My Advice to a 37-Year-Old Premed With a 2.13 Science GPA | OldPreMeds Podcast Ep. 252

This premed mom has a 2.13 science GPA and minimal to no shadowing or volunteering. Hear my feedback on whether she should realistically apply next year!
As always on the OldPreMeds Podcast, our question this week is taken from our nontraditional premed forum. (Ask your own questions at premedforums.com.)
This week's question comes from a 37 year-old wife, mom, and manager at an AMC. Her undergraduate and graduate GPAs are 3.2, but her science GPA is only 2.13. She has minimal to no shadowing or volunteering because of being busy with her family and full-time job. She'd like to apply to medical school next year. Is it realistic? How can she improve her chances?
In my answer, I discuss:
• Why medical schools care so much about stats, and why they DO matter.
• Why I recommend that this student STOP studying for the MCAT and do a postbac first.
• Why shadowing and clinical experience are critical for this student before applying.
• Why so many older premeds need to change their perspective on wanting to rush the premed path-slow down and do it right.
• Why I do NOT recommend going to a Caribbean medical school in cases like this.
• How to do a postbac when you have family and kids to take care of.
Be sure to check out mappd.com for Mappd, a premed app that's changing the premed landscape, especially for nontraditional students.

[@Naogostoumorra]

Some mean comments here! Well, although there’s a lack of self-awareness here, if she applies effort for 2 or 3 years, she can be a decent candidate for med school.

[@medcatmcat]

Yeah, not cool to bring someone down who just came for help and get more info

[@Spencer_Thatcher]

They're stressed and insecure hypernarcotic premeds. Theyve yet to realize healthcare irl isnt a competition. The lady had some unrealistic expectations but shes clearly new to this. How many of us REALLY knew how competitive it was when we started? Let them be, Admissions committees have become a lot more holistic since my interviewing days. They can sniff out apathetic candidates a mile away.

[@rebekatalebi8046]

I know people including my sister who applied to medical school. My sister did a post bac and did way better than undergrad & got wait listed at Case Western Dental School. My thing is times have changed. My sister went to Barry for her post bac. and had a classmate who got in with a 2.0 & she was friends with a doctor who was in admissions. She eventually finished & got into optometry school. Now, five years later that post bac & maybe most require a 3.0 now. She could turn things around & retake those classes & also look into learning how to study to she can get those As.

[@sergiootero5904]

I love this Dr. Gray, bruttaly honest, brotherly love.

[@ngal9109]

This was so helpful. Thanks Dr. Gray

[@sim_aware]

Always great advice!

[@iLeona296]

To go back to clinical experience: let’s say someone who works in the healthcare field as an RN they can’t “shadow” doctors like most do (as an intern for free) but they work alongside doctors because they receive orders from them. What do meds schools think about that? Does it count?

[@cberryman9189]

I admire her courage to ask for help and to throw herself to the social media “wolves”. I’m considering a career change myself into medicine but I know it’ll be extremely hard work . Nonetheless, if being a Physician was easy, then everyone would be one. Best of luck to you mom, but Dr. Gray is right. Save that application fee money. I have a 3-4 year plan before I will apply and I’m going to apply for a SMP to boost my stats and retake some courses. And those courses will help with mcat prep as well. It’s never too late to pursue your dreams. Just do your best to make yourself the best candidate you can be for med school so you don’t have to live to with regrets.

[@rebekatalebi8046]

a lot of post bacc. programs don't accept students under 3.0. My sister had a 2.7-2.8 cumulative GPA and she only got into one school but now that school takes in students with a 3.0 or higher. That individual should just retake the class for a better grades, At Virginia Commonwealth University and other schools when you retake a class and get a better grade you can fill out a form so the good grade can replace the bad grade. In addition, go to Rate My Professors to find a high rate professor for the retake classes and find a very good tutor and study the material prior to class. You can also take courses on ED EX/course sera prior to retaking the course to get more exposure to science. Study Hacks and other blogs and youtube channels are great resources on learning how to study. He/she needs to learn to study smarter not harder.

