Given that my post-bacc GPA is very poor (~ 3.00 ish), worse than my undergrad GPA (3.4), I wonder if AdComms will even bother looking beyond GPA. My academic test-taking problems appear to be insurmountable. Does a high GPA make one a better, smarter doctor? I don’t know. I have a lot of other contributions toward being a competent physician, 17 years of volunteer work, 9 years as work in the medical field, some research.
If not, is it worth starting over. Where?
- nahani2 Said:
My academic test-taking problems appear to be insurmountable.
If you really feel this way, I personally don't see how med school could be a realistic option.
I had terrible grades in the past and IMHO, the best way to get the adcoms to look past low grades is to give them something good to look at, ie better grades or a high MCAT, and I mean mainly A's with as few B's as possible and 30+ MCAT's. I've also found that distance from poor grades, at least a few years, also helps.
The reality is that there's no way to get around having stellar grades/MCAT's as most anyone will tell you that good grades and/or MCAT's are your foot in the door, so to speak.
Taking tests is par for the course in medical school. Depending on the school you can have an exam or a quiz once a week or once a month or once every 5 weeks. Obviously the longer the time in between tests the more information that you will have to learn.
Also depending on the program, there is even more information to learn during the 2nd year of medical school because now you are beyond the basic science and now learning about diagnosing pathology and being taught how to recognize and how to manage.
If taking tests is your current issue, then that is something that you must master, there is no way around it. Without it, you will have a very difficult time in medical school and then taking the boards. Have of the time, it is not just knowing the material but being able to take the information that you know and think 3-4 steps ahead to figure out what the question wants. And sometimes, it is recognizing what is a distracting part of the question to figure out what they are really looking for.
You have a lot of work to do. There is no getting around being able to take a test and succeed in it.
Let me ask you this, do you do practice questions before taking tests? They may help you in finding where you are strong and need to focus minimally on and where you really need to aim your studies.
I do find that making and taking my own practice tests helps a lot, but sometimes I can’t make my practice tests similar enough to the professors tests. Other times, I run out of time. For my upcoming finals I am making practice tests, but it still won’t change my grades A’s. More B’s to add to an already sea of B’s.
I’ve decided to spend this summer just working on test-taking skills; I had planned on only preparing for the MCAT, but that is just another test with which I have to deal. At this point I am so frustrated, that I am tensing up whenever I think about my predicament.
Do not make your own practice tests but try to find other ones online. If you search you will find them.
Hi! Have you tried getting a hold of old tests? Back in undergrad I remember there was a bank of tests from past years for certain classes and professors. I used to go in and get the old tests and review those. I would check with your school and see if they have that resource or with the professor. Just a thought.
Also, I used to have the same problem with tests but I found out with myself that I was trying to memorize everything instead of really being able to understand and apply the concepts. Once I figured that out my anxiety and grades got alot better.
Good luck! You will figure it out.
I was thinking the same thing, “How are you going to get away from tests?” Uff da. I wonder if you could consider your testing issue similar to sports “choking”. Isn’t that what you do? “Choke” when you get ready to test? If that’s not it, then it would appear you just don’t know the material. Which I don’t think is the case. So, maybe what you need is a psychologist that could work with you on that? Just a thought. Might be paid for through your insurance or employment…eh?
Yes, perhaps “sports choking” is similar, or “performance anxiety.” As far as knowing the material, I am almost always able to correct my mistakes immediately after the test without consulting my notes. Sometimes I forget to study something, but not that often. Sometimes I just get something mixed up; for example I got a pathway backwards. I think some of my problems are due to memory lapses during tests, misreading questions, mis-marking and miswriting the answers (especially this), etc. I tend to be a quasi-dyslexic, mixing up positions and locations (i.e. making a left turn when I thinking of making a right turn).
I have an appointment with a school studies skills counselor in 2 weeks. My appointment won’t be in time to help me with the current semester, but I plan on staying on as many semesters as it takes to raise my GPA. (Three years ago, I had actually contacted the same study skills office to be evaluated for learning disabilities, but the office never returned my inquiries. Only yesterday did I find out that they had mistyped my phone number into their contact database.)
Your situation reminds me of a speech at one of my graduations. One of the speakers was a nontraditional student who had returned to school with intentions of getting a bachelors degree in teaching. She completed most of the curriculum, but there was a course that she could not pass, no matter what she did. She was laser-focused on this teaching degree and kept trying. Finally, she just decided that the teaching degree was not her destiny and she was meant to do something else. She applied those credits towards a degree in interdisciplinary studies, and finally graduated. She ended up finding the just right career niche for her, based on her previous experience and her new degree.
I have read through your posts about your struggles, and while I still think that you have some avenues to explore with overcoming your test issues, I would try to ‘free your mind’ by considering the possibility of not going to med school. Of course you have to consider that possibility in a positive light, not the panicky “what the heck will I do if I don’t do this” type light. I’m not a really spiritual, new-agey type by any stretch, but I do think if you just let yourself realize that it is ok to not go to med school, you might overcome the anxiety -or- find an alternate path that you never thought about before that could be just as satisfying for you.
Thanks AliJ.
I had a talk with my premed advisor today to go over my predicament. He agreed that things are not good for me, but suggests I should at least try for the MCAT and try applying before giving up entirely. Unfortunately, the MCAT is another test. Do you think that this is wise? Am I wasting my time and money?
