PCOM biomedical sciences? what are my chances?

[rachelkatarina]

I attached a screenshot of my current transcript with the grades I've earned so far. Obviously I'm not getting into medical school with these, although that is my ultimate goal. My cGPA is 2.88 and I know my sGPA is lower but I still have organic 1&2, physics 1&2, anatomy, virology, and calculus so I'm hoping it will go up significantly following completion of these courses. Extracurricular activities include ~100 hours hospital volunteering, ~50 hours volunteering in a free clinic for disadvantaged men and women, ~2,000 hours working as an ED scribe, and ~300 hours volunteering at an animal shelter. My goal in medicine is to provide primary care for rural populations. I haven't taken the MCAT but will be taking the GRE next month and aim to score in the 90th percentile. What are my chances of getting into PCOM's biomedical sciences program, and from there their DO school? I would be applying to GA-PCOM if that makes any difference.

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[Magus5454]

Calc wont help sGPA for DO

 

[Magus5454]

I attached a screenshot of my current transcript with the grades I've earned so far. Obviously I'm not getting into medical school with these, although that is my ultimate goal. My cGPA is 2.88 and I know my sGPA is lower but I still have organic 1&2, physics 1&2, anatomy, virology, and calculus so I'm hoping it will go up significantly following completion of these courses. Extracurricular activities include ~100 hours hospital volunteering, ~50 hours volunteering in a free clinic for disadvantaged men and women, ~2,000 hours working as an ED scribe, and ~300 hours volunteering at an animal shelter. My goal in medicine is to provide primary care for rural populations. I haven't taken the MCAT but will be taking the GRE next month and aim to score in the 90th percentile. What are my chances of getting into PCOM's biomedical sciences program, and from there their DO school? I would be applying to GA-PCOM if that makes any difference.

So to be brutally honest, failing gen chem I and chem 2 and then passing with a C doesnt bode well for you. You need to fix your way of learning before you attempt the harder courses and even begin to approach a SMP

 

[rachelkatarina]

So to be brutally honest, failing gen chem I and chem 2 and then passing with a C doesnt bode well for you. You need to fix your way of learning before you attempt the harder courses and even begin to approach a SMP

Are my chances of getting into a SMP completely shot because of this? Gen chem taught me a lot about how I learn and how I need to study.

 

[MKO]

Gonna say that you should study for the MCAT before trying to get involved in a SMP program. These programs often attempt to mildly-mimic a M1 curriculum. You have many many Cs, which is barely getting “passing” in Med school’s eyes. The reason I say study for the MCAT first is that you have to learn how to self-study successfully and the MCAT is one way to test this as it encompasses a significant amount of information, as well as will really make you work on your very basics.


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[rachelkatarina]

Gonna say that you should study for the MCAT before trying to get involved in a SMP program. These programs often attempt to mildly-mimic a M1 curriculum. You have many many Cs, which is barely getting “passing” in Med school’s eyes. The reason I say study for the MCAT first is that you have to learn how to self-study successfully and the MCAT is one way to test this as it encompasses a significant amount of information, as well as will really make you work on your very basics.


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I’ve been studying for the MCAT and I intend to take it about a year from now after I’ve taken biochem. On practice questions/tests I can get pretty much every bio related question right but nothing with chem (because I just started organic I). I have a ton of Cs in bio classes because I was so focused on gen chem I let everything slide. I learned a lot from that mistake but with self study I’ve been able to pretty much master the material. Would it be worth retaking a few bio classes where I’ve got a C or just keep improving my study habits?

 

[MKO]

I’ve been studying for the MCAT and I intend to take it about a year from now after I’ve taken biochem. On practice questions/tests I can get pretty much every bio related question right but nothing with chem (because I just started organic I). I have a ton of Cs in bio classes because I was so focused on gen chem I let everything slide. I learned a lot from that mistake but with self study I’ve been able to pretty much master the material. Would it be worth retaking a few bio classes where I’ve got a C or just keep improving my study habits?

Any class that you have less than a C (C- is less than a C), retake. Otherwise, start taking upper-level science classes to show that you have really "changed" and that your old studying habits are a thing of the past. Surely if you are about to apply to medical school (or rather, a SMP- which again, is suppose to mimic the rigors of M1 curriculum), then you should be able to get As in upper-level science courses at the undergraduate level. I don't think anything less than an A is acceptable at this point, as you need to prove to these programs (and yourself) that you are capable of handling a rigorous curriculum.

 

[MKO]

Some classes that prove that you can handle this (and will also help you with the MCAT) include- cell biology, human physiology, immunology, genetics, **biochemistry**(a very very important one!), pathology, etc.

I see your transcript and I see (as will adcoms) that you did not do well in really any difficult course that came your way (Dev Bio, Gen Chem- which is not supposed to be a particularly difficult class- microbiology, etc. No excuses anymore. Get As or either you will not get accepted to school OR you will slip through the cracks of med school and struggle to keep up.