What should I do now?

[tlo15]

Hi, I just graduated from doing my undergraduate... I've had some really bad luck during college (with teachers, personal life, etc.) and now, I have a horrible gpa (2.5), even lower bcpm. My problem was that during my junior and senior year of college, I saved all of my pre-med prerequisites for last (organic chem, physics, biochem, etc) and ended up having hard time graduating. I ended up taking a fifth year at school and tried to retake some courses, but taking organic chem with the same teacher only gave me the same bad grade all over again. On top of that, my mother became ill with breast cancer, so I was very emotionally preoccupied with that. Anyways, to help my financial situation, I am now working as a gradeschool teacher and deciding how to better my situation or if this situation can even be salvaged... can I still get into medical school? What can I do to better this situation? Considering my gpa, I am having tough time finding a graduate program where I can go and improve my gpa. I was thinking maybe take some extra science classes on the side at a local community college and then try to transition into graduate school or maybe even nursing...then trying to improve my gpa in that way and applying for medical school. I also wanted to retake my MCAT to improve my 31 score. Please help...what can I do...is there still hope?

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[LJoo83]

Oh wow,
I am in a fairly similar situation as you are.
Didn't balance my work load, decided to take all my prereqs towards the end rather than spreading them out throughout my college, etc.

It seems rather hopeless, doesn't it?
It's hard to decide if I want to continue building my career in the real world or venture back into gaining more education and pursuing medicine.

 

[Mobius1985]

A graduate program won't help improve your undergraduate GPA, by which med schools will judge you (along with the MCAT score). You can still get into med school if you are willing to spend the time (and money) redeeming your academic record. Four more years of full-time undergrad classes, getting straight As, would only raise your GPA to about 3.25 if you apply to MD medical schools. I don't think that's workable. Instead, consider repeating your worst courses, getting all As, and applying to DO medical schools, where their application service lets your retake grade replace the poor ones. Your application GPA will rise faster, and you'd be competitive if you can get your GPA over 3.0, considering your good MCAT score.

Another option is to seek acceptance to a special masters program (SMP) if there are any that will let you in with your low GPA. Get more info from SDN's Post-baccalaureate forum:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=71

 

[Mobius1985]

I was thinking maybe take some extra science classes on the side at a local community college and then try to transition into graduate school or maybe even nursing...then trying to improve my gpa in that way and applying for medical school.

To help your decision-making process, you might be interested in reading the story of another person with a low uGPA, who then completed a nursing degree as part of the redemption process in an effort to become a viable med school candidate: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=582056

 

[alibai3ah]

Another option is to get your GPA up to about a 3.0. And then do a SMP. Those programs are catered for people like you (low gpa's, decent MCAT). The fact that you got a 31 on your MCATs is good enough proof that you could handle medical school. The thing is even if you score 35/36 range the next time, your gpa is just TOO low to not be automatically screened out. So I would suggest get above a 3.0 (THIS HAS TO BE DONE)...and if you get a mid 30's MCAT score, either go to an SMP and apply to medical schools that same year to get in the following year. Good luck, I hope you succeed.

 

[tlo15]

Thank you guys so much. It's all really great advice. I think I will do just that...I will retake all those classes I did poorly in and boost up my gpa and try for smp or osteopathic medical schools. One more question though...does it matter if it is at same school or can it be at a local community college (which is cheaper) and retake the courses?

 

[Mobius1985]

For MD medical schools, the safe answer is for me to say, yes, it does matter if you go to a CC to redeem your GPA, as most adcomms will presume those classes are less rigorous than those you'd take at a four-year college (and easy As). Because they have less rigor, you will not be as well prepared to perform strongly on the MCAT. In reality, some medical schools are less fussy and only care that you get good grades anywhere you are able to go. They rely on the MCAT to prove you "got" the material. If you have a firm idea of what schools you'd favor attending, why not call their admissions offices and ask your question.

I did a search on the pre-osteopathic forum and found lots of threads on this issue. Here's a good one that seems representative: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=548790&highlight=community+college

 

[tlo15]

Is smp same as a post-bac. program in science or pre-health professions? I found one near me that is a post-bac. non-degree granting but says it is supposed to "strengthen academic record." Thank you, Mobius1985!

 

[Mobius1985]

An SMP is a form of post-baccalaureate work, but as it is a Masters program, any GPA from it will not help mend your undergraduate GPA. Some of these Special Masters Programs are linked to medical schools, and if you do very well (often classes are taken along side medical students at the same institution) you get special consideration from their medical school for an interview.