[tian`tian]

After you get into med school do you worry about your GPA?

There isn't a GPA for most schools, most systems are Pass/Fail, some with "Honor" as well.

The most important determinants for your residency are your scores for exams during your M3 year rotations and your USMLE Step 1 score which you take after M2 year. Your scores for classes for M1 and M2 weigh a lot less than those two. You should still try to do as well as you can though.

[QuAtScH]

i'm goin to a med school in pecs, hungary... unexpectedly there are quiet a lot of asian students here. most of them are japanese and koreans.. it's really cool though.. i thought i was goin to be the only asian here.. lol but since i take the english programme, i got chance to meet the people from all over the world. of course studying medicine is not easy... but i'm trying to enjoy it as much as possible... i'm starting to like my life here anw.. though the tests never end and i always have to study most of the time.. but meeting other people from other countries is not really bad... i'm just tryin to be positive anw.. well.. got to go back to my chemistry books again... i'm havin a chem test on monday.... life of a med student is surely tough.. lol

[kari_angel17]

nice thread, thanks for all the info everybody. but since i haven't gone through all the pages yet.. just wanted to ask a quick question:

what were you guys' marks in high school? like in percent. 95%-100%, 90%-95%? anybody know the high school average of people who plan to go to med school while in university? do high school marks necessarily predict university marks? and if it does, do people in the 90-95% range (for high school) get into med school..? or is it hard.. and mostly those with 95%-100%'s (in high school)?

appreciate any help, thanks!

[meringue]

I'm currently a community college student and I want to know whether transferring to a CSU instead of UC Berkeley would improve my chances of getting into med school? A state school is less competitive and therefore, my GPA will be a lot higher. I'll also be able to stand out more. Do med schools consider the prestige of a university or does only GPA matter?

[Skeptrix]

nice thread, thanks for all the info everybody. but since i haven't gone through all the pages yet.. just wanted to ask a quick question:

what were you guys' marks in high school? like in percent. 95%-100%, 90%-95%? anybody know the high school average of people who plan to go to med school while in university? do high school marks necessarily predict university marks? and if it does, do people in the 90-95% range (for high school) get into med school..? or is it hard.. and mostly those with 95%-100%'s (in high school)?

appreciate any help, thanks!

I went to a private high school, so my mark was around ~90 percentile, or something like that. It's been 5 years since then

As far as I know, it really depends on how you do as a student academically, and extracurriculars. I've known high school students who were average/below average, while they did really well in college to go on to receiving an acceptance to medical school. There are many factors on getting that acceptance and being an ideal candidate, and not only grades matter.

Higher-end competitive schools will probably (if not on a usual basis) look into your college, as well as your high-school transcripts.

It's not really hard to get into medschool, assuming that you do at LEAST average or better in your college courses (both science and non-science). Excel more in your science/premed classes, as they do play a big factor in your science (BPCM) GPA that admissions officers look for. Another reason for that is you must understand the material when you take the MCATs eventually.

I like to tell my "juniors" that they should not overly obsess about getting perfect A's in College. Lots of stress and worry/anxiety will add to this "perfection". Volunteer somewhere, do research if possible, take a sport or enroll in one, just try to be different than the pre-med next to you. Really, do something that you want to do. Medical School is 4 years of being BUSY, and you won't be able to do the things you've always wanted to do when you were in College.

I'm currently a community college student and I want to know whether transferring to a CSU instead of UC Berkeley would improve my chances of getting into med school? A state school is less competitive and therefore, my GPA will be a lot higher. I'll also be able to stand out more. Do med schools consider the prestige of a university or does only GPA matter?

That would help. Highly competitive schools will look into what schools you've enrolled in the past, and how you did (grades-wise) in those schools. Someone from a CC (community college) would obviously have to obtain higher grades than a university, as a university has a higher yield of classes, some of them much more difficult than what you would find in a CC. As far as between a state and private university, I really don't see the difference. I've known many instances where premeds from a state university obtained an acceptance into a private medical school, or vice versa. Grades, MCATs, and Extracurricular's were most often the deciding factor in that.

