Hi Everyone

Hello!


I decided I am going to be taking the journey to medical school and thought I would introduce myself. I am a 27 year old with an undergrad GPA of 3.2 (first two years were around a 2.4 - had serious financial and family problems, last two years were around a 3.7) and an M.A. in Developmental Psychology with a 3.9 GPA. I took a few science courses (chem and bio) during my first two years of college, but I ended up failing. I would like to go into developmental pediatrics due to my extensive experience in working with children who have developmental delays. I am looking to take all my pre-reqs at a community college this fall (or summer) in California. Any advice would be appreciated. I am worried that I won’t be competitive enough, but on the other hand I am hoping with hard work I can get into a D.O. school!

Welcome to OPM!

Welcome to OPM! Sounds like you have already done some great work on getting your gpa up, so you are on the right track. If you need to take all your prereqs yet then you need more than one or two semesters to get this accomplished so plan on spending some solid time on that and do very very well. I’m sure you are aware that most med schools(MD and DO) require 2 semesters of Bio (w/labs), 2 semesters of Gen Chem (w/labs), 2 semesters of Physics (most schools want the labs with at least one of these, but usually both labs will be required), 2 semesters of Organic Chem, & Organic Chem lab. Schools can have other reqs as well so it is good to look at some schools and see what they require. Calculus, Biochem, English, etc. are some classes I know are required from some schools in my area. So, all that being said, make sure you have a good plan of attack and a proper timeline to accomplish your goal. Don’t rush it. Doing well is more important than just “getting through it”. Start slow with science classes if you are worried; take one or two and see how it goes, then take more than 1-2 in subsequent semesters if you are comfortable. Utilize every resource you can find if you are struggling! I had to do a lot of reviewing of basic stuff in the beginning, but like a long lost language things came back to me (like algebra rules, etc). It’s important to be tenacious. Most of old premeds naturally are, though!


You are still young. Most of us on here seem to be mid to upper 30’s and above. At 27, you could finish up prereqs, study your tail off for the MCAT, build up your resume with clinical experience (volunteering, shadowing, etc) and have a nice application to submit when you are about 30. Your M.A and what sounds like a real upswing in GPA is great! You just need to get the prereqs done and do well in them! Just remember that there is no rush here! It is more important to take it at a pace that you are comfortable with and that will give you the best chance to succeed.


MD and DO schools are both competitive, but hard work and a solid application can get you an acceptance.


Again, welcome to OPM! We are a supportive and helpful community and I am sure there will be much more great advice from the other members.