Hello Everyone,
I found OPM back in 2008 right after graduating with a B.A. in Economics. I made one post about my plan to become a doctor and asked a few questions from the great people this site has. Long story short, i didn’t go through with my plan because i chickened out and took a job. I also earned an M.A. in Economics since then. After that costly degree, if I get into Med school I’ll be working for free for 5 years to pay the loans back, i find myself back here again knowing 100% that one day being a doctor is what i want to do. The business world i am in is just not me. I feel that i listen to people well, i just know what people are thinking, how they feel, and i have an innate desire to help. It has taken me this long to realize without a doubt i got my mother’s (she’s an R.N.) caretaker genes, and not the aggressive out for myself mentality that I’m seeing in financial sales.
Anyway, here are my current stats:
Michigan State
Economics B.A. 2.65 GPA
The University of Detroit Mercy
Economics M.A. 3.95
I haven’t taken any of the pre-med prerequisites other than math in my education thus far, so at least my BCPM GPA should be high if all goes to plan.
Thanks 
Welcome (back) to OPM! I’m just starting a formal post-bac program this fall (on Monday, actually!), so I’m just beginning to knock out my pre-reqs as well.
Here are my thoughts about what you’ve written:
- Your undergrad GPA is a bit low, but your grad GPA is fantastic and will help you. You’ll have to kick butt in your pre-reqs and on the MCAT to make up for the low undergrad GPA, but it sounds like you know that already.
- You don’t mention any clinical or volunteering experience, so I’m not sure whether or not you have any. Now is a great time to start getting some of both (possibly combining them, i.e. volunteering in a clinical setting). It’s great experience and will help you be a better doc in the future, and you also will need it on your med school application.
- Have you started thinking about a plan for your pre-reqs? When, where, over how long, etc.? That sounds like the next step. As I said, I’m doing a formal post-bac and I’m happy to tell you more about why I’ve chosen that route.
Best wishes to you! Keep posting on your progress.
I agree with terra_i.
Your undergrad GPA is low and I would seriously work on bumping this up. You have a great Master GPA, but this is not a determining factor as I understand (although it will help).
Also you have to start preping your application. The numbers are just part of the story. You should look into the extracurricular (research/volunteering/sh adowing/leardership roles).
Welcome back, and good luck.
Trust me i know my ug GPA is garbage.
Hopefully i can get financial aid, pretty close to tapped out i think($80k student loans already). UG & private grad school was huge; not smart i know.
If so, I’m going to be taking some pre req’s this semester at a university near my home. Oakland University anyone?
I know i really need to get a cum. BCPM GPA of about 3.7+ to really have a shot. But like i said, with my crappy ug GPA there are no med school pre req’s in there so my BCPM will be all post-bacc. All in all, I’m pretty lucky i didn’t take them yet.
Also, i plan on contacting a cancer institute about volunteering.
http://www.karmanos.org/app.asp?id=23&ssec=2
I think volunteering here will be a much more rewarding experience vs. a traditional setting.
So here is my plan:
Fall 2010
Chem 1
Bio 1
Spring 2011
Chem 2
Bio 2
Summer
Physics 1 & 2
Fall 2011
Orgo 1
Upper level something?
Spring 2012
Orgo 2
Upper level something?
MCAT
Apply June 2012
Fall 2010 to Spring 2012 and longer I’ll hopefully be volunteering.
Edit:
I also volunteer at my parish and i coach Boys Junior High School Ice Hockey.
What do you think?
What else am i missing?
I think all in all, your plan is reasonable. I am not expert though.
But how long have been out of school. I’d suggest starting with only 1 class for the first semester. I don’t know what other responsibilities you have, but it seems clear to me that you cannot afford a single B.
Just take it easy the first semester, don’t go too fast. Make sure you ace the class, get some confidence and then get rolling.
And sure, some shadowing is good. Start thinking about the letters of references. These take a long time to get.
Good luck and let us know how things are going.
something my pre-health advisor suggested i do is some research. this accomplishes 3 things:
- helps with a LOR
- makes you a more well-rounded applicant
- helps you appeal to any med schools that like to see research
so perhaps you can look into that as well. it definitely can’t hurt to have both volunteering and research on your application, especially if you haven’t had any medically related work. not sure where you plan on applying but in my situation, i want to make sure that i appeal to as many schools as i can.
Yes, i 100% need A’s. No questions about it. I think I’m academically able, no genius by any means, but if i put my mind to something it usually gets done.
As far as a non-AMCAS GPA goes, after the ad-hoc post bacc (4yr school) if i can average an A- my UG Cum. GPA should be a 3.0 ish. I already know my AMCAS GPA is going to be God awful (three 0.0’s)so I’m leaning towards my AACOMAS GPA to carry me. Then I’m going to have to get a 30+ on the MCAT.
My dream school is actually Michigan State College of Osteopathic Medicine.
I have a admissions advising apt with them in a few weeks to see what academic and e.c. feats i need to accomplish.
It’s going to be a long journey of damn near academic perfection to say the least. But it will be done!
- desert_shawn Said:
1. helps with a LOR
2. makes you a more well-rounded applicant
3. helps you appeal to any med schools that like to see research
so perhaps you can look into that as well. it definitely can't hurt to have both volunteering and research on your application, especially if you haven't had any medically related work. not sure where you plan on applying but in my situation, i want to make sure that i appeal to as many schools as i can.
I am going to look into it after this semester i think, after i prove i can 4.0 some science classes. Hopefully my M.A. in Economics will turn some heads in the research dept. as far as getting picked.
I plan on spending a butt load on apps. I'm going to apply to as many schools on my radar as possible. I may put like 1-3 reaches on there, depends on my $ situation.