Hi everyone,
I’m sure you all have read this question and promptly replied, but I wanted to know how you all would reply to me.
I used to be a great student back in high school, graduating with top honors - graduated #2 of a class of 900 something. After getting to college, I took a few sciences, and failed them repeatedly, getting D’s in them more than once. As a result, I got kicked out of my school and am forced to go to community college to finish out or do what I can.
I think I have about another year left where I can finish up with a bachelors in something - I’m not sure yet. Now, what I wanted to know is do I still stand a chance? The wake up call for me was when I got kicked out of my school and started going to community college. Since I’ve been there, I’ve been getting mostly A’s, and 2 B’s. I think about 4 A’s, 2 B’s, and one C+. At this rate I’m going to graduate with a GPA close to 2.3-2.5, I’m not entirely sure. I’m not stupid, I am just a slacker. I just realized it too late. I wish it weren’t so, but it is. For the last year, I’ve been working really hard. Right now, I am mananging a full work schedule (local pharmacy - 30 hours/wk), class schedule (4 classes/semester), and hospital volunteering (8 hrs/wk).
I’ve been practicing the MCAT’s and I’ve been consistently hitting 37-39. And yes, for those doubtful ones - I can really get the 37-40 on my MCAT’s…My highest has been 44.
So is there any saving grace for me? Would I be able to apply to an American school and go there? Or would I have to apply elsewhere? And where is that elsewhere?
A lot of other people on another advice forum were saying that I should try for a Carib school.
Any chance that I can transfer into one of the US schools after a year or so there? Or would I have to finish out my 4 years of Med school there?
Also, if I try to go to a Carib school, which one is a good one that will still take me? Are they accredited and are they worth it? Is there a website that rates these schools in comparison to each other? Pretty much, which ones should I be looking to apply to right now? Each application is $75, and I wish not to push out 750 if I know there’s a school I can get into.
Pretty much what I’m trying to do is go to Medical School in January 2009. Now, given that I have finished and graduated by August, what do you all recommend I do?
Thanks again for all the advice ladies and gentlemen. Any tips and help would be ENORMOUSLY appreciated.
Yes.
Maybe the thing to do now that you have a handle on things is do as much as you can at the community college, transfer to a 4-year as soon as you can (they should take you back with your current grades) and finish up. With a sharp increase in grades that you’re now demonstrating, super MCATs, and good letters, some schools in the US may be willing to look past your earlier bad grades.
I just spent a lot of time on the “Other Forum” posting to this poster. Welcome to OPM! Glad your here.
They just posted that they want to attend Medical school in Jan 2009
GPA 2.3 -2.5 Practice MCAT of 37 is what they are posting. I have no idea of the rest of the app
Maybe OPMer’s can tell the poster?
Post Bac? Is it possible to get into one with a low GPA?
What else can they do to increase the chances of acceptance, if the MCAT goes this well then thats awesome but we all know there are many more factors then this.
I have advised this
Post Bac formal or other wise will take until 2010 or 2011 to get a possible acceptance into a US school ( if everything else is good to go on the app) I know GPA problems take time to overcome with good trends.
If they really feel they have to go by 2009 then I see Caribbean as the path.
Few OPMer’s do this I may be in a small crowd here LOL.
Good luck!
And to Lostguy…YES of course theres hope, always just which path to choose.
- lostguy84 Said:
What would you LIKE to major in? What do you WANT to study? I am not hearing any passion for learning or academic work in your story and this concerns me.
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No, clearly you aren't stupid. And it sounds like you are working hard. I do wonder what exactly is your motivation - I believe you that you want to go to medical school but why?
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These kinds of scores with your academic record are actually going to be a huge red flag for any admissions committee because they confirm what you've just said - you've been a slacker. In the past, at least, you tried to get by without working. Med schools don't want folks who can just get great grades, they want to see a good work ethic. Your more recent experience attests to a good work ethic but you've got some damage control to do... I think a whole lot of goal-oriented high grades toward a bachelor's degree will be a good convincing statement.
