Transcript

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
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<p>My transcript is so bad. Im not sure what to do anymore. I had a 2.8 GPA BEFORE last year. Last year I transferred to a new school and made some of the worst decisions of my life. I sunk to a new low. Med school is such a farfetch dream for me now.</p>

<p>In summary, last year I failed 5 classes and dropped one. I am on academic probation. I will only graduate when I am 23 while all of my friends are progressing in their lives. </p>

<p>I can bare the shame and the humiliation of it because I deserve it. It is my fault that I am in such a bad position. My self-hatred is another matter entirley. If I start, then I won't stop.</p>

<p>Has there been anybody in history who has managed to go from academic probation to med school?</p>

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<p>Like I said, failed 5 classes, dropped one. Took a summer session to redo 2 of those classes. Got a C and am expecting the same or lower grade on the other one. At this point I just want to be a doctor. What the hell do I do?</p>

<p>Going into other careers or quitting is not an option. I want to be a doctor. I just need to get myself straight because I know I am better than this. I know I can do much better. Im just running real low on hope.</p>

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<p>Take a break from school, then either get academic forgiveness on your grades and retake them, or retake them, get grade replacement, and apply to DO schools. You need a break, whether you think so or not.</p>

<p>After that, reread all the advice you got in your last thread, as you’re not going to get any better advice this time around.</p>

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<p>My personal advice is that you should probably try looking into other fields/careers, even if you say it’s “not an option.” </p>

<p>I know this sounds a bit harsh, but would you really trust someone to be your doctor if they can’t even keep up in undergraduate classes? Do yourself a favor and look for other things you enjoy and are good at. Based on your post, I don’t think you’re really cut out for med school or being a physician, and wasting time on trying to get in when you have a very low chance is foolish.</p>

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<p>I wonder if you fully grasp how challenging med school acceptance is for applicants with great profiles, and how it is nearly impossible for those without great profiles. At this point, I think you fall into the latter category.</p>

<p>One thing all applicants, regardless of their academic histories, must do is convince adcoms that they are fantastic people with tremendous potential and absolutely worth the investment of time, money, energy, and other resources the schools put into their training. Med schools are in the business of training the country’s future doctors, so there’s a lot riding on their decisions, and it makes sense that they are extraordinarily picky about whom they choose to accept. </p>

<p>Two ways for applicants to achieve this goal is through their personal statements and essays as well as through the interview (as you may know, most applicants do not progress to the interview round until they have passed GPA/MCAT screening). Have you thought about how you would approach these aspects of the application yet?</p>

<p>So, before you go through all the work of rebuilding your transcript from the ground up, I think you should ask yourself what it is that makes you such a standout applicant that adcoms would realistically look past your poor academic past. And from what I can tell, saying that you “just want to be a doctor” and you “just have to be a doctor” won’t cut it. </p>

<p>If you think there’s something truly outstanding about yourself–something that would set you above the nation’s brightest, most competitive students–then I think you should consider the magnitude of work it will take for you to become a successful med school applicant. You will need to spend years and years rebuilding your transcript, accumulating meaningful experiences, and confronting the self-hatred you already mentioned–are you prepared for that commitment?</p>

<p>If you have a superficial understanding of medicine and can’t find a deeper reason to pursue this career or realize that you are not an extraordinary applicant, then I think you should begin exploring other careers. There are plenty of meaningful ways to get involved with medicine–ranging from other patient care providers to administrators to researchers etc. Who knows, you may even find that medicine isn’t for you; there are millions of other worthwhile careers in this world, and many of them involve helping other people (either directly through a service or indirectly through a product, for example). </p>

<p>I’m not looking for a reply from you and really just intend this to be some food for thought–that’s the beauty of anonymous internet advice, right?</p>

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<p>@rainbowbrite: No.</p>

<p>@kristin: As colorful and optimistic as you paint life to be in your posts, truth is that life isn’t that simple. I am aware of how difficult it is to get into med school and I also have a very personal reason for wanting to be a doctor - stories from patients I have met that have really touched me. I am also aware that I have made some very poor choices in my life which is reflected in my transcript. However that isn’t a reason to go into another career that I wouldn’t like. </p>

