What Should I Do?

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stereotypeasianpremed

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So I'm in an awkward dilemma as I finish up my last undergrad semester this spring

Pretty much i ****ed up my undergrad years.

I had all my gen bios chems english orgo and calc done by my freshman year with a 3.8. Looking solid

After, I stopped giving two ****s about school. Hated what it was hated the people around. Didnt care about my major classes and irrelevant general eds. Soph/Junior Year. Got C's all across the board on easy A's. Got a B/C on Physics. Depression/Anxiety/****ty Eating Habits etc.

Im your avg. smart but lazy.

Now I finish my bachelors im going to have a 3.0-3-1 GPA with no MCAT yet.

I'm in Illinois so im looking at CCOM or the caribbean(SABA) for Psych.

I plan on retaking Orgo 2 and a gen ed at a CC this summer and applying asap this upcoming cycle

Will have LORs,~110 Volunteer Hours, No Research.

I've read a lot about the carribean and CCOM(or so i think) and want to know your opinions on if applying to CCOM with a 3.1-3.2 volunteer/no research is realistic. Bc who wants to go to carribean. Around here we have Biomedical Sciences Post Bacc for around 30k so i can possibly do that too for a yr.

What do you guys think is it plausible to get into CCOM with a 3.2 if i do well on my MCAT?
There isnt much room in my gpa for grade replacement bc i got C's on silly classes just orgo 2 i will retake at a CC

Want to get past this ****ty cycle let me know what you guys think is best.

If you want to post advice please do so but pls back it up.
 
Well first you need a change in outlook and attitude because this isn't just getting, "past this ****ty cycle." What's going to happen when you get to medschool? I need not say but medschool is more rigorous than the clasess that you blew off.

Second, you need a sound post-bac. You have no experiences. Your GPA won't cut it.

You need to seriously regroup.
 
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teeayejay said:
Well first you need a change in outlook and attitude because this isn't just getting, "past this ****ty cycle." What's going to happen when you get to medschool? I need not say but medschool is more rigorous than the clasess that you blew off.

Second, you need a sound post-bac. You have no experiences. You're GPA won't cut it.

You need to seriously regroup.
Click to expand...
That's what im saying. I know that getting accepted is the just the start of a career in medicine and that I haven't really amounted to anything medicine-related yet. I understand that medschool is much harder. It was my attitude/choices/mental health that lead to silly grades. I know that if i focus and stay on track that I can succeed.
What do you mean by experiences? I feel like most applicants have volunteer/research/EC. I do have EC's like clubs but nothing medical related.

Thanks for your advice
 
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You need to shadow (quite a bit in your case). Also what is your driving motivation for wanting to pursue medicine? You sound kind of burned out from school. As @teeayejay said you will need a postbacc of some sort.
 
eteshoe said:
You need to shadow (quite a bit in your case). Also what is your driving motivation for wanting to pursue medicine? You sound kind of burned out from school. As @teeayejay said you will need a postbacc of some sort.
Click to expand...
I shadowed a trauma surgeon a bit ~6 hours. Will probably need more.

There are plenty of reasons
I want to enter a professional field that can benefit the people around me.
I think i have what it takes to do something extraordinary (work in the field of medicine) and with all the perks that go with it seems attractive to me.

I did indeed burnout pretty hard.
 
If this is why a career in Medicine attracts you, you're going to hate being doctor. Look up Law2doc's posts on this subject.

You can extraordinary things in Medicine by being a paramedic or a nurse.

Your fastest path to being a doctor will be by retaking all F/D/C science coursework and applying to DO schools. Your GPA right now is rejected bait at mine and CCOMs, and a good number of other DO schools.

You will also need to do the following: volunteer with patients (because right now you have absolutely no idea what you're getting into) and you also need to display your altruism by doing non-clinical volunteering in service to others.


But I suggest that you simply get a job and work a few years.


stereotypeasianpremed said:
I want to enter a professional field that can benefit the people around me.
I think i have what it takes to do something extraordinary (work in the field of medicine) and with all the perks that go with it seems attractive to me.
Click to expand...
 
Goro said:
If this is why a career in Medicine attracts you, you're going to hate being doctor. Look up Law2doc's posts on this subject.