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Yes, you can definitely get into an American school in my opinion.
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Med school transfers are exceedingly rare and I doubt any U.S. school would consider a transfer application from a Carib school. Maybe it has happened but I haven't heard of it.
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This will only happen if you go Carib. As I'm sure you know, U.S. med schools only matriculate in August/September each year and the current application cycle is for spaces in school for the 2008-2009 academic year.
Why are you in such a hurry when you don't even know what you'll be completing your degree in? You have got the cart before the horse. If you want to get into a U.S. school - and again, it certainly sounds like you could - you should spend some serious time now thinking about what you'd like to complete your bachelor's degree in, and then plan to spend at LEAST one to two full-time years at a 4-year institution, getting truly stellar grades. That's the sort of academic record that will put your MCAT in a good perspective.
There is lots of hope as long as you accept that this is a very long-term project and not something that lends itself to a quick solution. Good luck to you.
Mary
I echo Mary’s comments above. Your username says it all - lostguy.
Why are you lost?
What do you want to do?
Why medicine?
What is your passion?
What makes you jump out of bed in the morning?
What would you want to do just for the sake of doing it?
What work makes your heart race just thinking about it?
What would you do even if you had to do it for free?
You need to answer these questions for yourself before you jump into this. As for your academic record etc., well if you can answer the above questions, everything else is redeemable as many members on this forum will attest to.
I suggest that after graduating, you take the four prerequisite science classes at a 4-year well-known university, and continue to take 3-4 more good meaty science classes–biochem, genetics, anatomy and physiology, molecular bio, etc.–and prove to the world and to yourself that you can hack it. This process will probably take about two years plus part of the application year. Rock the MCAT near the end of that time and start applying. During the application year you may want to take a few more courses–complete a master’s degree, perhaps–and apply broadly. Keep up the volunteering and collect some awesome letters of recommendation.
A strong upward trend in grades and a conviction that you have found your calling and stopped screwing around will be apparent from your record and from your personal statement. You’ll get there, with some hard work and dedication. Best of luck,
- Mary Renard Said:
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Yes, you can definitely get into an American school in my opinion.
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This will only happen if you go Carib. As I'm sure you know, U.S. med schools only matriculate in August/September each year and the current application cycle is for spaces in school for the 2008-2009 academic year.
There is lots of hope as long as you accept that this is a very long-term project and not something that lends itself to a quick solution. Good luck to you.
Mary
Mary you are saying they could to a US school only after doing more Academic work like a Post Bac or something right? At this time my take is they do not want to continue to do this just get into medical school with a 2.5 and a 40 MCAT or something? At least thats what I have read between the two web sites............?
Well I thought I was pretty clear, “this is a long-term project” means a couple of years. Soonest I believe this poster could apply to a U.S. medical school is for the class entering Fall 2010 and that might be pushing it.
I think Dazed asked some pretty important questions, which I’ll address now:
Why are you lost?
I’m lost because I have no idea what I am going to do to become a doctor. I really want to be a doctor, and in order to do so - I need to get into Med School. And I can’t be a doctor given that I cannot get into Med School.
What do you want to do?
Simple - like every other undergrad on this forum board…Practice medicine.
Why medicine?
I feel that’s the one true way I can help people. It sounds cliche, but that’s the most direct way you can touch a person emotionally and change them forever. As a talented doctor, one can truly make a difference in someone’s life. And for me - that is one of my primary goals. I aim not to touch everyone emotionally, nor do I aim to change everyone to be a better person. Instead, I aspire to truly change one person. One person for me is more than enough. It goes back to the “Pay It Forward” concept. Given I help someone directly, they in turn help others, and though the end result is not a major change in the world, at least it will help a handful of people.
Then there’s so many other doctors out there who already don’t give a damn for their patients. At the pharmacy, I get so many doctors who write incompatible drugs to patients with their respective insurance company. It just prolong’s the patient’s ailment. I call them back only to find they’ll get back to me a few days later. Stuff like that is just absurd. There’s people out there, who’re sick. They need help, they need people to help take care of them…They just can’t be ignored. They’re not going to go away. They are one of us, and we take care of our own.
