Hi guys,
I am new to this site and would like to ask people with experience on this path to becoming a doctor on what are the best options for someone like me. I am 25 and graduating with an English major, having said that my record is not ublemished. During my undergrad I managed to rack some gpa downers with physics II and Introduction to Programing. I did great in Bio. and got Bs in Chem. The work was not hard but my family life and personal issues got in the way of attending classes and putting in the work necessary to make the grades. I was a great student in highschool and took accelerated classes in these subjects, but life got a bit in the way. So what can I do to show to a medical school that I am capable of handling the work load after these grades? Is is all right if I enroll in my college and retake these classes anew and the rest of the reqs. as an non-degree seeking student? I have heard of Post-Bacc. programs but they seem quiet selective and those grades don’t necessarily scream “top grade applicant”…
Help! I want to finally get my life in the path that I always wanted and I am afraid that it might be too late. Your advice is greatly appreciated.
thankx.
Naw, it’s definitely not too late. If your science/math grades are average or mediocre, AND you need to complete your prereqs, then you’ve got plenty of room to redeem yourself. I am never sure of the right answer to the question about re-taking prerequisites. I frankly don’t think it looks THAT great although obviously you need to learn the material so a C in a prereq class probably deserves to be repeated simply so you can make sure you’ve truly learned the material. For B’s in prerequisites, my preference would be for you to take higher-level science classes that build on a foundation that should be adequate. (only you can know for sure if your B was through the grace of God vs. actually learning the stuff well enough to build on it for the future)
You’ll definitely need to take enough science courses - a mix of prereqs and upper-level, I think - to show that you “get it,” that you’re not the immature student you once were, and that you know how to study hard. It certainly sounds like you can do this. Good luck!
Mary