Where Should I Go From Here?

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[infectiousdisease101]

Tl;dr: I would like to pursue medical school again.

Seems like you're still iffy on medicine. Anyone else got that message?

 

[infectiousdisease101]

Hi

I didn't see your question and thought you were asking us for advice on if you should go MD or PA. My bad on that one. But still, you're still iffy on medicine is what I'm getting.

My second paragraph stands though. You really should not have scrapped the bottom of the barrel.

 

[AttemptingScholar]

OP wasn't asking what their career should be. I bet OP knows she needs to deeply consider this message. OP's question was if she should take/retake science classes to raise her GPA and prepare for the MCAT. If she's "iffy on medicine" isn't relevant because it doesn't look like she edited it later to include that question. Chill it with the third degree.

OP, your GPA is in line for DO schools. As you are still "considering options before deciding on one career path," consider researching into DO schools. A 'sophomore slump' in GPA is expected (especially b/c orgo), though a sub 3.0 is a more extreme slump than you'd like. How long ago were these classes?

We often recommend not retaking passing grades, but a C is low and if it's been a while and you also are hoping to prepare for the MCAT this way, it may be a good investment of your time, especially if you've been out of school for a while. Keep in mind that it will be added to your GPA, it won't replace it. So your GPA won't go up as quickly as some people imagine.

Did you do well in biochem? What other sciences were you considering taking?

 

[calivianya]

Why do you have to quit your job to take science classes and prepare for the MCAT? I worked full time and volunteered through all my classes and MCAT prep. If you like your job, I don't see any reason to quit.

Just FYI, if you have to pay for those medical mission trips, I wouldn't bother. There have been multiple posts on here about how these sorts of things are looked at negatively because, in the long run, they don't help the communities they serve and it's just seen as medical tourism. Doing extra hours at your current clinic and/or using those weeks for MCAT prep time would be much more productive.

 

[JonathanHusky]

OP your goal is not to convince SDN members whether you're passionate about medicine or not, it's to convince those serving on adcom lol so don't stress out about proving people on SDN that you're completely set on medicine...

if you're set on MD schools then yes you would need to raise your GPA a bit and a post bac would help with that, but if you're content going the DO route, then I think if you score a well enough MCAT and the rest of your app is great, GPA won't hold you back
in terms of retaking orgo, i think the consensus is you only retake if it's worse than a C, if you do retake and get anything less than an A then you're really hurting yourself. also if you retake and get an A that's basically the expectation since you're taking it a second time around
and I'd reconsider the mission trip to Mexico, really research what the program is, what they do, how they help the people there, and if they continuously provide support rather than it just being a one time thing, if you want to help an udnerserved population, there are countless opportunities to do so here in the states!

 

[Med Ed]

Seems like you're still iffy on medicine. Anyone else got that message?

No. Not even in the slightest.

 

[Med Ed]

Hey everyone - hoping for some advice. I graduated in June 2017 from a California school, and I just decided that I would like to work towards becoming a physician.

I was "pre-med" at first in college, but pretty dissatisfied. There was parental pressure, I didn't enjoy the first two years of "weeder" classes, and I had a negative experience shadowing my first doctor. It felt like eating cold brussel sprouts every day, for two years. Advisors & friends recommended I switch to pre-PA route as it would be a better fit, and maybe less stressful. I did significantly better my last two years of college, and sought help for my mental health. I argued out of all of my issues with my parents; they gave me their blessings (...eventually!) to make my own choices & pursue my own happiness. Most importantly I started volunteering & ended up working at a nonprofit clinic that helps underserved populations. This has really inspired me & has given me an idea of what I can see myself doing in the future.

Tl;dr: I would like to pursue medical school again.

cGPA: 3.546 sGPA: 3.376

Other resume things:

1. ~430 hrs of volunteering at clinic
2. ~2000 hrs of paid MA work at clinic, directly working with patients
3. ~50 hours of EMT volunteering
4. ~150 hrs of helping out in a research lab
5. Section editor of newspaper for a year
6. Staff writer for ~3 years of college, wrote ~30 articles
7. Piano classes through music department ~3 years
8. Shadowed PA ~50 hrs, IM Doc ~30 hrs
9. Haven't gone yet, but will be going on medical mission trips this year to Mexico

3 out of 4 years in college, my cGPAs & sGPAs ranged from 3.5-3.7. My second year of college was terrible! cGPA: 2.9 & sGPA: 2.7

I also took a year of Spanish at community college and a science class for PA school after I graduated. I am pretty sure this would all factor into my undergrad GPAs, since they are undergrad classes. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Question: should I take some more UD science classes at my alma mater? I'm also thinking of retaking organic chemistry as I scored C grades, & to review it for the MCAT. My other option is to do some sort of post-bacc program. I've been reading about Berkeley's and UCLA's extension programs. After taking some more classes, I would study for the MCAT & apply next summer (June 2019). I would have to quit my job at some point to take science classes & study for the MCAT, but I would still continue volunteering ~5-10 hours a week.

I know I could apply this summer, if I quit my job & studied for the MCAT now, but I kind of want another year to prepare my application. I also really love my job and where I am at right now.

Thank you everyone!

While your second year was a bit more of an outlier than most, we see the "sophomore slump" all the time. You could spend years trying to bump up your GPA with little to show for it. You would be much better off devoting your time to getting a stellar MCAT score.

The strongest element of your application will be your work with underserved populations through the nonprofit clinic. If you keep doing that, get a LOR from the experience, and write convincingly about it in your PS, you will have a reasonably compelling application. Won't work at every medical school, but it will get you traction at some places.

The biggest strike against you is if you live in California.