College GPA - Can I still make it?

[SDN]

I'm currently a third year Biochemistry Student, and my pre-med path has so far been rocky and I'm in the point of my life wondering what I should do currently and after I graduate from university.

I spent my first two years at an university away from home, and due to personal reasons, my grades really suffered, especially pre-med requisite courses (listed below):

Gen Chem I B
Gen Chem II B+
Gen Chem III B
Bio Lab (2 units) A-
Gen Bio I B-
Gen Bio II B
Gen Bio III C
Ochem I (Took it three times) D, Withdrawal, B
Ochem II B-
Calc II B
Stats C
Current Cumulative GPA 3.047

After my first two years at this university, I realized this was not the right place for me, so I decided to transfer to another university closer to home. I'm also re-evaluating my study habits, since I'm a college rower, I have to wake up really early in the morning for practice, which can partially cause my grades to suffer.

I have not taken any chemistry lab courses yet so as Ochem III. I am currently taking upper division courses such as Biochem I, Intermediate Inorganic Chemistry, and Genetics. I am aiming for A-/ B+ for these courses. However, I am still really worried about my bad academic history.

I will be taking the MCATs around April, and I am studying hard for the exam. My goal is to go to a M.D. school, and will always be. I spent the past two years volunteering at the hospital to shadow a M.D. and I know that's the job I want. However, my grades really worry me, and I'm starting to consider P.A. school now because I'm scared I might not ever raise my GPA. I am also thinking of retaking these courses after graduation but my advisor told me I could not retake any of these courses if I got a C- grade or above.

Thank you all again for reading my post. Any advice helps. I greatly appreciate it.

You're probably not in as bad of shape as you may think right now. Don't be discouraged.

If your goal is to be an MD, you'll need to get your GPA and science GPA up higher. A lot will also be riding on your MCAT score. If you're unable to get a GPA into the range for your target schools (see Interview Feedback List | Student Doctor Network for stats and LizzyM information), then you may want to look at post-bacc programs.

It's important to know WHY medical schools want someone with a strong science GPA and MCAT score - it's because they want to get maximum graduation rates for their students. It's not good for either a school or a student to train for 1-2 years and then lose them due to a poor GPA. A solid GPA (especially science GPA) indicates that a student will do well in the high-volume academic environment of medical school.

So, with that in mind, you need to demonstrate that you're a safe bet for a school. That's where the post-bacc programs are helpful. See the forum here: Postbaccalaureate Programs

I've had a few friends go the post-bacc route and they did great. The key is doing well in the post-bacc program and proving you can handle the workload -- they did well and gained admission to excellent programs.

Hope this helps!

---

Members don't see this ad.