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What should I do?@DrMidlife/robflanker/anyone
Started by Paean1
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Even though I'm not an expert but I'll give you my take on it.
1) Do I need to worry about the C- in orgo 2?
The whole purpose of the SMP is to overcome low GPA so I don't think it'd be a big deal if you do well in the SMP. (Hey, be glad you didn't fail it!)
2)Which 3 smps/master programs do you think I have the best shot at if I apply this week?
So, your professors have already written the letters for you and everything? I'd say that's the part that takes the longest. But if your application is ready to be sent in complete this week I don't think you are too late. People get into programs in may, june and even july so I wouldn't sweat it. Even if you get into a waitlist somewhere the chance of moving off of it is very high in the summer since acceptance yield for these programs are super low from the seems of it. So instead of looking at places where you think have the best shot at, apply to the places that you think you will benefit mostly from. Your stats are not that low for SMPs and won't rule you out of any. But since it is getting on the later end of the cycle, I would apply a bit more broadly.. personally I would apply to 5+.
3)Should I be trying to volunteer somewhere or shadow someone right now to help buff my resume even though there's only 1 month of school left?
So, I woulnd't recommend starting a new volunteering experience just to do it only for a month. Adcoms are looking for long, continuous commitment and 1 month might do you more harm than good unless it's something AMAZING. Shadowing on the other hand, yes by all means go for it if you can land one. It's not meant to be a long commitment anyway, and you don't get much out of it by doing more than 20 hours on the same person.
4)Do my summer plans make sense? Is there anything else I should be doing?
Seems good to me! Id try to take it a bit easy.. you are going to have to work your butt off in the SMP for the whole year, so I wouldn't go in to it burnt out.
5) Should I ask for recs from my current teachers, or just wait until the masters program?
I would recommend using a quiver service such as interfolio. You never know what's going to happen. Ask your professors to tweak your SMP letter a bit to make it a med school rec (shouldn't be too hard since they should be similiar anyway). Then, you can pick and choose which to send after you have taken your SMP classes and evalulate the potential strength of letters that your SMP professors can provide. Much better than going back on your current professors down the road when they don't remember you as well.
6)When applying to the masters programs, should I mention my illnesses and injury, which I believe I have moved past, or should I just focus on positive things?
Who says your mental illness can't be a positive thing? If it helped you learn and become a stronger, more disciplined person by overcoming it, then you can certainly turn that into an asset.
7) Does my timeline sound right? Is there anything else you suggest?
I think your plans are pretty solid! Don't be so hard on yourself 🙂 I hope this helped. Best of luck to you
1) Do I need to worry about the C- in orgo 2?
The whole purpose of the SMP is to overcome low GPA so I don't think it'd be a big deal if you do well in the SMP. (Hey, be glad you didn't fail it!)
2)Which 3 smps/master programs do you think I have the best shot at if I apply this week?
So, your professors have already written the letters for you and everything? I'd say that's the part that takes the longest. But if your application is ready to be sent in complete this week I don't think you are too late. People get into programs in may, june and even july so I wouldn't sweat it. Even if you get into a waitlist somewhere the chance of moving off of it is very high in the summer since acceptance yield for these programs are super low from the seems of it. So instead of looking at places where you think have the best shot at, apply to the places that you think you will benefit mostly from. Your stats are not that low for SMPs and won't rule you out of any. But since it is getting on the later end of the cycle, I would apply a bit more broadly.. personally I would apply to 5+.
3)Should I be trying to volunteer somewhere or shadow someone right now to help buff my resume even though there's only 1 month of school left?
So, I woulnd't recommend starting a new volunteering experience just to do it only for a month. Adcoms are looking for long, continuous commitment and 1 month might do you more harm than good unless it's something AMAZING. Shadowing on the other hand, yes by all means go for it if you can land one. It's not meant to be a long commitment anyway, and you don't get much out of it by doing more than 20 hours on the same person.
4)Do my summer plans make sense? Is there anything else I should be doing?
Seems good to me! Id try to take it a bit easy.. you are going to have to work your butt off in the SMP for the whole year, so I wouldn't go in to it burnt out.
5) Should I ask for recs from my current teachers, or just wait until the masters program?
I would recommend using a quiver service such as interfolio. You never know what's going to happen. Ask your professors to tweak your SMP letter a bit to make it a med school rec (shouldn't be too hard since they should be similiar anyway). Then, you can pick and choose which to send after you have taken your SMP classes and evalulate the potential strength of letters that your SMP professors can provide. Much better than going back on your current professors down the road when they don't remember you as well.
6)When applying to the masters programs, should I mention my illnesses and injury, which I believe I have moved past, or should I just focus on positive things?
Who says your mental illness can't be a positive thing? If it helped you learn and become a stronger, more disciplined person by overcoming it, then you can certainly turn that into an asset.
