So what do you do if you messed up in college?

Nontraditional Premed Discussion
1

The more and more I read up on here and at SDN… I’m more and more baffled.


So here’s my conundrum. I’m graduating with a PhD and now I’d like to do a MD in the hopes of doing more clinical work down the line.


Anyway, here’s my credential:


UGPA: 2.94 (science) 3.11 (overall) – biology and classics double major


Grad GPA: 3.7 – PhD immunology (Emory Univ/Dr. Rafi Ahmed)


GRE: i forget the exact score… but i did ok – verbal: ~650; quant: ~750


MCAT: not taken yet


** two first author papers in respectable journal and 3 non-first author papers **


so the obvious is to study/take the MCAT and kick butt (>30+)


my other concern is my science UGPA. i thought these special masters program might be an option, but i realized that the grades you get in these classes are for grad GPA. i thought about doing a formal post-bacc, but because i have taken all the pre-reqs… i’m not eligible for this either.


so anyone with any advice on what my options really are at this point?


thanks

2

I think you have a good chance if you have also done


Shadowing


Volunteering


Do you have Patient contact hours?


You need a well rounded App, I think grade wise you are in the Ball park.


(I really do not like SDN a lot myself)

3

i’ve shadowed doctors as an undergrad, but that was a bit ago. i have been volunteering though. i’m thinking that when i take a year off and study for the MCAT, i’ll work more on my ECs too.


back to my UGPA, i ended up getting a C- in physics 2. is that something i should re-take or just focus on doing well on the physical science section of the MCAT?

4

if you are really weak retake but if you can do ok on the MCAT without retake I think you are fine.


Retake= both grades averaged but if you can get a A then it should = a B a good trade off with small boost in GPA too