Does “where there is a will, there is a way” really apply to med school? I need some sage advice to make this decision… please. I am trying to decide if I can get accepted for Fall 2005 with the proper strategy. Here are my facts and questions:
All my undergrad science classes are 20 years old and I had an overall GPA of 2.83 from Carnegie Mellon. The science was a little worse.
I have an MBA with a 3.45 GPA (do these grades get factored into my overall GPA?)
I’ve started taking Microbiology and have a 100% average so far and I know I can ace the prereqs and get decent MCAT scores when I focus on it. You could also call me “well rounded” with international volunteer service and other accomplishments. Given this…
What can I do to improve my chances? What are the easiest (or least difficult) med schools for admission. US News tells me the most difficult. Who would take me?.. and I only want to study in the USA. I am willing to spend the next 2.5 years doing nothing but prereqs and retakes if my chances of getting accepted somewhere are good. Should I?
Hey Seacatch,
Is that “Seacatch” from Kipling? Just curious. I don’t know if my advice is sage but I’ll tell you what I think anyway. If I am not mistaken, to get in to school by Fall 2005 means that you need to take the MCAT no later than Fall 2004 and the Spring of 2004 would be better because it would allow you to turn in your completed applications sooner. Your prerequisites would have to be completed by Sping 2005 but again it seems like it would be better to have them completed by the time you turn in your application; so this means Spring 2004. In terms of classes, given the age of your old classes, this means 1yr each of gen chem, gen bio, organic chem, and physics (all with labs). Additionally some schools require calculus and or biochemistry. On the surface your timeline is feasible.
You sound like you pretty much know what you have to do to maximize your chances. You have to get the best possible grades on your prerequisite courses and get as high as possible of an MCAT score. Also, some clinical experience seems to looked upon favorably.
I think that there are plenty of schools out there that you have goood chances of getting aceptance to. Particularly if you do very well on currently. I don’t know which schools specifically but it all depends on so much that I don’t think you really can name particular schools.
As to whether or not you should is a very personal decision. If you think medicine is what you want to do for the rest of your life I think you should. But, given the pending sacrifices that it will necessitate(unless money and family relationships are not an issue), I believe you should be pretty sure before you set out.
Those are my thoughts at a late hour. I hope they are reasonably coherent. Good luck! Hope to hear moore from you.
This hinges on two things.
First is fesability–
Your timeline is a 2 year plan and is completely doable. It is currently the plan I am on with the goal of matriculating in 2003. The hardest part will be getting all four prereqs done in one year, and taking the MCAT in that same year. I did this, it was tough but doable. The main problem was trying to take the MCAT in the spring with the full course load. I couldn’t do it and had to take it in August. As long as you do well in the prereqs and your “post-bac” GPA is good plus a decent MCAT you will get interviews and probably accepted.
Second is desire- Its a huge commitment and you really have to know what your getting in to. Only you know for sure but it sounds like you are pretty sure of the path. Make sure you ask yourself the tough questions like why do I really want to do this?
As for specific easier schools don’t worry about it until you are closer to the applciation. Its a series of hoops and hurdles, focus on yur first two, the preqs and the MCAT.
Grad grades are seperate.