Need crucial advice.

[Anonymous]

Goodness, I think I'm about to fall apart. My undergraduate GPA is currently a 2.25 & I'm trying my absolute hardest to bring it up ASAP by taking a few classes over. My dad is a doctor, however I don't know if I'll have the ability to become a doctor.

For instance, today I printed out several Physics homework sheets that my professor had on his website, and I couldn't even solve them. If I can't solve those type of problems - what's the possibility that I'll score 30+ on the MCATs. I really don't want to upset my parents, by not getting into medical school.

What type of advice/remedy could you guys provide? I would do anything to get into medical school. I don't even party anymore - I try to stay home & just study as much as I can. Also, what are some good books that VMD recommends on practicing problems for Chemistry, Biology, Orgo, & Physics.

I appreciate all inputs.

[RPM Revolution]

Sorry, that's me. I thought I had logged in, but wasn't.

[AUCMD2006]

if you go to med school to not disappoint your parents you will probably be a miserable med student and may lack the drive to finsh...plenty of people forced into med school that i know, mostly indian girls and hispanic, like i said us minorities are concerned about our parents view of us aren't we? good luck

[parth1983]

if u definately want to get in, 2 safe bets are windsor and st. james.........i know people who got in them with a gpa of 2.1 and 2.2 respectively. and no mcats! so u can apply to them and u'll get in for sure......

[RPM Revolution]

if you go to med school to not disappoint your parents you will probably be a miserable med student and may lack the drive to finsh...plenty of people forced into med school that i know, mostly indian girls and hispanic, like i said us minorities are concerned about our parents view of us aren't we? good luck

Yup, I can relate. I'm an Indian male. I mean I really really want to get into medical school, it's also my personal interest. However, it's very frustrating when my parents are also pushing me at the same time.

I feel like a little kid.

[AUCMD2006]

my parents wanted me to be an engineer so i wasted a few years in architecture but in the end you need to put your interets above your parents, its not their life no matter how much they have paid in private school tuition....hard tryin g top balance independednce and respect for your parents bc so many relate doing what they say as respect.....

[MDorbust2006]

I couldn't help but notice that the first thing you wrote referring to your motivation to do well was due to pressure from parents. This might also explain your grade trends. While some encouragement is due, perhaps you should take this as a sign that sciences or pre-medical studies isn't quite your thing? I know that many people get bad grades in science courses and it doesn't reflect their lack of determination to be a doctor, but somewhere along the line, there are people who have questionable motivation and, frankly, they have to face that they got weeded out or were made for things that suited them better than being a doctor.

Like the other members of this thread, I think you should reconsider your motivations for medicine. But hey, after a bit more clinical experience and may be shadowing a doctor and seeing what it takes(but don't spend too much time on this, at this stage, it would be way more valuable to focus on your grades), if you still want to be a doctor, then go hit the books with full force and your determination will get you there. Where there's a will there's a way, and whatever you decide, don't give up!

[Ishie1013]

Yup, I can relate. I'm an Indian male. I mean I really really want to get into medical school, it's also my personal interest. However, it's very frustrating when my parents are also pushing me at the same time.

I feel like a little kid.

Don't blame you, and sorry to hear that.

With your struggles, it sounds like getting into medical school might be a real difficulty, parents or no, and even so, the coursework in med school might also pose a significant problem considering the problems you're having now. If you've given up all elements of a social life, study constantly, and are STILL having massive difficulties in your classes, it needs to alert you to the fact that you'll be facing seven times that difficulty with med school classes, needing to absorb far more information in a shorter period of time with tests far nastier than the MCAT at the other end. Adding parental pressure I'm sure certainly doesn't help in clarifying your options.

In your position, I would try VERY hard to at least temporarily mentally isolate yourself from your parents' desires and pressure (far easier said than done) and focus on what you want. Is being a *doctor* your interest or is medicine/helping people/biology your interest? Why do you want to be a doctor specifically, and is there another way in which you could find an interest in medicine, research, humanitarianism, science or whatever that suits your skills and interests best?

These should be questions you ask yourself to examine your own motivations and potential paths you may not have considered. If nothing else, since a common question in med school interviews is what you plan to do if you don't get into medical school, it prepares you for that. You should have a host of alternatives and other options, both to obtain that coveted M.D. (since admissions people do not want to hear that if you don't get into med school, you'll hurl yourself off a cliff), and to demonstrate your love of medicine if an M.D. isn't possible or isn't your actual final interest.

Ultimately, it's your life; not your parents', thus if being a doctor is something that you would really do anything to do (give up your life, go a quarter million into debt, potentially move to another country), then there are avenues to pursue that, though it sounds like it's currently making you miserable. If not; if you'd be happiest and best-suited as an NP, wildlife biologist, lawyer, or Tahitian pearl diver, that's the avenue you should pursue.

Good luck; I wish you the best.