You can extraordinary things in Medicine by being a paramedic or a nurse.

Your fastest path to being a doctor will be by retaking all F/D/C science coursework and applying to DO schools. Your GPA right now is rejected bait at mine and CCOMs, and a good number of other DO schools.

You will also need to do the following: volunteer with patients (because right now you have absolutely no idea what you're getting into) and you also need to display your altruism by doing non-clinical volunteering in service to others.


But I suggest that you simply get a job and work a few years.
Click to expand...
Can i ask whats wrong with my answer?
Also I stated that i did volunteer over 100+ hours at a hospital and shadowed a surgeon.

Thanks
 
stereotypeasianpremed said:
Can i ask whats wrong with my answer?
Also I stated that i did volunteer over 100+ hours at a hospital and shadowed a surgeon.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I'll take a stab at answering this and I'm sure @Goro will correct me if I'm off.

You need a variety of passive and active clinical experiences. You have a decent amount of the active (i.e. Hospital volunteering) but not nearly enough passive (shadowing) experience to have a good idea of what you are getting into (think ~15 hrs or so per specialty with 3-5 specialties). You will also have to demonstrate some altruism by participating in non-clinical volunteering ventures.

Also while you won't be poor as a physician, the amount of sacrifice needed for this path cannot always be alleviated simply with the "perks" of medicine (e.g. pay and wanting to help people). There are many professional fields in which you can help people and do extraordinary work (e.g. Science, social work, nursing, etc) and there are fields where the financial ROI far supersedes medicine (e.g. Finance, law, etc).

I say all this not to discourage you but to really evaluate what you want from this career path so that if you choose to pursue and get to be an attending that you aren't bitter that you wasted 7-10 yrs training for a job that you will be miserable in. Just some thoughts for you to ponder.
 
I will be honest with you. I can't really say much about your situation, but based on the info posted here, here is what I have to say:

A) you have below average ECs, not to mention very limited shadowing experience which might lead people to question if you really know what medicine is about (not saying you don't know anything about it, but it might come across that way)

B) because of your low academic performance and no MCAT score, you would need superb ECs, LORs, and hope to get a good score on the MCAT to stand a chance at admissions. However, considering you didn't do well in the prereq classes you are either going to have to retake those OR do really well in upper level classes at a postbac (to raise your gpa & improve your academic credentials). Trust me I understand that you were dealing with some really bad stuff during that time and that that's the cause of your poor performance, but facts are facts, and you didn't you do well in those classes so you need to show improvement and consistency (basically to show that you are over whatever caused the poor performance)

C) like Goro said, if you would like to have a shot at a med school the fastest way is to go DO with grade replacement, if not you will prob be looking at 1-2 years of postbac work & and a good score in the MCAT. IF you decide to go this route, make sure to continue doing ECs that are meaningful to you

It will be an tough & long process, but I think that if you put in the work you can do it
 
eteshoe said:
I'll take a stab at answering this and I'm sure @Goro will correct me if I'm off.

You need a variety of passive and active clinical experiences. You have a decent amount of the active (i.e. Hospital volunteering) but not nearly enough passive (shadowing) experience to have a good idea of what you are getting into (think ~15 hrs or so per specialty with 3-5 specialties). You will also have to demonstrate some altruism by participating in non-clinical volunteering ventures.

Also while you won't be poor as a physician, the amount of sacrifice needed for this path cannot always be alleviated simply with the "perks" of medicine (e.g. pay and wanting to help people). There are many professional fields in which you can help people and do extraordinary work (e.g. Science, social work, nursing, etc) and there are fields where the financial ROI far supersedes medicine (e.g. Finance, law, etc).

I say all this not to discourage you but to really evaluate what you want from this career path so that if you choose to pursue and get to be an attending that you aren't bitter that you wasted 7-10 yrs training for a job that you will be miserable in. Just some thoughts for you to ponder.
Click to expand...


Seems like overkill for shadowing. No need to ever have more than 50hrs.
 
stereotypeasianpremed said:
So I'm in an awkward dilemma as I finish up my last undergrad semester this spring

Pretty much i ****ed up my undergrad years.

