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Hi, everyone!
I only got a couple of II's and was waitlisted at both schools, but I'm still keeping them updated with LOI's. I also contacted the schools where I didn't get an interview and received the same recommendations from all of them: finish your PT program and take more advanced undergraduate BCPM coursework. I did not have good study skills while taking my first batch of ugrad science courses (accelerated gen chem, a bunch of freshman and sophomore biology courses, calc I, statistics) and got mostly B's. I worked on developing good study habits and got solid A's in my second batch of sciences (anatomy, physiology, and physics, followed by o-chem and biochem after graduation), but it didn't make up for those poor grades in the basic courses. My sGPA turned out to be about a 3.4. A lot of the people I spoke to liked seeing the A's in later coursework and wanted to see that upward trend continue with 3000- and 4000-level undergraduate science classes, as graduate coursework did not count toward the sGPA.
So, in the event I don't move off either waitlist, I'm taking another year of undergrad with emphasis on more advanced science courses more relevant to medicine.
Here's what my schedule looks like so far:
Summer 2014
Genetics
Fall 2014
Microbiology lecture and lab
Immunology
Cell Biology
Spring 2015
Pathogenesis of Viruses
Microbial Basis of Human Disease
?Virology lab (priority is given to Micro majors; since I'm non-degree I was given a "we'll see")
I do need some input regarding how to fulfill a couple of extra requirements. I took accelerated Gen Chem with lab my first semester of undergrad but some schools only count it as one semester. A second semester of math wouldn't hurt, either. I would like some input regarding these courses (of course, n = 1, and everything differs between institutions) and whether or not you've found any of these helpful in preparing for medical school:
Physical biochem (I've already taken biochem)
Analytical chemistry with lab
P-chem
Calculus II
Multivariable Calculus (prerequisite for P-chem)
Thank you all for your help.
I only got a couple of II's and was waitlisted at both schools, but I'm still keeping them updated with LOI's. I also contacted the schools where I didn't get an interview and received the same recommendations from all of them: finish your PT program and take more advanced undergraduate BCPM coursework. I did not have good study skills while taking my first batch of ugrad science courses (accelerated gen chem, a bunch of freshman and sophomore biology courses, calc I, statistics) and got mostly B's. I worked on developing good study habits and got solid A's in my second batch of sciences (anatomy, physiology, and physics, followed by o-chem and biochem after graduation), but it didn't make up for those poor grades in the basic courses. My sGPA turned out to be about a 3.4. A lot of the people I spoke to liked seeing the A's in later coursework and wanted to see that upward trend continue with 3000- and 4000-level undergraduate science classes, as graduate coursework did not count toward the sGPA.
So, in the event I don't move off either waitlist, I'm taking another year of undergrad with emphasis on more advanced science courses more relevant to medicine.
Here's what my schedule looks like so far:
Summer 2014
Genetics
Fall 2014
Microbiology lecture and lab
Immunology
Cell Biology
Spring 2015
Pathogenesis of Viruses
Microbial Basis of Human Disease
?Virology lab (priority is given to Micro majors; since I'm non-degree I was given a "we'll see")
I do need some input regarding how to fulfill a couple of extra requirements. I took accelerated Gen Chem with lab my first semester of undergrad but some schools only count it as one semester. A second semester of math wouldn't hurt, either. I would like some input regarding these courses (of course, n = 1, and everything differs between institutions) and whether or not you've found any of these helpful in preparing for medical school:
Physical biochem (I've already taken biochem)
Analytical chemistry with lab
P-chem
Calculus II
Multivariable Calculus (prerequisite for P-chem)
Thank you all for your help.