What is your passion?
Learning. Once I get interested and motivated to doing something, I cannot stop. I’m like a bloodhound searching for blood. Right now, there are so many mysterious medical diseases and also a cornucopia of uncharted territory. As a doctor, I hope to learn these territories and hopefully discover something that’ll help someone. Again, it goes back to me directly helping someone. I feel that by being a doctor, I’ll be more in control of the outcome. I’ll be in the driver’s seat.
What makes you jump out of bed in the morning?
Helping those around me. All of my friends and family will attest to this. Though I’m not around often, I’m around when they need me the most. I help out when I can, how I can, and to the best of my capabilities.
What would you want to do just for the sake of doing it?
Research on superior surgical technology. It hasn’t been done. There are still errors that occur in surgeries where patients die of complications. Further, there are situations where treating the patient for anything is hopeless because that patient is a lost cause. Given better technology, I feel we could bridge that gap in our lack of understanding of the human body.
What work makes your heart race just thinking about it?
Stated above. The fact that there’s a machine that can scan a person and display a live visual for the doctor to see the patient and diagnose them.
What would you do even if you had to do it for free?
Stated above. I’d spend my life researching that technology that could potentially have saved countless people. Even if I died without finding a way, at least I’ll have X number of years worth of research on how NOT to go about doing it.
I hope this sheds light on where I stand. The reason I want to get into medical school as early as possible is because of my father. He getting to the point where he will not be able to work much longer. He’s a diabetic and he has to stand at his place of work for about 10-12 hours a day, every day. He can’t take time off b/c its a family owned business, and if he does, then we cannot pay our bills. The more time I take to get into medical school the longer he has to work. So, I’m just looking for the quickest way for him to get some relief. I would love to take the two years extra and finish up with a blasting GPA, but every time I talk to him, he asks how much longer till I finish. What am I supposed to tell him? It just hurts to have to tell him that I’ll be taking another year to finish. And consequently, I’d like to get to Med School as soon as I can to finish up as soon as I can, so he can finally sit down and rest.
LG84
- lostguy84 Said:
Why are you lost?
I'm lost because I have no idea what I am going to do to become a doctor. I really want to be a doctor, and in order to do so - I need to get into Med School. And I can't be a doctor given that I cannot get into Med School.
Well, research on how to become a doctor...the internet makes research very accessible and at your fingertips...literally and figuratively. Sites such as this one or SDN will have others that area also working towards this goal. If you haven't applied for medical school, of course, you won't get into medical school. Even though you've had a rocky start, if you look into osteopathic schools, you might be able to raise your GPA by retaking some of those classes that you've done poorly in.
What do you want to do?
Simple - like every other undergrad on this forum board...Practice medicine.
Why medicine?
I feel that's the one true way I can help people. It sounds cliche, but that's the most direct way you can touch a person emotionally and change them forever. As a talented doctor, one can truly make a difference in someone's life. And for me - that is one of my primary goals. I aim not to touch everyone emotionally, nor do I aim to change everyone to be a better person. Instead, I aspire to truly change one person. One person for me is more than enough. It goes back to the "Pay It Forward" concept. Given I help someone directly, they in turn help others, and though the end result is not a major change in the world, at least it will help a handful of people.
Then there's so many other doctors out there who already don't give a damn for their patients. At the pharmacy, I get so many doctors who write incompatible drugs to patients with their respective insurance company. It just prolong's the patient's ailment. I call them back only to find they'll get back to me a few days later. Stuff like that is just absurd. There's people out there, who're sick. They need help, they need people to help take care of them...They just can't be ignored. They're not going to go away. They are one of us, and we take care of our own.
I can't totally disagree with this, because as a doctor, you do have the ability to help people on a deeper level, but there are other areas in medicine that you can do this as well. I know it frustrates me when I see that many of our seniors are having to decide whether to buy medications or groceries. I think many are intimidated by doctors and instead of speaking up, they leave the doctor's office with a handful of scripts.
