Medical What should my plan be with low gpa?

[tantacles]

So I just graduated from undergrad this past May, with a low GPA. I've really been going back and forth about being premed over the past several years, though I did take the medical school prerequisites in undergrad to keep my options open (and did all the typical premed extracurriculars). I'm now working at a consulting company, and am still trying to figure out my next steps in terms of my career trajectory, but I'm definitely leaning towards medicine. I essentially wanted to run my tentative next steps by you all to see if this plan is well thought out.

While I was a science major and I am a recent graduate, I feel that I'll be a nontraditional in the fact that I'm probably gonna wait many years before med school, because there are other things I want to do more immediately before committing myself to that path. My plan is to continue working at my full time job, while maybe beginning some sort of DIY postbac soon (where I take upper level science courses) that is flexible enough to complete while having a full-time job. After that, I'd take the MCAT, and apply. Maybe I'd switch jobs at some point during this period to get a new experience. I think that would cover all aspects of my application but let me know if there are any glaring oversights in this plan! Or let me know if I need to provide any additional information for people to help answer my question.

If your GPA isn't ideal, then a post-bacc would be the way go go.

In terms of jobs, if you like your current job, you don't need to switch. It is not important that your primary job be related to medicine as long as you are able to get clinical experience, volunteer experience, and shadowing to supplement your application, so do not feel that you need to completely uproot your life, particularly if your job offers you the flexibility to get your pre-reqs done well.

Your main goal needs to be to get as many A's as you can in your post baccalaureate program and do well on the MCAT.

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[tantacles]

Got it, that makes sense. I think I was generally just unsure if I was choosing the right type of postbac (DIY vs SMP vs formal), just enough to show an upward trend because realistically I don't think my 3.1 will become a 3.7 anytime soon regardless of how many A's. Yep my primary job is in healthcare, but nonclinical, and I was just interested in pursuing a nonclinical job related to health policy, just for my own interest, not for my apps. Though bonus points if it helps set me apart in the application process! And yeah I do have the necessary clinical experience, volunteer experience, and shadowing, so luckily I don't have to worry too much about that.

I'm not a big fan of SMP's unless it's truly a last resort; the master's from an SMP is expensive and generally (with some rare exceptions) doesn't do much for you in terms of career. A post bacc is less expensive and could set you up for a career in another medical field (dentistry, podiatry, PA) if it doesn't go quite as well as you hoped. but getting all A's in the post-bacc shows that you'd be able to handle the rigor of medical school well regardless of what your cumulative GPA is, and your cumulative GPA is high enough that you wouldn't get completely screened out of all medical schools just because of it.

that being said, when you apply, unless everything is stellar, make sure you apply broadly, and it's likely that applying to DO schools would be beneficial for you.

 

[Goro]

So I just graduated from undergrad this past May, with a low GPA. I've really been going back and forth about being premed over the past several years, though I did take the medical school prerequisites in undergrad to keep my options open (and did all the typical premed extracurriculars). I'm now working at a consulting company, and am still trying to figure out my next steps in terms of my career trajectory, but I'm definitely leaning towards medicine. I essentially wanted to run my tentative next steps by you all to see if this plan is well thought out.

While I was a science major and I am a recent graduate, I feel that I'll be a nontraditional in the fact that I'm probably gonna wait many years before med school, because there are other things I want to do more immediately before committing myself to that path. My plan is to continue working at my full time job, while maybe beginning some sort of DIY postbac soon (where I take upper level science courses) that is flexible enough to complete while having a full-time job. After that, I'd take the MCAT, and apply. Maybe I'd switch jobs at some point during this period to get a new experience. I think that would cover all aspects of my application but let me know if there are any glaring oversights in this plan! Or let me know if I need to provide any additional information for people to help answer my question.

Don't forget to:
shadow clinicians
get patient exposure contact, either from a clinical job or volunteering
engage in nonclinical volunteering