7) Does my timeline sound right? Is there anything else you suggest?
I think your plans are pretty solid! Don't be so hard on yourself 🙂 I hope this helped. Best of luck to you
Home state? If California or New York, say so, otherwise at least state your region.
I don't see an SMP as the next step here. I see more undergrad as the next step. Your GPAs are both too low for an SMP to get you into a US MD school. Too much competition, and SMPs are neither special nor secret any more. Try to add a minor or major to extend your undergrad career and keep that 4.0 going. You might still need an SMP after doing another year of undergrad. Them's the breaks.
Yes you need to worry about that C-, generally, because the typical requirement for prereqs is "no less than a C".
You should be collecting LORs all the time. Every professor is an LOR until shown otherwise. Go to office hours and ask intelligent questions and become known.
Just start doing clinical volunteering/work all the time. You're late to that party so just get started on something now. Residencies want to see EC's too.
I don't think an MCAT retake makes sense until your undergrad GPAs are higher.
Generally you want to have a short, confidence-raising explanation for your academic anomalies. Do not put this in your PS. Apps almost always have a section for "explain any academic anomalies". I would NOT mention mental illness.
Best of luck to you.
I don't see an SMP as the next step here. I see more undergrad as the next step. Your GPAs are both too low for an SMP to get you into a US MD school. Too much competition, and SMPs are neither special nor secret any more. Try to add a minor or major to extend your undergrad career and keep that 4.0 going. You might still need an SMP after doing another year of undergrad. Them's the breaks.
Yes you need to worry about that C-, generally, because the typical requirement for prereqs is "no less than a C".
You should be collecting LORs all the time. Every professor is an LOR until shown otherwise. Go to office hours and ask intelligent questions and become known.
Just start doing clinical volunteering/work all the time. You're late to that party so just get started on something now. Residencies want to see EC's too.
I don't think an MCAT retake makes sense until your undergrad GPAs are higher.
Generally you want to have a short, confidence-raising explanation for your academic anomalies. Do not put this in your PS. Apps almost always have a section for "explain any academic anomalies". I would NOT mention mental illness.
Best of luck to you.
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I've asked this here before, so I'd like to chime in. I agree with DrMidlife that you should worry about that C-, in that it's a bad grade in an important class, and because there are medical schools that don't consider it a passing grade.
However, if for whatever reason you can't retake it, you would be able to find schools that consider it a passing grade. I had this question last year, so I called somewhere between 15-20 mid- to low-tier M.D. programs to ask if they would take a C-. I think 3 offices said "No.*" Some of the schools that said "Yes" (RFU comes to mind) actually state on their websites that "No less than a C is acceptable," yet their office told me that a C- was still considered passing. FWIW, I wound up retaking my C- anyway.
I'd personally recommend retaking it, since it would help your grades and since there are schools that don't accept a C-. But if you can't retake it for some reason, you'd still be able to apply to a number of schools. Why restrict your options if you can avoid it, though?
*EVMS was one of the schools that said "No," and they have a prominent SMP program (which has the same C- policy,) so that's probably an important consideration.
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Wow, I have near identical stats - right down to the C- in orgo 2, "top 50" school, and gpa. I have some questions too, if you guys don't mind answering. I am retaking the orgo class right now though.
I am hoping to get a job as a scribe for this next year and possibly taking a couple of science classes to bump up my GPA - does this sound at all feasible? I know a scribe job is intensive, but during the interview, they said the job centered on two "busy" full days and 2 "half-days", so I have 3 days to take a class.
My plan is to apply for a SMP during my scribe year. One program I like in particular is RFU BMS. Do you think, with this plan I will be able to matriculate into a MD or DO by 2016? Any other advice? Do you think I could apply for RFU or another SMP this late in the game (it would be more like May or June 1), or should I just try for the next application cycle?
I am hoping to get a job as a scribe for this next year and possibly taking a couple of science classes to bump up my GPA - does this sound at all feasible? I know a scribe job is intensive, but during the interview, they said the job centered on two "busy" full days and 2 "half-days", so I have 3 days to take a class.
My plan is to apply for a SMP during my scribe year. One program I like in particular is RFU BMS. Do you think, with this plan I will be able to matriculate into a MD or DO by 2016? Any other advice? Do you think I could apply for RFU or another SMP this late in the game (it would be more like May or June 1), or should I just try for the next application cycle?
I've also been wondering whether to retake all science classes that I got a C in (I can't retake them at my current university b/c they will not let you retake a C) or just try to find other science classes? I've already taken most undergrad bio classes.
Also, can I take the post bacc classes at my state uni or do I need to take them at my current school (reason I ask is because state is much cheaper).
Also, can I take the post bacc classes at my state uni or do I need to take them at my current school (reason I ask is because state is much cheaper).
