What options do premed students have after being weeded out?

[Anonymous]

Typically, they are weeded out pretty early on—in the first two years, for example. Let's say someone holds on until the end of junior year, has a GPA of 3.6, and is exhausted. That GPA is probably not enough to make it to medical school. What options?

[Anonymous]

I was in this position and did a one year BSN program for year 5 of college. Thankful to my parents who paid for this.

Others go into pharmaceutical sales, PA school, do a post-bac pre-med program, go to grad school for biology, work in a lab, teach high school. Basically a million things;

[Anonymous]

Nurse practitioner.

[Anonymous]

Optometry or podiatry school.

[Anonymous]

What’s their major? Are they still interested in a medical or medical adjacent career?

The real issue here, I think, is “exhausted”, since “exhausted” — as opposed to exhilarated — is not a great place to be when applying to grueling graduate level programs. This could be an opportunity to take a gap year, do an internship or volunteer work, and explore a variety of career options— from exploring multiple options for medical school (including outside of the US), to completely different fields. I’m not clear what medical research will look like in the coming years, but that might also be an option. The post at 11:41 has some excellent suggestions. The college career advisory office will have others.

[Anonymous]

3.6 with a strong MCAT and good resume will have options. However, if premed is mentally exhausting, there are other options. For example, Physical therapy programs often admit after a health sciences bachelors program. Nursing is an option, as PP noted, but find a bridge style option to minimize the time spent in school. He should visit the career center at his school or his advisor.

My lovely DIL was in similar position. She got a bachelors in neuroscience, spent 2 years in the lab of a R1 university. Her PI/boss then mentored her in applying to the PhD program and she’s in the midst of that now and super happy. Her long term goal is biotech.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think you are completely weeded out. Might have to just take the long route to get to med school. More research and publish papers and maybe even grad school before med school.

[Anonymous]

Undertaker? Don’t let that training go to waste.

[Anonymous]

Some get their med degree from Dominican Republic.

[Anonymous]

Some go to law school

[Anonymous]

3.6 is fine for med school if you aren't aiming for the top schools. There are also a million other pathways - DO school, podiatry or optometry, Caribbean or Ireland/UK med schools. Can also consider doing a 3-year RN/NP program -- there are many great ones: MGH, Yale, etc. or becoming a PA.

[Anonymous]

I got my BA in psychology, then MS in Occupational Therapy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some get their med degree from Dominican Republic.

Many also go St George's, an accredited medical school in Grenada offering MD programs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:3.6 is fine for med school if you aren't aiming for the top schools. There are also a million other pathways - DO school, podiatry or optometry, Caribbean or Ireland/UK med schools. Can also consider doing a 3-year RN/NP program -- there are many great ones: MGH, Yale, etc. or becoming a PA.

+1. This. GPA isn’t everything. There are kids at top schools with tough majors where grade inflation isn’t the norm (ex biochem) but they still get into med school.

[Anonymous]

PA school?