Medical School and retaking classes

<p>I need some advice</p>

<p>I am on the track to medical school and have only taken a few pre-reqiuisites
Gen Chem 1: C
Human biology: B
Gen Physics: B</p>

<p>That is all I have taken so far</p>

<p>However, this semester has been rough due to home life. I support my family at this point which has forced me to pick up a third job. In the next few months we will have more money coming in, but for now, times are rough and has left minimal time to study. I am also taking Gen Bio 1 this semester as well and I am anticipating a B.</p>

<p>If I retake this class would it be the end of the world? I planned on taking a post bacc program once I complete all the requiements. Current gpa is a 3.45</p>

<p>Allopathic (MD) schools will not replace the grade, and will only average a retaken class in with your GPA while still including the original grade. Also, your university will likely not let you retake a class unless you had a failing grade. Osteopathic (DO) schools do use grade replacement, and the old grade will not be counted towards your GPA</p>

<p>Well if I do get a D which I hope I dont, I would Be able to retake it at my university. I asked a friend who is currently applying it medical schools and she said that they heavily focus on trends. So once things clear up and I, let’s say, get an A in this chemistry class, they will recognize the improvement. </p>

<p>Retaking a class and getting a higher grade does not impress med schools. They expect that someone who retakes a class to get a higher grade. </p>

<p>Either way, a D is going to be a serious hit to your BCMP GPA. And since the new grade won’t replace for MD schools (only for DO schools), it will still be there. </p>

<p>I am sorry that you’re having to support your family with 3 jobs. Is it possible that you could drop the class and take it later?</p>

<p>I have heard that getting a W would be worse than dropping the class, and we are fairly on our way in the semester so I doubt that would even be a possibility. I am shooting for a passing grade but I was just curious if that was going to kill me. It will definitely hurt, but as mentioned before, I have not really taken many pre-requisites yet so I still will have time to improve my GPA once things start to cool down.</p>

<p>Next semester I will be taking anatomy, microbiology, and physiology and will only have to work a part time job. I am looking forward to doing better next semester and my family will be receiving the help that they need.</p>

<p>I’m not sure I understand why you are thinking about taking anatomy, physiology AND micro next semester? They’re not premed reqs</p>

<p>Friends of mine who have gone to medical school in the past highly suggest this. Should I avoid it all together and not take them? I don’t want to waste time or money for no reason.</p>

<p><<<
have heard that getting a W would be worse than dropping the class, </p>

<br>

<br>

<p>?? Taking a W is dropping the class. </p>

<p>Dropping the class now (formally) and taking the W is better than getting a D. </p>

<p>My son never took any of those classes (physiology, micro or anatomy)</p>

<br>

<br>

<p>???</p>

<p>What does THAT mean? If you complete the requirements, then why and HOW would you do a post bacc??? What would you take during the post bacc if you already have the requirements/</p>

<p>I’d make an appointment and talk to your counselor NOW about your options and med school plans. Why are you relying on info that may not be applicable? Find out whether there’s still time to get a W or an I and explain your situation. </p>

<p>If I were working multiple jobs, I’d reduce my course load as much as possible. </p>

<p>Med schools care about how you do in your GEs, major reqs, premed reqs, non GE courses, MCAT, ECs, LORs, PS, interviews. Your friends who have gone to med school may believe you’ll do better in med school having taken these courses, and maybe you will,but first you actually need to get accepted to a med school, and you do not need to make that goal any harder than it is already by taking courses that are not required UNLESS you can do well in them. Other than reqs, Its not the rigor of your courses or whether they’re science or not, it’s about your grades/GPAs.</p>

<p>a W has no effect on your GPA…none…a D certainly will. </p>

<p>Since the first down-selection for med schools is GPA and MCAT, you don’t want to get filtered out right out of the gate.</p>

<p>Post baccs give you an opportunity to taise your gpa with upper division science courses, MCAT prep work and opportunities for clinical shadowing and research opportunities. Many of them require that you finish at least 75% of the medical school pre requisites before applying to the post bacc.</p>

<p>I plan on only taking a class or two next semester until I get back up on my feet financially.</p>

<p>

You’re thinking of some master’s programs. (e.g. <a href=“MS in Biomedical Science | Icahn School of Medicine”>http://icahn.mssm.edu/education/graduate/masters-programs/biomedical-sciences-ms&lt;/a&gt; or <a href=“Learn About the MS in Medical Sciences Program -View Video | Graduate Medical Sciences”>A 2020 Pandemic Year in Review: BUSM Steps Up | Graduate Medical Sciences) A true “post-bacc” (e.g. <a href=“Postbac Premed Program Admissions | School of General Studies”>http://gs.columbia.edu/postbac/applying-postbac&lt;/a&gt;) is a non degree granting program intended for people who did not take the pre-med pre-reqs as undergrads.</p>

<p>I dropped the chemistry class. And no, several post baccs in California require you to complete the medical school lee requisites beforehand Ex. UC Irvine. They have requirements that you need to fulfill in order to do that, just spoke to a chair person for UCD last week regarding the post bacc. </p>

<p>You are correct, but it looks like it’s because the UC post-bacc premed programs are not typical PBPM programs.</p>

<p>UC Irvine

</p>

<p>UC Davis

</p>

<p>Do these statements apply to you? Most post-baccs have high tuitions and minimal financial aid and are thus not at all intended to help disadvantaged applicants. Clearly UC doesn’t fit this mold.</p>