So I recently finished my freshman year at Umich and am having a crisis about what I want to do in the future. I picked umich originally because I was split between a premed track majoring in CMB and minoring in CS or a CS major with a Ross minor. I was pretty set on premed until I realized my grades are horrible. I really enjoy premed and I enjoy learning about Biology, especially Anatomy. However, I realize my grades are subpar. I also have research experience and will be interning with the Red Cross but have no other ECs. I will be in UROP sophomore year. I have a few shadowing hours. I would really like to be med but not sure if it is a reality. I know DO schools take grade replacements but I really don’t want to take Orgo again or any other chem class really. CS was originally a backup for me but after EECS 183 I realized I really enjoy it. I also started self-studying for EECS 280 and 203 and I enjoy that material as well. Currently I am split between staying premed and switching to CS. I am willing to work hard and bring my grades up no matter which side I pick but I’m not sure if I want to give up on premed yet but I realllllly like CS. Pro for CS is that it is much easier for me to find opportunities through family and other social connections than premed. My question here is that are my grades, esp Orgo, going to be very disadvantageous for me or if I am better off switching to CS.
Orgo 1: C-
Orgo 1 Lab: A-
Bio 173: B-
Stats 250: C
English 125: B+
Orgo 2: C+
Orgo 2 Lab: A
EECS 183: A-
Psych 280: B+
Anthrcul 101: B
Total GPA: 2.79
also, I want to do premed bc I really enjoy biology. I also think the human body and heart are the coolest things ever so I would like to learn more and apply my learning as a doctor, perhaps in surgery.
Look into the Life Science Informatics Major or the Life Science Track in CS.
As for whether or not you “should” be premed. That is a question for yourself. Why were your grades not up to the premed standard? Is this something you can repair or address constructively? Also, be very willing to seek help.
If you just finished your Freshmen year, why did you take Orgo in stead of Chemistry?
Only you can answer the question of whether you want to be a doctor. It isn’t only about whether you have the grades to get in, but whether you have a real passion for practicing medicine. There are other ways to use your interest in biology and in learning about anatomy – so many other ways. Medicine is a long haul with ridiculously expensive graduate school and years of drudgery at low pay. My daughter wants pre-med and I have made sure she is very aware of the difficulties.
CS seems like a much easier path to a solid career without the potential of the high debt and lost opportunity costs of attending medical school. The acceptance rates to US Alopathic schools are around 5%. Now, if you have a desperate, driving, all consuming passion to become a doctor and practice medicine, I suggest talking to your guidance counselor to see what you can do to repair your GPA and get some more relevant experience. If that isn’t you, think seriously about the many, many other ways to have a meaningful, satisfying, and lucrative career.
I placed out of gen chem. And as for wanting to be a doctor, this is something I really wanted every since I was little(cliche ik) and I’m aware of the pros and cons. I do like CS but I’m not sure if I want to give up premed or if I want to risk a stable career for something super risky granted I raise my GPA and gain ECs, especially considering my freshman grades.
Since you like the idea of medicine and computer science just combine the two. Research comes to mind. I would talk to your advisor and also to the medical school to get some ideas. Yikes x3 gave a great suggestion. The upper class cs classes are not so easy. If your finding it interesting and fun that says something to me. Your science grades don’t scream medicine to me but could be the adjustment to college. Plus Argo is really not easy and you did good in the labs. Talk to counselor. This is what they are there for.
My hubby and I are both physicians (albeit from med school in the 90’s). Every year it seems to be more and more competitive. The first three things that medical schools will look for nowadays when applicants apply to medical school are 1) overall GPA, 2) science GPA and 3) MCAT scores. I do not want to discourage you, but the reality is that your GPA is very subpar, as you already realize. Of course there is the possibility that you could bring it up over the next two years, but if you can’t make it up to at least a 3.5 and probably even a 3.7, most medical schools won’t even look at the rest of your application, regardless of anything else. That means you would have to get close to a 4.0 for the next two years before applying to med schools. Do you think that’s possible?
@gallentjill is correct - medicine is not the same profession that it used to be even when hubby and I graduated from med school. The restrictions/legalities/oversight/interference - whatever you want to call it - is very difficult to work with. You have to have a true passion and calling to care for others regardless of the cost. I’m not saying that you don’t have that - I’m just saying. Love of science is not enough.
I would suggest that you also start looking at other medical degrees outside of MDs. Obviously you have already considered the DO path. There’s also PAs, OT, PT, kinesiotherapy, RT, PharmD, etc, (the traditional “allied health professions”). There’s also the PhD path and research and teaching (most of our teachers in the core med school classes were PhDs). Dietetics. I’m sure I’m forgetting others.
Keep in mind that, contrary to popular thought, your pre-med classes will not get easier. Pchem is widely regarded as more difficult than Orgo. Genetics is curved to a C/C+, something you don’t see in the intro bio classes. Physics also drives a lot of pre-meds crazy.
If you were actually studying for your classes this past year (>10 hrs per week) and still got that GPA, I’d probably suggest giving up pre-med before you dig yourself into a massive hole (5 or 6 year graduation plan). Four of my six semesters thus far have been 18 credits so I can graduate on time (balancing difficult major, Ross minor, pre-med prereqs). If you stay in the pre-med track, it just gets harder, more intense, and more stressful from here. And on top of that, you NEED a 4.0 the rest of college to even be competitive. Assuming that brings you to a 3.7 cGPA by the time you graduate, if you aren’t a URM, you will still have a tough time getting in to an MD program because your sGPA will still be very low.
Also, while maintaining perfect grades, you’ll need to find time for at least 150 hrs of shadowing, 300-400 clinical volunteer hours, 350-450 nonclinical volunteer hours, 400-500 hours of research (unless you get a pub early on), and acquire 2 or 3 leadership positions. Since you are already a year behind on volunteering, this’ll be tough.
If you decide to drop pre-med, but are still drawn to the medical profession after graduating, you can always go the post-bac route after a couple years off to try to fix your sGPA. Or if you are dead set on pre-med right now, changing your major to a natural science and getting 6 straight semesters of 4.0 is just about your only way to bring up both your sGPA and cGPA to med school caliber before you graduate, unless you cure cancer or something in the next three years.
With your current GPA, medicine would be a profession I would probably reconsider. Find a major that you enjoy and that’s somewhat employable. You can still take your medical prerequisites. If you graduate with top grades in your major and you manage to re-take and save your bio/chem grades, then there’s still a very good possibility you could get into med school.
As someone said, since you like biology and CS, why not bioinformatics? Ask your adviser what majors Cornell offers that would match this sort of interdisciplinary major.
Thanks everyone for your input!
like to be doctor is one thing, having competitive grade is another thing. If poor grade GPA <3.30, there is almost no chance for med school
Even one has high MCAT and high GPA, whether they really can live a life as doctor, Stress, pressure are something you can’t imagine now. This has to be thought thoroughly. Don’t waste parents or taxpayer money for a dream and dream only.