What should I do now? (Looking for advice)

[youngpenguin]

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I've been on a pre-med track my whole life, but I've never felt fully passionate or committed to it. I just recently graduated and lost motivation to finish a couple pre med courses (Physics II, Physics Labs).

I was doing well and had about a 3.7 GPA, but I had a misunderstanding with one of my professor and ended up getting a 1.0 in one of my elective courses. Now I have a 3.5 GPA, which feels too weak to confidently apply to medical school.

I've always had some interest in the health field and especially psychiatry and mental health, but I'm still unsure if I would end up being happy with this career path. I don't have much interest or passion in business, engineering, computer science, etc so I feel like medicine is one of my only options left.

I am not completely closed off to doing medical school but I just don't feel ready to commit to something that major and important this early in my life. I wouldn't mind doing a masters in public health/science and then coming back to the idea of medical school, but everyone keeps telling me that if I want to do medical school I need to commit to it now since it's such a long process.

I am also interested in the idea of doing a post bacc because it will help reinforce a lot of topics for the MCAT and I would be able to finish up the premed courses I haven't done yet. I don't know if this is a good or bad idea since I already finished most of my premed courses, but I only had about a 3.2-3.3 science GPA and that feels too weak. I would like to confidently apply to medical schools and I feel like doing a post bacc could give me the leg up that I need. What do you guys think of this?

Any constructive criticism/ advice is highly appreciated.

Currently I'm looking into post bacc programs with linkages to medical schools, but I feel like it might be silly to take all these premed courses over again, I'm really having a difficult time figuring out what I want to do.

 

[bananafish94]

I just recently graduated and lost motivation to finish a couple pre med courses (Physics II, Physics Labs).

Can't blame you there.

I was doing well and had about a 3.7 GPA, but I had a misunderstanding with one of my professor and ended up getting a 1.0 in one of my elective courses. Now I have a 3.5 GPA, which feels too weak to confidently apply to medical school.

It's below the matriculant average, but it's still very much within striking distance for a great many MD programs. It's also fine for pretty much any DO school

I'm still unsure if I would end up being happy with this career path.

I just don't feel ready to commit to something that major and important this early in my life.

I think you deserve credit for this kind of introspection! It's definitely not something you want to jump into.

if I want to do medical school I need to commit to it now since it's such a long process.

That's just simply false.

I would like to confidently apply to medical schools and I feel like doing a post bacc could give me the leg up that I need.

If your science GPA is only a 3.2, then yes, I think a post bacc would help. Just don't forget about the expense of them and ask yourself if that's really what you want to do. What I might suggest is trying to work in a healthcare-related field for a little bit to get a feel for it. Become a scribe, or an EMT, or a phlebotomist. Don't like it? No harm, no foul. If you do like it, then you have a little bit of money saved up, a great clinical experience, and then you can think about things like post baccs to boost your GPA. And the MCAT, of course. Good luck! Also, I don't think post baccs are pre-med courses all over again.

 

[TMC07]

OP, all of the people telling you what you should do probably have no idea what they're talking about. If you aren't ready, then you aren't ready. There is nothing wrong with that.

After I graduated, I took off and just traveled for like five years. I by no means come from a priviliged background. I did this by teaching. I taught English in Georgia, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and China. Although I loved what I was doing, I was never fully satisified. I couldn't shake medicine. My experiences just made my drive to be a doctor stronger. Now, I'm finally taking the plunge and applying knowing that I am ready and it's what I want to do with the rest of my life.

If you need some time off to explore other options, DO IT! You will NOT regret it. Once you are in all that debt from med school, it'll be a long time before you're able to anything else. Live life a little while you're young.

 

[Dagrimsta1]

Smoke some weed and chill out. Stress is good but too much will drive u crazy. Take the MCAT when you feel ready, not when your GPA is 3.889. classes MAY OR MAY NOT properly prepare you for the MCAT. You can have a 4.0 and not even crack a 500 on the MCAT. It is not a factual exam, it's more of an applied aptitude test. If your serious about applying, take time off, study for it, take it, hopefully do well. If you still feel unprepared after that, the score lasts for 3 years. Do what you need to in that time. Good luck

 

[Horse Apiece]

Smoke some weed and chill out. Stress is good but too much will drive u crazy. Take the MCAT when you feel ready, not when your GPA is 3.889. classes MAY OR MAY NOT properly prepare you for the MCAT. You can have a 4.0 and not even crack a 500 on the MCAT. It is not a factual exam, it's more of an applied aptitude test. If your serious about applying, take time off, study for it, take it, hopefully do well. If you still feel unprepared after that, the score lasts for 3 years. Do what you need to in that time. Good luck

Actually cannabis isn't that great if you're looking to reduce anxiety. Studies have shown that smoking marijuana can exacerbate existing psychological issues, and promotes paranoia.

Here is a good review article: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4033190/