Hello everyone!

I just found this website and I love it! Let me tell you a little about myself. I became a teenage mother at the age of 17 which was my senior year in highschool. Eventhough the administrators of my highschool urged me to just drop out of traditional highschool and instead go to a school for teen mothers to obtain a GED, I refused and continued on with my highschool career. I was able to graduate on time with my class and was on my way to a 4-year university.

I now attend the University of Miami in Florida and will be graduating in December of 2002 with a B.S. I am determined to become a physician but have come across obstacles along the way that adversely affected my GPA making it NOT AT ALL competetative for going to medical school. I feel so discouraged now. It makes me feel like I wish I could start over again in my undergraduate career to make things right. I still feel the drive and motivation to go to medical school but now it's just the matter of how in the world am I going to get into one to start on my journey. If any of you are in a similar situation please e-mail me...or if you would like to suggest anything please e-mail me. I look forward to hearing from some of you soon!

Good luck to everyone who is pursuing their goals!

AyasMommy
rza84@hotmail.com

HI! Sounds like you've already overcome some serious obstacles. Have faith in yourself that you can achieve this goal as well.

If indeed your application would not be competitive at this time, you might consider taking a job in the medical field after graduation to gain some experience and show commitment. Or, you could pursue a Master's degree, or just some post-bacc work to shore up your GPA. ( you didn't say how much help it needs!)

Have you taken the MCAT? An excellent score on the test plus some valid reasons for your GPA may help the adcoms overlook the negatives. Are you being advised by someone at your college who is familiar with the med school application process?

Where there's a will there's a way, and you definitely seem to have the will. Just get creative with the way!
Best of luck!
Theresa

Dear Ayasmom:

The way I see it, where there is a will there is a way. If you are determined and you feel that you are not competitive for entry to med school you could pursue other options. You can try to improve your application by pursuing the options that Theresa has mentioned, many have succeeded using this route. Or you can look at other ways to achieve your goals. Have you considered D.O. schools? If you are still not competitive for D.O. schools then perhaps you might consider going abroad. There are schools in Europe, Australia, South America and the Caribbean that cater to American students i.e. they offer Stafford Loans and clinical rotations in the states. This is just an option, but for many it has represented light at the end of the tunnel.
I studied in the Caribbean, learned a foreign language and am now applying for residency programs this year. So far I have been very happy with the number and quality of interview invitations that I have been getting...I am finally beginning to see that all my years of hard work are beginning to pay off.

Going abroad is not for everyone. Depending on the school you choose to attend, you will not receive the same "quality" education as you might have in the states. This is a sacrifice I was willing to take.

Good luck. Know and weigh your options and you will find your way.

Hi,
I just wanted to let you in on a little secret about med school applications. When I started the process, I begin wishing I had some good story about overcoming an obstacle. My grades were not the best, but I had no excuse! I realized that admissions people eat that stuff up. They love people that can get through the kind of stuff you've pulled yourself through. Don't let anything stop you! When they see the drive you have, they will know you have what it takes. The problem with so many med students is that our lives our so easy, when we get here to the difficult life of a med student, some of us want to give up. The best thing anyone can show to the people who decide who gets to be here is that they are in for the long haul. You're all over that one. Don't give up! You'll make it!