already very decent for even the competitive DO schools. With OP's hours in both clinical and non-clinical volunteering, it would not be a long shot at all to get into a DO school, especially considering the hours they'll accumulate with a 5th year. It could even offset a low GPA like 3.0-3.3, depending on school. Of course, when MCAT comes around, that's an important factor to consider later.

OP, don't give up on yourself before events even transpire. Med schools aren't looking for naturally gifted people. They would rather have students who work hard to overcome their weaknesses and have the ability to learn from their shortcomings. You CAN succeed in BCPM courses with enough passion and hard work. I'm not sure how you manage your courses right now, but there's always room to improve. Change up your study style. Have a study buddy. Go to your professor's office hours. Utilize your campus's academic resources. Find a tutor. If you really want to be a psychiatrist, you will overcome. If you already have a couple of C's, it's okay. You have time to reinvent yourself. Who says there's a timeline to follow? If you need to take a 6th year to improve your GPA, do it. I've seen people dig themselves up from < 3.0. Research isn't make it or break it either. If you did it to check off a box and not because you actually wanted to contribute to science, it will show to adcoms.You are still in a very good position to get in med school.