Wondering how to go forward....

[stubbornhawk]

In need of some thorough advice and support cause I’m feeling inadequate, discouraged, and lost...


I’m heading into my senior at a university in California. My stats are pretty low after have a rough start at my CC balancing 2 jobs (parents were not helping me financially) and overloading on units and then going to my uni and balancing again a lot of courses and work and clubs and had a rude awakening that it was all too overbearing. As of right now my sGPA is a 2.5 and my cGPA is a 3.0. If I continue my upward trend when I have been starting to create, I should be able to graduate with a cGPA of a 3.4/3.5. Either way, PRETTY LOW STATS. I have not taken the MCAT because I plan to do a post bacc and many programs I’m looking into has an MCAT component to help me prepare. I have maybe 1 or 2 main AAMC science courses left before I graduate to add into my sGPA but even if I do stellar, it doesn’t budge that much. Or at least, I am trying to add enough to bump my sGPA to be applicable to for a post bacc program.

I’m looking into doing a Post Bacc but I am not sure if it will be enough to raise my sGPA. At this point is it worth it for me anymore to pursue medicine? Even though every time I try to explore different options, I come back to going into medicine.

I’ve been a CNA for 2 years and will continue to be a CNA. I’m a first-gen minority. I’m in the process of getting some research under my belt but due to COVID, my research will most likely be meta-analysis or literature reviews, etc. I am a tutor for Microbiology Lab and a team moderator for a pre-health conference that my school puts on every year. I went through some family hardship throughout my journey in college but I do not want to let it define me and I want to prove to myself that I am worthy enough to go into medicine.

Please be honest and give me your best advice. I know my stats are very low compared to everyone else but I want to work towards my goals for myself so I hope that I can get some motivation or awesome advice to help me navigate in rebuilding myself and my stats for medicine.

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[patnic511]

Hi! Sorry I don't know much about this as a fellow applicant, but have you seen Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention ? It's really helpful. Also maybe I'm just naive, but I think if you have the grit and determination to reinvent, then you can do it! It'll take time and hard work, but you're capable of it

 

[KnightDoc]

In need of some thorough advice and support cause I’m feeling inadequate, discouraged, and lost...


I’m heading into my senior at a university in California. My stats are pretty low after have a rough start at my CC balancing 2 jobs (parents were not helping me financially) and overloading on units and then going to my uni and balancing again a lot of courses and work and clubs and had a rude awakening that it was all too overbearing. As of right now my sGPA is a 2.5 and my cGPA is a 3.0. If I continue my upward trend when I have been starting to create, I should be able to graduate with a cGPA of a 3.4/3.5. Either way, PRETTY LOW STATS. I have not taken the MCAT because I plan to do a post bacc and many programs I’m looking into has an MCAT component to help me prepare. I have maybe 1 or 2 main AAMC science courses left before I graduate to add into my sGPA but even if I do stellar, it doesn’t budge that much. Or at least, I am trying to add enough to bump my sGPA to be applicable to for a post bacc program.

I’m looking into doing a Post Bacc but I am not sure if it will be enough to raise my sGPA. At this point is it worth it for me anymore to pursue medicine? Even though every time I try to explore different options, I come back to going into medicine.

I’ve been a CNA for 2 years and will continue to be a CNA. I’m a first-gen minority. I’m in the process of getting some research under my belt but due to COVID, my research will most likely be meta-analysis or literature reviews, etc. I am a tutor for Microbiology Lab and a team moderator for a pre-health conference that my school puts on every year. I went through some family hardship throughout my journey in college but I do not want to let it define me and I want to prove to myself that I am worthy enough to go into medicine.

Please be honest and give me your best advice. I know my stats are very low compared to everyone else but I want to work towards my goals for myself so I hope that I can get some motivation or awesome advice to help me navigate in rebuilding myself and my stats for medicine.

Yes, your stats are low, but this can always be fixed with reinvention and enough post-bacc classes. I would love to know how a senior can turn a 3.0 into a 3.4/3.5 in one year. Please explain!!! That said, if you do well in a post-bac and on the MCAT, med school is definitely not out of the question. Being a URM only helps. Good luck!!

 

[stubbornhawk]

Hi! Sorry I don't know much about this as a fellow applicant, but have you seen Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention ? It's really helpful. Also maybe I'm just naive, but I think if you have the grit and determination to reinvent, then you can do it! It'll take time and hard work, but you're capable of it

Thank you for being so kind. I really needed those kind words. I will definitely check out Goro's advice!

 

[candbgirl]

Are you being paid for the research? If not don’t worry about it. You don’t need it. In fact the only thing you should be focusing on now is your grades. After you get into a good place studying you can do your ECs. Your CNA work is good. Get some shadowing too when you can. Whether you go to med school is up to you. Work hard, research DO schools and always have a backup plan. Good luck as you move forward.

 

[stubbornhawk]

Are you being paid for the research? If not don’t worry about it. You don’t need it. In fact the only thing you should be focusing on now is your grades. After you get into a good place studying you can do your ECs. Your CNA work is good. Get some shadowing too when you can. Whether you go to med school is up to you. Work hard, research DO schools and always have a backup plan. Good luck as you move forward.

My research is required to graduate under my degree so in a way I have to do it. I have been having an upward trend so school has been my biggest focus. I just felt like since my stats are too low, even a post bacc will still make it a long shot for me to get accepted into medical school. I shadowed some Pediatricians in a hospital a semester at my CC but I did not think shadowing was required and thought my work experience as a CNA would suffice a chunk of me being exposed to the health field or be considered as AAMC medical experience. Thank you for your advice!

 

[stubbornhawk]

Yes, your stats are low, but this can always be fixed with reinvention and enough post-bacc classes. I would love to know how a senior can turn a 3.0 into a 3.4/3.5 in one year. Please explain!!! That said, if you do well in a post-bac and on the MCAT, med school is definitely not out of the question. Being a URM only helps. Good luck!!

Thank you! I was a transfer student so I still have some chunk of units to fulfill which is why if I continue to obtain good grades and continue my upward trend, it will allow me to obtain that GPA. I hope to achieve it and work hard my last year!! Thank you for your advice.

 

[candbgirl]

My research is required to graduate under my degree so in a way I have to do it. I have been having an upward trend so school has been my biggest focus. I just felt like since my stats are too low, even a post bacc will still make it a long shot for me to get accepted into medical school. I shadowed some Pediatricians in a hospital a semester at my CC but I did not think shadowing was required and thought my work experience as a CNA would suffice a chunk of me being exposed to the health field or be considered as AAMC medical experience. Thank you for your advice!

You need around 50 hours of shadowing and some should be with a primary care doc(pedi is fine). You have plenty of clinical experience with your CNA job. You also need about about 200 hours of nonclinical volunteering to the unserved/underserved in your community. So keep all of this in mind as you progress.

 

[KnightDoc]

Thank you! I was a transfer student so I still have some chunk of units to fulfill which is why if I continue to obtain good grades and continue my upward trend, it will allow me to obtain that GPA. I hope to achieve it and work hard my last year!! Thank you for your advice.

Sounds great, but I think you are misunderstanding how the math works. Your transfer credits count as part of your GPA. If you are a rising senior, by definition you have around 75% of your total credits completed. There is no way obtaining a 4.0 on all of your remaining credits can turn a 3.0 into a 3.5. Is your 3.0 just from last year, or cumulative including your CC, which is what med schools will be looking at?