This Nontraditional Premed Is Worried About Her GPA | Ask Dr. Gray: Premed Q&A

What is the GPA cut-off at most medical schools? And what can you do if you're worried about a low GPA number from your past holding back YOUR application? Today I answer these questions for a nontraditional premed chef!

This week on Ask Dr. Gray: Premed Q&A, I'm talking to a nontraditional premed student who has worked as a professional chef and is in a PhD program right now. She has a 3.08 GPA from her first bachelor's degree. Her grades have mostly been good in her postbac and her PhD program, but she had some C's mixed in there, too (like back in organic chemistry).

We discuss:
• What you should look at besides just your final undergraduate GPA.
• How to reach out to medical schools and get past any GPA cut-offs.
• Talking to medical schools over the phone vs through emails.
• Why the TRENDS in your grades matter so much.
• How to tell your story in the application when you have academic struggles in your past.
• The role your MCAT plays when you have a weaker GPA.
• The difference between shadowing and clinical experience.
• How to document activities in your application as both shadowing AND clinical experience.
• How to explain if you're currently in another academic program while applying to med school.

I hope this episode gives you a fuller picture of what you should be thinking about when it comes to a low GPA in your past. It's not just about one number, but the full picture your trends show to the medical schools, along with the efforts you make in reaching out to explain your situation, tell your story, and build a relationship.

[neovirux]

I literally have the same story as her but a little better GPA, I'm glad to see another person who started as a cook and then wanted to do more.

[arjunsharma-mbko]

As a current 3rd year medical student I wish I had found this before. From my personal experience shadowing in the OR with a surgeon was the best clinical experience for my application, I was also a scribe. All in all I respect Dr. Gray for helping and sharing his story. The application process is hard and I think if you find something you're passionate about and mold your application around that with related LORs is what gave me a chance. I was also very dedicated to the underserved community, took 3 years between my undergrad (working) and did all the volunteer, mission trips, and homeless service I could. I am passionate about this, find your lane and run with it. my scores weren't amazing but competitive, but at least it helped me.

[bonafide]

Wish her the best. I am applying this summer. I started with a 3.49 ended up after another year with a 1.92. Took a break to get my stuff together. Gotten As ever scince in general chemistry, anatomy physiology, general microbiology, pathogenic microbiology, immunology, foundations of neuroscience, cognative neuroscince, and genetics. I am taking human pathophysiology with the pa students this fall. Never say never my cummlative gpa will be low. But I have had around a 3.8 in upper sciences. I'm also and publishing a few resrach articles. I plan on emailing admissions like he said. That's amazing that you have two bachelots a post bac and a phd. Good luck I'll pray for you.

[k.bradley]

Dr. Gray, how do we know admissions committees are taking the time to look at GPA trends? If a school decides their hard cutoff is a 3.5 for sGPA or cGPA, will they even bother to see a student might have struggled initially but then had a 4.0 for 3 years straight? I'd just appreciate if you elaborate on this more because I know you stress not to focus so much on that final number, but I can't imagine all schools are looking at applications in this holistic manner especially top-tier schools. Thanks for doing what you do!

[dianabaiense]

These videos are so helpful, thank you so much Dr. Gray! I watch every single one :)

[thecarpenters]

Does a chaplain in a clinical pastoral education program at a hospital count for clinical experience? Most of my job was providing spiritual and pastoral care for patients but some was doing so for staff. I did attend Treatment Team Meetings regularly and worked on-call and regular hours in several clinics and in-patient units. Just found your channel today and love it. I think this person is closest to my situation so far.

[JulianHernandez-btil]

Oh man the line between shadowing and clinical experience is so tricky I feel overwhelmed

[annawysocka]

Keep up the amazing work doc! Always looking forward to your videos ☺️

[brendatruong]

I have a similar situation, but moreso, that I decided I truly wanted to go into medicine in the Winter semester of my third year... now I'm at roughly an undergraduate CGPA of 3.5 which is below the cut off for Canadian schools.

[Joshua-zjid]

can you do update interviews/videos of what ended up happening to these pre-meds?

[michaelsobalvarro]

Which episode is Dr. Gray referring to regarding the student with the 2.7 -> 2.5 GPA? I’m
Interested and I’m pretty sure more ppl are too

[alexisosbourne]

Can you talk more about post bacs and how they actually help your Gpa? Or if they don’t help your undergrad gpa they just have a separate section under the medical school app?

[Arkyark]

Hi, I found your channel recently and I’m in need of so much help. I’m desperately searching for guidance. I truly want to be a doctor. I’ve known for years that I wanted to be a physician to meet people one on one and help them be better/improve their lives and be a partner with them as a doctor one they can trust and communicate with(especially minorities and underserved communities just because I know there is a lot of extra knowledge and support needed in these communities) my problem is that I’m headed into senior year with a 3.11 GPA in Biomedical engineering. I transferred to university and This major has been such a hard obstacle. To learn how to problem solve in this way, how to study efficiently and handle the load has been a journey . I’m no genius. I have to work or everything (not complaining just saying that I wasn’t one of the students who just “got it”) and well I sort of gave up on being a doctor. I did only a few shadowing (internal medicine, optometry) but I saw that I needed to put aside medical school for my sanity as I tried to do my major and still be involved on campus (out reach director of poetry Club, active with my campus ministry and church groups) I decided that I’d stick with just going to the military after school but my heart for being doctor has come back . I can’t leave this earth knowing I never even tried. It hurts thinking of not trying and it feels impossible to even try. So I want to try after I graduate but I don’t know what to do. If I do try something, I’ll join reserves but if I don’t I may just go active rite. But the point is, I truly truly just don’t know what to do to achieve this goal. What should be the game plan?? I’m seriously I just in need of some guidance . I hate the post bacc idea just because of the money but I do know about it.

[sarahsteinberg]

I had a 3.7 GPA and I thought that was horrible! Not to mention many grad schools made me feel like it was low too.

[Agtsmirnoff]

She reminds me of the girl from American Pie.

[khardieng]

As a nurse for 4 years do I need to do some shadowing?

[oreocheez]

Thank you for making these videos :) I was wondering if you had information about applying to medical schools in Canada?

[noradenno]

Would a pharmacist count as clinical experience? I work in hospital and retail

[meetpatel]

Thank you Dr. Gray for your videos. I am in a similar situation but science GPA is below 3.0 and I am planning to take the MCAT on June 28th. My question is should if I get a good score on the MCAT but since my GPA is below 3.0, should I even apply to medical school or DO schools? Or focus on getting into post bac and then apply to med school later? My extracurricular and clinical experiences are pretty solid with lot of involvement in school and worked a part time job as well. Any feedback would be appreciated.

[landon]

I wonder if she ever got in. I hope so!