I had all my gen bios chems english orgo and calc done by my freshman year with a 3.8. Looking solid

After, I stopped giving two ****s about school. Hated what it was hated the people around. Didnt care about my major classes and irrelevant general eds. Soph/Junior Year. Got C's all across the board on easy A's. Got a B/C on Physics. Depression/Anxiety/****ty Eating Habits etc.

Im your avg. smart but lazy.

Now I finish my bachelors im going to have a 3.0-3-1 GPA with no MCAT yet.

I'm in Illinois so im looking at CCOM or the caribbean(SABA) for Psych.

I plan on retaking Orgo 2 and a gen ed at a CC this summer and applying asap this upcoming cycle

Will have LORs,~110 Volunteer Hours, No Research.

I've read a lot about the carribean and CCOM(or so i think) and want to know your opinions on if applying to CCOM with a 3.1-3.2 volunteer/no research is realistic. Bc who wants to go to carribean. Around here we have Biomedical Sciences Post Bacc for around 30k so i can possibly do that too for a yr.

What do you guys think is it plausible to get into CCOM with a 3.2 if i do well on my MCAT?
There isnt much room in my gpa for grade replacement bc i got C's on silly classes just orgo 2 i will retake at a CC

Want to get past this ****ty cycle let me know what you guys think is best.

If you want to post advice please do so but pls back it up.
Click to expand...

I'm just chiming in to address one piece of your post: Please do not go to medical school in the Caribbean. Go to nursing school, go to PA school, go to a DO school, or go to an MD school, but do not go to medical school in the Caribbean. Your chances of making it through and finding a residency slot are very slim.
 
I was going off these sentence you made. All volunteering, shadowing/research etc are considered ECs.

Again, go look up what the wide @Law2Doc has written on this subject.


I do have EC's like clubs but nothing medical related.

stereotypeasianpremed said:
Can i ask whats wrong with my answer?
Also I stated that i did volunteer over 100+ hours at a hospital and shadowed a surgeon.

Thanks
Click to expand...
 
stereotypeasianpremed said:
Depression/Anxiety/****ty Eating Habits etc.
Click to expand...

Also seek counseling if needed.

On a different note, assuming that you are indeed asian (given your SDN handle), you prob know that it is gonna be a tougher climb compared to most of your peers. Judging by
stereotypeasianpremed said:
I had all my gen bios chems english orgo and calc done by my freshman year with a 3.8.
Click to expand...
, you have the necessary mental capacity. It's time to put your intellect to work. No more short cuts, no more ****ing around. Just one solid decision and action at a time.

Edit:
stereotypeasianpremed said:
If you want to post advice please do so but pls back it up.
Click to expand...

Forgot about this part...

Source: https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/medschool1.jpg
 
Last edited:
tantacles said:
I'm just chiming in to address one piece of your post: Please do not go to medical school in the Caribbean. Go to nursing school, go to PA school, go to a DO school, or go to an MD school, but do not go to medical school in the Caribbean. Your chances of making it through and finding a residency slot are very slim.
Click to expand...
Im going to talk in very general terms, but hypothetically If i worked hard, like an 8 out of 10 on a scale of 10. Got good LORs did well on my steps first try (70th percentile) Chances are i can land a residency in Psych, right? So in short, if i play my cards right i can land a residency in psych. I remember one of Skips posts on where we stand as a pre med student and i was between 3-4. Not quite good enough for DO, but part of the people who can make it out of the carribean if i work hard. Being objective as possible here. Pretty sure this is where i lie in terms of a human being.
 
Goro said:
I was going off these sentence you made. All volunteering, shadowing/research etc are considered ECs.

Again, go look up what the wide @Law2Doc has written on this subject.


I do have EC's like clubs but nothing medical related.
Click to expand...
i cant seem to find any thread on him regarding this subject yet alone know what you are talking about.
 
eteshoe said:
Hey the more you know, the better one is prepared (45-75 doesn't seem too much in my mind)
Click to expand...
You're right. It isnt really about getting the exposure to put in your application than exposing myself to the job. It is better to know where you are planning to the rest of your hours in life ahead of time. Perhaps i am lacking the hours in shadowing experience, idk. I got to see a man come in with cardiac arrest, did some rounding with ms3 rotation students, and saw what the radiology room was all about, but it defintely doesnt hurt. The thing is its so hard to find shadowing experience without connections.
 
