Gonnabeadoctor

Last night, I received the best advice I’ve received since January 2008 (see my first post). I went to dinner with my cousin (once removed) who is a neurologist in Washington DC. We were talking about my post-bacc program, and the group of core sciences I’m starting in September, and he said, “It’s basically an obstacle course. It’s not so much that you need to know all of the core science material when you’re a doctor. Medical schools just want to see that you can handle those kinds of classes.”

I’ve been hearing variations of that message for years. But hearing it described as an obstacle course really did the trick for me. For some reason, that mental image gives a real “means to an end” feeling to the post-bacc program. I still feel it’s necessary to find ways to enjoy the material, so I’m more motivated to learn and study. But still, the whole thing has started to feel less like a daunting expedition, and more like a series of hurdles I have to jump.

Or bars I have to pole vault. Considering the difficulty of the material, that seems like the better analogy.

Yesterday, I submitted my application for the Health Careers Program at Harvard Extension School. The application process is pretty much voluntary. If I wanted, I could simply start taking classes in the fall. But those who apply and get accepted qualify for financial aid and health benefits. So there’s that.

In January of 2008, I attended my first information session for the HCP. Fixsen said a lot of things, but one thing he said has been reverberating in my head for the past few weeks. He explained that when medical schools review applicants, they look at two things: the applicant’s MCAT score, and their GPA. If they don’t like those two things, they move on. He added, “You could have the best resume, the best work experience, the best volunteer experience, but they won’t SEE any of that if they don’t like your MCAT score and your GPA.”

In filling out my HCP application, I had to divvy up all of my different GPAs. Science, non-science, and total. For both of my undergraduate universities. And they pretty much suck.

Here’s the funny part. For the past month, I’ve been reviewing resumes from hungry applicants vying for my job at the hospital (I leave in July, two weeks before I go to Europe and attempt to get every dysfunctional habit out of my system before I begin classes). Most of the applicants stated their GPA on their resume. After seeing a few 4.0s, 3.9s, and 3.8s, I find myself scoffing at a lonely 3.4 or, God forbid, a 3.2. I’ve reviewed about 25 applicants. Med schools review thousands. And while my resume PUNISHES (great work experience, volunteer experience, leadership experience, etc.), my GPA deserves to be scoffed at.

I have to get a 4.0 in all of my classes at Harvard Extension School. And I have to destroy the MCAT. Absolutely, completely, brutally, and mercilessly destroy the MCAT.