[Unanimous]

i want to be a gyn/ob. i was wondering is it smart to just go to a cal state instead of an uc before entering medical school? there are classes required and such; that i understand. i know that cal states dont really lack any classes that uc has when it comes to prereq classes. isn't it cheaper to go to a cal state?

basically what are the benefits to going to an UC instead of a Cal state to take my premed/prereq classes before entering medical school? or is it smart and cheaper to just go to a Cal state. just as long as i get good grades.

thank you in advance!

[mrc]

I'm currently a community college student and I want to know whether transferring to a CSU instead of UC Berkeley would improve my chances of getting into med school? A state school is less competitive and therefore, my GPA will be a lot higher. I'll also be able to stand out more. Do med schools consider the prestige of a university or does only GPA matter?

Well, I go to a highly competitive school and around 97 percent of the people get into A medschool. In a less competitive school, the yield is far lower.

[summerdamsel]

i'm doing pre-law right now
but i really am having second thoughts about whether i really want to pursue that path
can you future doctors tell me what prominent skills i should possess and what pre-med major is most recommended?
i reckon that biology, medical technology and physical therapy are nice choices
but i wanna hear it directly from med students.. any opinions about this?
please and thank you
enlighten the confused girl that i am

[kari_angel17]

I went to a private high school, so my mark was around ~90 percentile, or something like that. It's been 5 years since then

As far as I know, it really depends on how you do as a student academically, and extracurriculars. I've known high school students who were average/below average, while they did really well in college to go on to receiving an acceptance to medical school. There are many factors on getting that acceptance and being an ideal candidate, and not only grades matter.

Higher-end competitive schools will probably (if not on a usual basis) look into your college, as well as your high-school transcripts.

It's not really hard to get into medschool, assuming that you do at LEAST average or better in your college courses (both science and non-science). Excel more in your science/premed classes, as they do play a big factor in your science (BPCM) GPA that admissions officers look for. Another reason for that is you must understand the material when you take the MCATs eventually.

I like to tell my "juniors" that they should not overly obsess about getting perfect A's in College. Lots of stress and worry/anxiety will add to this "perfection". Volunteer somewhere, do research if possible, take a sport or enroll in one, just try to be different than the pre-med next to you. Really, do something that you want to do. Medical School is 4 years of being BUSY, and you won't be able to do the things you've always wanted to do when you were in College.



That would help. Highly competitive schools will look into what schools you've enrolled in the past, and how you did (grades-wise) in those schools. Someone from a CC (community college) would obviously have to obtain higher grades than a university, as a university has a higher yield of classes, some of them much more difficult than what you would find in a CC. As far as between a state and private university, I really don't see the difference. I've known many instances where premeds from a state university obtained an acceptance into a private medical school, or vice versa. Grades, MCATs, and Extracurricular's were most often the deciding factor in that.

thank you so much for the information.. because i really don't know what to expect in university, with the course load, etc. so thanks!

i have another question... i've been reading in this thread that you should enroll in other courses besides the life sciencee major/biology major/science course
/whatever it is. like english, history, music, etc. so is double-majoring a good idea? does the work load become overwhelming or something? i'm taking the english AP course in high school, so far got a 4 in language and composition, and should be able to get at least a 4 for the literature course as well...

what does it mean to take a minor course anyways? what's the difference between major and minor? i tried looking it up but all i get is the difference in the amount of credits you get or something.. which i still don't understand.

[Skeptrix]

i'm doing pre-law right now
but i really am having second thoughts about whether i really want to pursue that path
can you future doctors tell me what prominent skills i should possess and what pre-med major is most recommended?
i reckon that biology, medical technology and physical therapy are nice choices
but i wanna hear it directly from med students.. any opinions about this?
please and thank you
enlighten the confused girl that i am

It's really your choice as to what kind of major you wanna do. Remember, as long as you do the basic pre-med requirements, you can major in what you want. Ask an advisor or someone knowledgeable that can list you these requirements. Still, the majority of medical school applicants are of a science/biological major, and I'm not surprised at that. Medicine is, for the most part, a science-oriented profession. I was a biology major, partly because I love science, & the other part, well, it takes care of all the pre-med requirements

BUT! Do what interests you. I've known of med students that have majored in Asian Studies, Psychology, Japanese, & have been accepted. A science-related major will help, but if you are only taking it to get rid of requirements for medical school, then it might not be your route. Some fellow friends who were once biology majors switched to another major in their sophmore/junior years. At a crucial time like that, it's hard to change & take additional classes just because you didn't like science.

