Hi guys!
I am new to this site and grateful to have found it. I am in a dilemma about how the med schools calculate your gpa. I have a bachelors and masters in nursing with gpas of 4.0 and 3.9 respectively. As part of the requirements for entrance into med school I have already taken stats (grade B), microbiology (grade A), Gen Bio (grade A), A&P I,II (grade B each). I still have to take physics, org chem and inorg chem. My problem/question is #1- Do they average the prequisite class grades seperately or with the cumulative gpa of my bachelors degree and/or masters degree? and then #2- I took org chem in 2007 not realizing I should have taken a refresher chem class first and waited too late to drop/withdraw, never finished the class and was given a grade of gulp F. 
Of course I am retaking the org chem class but am concerned that the F will be averaged in. I plan on applying to a DO program and a couple MD programs. Would someone kindly help me fiqure this out. Thanks in advance!
Hi!! Welcome to the forum!! I am unable to answer your question, because I am in the same situation as you!! LOL…However, I wanted to know why are you changing from nursing to M.D.? I am currently a SLP and inspiring to become an M.D.( I desire to have more nursing/medical contact with my patients instead of rehabilitation). I quickly thought about becoming a R.N. so that it would take me out of the SLP field ASAP!!) What are your thoughts since you are already an R.N.? Do you continuously strive for more knowledge outside of the nursing spectrum? Thanks for any input!!! Oh…others can join in as well!! 
Hi and thanks for the welcome!
I currently work as a nurse practitioner and although I absolutely love what I do there is more I need to know about medicine that only becoming a physician can fulfill. I can remember when I was a small child someone in my family asking what I wanted to be when I grew up and I said then I wanted to be a doctor and meant it however due to family circumstances beyond my control my path to this point was a bit derailed. However I think it will only make me a better physician! I plan on matriculating the year 2014. What about you?
TW,
Most schools have a petition to drop after the fact process. Given that your other courses are outstanding, have you checked to see if you can drop the “F” class now?
Next question, why 2014?
What do I know but due to your very deep background (already) in medicine and assumed success at work, etc., I would figure you could explain away one F. Two "F"s might be a problem. I think you are doing well. You are human! Again, what do I know?
I did not know I could do that. I will call the school and see if they would be willing to drop it. Thanks for the info! I plan to matriculate 2014 because I am only taking one prereq per semester since I have to work full time right now and want to ensure I can focus enough time for each course to get the best grade possible. I know 2014 seems a long time away but it will be here soon enough…
Thanks! I sure hope this is the case…
Interesting about possibly getting the F dropped! Let me know how thing work out - I’m in basically the same situation. I left a calc course with out an official withdrawal and the transcript says F, but I got an A when I re-took it.
BTW, I agree with what some others have said - your other grades are outstanding and you are well prepared with your training/work as an NP, so I bet even if you can’t get that grade dropped from your transcript you will still have a great shot at getting in to your program!
I am trying to decide if I will attend the summer session in order to get some classes out of the way. But, summer classes are so condensed and I really don’t want to learn the information that way!! I am thinking probably 2011 or 2012 for MED School…OMG that seems sooo far away, but I know that it will be here in no time!! Yes, my initial plans when I was in college was to becoming a pediatrician. However, I sat in a Chemistry class and could not understand one word the professor was saying. He was a Chinese!!! I said “Well, maybe medicine is not for me”. Then I changed to SLP. I love the field, don’t get me wrong, but my passion is medicine!! Sometimes, I discourage myself and say, “Dang, I’m to old(29) and I can’t believe that I did not go for it”! But now, I have realized that no one is ever to OLD to do what they are passionate about. I have thought about moving back with my mom (she insists) and going to school full-time( I am not married and I don’t have any children). So many decisions!!!
Hi - welcome to the site! I’m planning on applying for 2015 entry…and I have so much to do by then - it will be here before we know it!!
There were many posts on this forum on GPA calculations.
Allopathic med schools count every single grade and average them all. If you get three grades from one subject (lets say A, B, C all three will count and your average will be B; if you get an F an A your average will be C). Osteopatic schools take the most recent grades into consideration.
Undergrad GPA is separate from Grad school and Science GPA is separate from non-science.
Your GPA is good, so if you retake this Orgo class and do well, you should be fine.
K.
Yes thanks for your reply! I had been reading the past posts about gpa calculations but was a bit unclear. I think I understand now. Best wishes…
Yes at first it seemed so far away but with all the classes still need to take time should pass quickly. Good luck to you