<p>Hey all. This will be my first post and Just looking for stable information. I went to a college (uca in conway arkansas) for a semester and went in doing a biology degree with a chem minor. I love it and have loved it. Although, coming straight from high school I really didn't know how to study and my bio teacher had questions - in her words "as difficult as the mcat" and my chemistry (basic non science majors, refresher) wasnt all that great and my college algebra was horrendous because my ta was never there to actually teach. So basically I ended up with a 1.3 after dropping world hist 2 because the teacher again was never there, and had a D in biology C un the chemistry class and D in college algebra. </p>
<p>Now since then I have joined the Air Force and looking at school next semester with being of since fall 2011 semester. I have grown wiser and actually taught myself how to study, or what works best for me. I kept my bio book and read what we did in bio 1 and from there read the biology section of an mcat prep book. Same with chemistry. I also, know the courses m1 students take and before anyone asks "why now?" or says "dont do that now," I study anatomy and physiology because I loved it in high school. I study abit from a couple science courses everyday, well just reading and doing some questions and abit note taking over A&P, biology, chemistry, microbiology. </p>
<p>With that being said if I retake my courses I took at UCA (chem bio and college alg) and I know I'll get a 4.0 in those this go, my gpa will go from a 2.15 (combined with college courses I took at a cc in high school) yo a 3.5. And will maintain the best grades I can get. I know I can get a 4.0 in the majority of the science classes applying myself. Also know that while in college I'll be studying mcat books in sync with taking that course. (Taking a physics course I'll be studying the mcat physics portiin, etc) so I know I can do decently well on the mcat. Shooting for a 33. I plan on getting a ton (150 or so hours in volunteering at a many health care environments), shadowing all sorts of physicians and some research in. Along with my certification in pharmacy tech. My question is, are my chances at Medical shot with the prior grades I received or will retaking them for sure be a good idea?</p>
<p>Paragraphs are your friend–use them! The wall of text is hard to read.</p>
<p>First of all, you must retake bio and math because medical schools will not accept any grade below a C to fulfill a pre-req. Since college algebra will not fulfill med school requirements, plan on taking Calc 1 and stats (required for the 2015 MCAT).</p>
<p>Allopathic (MD) medical schools require you to report ALL grades earned in college and will include both the original grade and retake in your GPA.</p>
<p>Osteopathic (DO) medical schools will consider only the retaken grade.</p>
<p>What you might do is use a GPA calculator and see which scenario (MD or DO) works out more favorably for you. While you’re at it run your BCPM GPA too.</p>
<p>But, if can do what you’re projecting-- get your GPAs up above 3.4 and score well on your MCAT, then your chances are as good as anyone else’s. You will need to write an “I’ve grown up” explanation for your previous poor grades as part of your personal statement for med school applications. </p>
<p>Military service is considered favorably by some med school adcomms–so that may help your application. </p>
<p>Be sure to check out the changes coming to the MCAT in 2015. The 2015 MCAT is longer, covers more material and has a whole new section on Human Behavior.</p>
<p>Thanks I believe I can maintain a 3.6 afterall. And get around 31 +/- 2. </p>
<p>What is the main difference between: Allopathic medical school and osteopathic medical school? Except for the usmle/comlex. Any differences among residencies or?</p>
<p>Not a whole lot…though currently DOs who want to match in ACGME accredited residency programs need to take the USMLE as well as COMLEX.</p>
<p>But, if all goes as currently planned, starting in 2015, MDs and DOs will share a single unified Residency Match, and both USMLE and COMLEX scores will be accepted for residency consideration.</p>
<p>Osteopathic schools require training in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM).</p>
<p>Just remember that retaking courses doesn’t replace the grade on the AMCAS. It will count both grades as individual courses. Start taking lots of courses where you can get As because you will need them.</p>
<p>Oh. So your saying 1 D (hypothetically = 1.00) qnd taking say 10 science classes and getting 4.0s in them making your sgpa a 3.74 looks decent still, even with a ciuole bad grades?</p>
<p>Sorry if its repetitive, trying to wrap my mind around it</p>
<p>Medical schools have so many applicants that the first round of screening (elimination) is done by a computer program–not a human being. (This is true at most med schools, btw. This isn’t a hypothetical.) To the program, a 3.74 is a 3.74. It doesn’t consider how that number was arrived at.</p>
<p>Later on when you have made it thru the first screening, only then does a real live human being actually look at your year-by-year grade break down.</p>
<p>Now how the members of the adcomm perceive those grades is going to depend on how you package them. If they can see your poor grades are much older than your new terrific grades and your PS reflects that–then the members of the adcomm are likely to be more forgiving of the earlier poor grades.</p>
<p>Medical schools have so many applicants that the first round of screening (elimination) is done by a computer program–not a human being. (This is true at most med schools, btw. This isn’t a hypothetical.) To the program, a 3.74 is a 3.74. It doesn’t consider how that number was arrived at.</p>
<p>Later on when you have made it thru the first screening, only then does a real live human being actually look at your year-by-year grade break down.</p>
<p>Now how the members of the adcomm perceive those grades is going to depend on how you package them. If they can see your poor grades are much older than your new terrific grades and your PS reflects that–then the members of the adcomm are likely to be more forgiving of the earlier poor grades.
*</p>
<p>exactly. You need to improve your overall GPA’s so that you won’t get weeded out during the initial non-human down-select process. You’ll want your app to get to the point that human eyes are looking it over so they can see how much better a student you’ve become.</p>
<p>The point is to dilute your couple of poor grades with lots of good BCMP grades so that your cum and BCMP GPA is higher…PLUS, all those add’l BCMP classes will demonstrate how much stronger a student you have become.</p>
<p>So, you’ll retake the D classes, and take higher classes to show strength. And you’ll take other chem classes to show strength there as well.</p>