I actually hold a minor in Asian Studies as well, to accompany my interest in things Asia-related. I just didnt want to be that typical "pre-med" with A Bio major.

Hope that helps!

thank you so much for the information.. because i really don't know what to expect in university, with the course load, etc. so thanks!

i have another question... i've been reading in this thread that you should enroll in other courses besides the life sciencee major/biology major/science course
/whatever it is. like english, history, music, etc. so is double-majoring a good idea? does the work load become overwhelming or something? i'm taking the english AP course in high school, so far got a 4 in language and composition, and should be able to get at least a 4 for the literature course as well...

what does it mean to take a minor course anyways? what's the difference between major and minor? i tried looking it up but all i get is the difference in the amount of credits you get or something.. which i still don't understand.

If you are willing to take the TIME for a double major, go right ahead. Just remember that you MAY not finish with a double major in 4 years (could be 5 or more). As far as work load, it depends. A friend of mine double-majored in Biology and Economics, and he did it in 5 years (plus some summers and AP credits). I see that you have some AP courses under your belt, so that would be a good thing in College, since you won't have to worry about taking the "basic" math, english and language courses.

A minor is basically a major, but with far less classes to take, but enough so you have a working knowledge in that certain interest. For example, I majored in Biology, so I had taken alot of science classes, but, I wanted to major in Asian Studies (although I didn't have enough time to major in it) so I went ahead and minored, and took only 5 classes for the minor requirement. Minors are for those interested in another major, but want to get just the "gist" of their interest, and not sacrifice the extra time and workload as, say, a major.

Some good examples are a Biology major and a Japanese minor; a Psychology major and a Biology minor; a Computer major and a Biology minor; an Asian Studies major and a Music minor; the possibilities are endless.

I hope that makes sense!

[TVSQ4ever]

hmm

i have a question:

can you get into med school even if your major isn't a science (like bio, chem, biochem, etc.)?

Not really. I believe that most medical schools require a certain amount and types of classes for you to enter into their school. Plus I don't think that it would make sense to not take any science classes for a carrer that requires a lot of it =_=

I'm totally with you on not wanting to take them and having the schools not require them, but life is never that easy lol

[erure]

Not really. I believe that most medical schools require a certain amount and types of classes for you to enter into their school. Plus I don't think that it would make sense to not take any science classes for a carrer that requires a lot of it =_=

I'm totally with you on not wanting to take them and having the schools not require them, but life is never that easy lol

No, you can be a different major as long as you fill your prerequisites -- it's just that it's easier if you're a bio major.

[pepe.RO]

im planning on doing optometry
what pre-med classes should i take? (for undergrad)
i really dont want to do anything that involves chemistry... but everyone tells me basic chem is required for any pre-med stuff. :]

[erure]

^Yeah you can't be choosy with prerequisites. Basic chemistry AND organic chemistry are essential.

[supa'Wanki]

Visual Arts/Film major taking pre-med classes for med school? is that crazy? Should I major in biology and minor is visual arts? I've heard that it's a lot harder to get into a Med School with a major in Biology, because there's so many other people who major in Bio who apply to Med School.

[x3valerie]

is anyone here planning to become a nurse anesthetist or has gotten into anesthesia school? i know it is really competitive and was wondering what helped you get in and put you above everyone else that applied?

