Where to start? My interest in medicine peaked in a first-hand experience I had as a kid, my appendix needed to be removed and it would be a piece of cake right? Wrong. To spare a long story( one that I would go into if anyone is interested) I experienced negative pressure pulmonary edema which caused me to have 4 day stay in the ICU. After this I wanted to be a doctor, I loved talking with the doctors with all the follow up appointments and they really pushed me to it.
College comes around and well my parents talked me into something like chemistry, I was good ( but who isn’t at general chem) First semester, killed it, and this is where my decline starts. I don’t know what happened I stopped caring about school but continued to go still. I was away from friends and would constantly drive back just to party. My social anxiety was in high gear, went to class but never participated and then just stopped going and did the most stupid thing possible. I stayed in the damn class without dropping. Next semester I told myself I would try harder. Nope. After that semester I dropped school entirely. I was young and dumb.
Couple years later still partying but my life changes dramatically, I’m going to have a kid. At a very young age scared and I don’t know what to do. Working at a retail job while going to community college hoping it will help when I finally get to transfer to a 4-yr. At this point very poor, on food stamps and other programs for the low income.
I decided if I’m going to provide a good life for my daughter I need to obtain a degree to get a good job. I just went back to the same thing I failed at, chemistry again. I couldn’t see my struggle, the classes were hard but I was unaware of my how bad my social anxiety was holding me back. I switched majors to Medical Laboratory Scientist. And something just clicked, the stress was off my shoulders, my anxiety dissipated. I was in classes I enjoyed. Things like biochem, Human physiology, microbiology. I loved it.
I could probably just say that I left school with a 2.3 and raised it back to a 3.3. I excelled in classes that focused on medicine, clinical chemistry, hematology, immunology, blood bank and clinical micro. ( I was getting 3.8 and 3.5 semesters the last two years of this degree)
So with a 3.3 I thought I’d have an ok shot for a D.O spot, maybe. I entered my total GPA into Med school calculator and was crushed to see a 2.8.
I’ve been working as a Medical lab scientist for a couple years now, I love the idea that doctors are using my data to back up their diagnosis and treatment, but I’m missing something. I want to be a part of the patient care.
I haven’t taken the MCAT yet. But is med school possible for me. ( 28 with 3 kids, was having kids throughout college, maybe didn’t help with my grades) I’ve looked into becoming an Anesthesiologist assistant, which I would likely love. But a part of me is tempted to just reach for med school since all the prereqs are the same. I need your thoughts, please be honest. I know it’s hard to gauge without the MCAT. (who am I kidding a 2.8 yea right!)
My volunteer work was at a clinic for the underserved community, people at need, we drew blood and ran the lab test and the med students came back and got our results ( I did this for two years). Really cool and hope to start doing it again. Would also have to talk with the patients about what the lab tests where and why they were being run.
Other than that I’ve just worked as a Lab scientist for a couple years at the major academic hospital in my area. So close ties to the state school for sure. (received degree from the med center, and did volunteer work tied with the med school)
But with such a low GPA, AA school is likely my best bet since with grade replacement my 3.3 is meh, but still certainly doesn’t throw me out. With such a heavy amount of credits 220 cum, and 170 for sGPA the cards are defiantly stacked against me.
Anyone have any thoughts?
College comes around and well my parents talked me into something like chemistry, I was good ( but who isn’t at general chem) First semester, killed it, and this is where my decline starts. I don’t know what happened I stopped caring about school but continued to go still. I was away from friends and would constantly drive back just to party. My social anxiety was in high gear, went to class but never participated and then just stopped going and did the most stupid thing possible. I stayed in the damn class without dropping. Next semester I told myself I would try harder. Nope. After that semester I dropped school entirely. I was young and dumb.
Couple years later still partying but my life changes dramatically, I’m going to have a kid. At a very young age scared and I don’t know what to do. Working at a retail job while going to community college hoping it will help when I finally get to transfer to a 4-yr. At this point very poor, on food stamps and other programs for the low income.
I decided if I’m going to provide a good life for my daughter I need to obtain a degree to get a good job. I just went back to the same thing I failed at, chemistry again. I couldn’t see my struggle, the classes were hard but I was unaware of my how bad my social anxiety was holding me back. I switched majors to Medical Laboratory Scientist. And something just clicked, the stress was off my shoulders, my anxiety dissipated. I was in classes I enjoyed. Things like biochem, Human physiology, microbiology. I loved it.
I could probably just say that I left school with a 2.3 and raised it back to a 3.3. I excelled in classes that focused on medicine, clinical chemistry, hematology, immunology, blood bank and clinical micro. ( I was getting 3.8 and 3.5 semesters the last two years of this degree)
So with a 3.3 I thought I’d have an ok shot for a D.O spot, maybe. I entered my total GPA into Med school calculator and was crushed to see a 2.8.
I’ve been working as a Medical lab scientist for a couple years now, I love the idea that doctors are using my data to back up their diagnosis and treatment, but I’m missing something. I want to be a part of the patient care.
I haven’t taken the MCAT yet. But is med school possible for me. ( 28 with 3 kids, was having kids throughout college, maybe didn’t help with my grades) I’ve looked into becoming an Anesthesiologist assistant, which I would likely love. But a part of me is tempted to just reach for med school since all the prereqs are the same. I need your thoughts, please be honest. I know it’s hard to gauge without the MCAT. (who am I kidding a 2.8 yea right!)
My volunteer work was at a clinic for the underserved community, people at need, we drew blood and ran the lab test and the med students came back and got our results ( I did this for two years). Really cool and hope to start doing it again. Would also have to talk with the patients about what the lab tests where and why they were being run.
Other than that I’ve just worked as a Lab scientist for a couple years at the major academic hospital in my area. So close ties to the state school for sure. (received degree from the med center, and did volunteer work tied with the med school)
But with such a low GPA, AA school is likely my best bet since with grade replacement my 3.3 is meh, but still certainly doesn’t throw me out. With such a heavy amount of credits 220 cum, and 170 for sGPA the cards are defiantly stacked against me.
Anyone have any thoughts?
Last edited:
