Non-science major wants to go to med school..

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
1

<p>Hi, here's my story:</p>

<p>I am currently a rising Junior at Marquette University (in Milwaukee, WI). I started undergrad as a biomedical science major and I was premed. I took a few prereqs and did alright in them. Last year, my sophomore year, I had a break down about what I wanted to study.. somehow I lost my motivation. I dropped the anatomy class I was taking and switched my major to international affairs with a minors in business administration and French. Ever since I did that, I just feel lost. It's not right for me, I need to study science and eventually medicine because it's what I really love. I've even been having dreams about switching my major to biology and taking the MCAT.</p>

<p>So I've decided that I want to try to go to medical school (either a MD or DO program). I can no longer change my major if I want to graduate in 4 years so I'm sticking with international affairs. I'll do what it takes, I just need to know what it is I have to do. That's where you guys can help.</p>

<p>Here are my grades so far in math/science classes:
Bio1- 4.0
Bio2- 3.0
Chem1-3.0
Chem2-3.0
Ochem1-2.5
Calc-2.0</p>

<p>So for science, my overall GPA is a 2.9 (not good at all, I know).. My overall general GPA is a 3.7.</p>

<p>I still need to take stats, physics 1&2, and bio lab (and possibly genetics). If I get As in all of those classes, I will have a 3.4 science GPA (still not good, I know)</p>

<p>So what I'm wondering is.. Should I retake classes? and if so.. which ones should I retake?
When I retake classes, is the original grade replaced (as viewed by the medical school)?</p>

<p>I also work and volunteer. I've worked at medical offices and I had an internship at University of Michigan Medical School's gross anatomy lab.. I dissected people.. cool huh?</p>

<p>If there's hope for me, I'll shadow a family friend who is an OB/GYN next summer.
Eventually I'll take my MCAT and I know I can score well on it if I practice.</p>

<p>So there it is.. I know that if I work really hard I can get into medical school someday, I just need to know what steps to take to get there. If you can help me it would be much appreciated.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

2

<p>retake ochem and calc and make sure you get As in the upper levels and you may have a shot</p>

3

<p>For allopathic medical schools, both the original grade and the retake must be reported even if your school will replace the original grade on your transcript. </p>

<p>Osteopathic schools, however, will allow grade replacement.</p>

<p>W/r/t to allopathic schools, the general suggestion is not to retake any course that you cannot earn an A in the second time. Less than A in a retake can reinforce the perception that you cannot do well in core science classes.</p>

<p>Also–you need a second semester of Ochem for both allopathic and osteopathic schools.</p>

<p>I’d strongly suggest you apply to med schools after graduation (and take a glide year) to give yourself to raise your sGPA.</p>

4

<p>Your thread title doesn’t really speak to your problem. Being a non-science Pre Med isn’t an issue. </p>

<p>Your issue is that your GPA is too low. What’s worse is that your grades got lower as subject matter got more difficult…a very bad sign. </p>

<p>Not to be harsh, but I don’t understand all these threads about students who’ve had breakdowns, etc, resulting in bad grades and their thinking that med schools are going to accept them. </p>

<p>Aside from the low GPA being a detriment, why would a med school think that students who have breakdowns resulting in poor performance should take the med school seat over a student who isn’t vulnerable to such things. The demonstrated stamina of undergrad is a predictor of how the student will perform in med school. </p>

<p>If the student has demonstrated that stress/depression/whatever causes low performance, then why would that person make a good doctor??? Patients lives are on the line…they can’t be risked by doctors who are yo-yos. Stabiity and stamina are important.</p>

<p>It’s one thing for a student’s grades to have a one semester drop because of an issue unrelated to stamina/mental health…such as perhaps being in a car crash and missing lots of classes while being hospitalized. Those one-semester lowish grades aren’t related to the student’s mental stability. My own sister’s grades dropped the semester she had a kidney transplant. Grad schools over-looked that semester because they knew it didn’t reflect HER, as her grades prior to and after that semester were stellar.</p>

5

<p>Not worth retaking now. (I might have suggested retaking OChem in summer, when it is generally easier, but that is now not a possibility.)</p>

<p>Only one rec: earn A’s. Drop everything else in life until you can earn A’s and only A’s in your science courses.</p>

<p>Timing: Take mcat after senior year, so you will have two years of (hopefully) A’s in science courses. Apply the following summer.</p>