For non-A students who want to go to med school:
1: Figure out why you don't usually get A's in hard science and FIX THOSE PROBLEMS or don't go to med school. I could not be more serious about this. Take your focus off any one good/bad exam score and look at your long term record. Your competition doesn't have trouble spots. Those trouble spots will come back to you MONTHLY during med school. If you have a history of getting bored, getting depressed, going through major dramatic breakups, fighting with your roommates, blaming other people for your poor performance, burning out etc. then you have a FUTURE of those problems. FIX IT or pick a less stressful career.
2: Figure out a multi-year plan for taking as much additional hard coursework as possible. You may need to have money to do this. You may need to work during school. You may need to move back home with mom&dad. You may have a hard time finding a school that has room for you among the teeming hordes of premeds. You may need to take classes you don't think you need/want because the school requires it. GIVE UP ON HAVING A SCHEDULE for getting into med school. Your schedule is to get into lots of hard classes and get A's in those classes for the forseeable future. You didn't do it before. You have to do it now.
3: Figure out how to be the grownup in charge. Don't expect somebody else to figure things out for you. YOU, not your mom, not your dad, not your premed adviser, not your professor, are in charge of worrying about doing this right. YOU are in charge of learning the content. YOU need to learn 100% of the content (at least 93%) despite only being tested on maybe 20% of it, because YOU DON'T KNOW WHICH 20% you'll be tested on. BE THE GROWNUP. That's what doctors are. You don't learn how to be a grownup in med school. You get to go to med school because you're a grownup.
Quiz:
1. If you got a C in a prereq, what is the real problem?
A. You didn't learn the content well enough.
B. You need to find a better teacher.
C. You need to decide whether to retake at School A or School B.
2. Why would an SMP take students with a sub-3.0 GPA?
A. The host med school honestly cares about you personally and wants to help you as much as possible.
B. The SMP is responsible for teaching you how to get A's.
C. SMPs bear no actual responsibility for whether you get into med school or not.
3. Why are med schools such hard asses about GPA?
A. Because your ability to jump like a champion through arbitrary hoops without complaining is actually very important during medical training and practice.
B. Because if you can't consistently succeed in 4 comparatively easy years of undergrad there's no way you'll survive the first two years of med school.
C. Because there are more than 2 qualified premeds for every 1 seat in med school, and typically 5000 apps for each 150 seats, so med schools have no choice but to prioritize moving apps to the NO pile.
D. All of the above.
Best of luck to you.
Answers: 1A, 2C, 3D
1: Figure out why you don't usually get A's in hard science and FIX THOSE PROBLEMS or don't go to med school. I could not be more serious about this. Take your focus off any one good/bad exam score and look at your long term record. Your competition doesn't have trouble spots. Those trouble spots will come back to you MONTHLY during med school. If you have a history of getting bored, getting depressed, going through major dramatic breakups, fighting with your roommates, blaming other people for your poor performance, burning out etc. then you have a FUTURE of those problems. FIX IT or pick a less stressful career.
2: Figure out a multi-year plan for taking as much additional hard coursework as possible. You may need to have money to do this. You may need to work during school. You may need to move back home with mom&dad. You may have a hard time finding a school that has room for you among the teeming hordes of premeds. You may need to take classes you don't think you need/want because the school requires it. GIVE UP ON HAVING A SCHEDULE for getting into med school. Your schedule is to get into lots of hard classes and get A's in those classes for the forseeable future. You didn't do it before. You have to do it now.
3: Figure out how to be the grownup in charge. Don't expect somebody else to figure things out for you. YOU, not your mom, not your dad, not your premed adviser, not your professor, are in charge of worrying about doing this right. YOU are in charge of learning the content. YOU need to learn 100% of the content (at least 93%) despite only being tested on maybe 20% of it, because YOU DON'T KNOW WHICH 20% you'll be tested on. BE THE GROWNUP. That's what doctors are. You don't learn how to be a grownup in med school. You get to go to med school because you're a grownup.
Quiz:
1. If you got a C in a prereq, what is the real problem?
A. You didn't learn the content well enough.
B. You need to find a better teacher.
C. You need to decide whether to retake at School A or School B.
2. Why would an SMP take students with a sub-3.0 GPA?
A. The host med school honestly cares about you personally and wants to help you as much as possible.
B. The SMP is responsible for teaching you how to get A's.
C. SMPs bear no actual responsibility for whether you get into med school or not.
3. Why are med schools such hard asses about GPA?
A. Because your ability to jump like a champion through arbitrary hoops without complaining is actually very important during medical training and practice.
B. Because if you can't consistently succeed in 4 comparatively easy years of undergrad there's no way you'll survive the first two years of med school.
C. Because there are more than 2 qualified premeds for every 1 seat in med school, and typically 5000 apps for each 150 seats, so med schools have no choice but to prioritize moving apps to the NO pile.
D. All of the above.
Best of luck to you.
Answers: 1A, 2C, 3D
