Hello. This is my first post. I have been reading these for awhile and I thought it was time to reach out for some advice. My premed advisor at the university that I attend helps some, but I don’t think she would ever tell me that I should stop trying to get into medical school.
Here is my situation:
-I have 4 years experience working in Human Service (Mental hospitals and substance abuse treatment centers).
-I want to get into psychiatry.
-I completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a 3.0 gpa.
-Then spent 2 years taking: Physics I & II, General Chem I & II, Calculus (twice: D then A-), Organic Chem I, Human Phys, and General Biology.
-I got a 3.0 once again while taking the pre-reqs. I got a lot of B’s.
I was taking my second Organic Chem and withdrew when I realized that wasn’t going to get a high B or A.
I have taken a year off, because I ran out of money and confidence in my ability to get in. During my time working on my pre-reqs, I worked full time. I did not have time to volunteer and study. I still dream about taking classes and going to medical school, but I just don’t know how to make it happen. How high does my gpa need to be to have a chance to get in somewhere?
How much experience do I need in a medical setting?
And most importantly, how do I find the money and the time to get it all done?
I have bills to pay each month and I don’t know how people can afford to pay their bills and go to school.
I have exhausted FASFA loans. Do any of you use private loans to pay for premed coursework and monthly expenses?
Finally, when do you know it is time to throw in the towel?
I hope that all made some sense.
Thanks for taking the time to read and respond!
Hi Sallison and welcome to OPM. I read your post and it sounded very interesting. I know you do not want to hear this but I am going to be like your pre-med advisor and not tell you if you should abandon your dream or not. The only one that should make that decision is you. But, I do have some advice to some of the questions you brought up here.
- Sallison Said:
Here is my situation:
-I have 4 years experience working in Human Service (Mental hospitals and substance abuse treatment centers).
-I want to get into psychiatry.
-I completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a 3.0 gpa.
-Then spent 2 years taking: Physics I & II, General Chem I & II, Calculus (twice: D then A-), Organic Chem I, Human Phys, and General Biology.
-I got a 3.0 once again while taking the pre-reqs. I got a lot of B's.
I was taking my second Organic Chem and withdrew when I realized that wasn't going to get a high B or A.
Sounds very complicated and difficult to explain on the AMCAS application. Have you thought about discussing this with a medical school admissions counselor? I had similar concerns when I was doing my post-bac (mostly concerning my undergrad performance) and was shocked that not only could I speak with my pre-med advisors at the college I was doing my post-bac at but I could also make an appointment with the admission counselors at some of the medical schools I was thinking about attending. When I went to visit the medical school admission counselors, I explained to them my situation and they were upfront with me about my chances of being accepted to the school and what I might want to do to improve those chances. I would recommend that if you do have a medical school that is near you make an appointment with an admissions counselor. They might be willing to help you assess your situation and tell you what you need to work on in order to improve it.
- In reply to:
I have taken a year off, because I ran out of money and confidence in my ability to get in. During my time working on my pre-reqs, I worked full time. I did not have time to volunteer and study. I still dream about taking classes and going to medical school, but I just don't know how to make it happen. How high does my gpa need to be to have a chance to get in somewhere?
That is going to vary from school to school. Again, speaking with a counselor at a medical school nearby might help here. Also, there is no set GPA you need to get in. You have people here who have gotten in with a GPA in the neighborhood of 3.1 and others who are frustrated because they did not get in with a GPA of a 3.6. Its not always about the school but also about the kind of student. Its not all about the GPA. Its also about your MCATs and extracurriculars.
- In reply to:
How much experience do I need in a medical setting?
Again, there is no set answer. Here is the answer most people will give you: as much as you can get. While that is not a finite number its the best answer anyone can give you. The more the better Sallison. I understand your concerns about not having the time and I was like you, concerned that since I have a fulltime job and go to school when I am I going to have the time to shadow or volunteer? Well, I found it and I am sure you can too. You cannot think about doing it in a traditional sense since you have such a full-plate. Ask your local hospital if you could volunteer at night or the overnight. Consider sacrificing your weekends for a few months and volunteer then. Ask your primary physician or a family physician if you can shadow them. You will be amazed at the opportunities that are out there for you but you have to find them.
- In reply to:
And most importantly, how do I find the money and the time to get it all done?
I have bills to pay each month and I don't know how people can afford to pay their bills and go to school.
I have exhausted FASFA loans. Do any of you use private loans to pay for premed coursework and monthly expenses?
I have bills to pay each month and I don't know how people can afford to pay their bills and go to school.
I have exhausted FASFA loans. Do any of you use private loans to pay for premed coursework and monthly expenses?
Wow, you sound a lot like me. I don't know if thats a good thing or a bad thing. Seriously though, I had the same concerns as you and brought those concerns to this board many, many times. Regarding financial aid, I was lucky enough to find a job at a University so I had tuition remission. That did not always cover the bills and I could not use that for a few semesters either. When that happened, I got a Citi-Assist loan. Those are private educational loans that you can defer as long as you are taking classes.
I defintely understand how you feel about time as well. When I started my post-bac I was working 40 hours a week. Near compeletion, I was working closer to 70 hours (for reasons I won't get into here). Still, I was able to fit in time to do an internship, go to classes, prepare for the MCATs, volunteer, and shadow. What it meant was a lot of seven day weeks. Because I felt I needed to shadow and volunteer and do everything else, I had to work around everyone else's schedule. Yeah, it sounds arduous but trust me it will pay off in the end. I actually think it might even help when it comes time for you to interview at medical schools. I think medical schools will be impressed by the commitment and sacrifices you had to make just to get to this interview. Again, thats just my opinion.
- In reply to:
Finally, when do you know it is time to throw in the towel?
Again, thats on you. Only you should be making that decision since only you will have to live with the decision. I know you feel frustrated now but remember you have a lot of options out there. First, I would visit a medical school admissions officer. They might give you better insight. Second, I would consider maybe a Masters if you are that concerned about your grades. Third, you said you have taken time off from your studies - how about using that time off to volunteer. It does not have to be in a hospital setting. You could work with seniors or your local rescue squad. Whatever you choose to do, its going to take time and commitment. Its up to you about how much you are willing to give.