Do I have a Chance?

[AChartrand]

Where should I start,

I have a few questions that I would like to have answered so I welcome any advice/opinions.

Currently I am a community college student in Florida who will be graduating with my A.A. degree with an emphisis in Accounting and I will be attending USF (University of South Florida) this comming Fall. As for my first 3 semesters of my college career my Cumulative GPA is a 3.0. I have not taken any science courses during my college career with the exception of Psychology and Sociology of which I am taking right now. After calculating the grades that I am expecting this semester into my GPA I will be looking at a 3.1 with a total of 61 credits when I enter USF. Consider the fact that I will need at least 60 more in order to graduate and expect to obtain at least a 3.8-4.0 ever semester from here on out.

Obviously there are no set numbers that will get you into a med school, but a high GPA and MCAT scores are favorable. With about 60+ credits to go and all my pre-med req's to complete do you think that it is possible to bring my GPA up to a respectable number. I would like to be accepted into a US M.D. school, but do not have any critisism towards carribean schools. I do not know much about a D.O. professions/reputation to know if I would pursue that if it came down to the wire.

I am passionate about becoming a Doctor and will work as hard as it takes to get me there. What path do you think I should choose?

Again, any advice is accepted and encouraged so please let me know what is on your mind.

Adam Chartrand

[swimchick]

I think it will be possible for you to make a marked improvement in your GPA before you finish your Bachelor's degree. Medical schools like to see applicants who demonstrate a strong upward trend in their GPA.

Since you are not a science major (I assume you will continue to be an accounting major at USF), it will be important for you to achieve high marks in your science courses. Be sure that, in addition to the basic pre-med reqs, you take a sufficient number of advanced science courses (ex. biochem, genetics, molecular bio). Biochemistry is very important and some med schools are even letting applicants replace 1 semester of orgo with 1 semester of biochem.

Also be sure to take a wide variety of course work at USF. Successful medical school applicants have a nice blend of coursework in the hard sciences as well as the humanities and social sciences.

Your first goal should be to get yourself into a U.S. program. The decision to pursue the D.O. route as an alternative to the M.D. route is a personal choice that you'll have to make. Lucky for you (assuming you are from Florida), Florida has a sizeable D.O. population. You can shadow one for a day or two and see if that's an option you might like to pursue. Attending a Caribbean school will get you that M.D., but it should be used as a last resort.

Good luck!

[juardine]

I agree. Since you have more classes to take, make it count and get the best grade possible. I suggest getting an MCAT review book as you take the harder courses in science. Use it as a guide as you study for your course. I wish I did when i took organic chemistry I. I know for sure I would have made a better grade if I did.