<p>Will it take me longer than most applicants? Yes.</p>

<p>Will it be extraordinarily difficult? Yes.</p>

<p>But in the end, I must be a doctor no matter what. To go into other medical fields and work underneath doctors - to know that I am not worthy enough to be one is a shame that I cannot bear. This isn’t my reason to go into medicine - as I mentioned, my reason is very personal. This is a reason why I can’t go into other medical fields. So before you tell me to quit, like a coward, I would seriously advise this post as food for your thoughts - after all, “thats the beauty of anonymous internet advice right?”</p>

<p>@Tito: Yea Im betting on DO schools now. I know that unless I cure cancer, Im not going to be an MD in this lifetime. Whatever, you have to accept your inadequacies. Carribean is also an option that im considering. I mean I could theoretically be competitive for MD if I do well in the 40 or so credits I have left, graduate, get my GPA past the 3.0 mark + kill the MCAT and get into an SMP right? If I do manage to get into an SMP then I could still have a shot at MD right?</p>

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<p>Yikes. Sorry.</p>

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<p>The truth is that adcoms will not study closely thousands applicants for about 170 spots at each Med. school, they will study selected few hundreds. Who is to say that they select applicant with GPA under 3.0 when they have thousands with GPA above 3.6 and very many with perfect GPAs? Would you personally feel good knowing that your application with perfect GPA is rejected while adcoms are considering application with GPA lower than 3.0? Put yourself in shoes of all of these people who sacrificed a lot in their lives to achieve these perfect GPA, to get that decent MCAT score to have sufficient amount of medical EC’s? How it would make you feel if you were rejected with all of these and somebody who failed several classes got in? Will it make you feel happy? Maybe this type of exercise will open your eyes to reality?<br>
Cool down, sit with somebody who knows you well, talk to them about your situation without emotions, it is very possible at your age. Come up with the goal that could be achieved. There are people who are applying much later in thier lives. They have something very postive to show, they have some great accomplishments that required considerable time to achieve. The fastest path is not open to you at this stage. But c’mon nothing is impossible. I have changed my profession in mid 30s and I am very greatful that I did. The oldest 1st year student in D’s Med. School class was 46 y o.</p>

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<p>Yea Im aware I need to take some more time to get into med school. Though im not up for the idea of being a grandpa when I start my medical education.</p>

<p>Im thinking that I have about 1.5 years of UG left. Ill get a high enough trend and retake those classes I did bad in. Then graduate, get a job and continue taking classes till my GPA is above a 3.0. Then with a high enough MCAT score, I could shoot for an SMP, which if I am successful, would allow me to be a doctor. I think all of that will requre an extra 2-3 years max right? What suggestions for ECs do you have? I wanted to apply for a Fulbright grant, but people on academic probation shouldn’t aspire for things that great in life.</p>

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<p>Didnt we have this exact conversation with you a few months ago? I could swear that a couple of these posts ARE the ones from a few months ago.</p>

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<p>^Good memory:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/1302506-screwed-up-my-life-i-need-recover.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/1302506-screwed-up-my-life-i-need-recover.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Yea im aware of what I posted and when I posted it, thank you very much. In case you didn’t notice, this is after 1 year and 1 summer versus just 1 semester like my last thread.</p>

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<p>So the update is that you failed more classes after transfering? And you are on academic probation?</p>

<p>And your new question is “has there been anybody in history who has gone from being on probation to med school?”</p>

<p>I think the only people to know that answer would be an admissions committee member who had admitted someone in that situation or the actual person themself.</p>

<p>From what son has said about his med school class and others within the med school the majority of the students have rather high GPAs 3.7+ and none have ever mentioned being on academic probation or failing 5 classes. </p>