I did detail a back up plan for either MPH or PhD in Epidemiology/Public Health/Infectious Disease. I had planned on getting the MPH anyway (but after or during a medical degree program; the public health school that has the program in which I am interested will only allow health professionals to go for that particular masters – I will probably have to find another program.) My ultimate goal is to do rural international health; I wanted to do it as a physician, but maybe I can contribute another way.
There is a way to tell if you can take the MCAT without your test issues. Kaplan usually has a Test Run exam that is free and you get your scores right there.
go to www.kaptest.com and check it out.
Or, better yet. go the Free Practice MCAT website from the AAMC and take the free MCAT.
Have you also thought about being a PA? Podiatrist?
I am unclear as to why you are reluctant to use medications to help. If the goal is med school, and the problem is NOT lack of ability but gross anxiety, then why not do everything to make sure you have tried everything first before giving up.
Have you ever been evaluated for ADHD?
While, in my opinion, this condition is heavily over-diagnosed, I do believe that it is a legitimate disability and many are able to overcome it with proper treatment.
Your grades are not bad, but they are not good either. Especially that you have a downward trend. Without getting As it will be hard to convince admission people about your abilities to perform well in med school. And you really have to deal with the test-taking problem for your own sake. If you don’t fix it now, it’s only going to get worse in the medical school. Most of the exams you’re going to see in med school and afterwards really require you to think critically, clearly and fast.
- bterrell Said:
Hi! Have you tried getting a hold of old tests? Back in undergrad I remember there was a bank of tests from past years for certain classes and professors. I used to go in and get the old tests and review those. I would check with your school and see if they have that resource or with the professor. Just a thought.
Also, I used to have the same problem with tests but I found out with myself that I was trying to memorize everything instead of really being able to understand and apply the concepts. Once I figured that out my anxiety and grades got alot better.
Good luck! You will figure it out.
Also, I used to have the same problem with tests but I found out with myself that I was trying to memorize everything instead of really being able to understand and apply the concepts. Once I figured that out my anxiety and grades got alot better.
Good luck! You will figure it out.
Great suggestion! OP, most colleges have an academic resource center, you should check them out. This is usually where instructors will leave their old tests (you may have to work on it on campus). If not, maybe the library? Also, consider former students, they too may still have their old tests.
If I can counter this downward trend with an upward trend, will that make things better for me? Or is it not worth the time and effort?
If you’re not sure if it’s worth the time and effort then that may answer your question. When you truly want it, nothing will stop you from making it happen. You should ask yourself if this is a momentary lapse of motivation or maybe a longer term pattern indicating that this may not be what you want. Good luck!
- nahani2 Said:
If I can counter this downward trend with an upward trend, will that make things better for me? Or is it not worth the time and effort?
Nahani2, not to sound harsh, but I think you're asking the wrong questions here. IMHO, the answer as to whether or not this is worth it needs to be answered long BEFORE you begin the path to med school. Sure people have doubts about thier chosen path along the way, but this type of negative thinking could be as detrimental to your ability to focus as undiadnosed ADD.
It sounds like what you want is a guarentee that if you do X, Y, and Z you'll get admitted to med school and the fact is there are no guarentees in med school admissions.
I think if you counter your downward trend with an upward trend and make A’s of course it will strengthen your application, and if you add all of the other things like the rest of us along with the A’s to the sea of B’s that will of course strengthen you…but I believe what pathdr2b is saying is that only you can decide if it’s worth the effort and that there is no hard and fast guarantee.
There are many painful nuances to Nahani’s story that I think are being missed by some respondents. Nahani has been working and struggling for years. S/he has encountered many, many problems along the way. And yet s/he has stuck with it, determined to get better.
So I do not think it does Nahani a service to point out that wanting it bad enough will make it happen. It’s not enough.
I think pathdr2b has a very good point in saying that there is no one formula for getting into med school. The “formula” is going to be different for each individual. One person might be able to get in with a B average, because of some other things about the application that are so compelling that the school is sure they’ll do well. Another person won’t get in with a 4.0 and 35 MCAT because there are NOT other things in the application that “click” for the AdCom.
Nahani, I have been reading your recent posts with much concern and empathy. I honestly think that you have yourself completely tied up in knots; you are thrashing around sort of desperately hoping that there will be some solution. I think you would benefit from the services of a good career counselor or a therapist, someone who could help you reflect peaceably on what your innermost desires and fears are, and how you can address those. Right now you’ve got so much overlay of test anxiety, fear of failure, suggestions of ways to overcome that – I think it’s hard to see the forest for the trees.
It’s time to take a long, deep breath and get yourself to a place where you can consider all this without the pressure of another grade or another performance. If that means a longer path to your destination, it is so much better than the U-turns and wrong turns that seem part of your current experience.
I wish you all the best, my friend.
Mary
I agree with Kimberly. Back when we were in undergrad (1st time) my husband had HORRIBLE test anxiety. A friend recommended that he see the school therapist. He fought at first and then at the beginning of Jr. year he finally went in. She taught him some relaxation techniques and a few other things and recommended that if it didn’t work, he come back for further evaluation. She suggested that he would be able to take exams in private (with a proctor) with extended time. That never became necessary. He improved right away. He was REALLY annoyed that he didn’t go see her sooner in his academic career. LOL It made a world of difference when he started utilizing her techniques. I say… She if your school has an educational counselor and seek them out. What can it hurt??? Good-luck!!