What is your passion?
Learning. Once I get interested and motivated to doing something, I cannot stop. I'm like a bloodhound searching for blood. Right now, there are so many mysterious medical diseases and also a cornucopia of uncharted territory. As a doctor, I hope to learn these territories and hopefully discover something that'll help someone. Again, it goes back to me directly helping someone. I feel that by being a doctor, I'll be more in control of the outcome. I'll be in the driver's seat.
Couldn't agree with you more...I too have a thirst for learning.
What makes you jump out of bed in the morning?
Helping those around me. All of my friends and family will attest to this. Though I'm not around often, I'm around when they need me the most. I help out when I can, how I can, and to the best of my capabilities.
What would you want to do just for the sake of doing it?
Research on superior surgical technology. It hasn't been done. There are still errors that occur in surgeries where patients die of complications. Further, there are situations where treating the patient for anything is hopeless because that patient is a lost cause. Given better technology, I feel we could bridge that gap in our lack of understanding of the human body.
What work makes your heart race just thinking about it?
Stated above. The fact that there's a machine that can scan a person and display a live visual for the doctor to see the patient and diagnose them.
What would you do even if you had to do it for free?
Stated above. I'd spend my life researching that technology that could potentially have saved countless people. Even if I died without finding a way, at least I'll have X number of years worth of research on how NOT to go about doing it.
I hope this sheds light on where I stand. The reason I want to get into medical school as early as possible is because of my father. He getting to the point where he will not be able to work much longer. He's a diabetic and he has to stand at his place of work for about 10-12 hours a day, every day. He can't take time off b/c its a family owned business, and if he does, then we cannot pay our bills. The more time I take to get into medical school the longer he has to work. So, I'm just looking for the quickest way for him to get some relief. I would love to take the two years extra and finish up with a blasting GPA, but every time I talk to him, he asks how much longer till I finish. What am I supposed to tell him? It just hurts to have to tell him that I'll be taking another year to finish. And consequently, I'd like to get to Med School as soon as I can to finish up as soon as I can, so he can finally sit down and rest.
Are you a nontraditional student? The reason I ask is that I'm not clear on why your father's working is dependent on your going to med school.
Kris
LG84
- Mary Renard Said:
Its Cool I thought that too I guess I want to make sure? Hope you have a good Holiday
Well…
As usual I have an opinion here…
I often consider the possibility that an older student with his/her “ducks in a row” can often get a sort of “best two out of three” deal. Frankly I did, my MCAT was not stellar, indeed the weakest link in my “package”, I considered NOT applying at the time…
I did pretty much NAIL everything else great undergrad GPA, letters to die for, teaching upper division biology most of my undergrad career (and the KING letter from my boss)…
But by golly… everything else you have must be “top drawer”…
Richard
Be careful about rushing on account of your dad. If you spread yourself too thin you may not get the grades you need to get into medical school and then you’ll need to spend another year or two correcting for this. Better to take your time and do it right. Just my opinion,
- lostguy84 Said:
Lost guy, I'm very sorry that your dad is having difficulties. However, if you already feel that your dad is going to be unable to work much longer, how is he going to be able to manage even if you go to the carib? Even if you manage to matriculate in January 2009, you are still looking at a MINIMUM of 7 years (4 years med school + 3 years of residency) after that before you will be a full fledged physician. If you want to pursue surgery, it will be even longer than that. Although you do earn a salary in residency, it's certainly not anywhere close to the salary of a physician. Is your dad going to be able to continue for that long?
Have you done the necessary investigation into the carib schools to make sure that you can indeed matriculate in Jan. 2009? Also, you need to carefully investigate the disadvantage that going to the carib may put you at when it comes to applying for residency. Although carib grads DO get into competitive residencies, especially grads from the ACGME accredited schools, it is certainly much more difficult than if you went to a US school. If surgical research is really your dream, you should research how difficult that will be from the carib. I personally would hate to spend all that time and money and then find that I can't get into a residency doing what I want.
Just a few more thoughts for you. Good luck.