<p>I think it would be extremely difficult in raising the GPA mathematically from 5 F’s. Not to mention the F’s will remain on your transcript. And it is not showing an upward trend, rather just the opposite.</p>

<p>Son attends a med school with large classes and a specialized summer program for students trying to get into med school. And after asking him he has said that he knows of no one who has been admitted recently with 5 F’s and on academic probation.</p>

<p>Kat</p>

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<p>Has there been anybody in the history who has gone from being on probation to med school? I’m sure someone has done it, but I’m certain they didn’t do it by going straight from undergrad to medical school.</p>

<p>I looked back over your last thread and I recommend you do too since I think our advice is even more appropriate. You didn’t like hearing it, but an MD is certainly not in your immediate future, and if you want it to be, it will not be in the US.</p>

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<p>@ Iwanna be Brown: Im not interested in going the Caribbean route. I want to go to a US MD school. So therefore, I just need to know what to do to build myself back from this in order for that to happen. I know its going to take longer and im okay with that. Sorry if that wasn’t clear in the last 50000 posts about this.</p>

<p>@ kat: Thanks for the update on what your son says. You do realize that doesn’t actually help me to get a game plan as to how I can turn this around and get into an MD school? And you do realize that answering the question “has there been anyone who has gone from academic probation to med school?” with “My son hasn’t heard of any in his med school class.” Isn’t actually an answer to the question? - common sense brah.</p>

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<p>You will be FINE getting into a US MD school. There are tons of students every year who are accepted with stats like yours–as long as you show perseverance and dedication, you too will be accepted when the time comes. Keep improving your GPA–obviously, it is the be-all, end-all of getting into (and being successful in) medical school, and those who tell you otherwise are clearly inferior to you and don’t know what they’re talking about. The other thing that really matters is how ferociously you want to be a doctor, because clearly you should get to do whatever you want. US MD schools are the only reasonable path for students like you who insist that being a physician is the only path for them, so since you’re so sure of yourself you shouldn’t bother wasting your time considering alternative careers or paths to being a physician. </p>

<p>While I still cannot understand why you would ask for advice on an anonymous board and then belittle those who give you honest advice that you just don’t want to hear, I sincerely hope that this attempt to placate you will satisfy your need to have your fragile ego stroked.</p>

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<p>Sarcasm isn’t going to help on these forums or in med school admissions.</p>

<p>Sometimes people say what you don’t want to hear. Sometimes people give examples from personal experience as indications of what you may run into. </p>

<p>The members here have answered you as honestly and straightforwardly as possible, and you have thanked them with derision. If you are not finding the answers you seek here, please feel free to look elsewhere, but further disrespect will not be tolerated.</p>

<p>x-posted w/kristin</p>

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<p>

This is a wonderful motivation, but honestly you will find other fields also provide this kind of relationship other than just medicine. Reality tells me you won’t get in. I know you are dedicated, but it takes much more than dedication to get into and complete medical school. And right now, you are struggling to complete a 4 year college degree.</p>

<p>But, as I said, there are many other fields you might want to consider. Related fields, like PT, OT, or PA may be possible. (Not sure how hard they are to get into.) Or consider RN. (I hope that doesn’t insult you.) This is completely different, but you may also want to explore teaching. I understand teachers really love what they do because they establish that kind of guidance/helpful relationship with their students and parents. Or, maybe psychology. Or, and I know this is really bizarre, but what about working as a policeman? They really do serve the community and have a very helpful role.</p>

<p>Explore why you want to do something and where you could be successful. It sounds to me that academics and you just aren’t a good match, and certainly medical doctors have to be strong students, but there are many other fields you could consider.</p>

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<p>I don’t remember if you explained that more fully in your last thread – how did you meet these patients whose stories really touched you? Were they close to you, or did you just end up chatting to someone and realize that they had a really cool story to tell? I don’t mean to be rude, but from our perspective, it’s a pretty generic reason to be a doctor, and actually kind of impersonal, in the sense that you didn’t witness firsthand what the doctors did to help the patients, so you don’t know what being a doctor entails. Too, I’ve forgotten: do you have much volunteering or shadowing in the medical field? Do you still need to tackle that problem as well?</p>

