What's a recommended plan of action for my (iffy) situation?

[Luelinks]

After switching from wanting to attend D.O school to physical therapy school, I've recently reverted back to my D.O plan after realizing that is what my heart is set on. Unfortunately my freshman and sophomore year was in turmoil from bad studying habits and I received a C in general and organic chem (four semesters worth).

That alone destroyed my GPA. Second semester sophomore year with my hardest course load I took Concepts of Biochem and received a C-. Well after taking another class my junior year which covered a lot of Biochem related concepts I feel I can ace that same class if I retake it.

However, biochem is not a pre-requisite and although retaking a C- class can be done to help my GPA, my school does not allow a student to retake a class in which a C was received for credit - only pass fail. Sigh.

Well after an amazing turn around first semester junior year, I was just shy of the Dean's list cut-off, and will most likely breach a 3.4-3.6 this semester. With this upward trend, just how beneficial is this for me in the eyes of the application committee?

My plan of action now is to:

-Continue to beat out my last semester's GPA, while making the Dean's list for the rest of my academic career
-Apply for a post-baccalaureate at an osteopathic school, once I graduate.
-Retake my C- class, concepts of biochem (although that was a 2000 level class, there is a 3000 level class also)
-Maybe do SOMETHING about the chemistry part 😕
-I've taken Microbiology and aced the class, but will it be to my benefit to take Cell and Molecular biology as well?

Sorry about the wall-of-text. I'm just getting headaches thinking about all this and my mishaps the first two years.

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[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Questions... to help SDN members to assess your situation..
Current Cgpa:
Current Sgpa:
Credit total:

 

[Luelinks]

Current Cgpa:3.04
Current Sgpa:3.10
Credit total: 78

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Current Cgpa:3.04
Current Sgpa:3.10
Credit total: 78

Not too bad, as long as the majority of your classes from now on are A's and B's you'll probably be within the competitive range for DO schools. If you're not a science major I recommend researching teachers and picking out interesting upper level biology classes which will be able to lift up your Sgpa. Cell & molecular biology might be a good idea and even consider adding on a physiology course for mcat prep.

 

[Guek]

Make sure to get a decent mcat score and you should be good to go 🙂

 

[Luelinks]

Thanks guys. I've taken Anatomy and Physiology I & II my sophomore year, but would a post-baccalaureate also be preferred for my situation as well?

 

[agh2415]

no, just keep taking upper level science. B's won't budge that GPA, you need A's and A-'s. Spend an extra semester or year as an undergrad if you need to. Look into retaking those chem courses at a CC if possible.

You're far from panic mode-decent GPA with plenty of time to improve it further.

 

[painmd87]

Don't forget to get some good clinical experience too. You can realistically get up close to a 3.5, hit a 30ish MCAT and fail the interview with nothing to talk about. Why do you love medicine? Because you worked hard and got good grades? Or because you like working with patients?

When you interview, you want to have something to talk about other than the 10 hours of shadowing you did. Get valuable clinical experience (and bump the grades some and don't blow the MCAT!). You'll be fine.

 

[SLC]

I don't want to keep honking my own horn, and I'm certainly not proud if my undergrad work, but I got right in with a lower sGPA this year. I feel like my EC's got me interviews, and I def. want this badly so i'd like to think it showed in my interviews. I applied late to 14 schools, completed secondaries at 10 of them, was rejected without an interview at 2 of those, interviewed at my top pick, and got in. I've received requests from other schools to interview, but I've cancelled those interviews. Oh, the other half of my numbers, my MCAT was 30M.

What does this mean to you? It means that you shouldn't automatically resign yourself to a post bacc. or SMP just yet. If you can keep you grades up from here on out, get a good MCAT score, and find a way to make your application stand out, I think you'll have a decent shot at gaining an acceptance as is.

 

[Instatewaiter]

Current Cgpa:3.04
Current Sgpa:3.10
Credit total: 78

I don't know how many science credits you have taken but, assuming you need 120 credits to graduate and you maintain an A- average in your classes (3.7) your cumulative GPA would end up at 3.27. If you were to maintain a 4.0 it would be a 3.38 both of which are not too bad. So just work hard and you should be fine.

Your science GPA will be easier to bring up since you will have taken fewer credits.

 

[Luelinks]

I don't know how many science credits you have taken but, assuming you need 120 credits to graduate and you maintain an A- average in your classes (3.7) your cumulative GPA would end up at 3.27. If you were to maintain a 4.0 it would be a 3.38 both of which are not too bad. So just work hard and you should be fine.

Your science GPA will be easier to bring up since you will have taken fewer credits.

I still feel I wouldn't be competitive. This summer I plan to shadow many DOs, and start research with a faculty member hopefully the fall and spring.

With doing a Post-Bacc at the DO school near me, I could use my senior year to get stellar LOR and have time to increase my grades. Plus I plan to have a leadership role in an organization by spring of senior year. If I didn't, I would probably have mediocre LOC, would have to start cramming for the MCAT, and wouldn't the schools only see my first semester grades only senior year?

 

[gatorfann14]

I still feel I wouldn't be competitive. This summer I plan to shadow many DOs, and start research with a faculty member hopefully the fall and spring.

With doing a Post-Bacc at the DO school near me, I could use my senior year to get stellar LOR and have time to increase my grades. Plus I plan to have a leadership role in an organization by spring of senior year. If I didn't, I would probably have mediocre LOC, would have to start cramming for the MCAT, and wouldn't the schools only see my first semester grades only senior year?

No I think he was implying that you would have a gap year after your senior year if you can get the grades to raise your gpa to the 3.3 level. That would mean all of your college grades would be in when you applied. I can tell you from experience(my gpa was worse at your stage of school) that it is possible to get interviews and acceptances if you are willing to work. I averaged better than a 3.9 from the second half of my junior year on. I then did well on the MCAT (29) and got sent secondaries to 11 schools and got 9 interviews, attended 4 and got 4 acceptances. It is possible and you have nothing to worry about as long as you are willing to work and are sure that this is what you want.