DoReMiFaSo said:
Also seek counseling if needed.

On a different note, assuming that you are indeed asian (given your SDN handle), you prob know that it is gonna be a tougher climb compared to most of your peers. Judging by , you have the necessary mental capacity. It's time to put your intellect to work. No more short cuts, no more ****ing around. Just one solid decision and action at a time.

Edit:


Forgot about this part...

Source: https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/medschool1.jpg
Click to expand...
I remember looking at that graph a couple years ago.
 
stereotypeasianpremed said:
Im going to talk in very general terms, but hypothetically If i worked hard, like an 8 out of 10 on a scale of 10. Got good LORs did well on my steps first try (70th percentile) Chances are i can land a residency in Psych, right? So in short, if i play my cards right i can land a residency in psych. I remember one of Skips posts on where we stand as a pre med student and i was between 3-4. Not quite good enough for DO, but part of the people who can make it out of the carribean if i work hard. Being objective as possible here. Pretty sure this is where i lie in terms of a human being.
Click to expand...

It's not just about what happens after you get through the Carribbean school. It's a matter of whether the school will make it possible for you to graduate. They cite high match rates, but they cut ~50% of the class before they even take Step 1. Why take that kind of gamble?

As to whether psych programs will want you, I can't say. Definitely not my field. But going Caribbean will make things a lot harder. If you must be a physician, DO is the way to go; you can do grade replacement for courses where you didn't do well.
 
tantacles said:
It's not just about what happens after you get through the Carribbean school. It's a matter of whether the school will make it possible for you to graduate. They cite high match rates, but they cut ~50% of the class before they even take Step 1. Why take that kind of gamble?

As to whether psych programs will want you, I can't say. Definitely not my field. But going Caribbean will make things a lot harder. If you must be a physician, DO is the way to go; you can do grade replacement for courses where you didn't do well.
Click to expand...

Well its not the fact that they "cut out" 50% is it? like 50% MUST leave? its that they werent able to do it right? Ive realized the process isnt me vs you. Its me vs me, so if me1 wins, I win, no?

Psych FP IM, are the lower competitive fields, i hear psych is rising and i dont know how it will be in 4 years so that worries me.

The issue with grade replacement for me is that I simply accumulated many C's in general education classes. 3 hour classes. My "big" class only is orgo2, so replacement wouldn't mean much in my case. Probably a SMP in Dominica is my best bet for DO?
 
stereotypeasianpremed said:
Well its not the fact that they "cut out" 50% is it? like 50% MUST leave? its that they werent able to do it right? Ive realized the process isnt me vs you. Its me vs me, so if me1 wins, I win, no?

Psych FP IM, are the lower competitive fields, i hear psych is rising and i dont know how it will be in 4 years so that worries me.

The issue with grade replacement for me is that I simply accumulated many C's in general education classes. 3 hour classes. My "big" class only is orgo2, so replacement wouldn't mean much in my case. Probably a SMP in Dominica is my best bet for DO?
Click to expand...

Taken from another thread:

But you don't want to be like this guy: https://milliondollarmistake.wordpress.com/you-know-what/

Stay stateside or don't go into medicine - the Caribbean is a last ditch option if you are independently wealthy and just want to say you went to med school (especially since there is such a high attrition rate).
 
stereotypeasianpremed said:
Well its not the fact that they "cut out" 50% is it? like 50% MUST leave? its that they werent able to do it right? Ive realized the process isnt me vs you. Its me vs me, so if me1 wins, I win, no?

Psych FP IM, are the lower competitive fields, i hear psych is rising and i dont know how it will be in 4 years so that worries me.

The issue with grade replacement for me is that I simply accumulated many C's in general education classes. 3 hour classes. My "big" class only is orgo2, so replacement wouldn't mean much in my case. Probably a SMP in Dominica is my best bet for DO?
Click to expand...

You can not guarantee improvement in this kind of program. The support in case you struggle just isn't there. It's not a safe bet, and I would strongly suggest you consider taking time and strengthening your application so you can apply DO. It's not that you can't match; it's that going Caribbean locks you out of all but many of the worst residency slots, and if anything goes wrong, no one's going to pick you up. You're just going to get kicked out.
 
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