Redface Posted April 3, 2020 Report Share Posted April 3, 2020 Hello all, So let me start off by saying I will be completing my nursing degree within the next month and I just turned 25 years old. When I initially began this degree my plan was to use it to apply to medical school. Unfortunately, my plans didn't go as I wanted and I had many family challenges along the way. To elaborate, I have 3 brothers that were born with a genetic disease called muscular dystrophy. This disease makes them heavily dependent (wheelchair bound) and so I have always had the primary role in my family to caring for them. Long story short one of my brothers had a stroke during my second semester and another brother had a stroke during my last semester. Unfortunately, one of my brothers passed away a year after his stroke and I took a year off to care for him (I was quite depressed at this time). Due to these events I shifted my focus to care for them and my GPA was negatively impacted. For instance, my first semester GPA was 3.8, but when my brother had his stroke during my second semester my GPA dropped to 2.5 and all throughout the rest of my school years I consistently had a GPA at 2.8. I believe my poor GPA was directly related to the heavy level of involvement I had to contribute to my family in caring for my brothers. So I feel pretty stuck right now. Though I also have other very respectable career paths to pursue (opening my own LTC facility...dads rich so he will fund it lol), I have always dreamed of being a doctor. I dont know what path to take to reach this dream of mine. I dont have any friends currently that are in med schools or know much about the admission process and so I would appreciate any advise I could get from this forum. Should I start a second degree? Will schools treat me differently if I do apply with a second degree vs first degree? Will they only look at my second degree GPA because of the many family problems I had during my first degree? Would love some insightful advise. Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DNA Doc Posted April 18, 2020 Report Share Posted April 18, 2020 I don't really have any advice, but I'm really sorry about your situation. I don't think it's hopeless. You can do a second degree, and if your grades are good enough to apply to med school, you can explain your family situation in your application. If I were reviewing it, I would find your story very poignant and it would stand out against more traditional applicants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redface Posted April 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2020 1 hour ago, DNA Doc said: I don't really have any advice, but I'm really sorry about your situation. I don't think it's hopeless. You can do a second degree, and if your grades are good enough to apply to med school, you can explain your family situation in your application. If I were reviewing it, I would find your story very poignant and it would stand out against more traditional applicants. Hey thanks for the reply. Just a update. I was recently accepted to Yorks Biomedical science program as a second entry student. So I will be completing my second degree in 2 years instead of 4. Im wondering if medical schools will still look at my application as competitive (suppose i have a 3.9+ in this degree) since my GPA will only be of my final 2 years. Any idea if they will also look over my first degrees poor GPA in addition to my second degree? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdentMed Posted April 21, 2020 Report Share Posted April 21, 2020 First of all, I am sorry to hear about everything you are going through. Caring for your brothers sounds very challenging and taxing. You can do a second degree. Based on your initial GPA, I am sure you have the potential to earn a stellar GPA with the second degree which you may then use for medical school. All the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DNA Doc Posted April 24, 2020 Report Share Posted April 24, 2020 On 4/18/2020 at 12:15 PM, Redface said: Hey thanks for the reply. Just a update. I was recently accepted to Yorks Biomedical science program as a second entry student. So I will be completing my second degree in 2 years instead of 4. Im wondering if medical schools will still look at my application as competitive (suppose i have a 3.9+ in this degree) since my GPA will only be of my final 2 years. Any idea if they will also look over my first degrees poor GPA in addition to my second degree? Thanks I really don't know! But what have you got to lose? Go for it!! Redface 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IloveMemes Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 Man, i feel bad for complaining about my own circumstances. I wish you all the best in everything you do. If money is not a problem, you have more doors. Have you considered USMD? Redface 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redface Posted March 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2021 Thank you for all the responses. Since I posted this post last year my other brother (who had a stroke) has passed away. This was very hard for me to overcome as I went into severe depression. Nevertheless, on a bright side I no longer have external responsibility and can focus on my life for once. I will be turning 26 in a month and have decided to do a 2nd degree to pursue my dream of becoming a doctor. If possible I would appreciate if anyone with experience in the application process could guide and answer a few of my questions. Thanks shikimate, MK. and Butterfly_ 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MK. Posted March 23, 2021 Report Share Posted March 23, 2021 On 3/17/2021 at 11:20 PM, Redface said: Thank you for all the responses. Since I posted this post last year my other brother (who had a stroke) has passed away. This was very hard for me to overcome as I went into severe depression. Nevertheless, on a bright side I no longer have external responsibility and can focus on my life for once. I will be turning 26 in a month and have decided to do a 2nd degree to pursue my dream of becoming a doctor. If possible I would appreciate if anyone with experience in the application process could guide and answer a few of my questions. Thanks I am sorry for all the hardships you went and are going through, and I applaud you for your resilience; this is something to look up to. Could you please specify if you seek for advice through private messages or here on the post? I don't think I'd be the best for advising you, but I want to let you know and anyone else willing to help that some universities allow a written section in the application form for applicants to mention any extenuating circumstances they experienced and the related affected courses. This is a section you could fill that could potentially help you make it in a medical school despite not meeting minimal grade requirement. Best of luck to you and prayers to your family. Redface, Meiji and bbpremed 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redface Posted March 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2021 On 3/22/2021 at 11:25 PM, MK. said: I am sorry for all the hardships you went and are going through, and I applaud you for your resilience; this is something to look up to. Could you please specify if you seek for advice through private messages or here on the post? I don't think I'd be the best for advising you, but I want to let you know and anyone else willing to help that some universities allow a written section in the application form for applicants to mention any extenuating circumstances they experienced and the related affected courses. This is a section you could fill that could potentially help you make it in a medical school despite not meeting minimal grade requirement. Best of luck to you and prayers to your family. Thank you. Any form of communication would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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