[@nanyamkajenkins9706]

This was really confusing to me. How can you apply to medical school with no health care experiences? Is that possible? My gpa is low but I not sure how to use this advise?

[@lillygonzalez9754]

I have taken many classes in my undergrad due to changing my major a few times early on. At this point I am probably going to graduate with a 2.8-3.0 and that is with extra science courses a postbacc would normally entail. If I stay on this upward trend by the time I graduate my last 60 credits will be a 4.0 (not including the 5 Bs I've had sprinkled in) so probably closer to like a 3.8?? However all these credits will be considered undergrad and doing a postbacc won't budge my GPA very much. I feel like the trend will be there but I don't know if medical schools will even look at me with that GPA. Science GPA would be roughly 3.0 for AMCAS and 3.1 for AACOMAS. Would a post bacc be absolutely necessary?

[@larhonda41]

Based on previous videos he does say trends are important as long as you explain your journey. And if a post bacc isnt going to move the needle because of the number of credits you already have it doesnt make much sense to throw one in.

[@lillygonzalez9754]

@@larhonda41 thank you!!

[@larhonda41]

@@lillygonzalez9754 no problem. Good luck on your journey!

[@moonshine399]

How to shadow?

[@Naogostoumorra]

You can ask for help at your university pre-health center, they usually have a list of physicians that take students for shadowing. Also, you can right now sign up for virtual shadowing, there are a lot of opportunities online. It's not ideal, but better than nothing.

[@moonshine399]

@@Naogostoumorra wooww really thanksssss ! I was sooooo freakin lost .Do u know online web shadowing? Even more I need an advice: I'm doing my bachelor and I just got F in my math course , but my others sciences class are good enough, how to raise my gpa? Should I take it again? Im thinking about take that credits online 😞 even more I have a big problem, my university doesn't offer chem labs to my major I just could take the theories ones. I wanna cry

[@austinbeahm7773]

I am 3 humanities credits away from finishing an associates degree with honors (4.0). However, I am transferring to a university and I am not required to have the humanities credits. Would it be a waste of my time to go and finish the associates degree? Would a medical school care that I received an associates degree with honors? Or would it be a better use of my time to focus on my premed prereqs?

[@TheMiluv4u]

The only thing that matters is gpa. But I think it's good on resume for a job.

[@larhonda41]

If you want the graduation experience and the ability to walk the stage for the memories get the associates. Otherwise it makes more sense to move on. Not invalidating graduation ceremonies by the way. I understand wanting to celebrate the win, especially if you've achieved honors.

[@austinbeahm7773]

@@larhonda41 I'm saving the celebration for my bachelors. I just wanted to beef up my resume for med school.

[@tybera1114]

Your associates degree is a good checkpoint. I would just finish it and continue. It's certainly not going to hurt you. The path to medicine is not a race and having a degree in humanities makes you more interesting than the 50,000 applicants with bio degrees. I think it would be more a waste of time to have all the humanities credits under your belt and not actually finish the degree. Three credits is one class yes?

[@austinbeahm7773]

@@tybera1114 Turns out I will finish the associates degree next semester and the class is required for my four year degree, so I will graduate with my associates. Thanks for the input!

[@kylelogan3923]

A polished turd.. is still a turd.. - Dr Gray 🤣

[@yellowplatypus2342]

This person is delusional.

[@4XD45]

something honestly tells me this person thinks that doctors are rich and are looking to make a quick buck... oh how misinformed they must be. This person is just rushing in without even doing a tiny bit of research... hell this person should go to r/Residency to find out how miserable these doctors are.

[@yellowplatypus2342]

@@4XD45 clearly. That's the big issue with pre-meds. They think money will solve all their issues, when they don't even realize doctors are incredibly depressed and have one of the highest suicide rates, divorce rates, and most family issues.

[@patrickz35]

This is a JOKE right?

[@4XD45]

with a all due respect, the mom watched too many doctor movies. Has no idea what she's getting herself into, financially it's a horrible decision for her whole family.