[yongwonhi]

Umm, help? I'm a college freshman right now and my major is currently undeclared. I have absolutely no idea what to do, but I've definitely thought about the premed path. However, I don't know if it's worth it to start now because
1. I'm not even sure if I want to do premed
2. I absolutely hate chemistry and if I start now I'd have to take general chemistry over the summer (I signed up for gen chem this quarter but I dropped it because I was having trouble adjusting) and suffer through one of the hardest organic chemistry programs in the US; if I decide later that I don't want to go to med school, I certainly would not be very happy after taking two years of chem

Should I even bother trying?? I'm totally lost about what I want to do but I feel that if I start too late, I'll just end up being really behind and unmotivated because I'm so behind...

[tian`tian]

Visual Arts/Film major taking pre-med classes for med school? is that crazy? Should I major in biology and minor is visual arts? I've heard that it's a lot harder to get into a Med School with a major in Biology, because there's so many other people who major in Bio who apply to Med School.

It's not necessarily harder.
You can be any major that you want to and apply to medical school. Just make sure you get all the pre-reqs done and have enough science background to do well on the MCAT. ^^

Umm, help? I'm a college freshman right now and my major is currently undeclared. I have absolutely no idea what to do, but I've definitely thought about the premed path. However, I don't know if it's worth it to start now because
1. I'm not even sure if I want to do premed
2. I absolutely hate chemistry and if I start now I'd have to take general chemistry over the summer (I signed up for gen chem this quarter but I dropped it because I was having trouble adjusting) and suffer through one of the hardest organic chemistry programs in the US; if I decide later that I don't want to go to med school, I certainly would not be very happy after taking two years of chem

Should I even bother trying?? I'm totally lost about what I want to do but I feel that if I start too late, I'll just end up being really behind and unmotivated because I'm so behind...

To figure out if you like medicine or want to really pursue a path down it, try doing some volunteering or shadowing.
Why are the reasons that you think you might want pre-med?
What are some other things that you're interested in?
Definitely shouldn't take courses that you hate only to have it not count later on.
I did that with a course too in college!

Sorry that's not a lot of help...but medicine is a long and difficult path. If you're not sure you want to do it, I'd advise holding off. There are also tons of people who go to med school way after they graduate and do other things for a while. So later on if you feel like you DO want to do med, you can still do it! ^^

[frappuccino_life]

Do you think med schools are a little lenient with the gpa of your college freshman year? I got a little ambitious and took a grad level bio course second semester and didn't do too well. It will always be a blemish on my science gpa, haha.

Is lab research absolutely essential? Or is that just another path to get recommendations and stuff?

[Skeptrix]

Do you think med schools are a little lenient with the gpa of your college freshman year? I got a little ambitious and took a grad level bio course second semester and didn't do too well. It will always be a blemish on my science gpa, haha.

Is lab research absolutely essential? Or is that just another path to get recommendations and stuff?

First of all, WOW, you took a grad course in your Freshman year. Impressive lol. Anyhoo, it depends on what grade you really received from that class. Anything C or above, I wouldn't worry so much. Anything lower would render considerable reason and explanation to anyone looking over your transcripts later on down the road. So be prepared to explain why you received that grade, and be sure to show considerable improvement in future science/biology courses. One "blemish" won't be so bad, as say, several. Try to improve and shoot for A grades, if possible. Medical school admissions understand that a first-year would have to adjust to the rigors of College, much more science/pre-med classes. A considerable improvement, though, would really help boost yourself in lieu of that one class you did poorly in. And yes, you can never take out that grade on your transcript (and I wouldn't recommend taking that class again for a better grade, either!).

As for lab research, it's entirely up to you. I believe that research does play a pivotal role in the discovery of new drugs and explanations for pathway mechanisms leading to illnesses and disease. Some of my friends got into medical school without any research experience, while others did research as an undergrad and got in. It would be a plus, yes, since it shows your further interest in the scientific world. But again, that choice is entirely your decision. Some medical schools will require you to do research anyway, during your pre-clinical and/or clinical years as a medical student. Just make sure you are doing research for your own curiosity and interest, and not because you simply want to put it on your resume to look good. Ask yourself, "DO I REALLY WANT TO DO RESEARCH?"

I will be doing a fair amount of research in the Spring of 2009 as part of a collaborative effort between our medical school and the Cancer Research Center (of Hawaii). If you have any further questions about how research works, opportunities, etc., do contact me for further information!