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<p>Hey kristin, thanks for your your vote of sarcastic confidence. Now that my ego has been stroked, I can certainly sleep peacefully at night. And YES. I SHOULD get to do whatever I want, just like the thousands of people who get to do what they want by getting into med school.</p>

<p>The advice I’m looking for is how I can go from where I am now to being a doctor at a US MD or DO school - not advice about how I can’t get into med school or advice about other careers. I need a practical and realistic game plan that will help me be a doctor in the near future. I am willing to take more years to make the dream happen.</p>

<p>The reason I did so poorly is because last year I transferred to a new school and had difficulty adjusting to the new environment. I resorted to abusing marijuana which basically destroyed my motivation and resulted in me wasting all the time in the world. I spent the next few months in depression and self-hatred over my mistake. Its a long and complicated story but the point being, now Ive realized my mistake. I am taking steps to fix my attitude and my self-esteem. I have not touched pot in 2.5 months and counting and don’t plan too ever. I am ready to take on school and be the student that I know I am - I KNOW I am capable of being successful academically if I put my mind to it. That is why it is so hard for me to just give up like you and everyone else is suggesting.</p>

<p>@ entomom: Sometimes I don’t want to hear what people say. Unless its about what specific steps I should take to turn things around to make myself competitive for med school.</p>

<p>@ Udontnome: Yes. I know I am stupid - “academics and me aren’t a good match”. Reality is determined by the individual, not by anybody else. As for your suggestions of working other jobs, I would like to make you aware of certain natural phenomena.</p>

<p>The sun is hot, the sky is blue, grass is green, the ocean has saltwater, glaciers are made of ice. These things are naturally occurring and are inherently true no matter how much you deny it. In my 21 years of living on this planet as an Indian, I have discovered yet another natural phenomena based on countless interaction with friends and family from my culture. Indian premeds become successful doctors. I have yet to see one that hasn’t. It is a genetic predisposition for us to do so and I let my weakness and my fears take me down the wrong path this whole time. Now that Ive finally realized my mistake, I can take steps to rectify it. </p>

<p>I would also like to ask you: Could you live with yourself? If you were in my position, then quit. Then took on some lower end job like that, how would you feel being around doctors everyday and knowing that your weren’t good enough to make it? How many people from my culture work those jobs? And ultimately how would you tolerate that shame? I don’t know how I would. A life full of shame isn’t a life worth living.</p>

<p>@ Tito: No, the patients I talked too were very close to me. My mother, being the first one that comes to mind. After a long battle with months of suffering she finally underwent a massive surgery to remove a tumor and subsequently her ovaries and uterus. It changed her life and many ways it changed mine. The before and after effect was truly remarkable as she is now in such high spirits. </p>

<p>I have volunteered extensively at hospitals and my most memorable experience is 2 summers ago where I volunteered at a cancer institute in India. Of the several patients I had the privilege of bonding with, one in particular comes into mind. A 25 year old truck driver who had adult ALL. Through all the treatment and chemo he became a deranged man. One day as I was following the doctor one rounds, he tried to kill himself by slamming the IV bottle on his head. It was an extremely traumatic experience, and I won’t go into more detail here. All I can say is the way the doctor handled that situation showed me the other “non-medical” side of medicine. If medicine itself is considered an art, then this experience was something much more. These two patients and a 4 year old with metastatic bone cancer are my inspiration for wanting to become a doctor and an oncologist.</p>

<p>My main problem is obviously my GPA. I need to boost that consistently and strongly till I get it past the 3.0 mark. From there, I will apply to DO schools directly, or will apply to an SMP if I’m hell-bent on going MD. In addition to destroying the MCAT and accumulating more meaningful EC’s, I’m probably going to have to find a temporary career to support myself through all this. If everyone else on here is suggesting I quit, I guess I may as well follow my own advice.</p>

<p>Thanks and sorry.</p>