So i am a freshmen on the second semester at UF as a nutrition major . After a rough first semester and a predict which is going to be another rough second semester should i keep going with pre med because my dream is to be a dermatologist but if i continue doing bad i will never get into med school or DO school.
Grades for first semester:
3 credits- calc - C- (i know i have to retake)
3 credits- chem 1- C+ (not good want to retake later)
3 credits- Intro to OCE - C
3 credits- religion class online- B
1 credit- Chem lab- A-
GPA: 2.33
Predicted grades for second semester:
3 credits- chem 2- C+
3 credits- phy 1033C- B-
1 credit- Chem 2 lab- drop (my last unknown destroyed my grade)
3 credit- what is the good life (uf mandatory class)- B+
3 credit- mans food - A+
3 credit class- com 1000- B-
In the summer at USF ill be taking Physics one, chem lab 2 and enc 1102
Im transferring to USF due my finical problems So my question is there even a point to stay on the pre med track? can i even get into med school at this point? If i stayed even with a average MCAT i would have to wait a year or two to get in. Should i just cut my losses change my major and move onto something else. I really have the desire to become a doctor. I’m so confused on what to do. Meet with my guidance for my college and got some really cliche advice “it comes down to following what your heart wants” what?!?! does that even mean. Please if you could be brutally honest it would be best because it would help me in the long run even if i don’t the answers. I did end up cutting my losses and changing my major it would give me a chance to change what classes i want to take in the summer.
OK, brutal honesty.
You’re off to a really poor start. (but you know that.)
You first need to figure out why the poor grades in math and science classes.
Do you lack the appropriate preparation? Do you need some remedial classes in math (like retaking pre-calc to solidify your math prep)? Are your study skills not what they should be? Were you not mentally prepared for the amount of effort it takes to do well in college? Were you working too many hours at a job to help pay for college? Did your financial issues distract you from your studies? Did you honestly do your best work? Did you seek out resources like tutoring and professor’s/TA’s office hours?
Anyway, what you do next depends on why you’re not doing well.
If it was working too much or finances, will that problem be resolved by transferring?
If it lack of appropriate preparation or effort, what are prepared to do about it?
“Folowing your heart” is wonderful ideal, but it’s a fact that not everyone is cut out to be a physician or scientist or a even a dietician.
Would you consider stepping back from the pre-med route and majoring in something else, something maybe you like better or can earn better grades in? This might give you a chance to get your academic feet under you and you can work on improving your overall GPA. You can always back to the pre-med path later. You can even come back to it after graduation. Medical school will still be there in 5-8-10 years from now.
You might also do some self-reflection-- why do you want to be a doctor? Would be OK with medicine as a career if you knew for fact you would never be a dermatologist? Would you be happy as family practice doc, a pediatrician, psychiatrist or neurologist? If the answer to the latter is no, then maybe it’s time to move onto another career.
Derm. will reauire a superior working ethic, will have to work harder than most of the classmates in your med. school class…that is if you get there. You can read on this forum to get an idea that college GPA of 3.5 may not be enough and it is getting tougher every year. It is great to have a dream, but at some point it needs to become a plan. Without that second step (and there are more), nothing in life could be accomplished. And this is an ugly truth…
Frankly, you don’t seem to have what it takes to make it thru the hard sciences. If so, then you won’t make it thru med school anyway.
you don’t have to LOVE, LOVE science, but you do have to be a top student in it…and as you know, you’re hanging around the bottom.
You need to play to your strengths. Since you’re majoring in nutrition, I suspect you have an interest there. Excel in that major and become what you can in that field. Healthy eating can lead to better skin…go with that angle.