I have a not-so-good GPA and want to know if grad school would help my chances of med school

[futuredoc47]

I'm a junior at UCSB and transferred from ASU my sophomore year. At ASU, I had a 3.75 cumulative, and now at UCSB, I have a 3.1 cumulative, I was wondering if someone could give me any advice about grad programs in the UK, I've been looking into the University of Nottingham and Durham, and I would love to do those programs, but not if they aren't going to boost my resume for med school. Could someone let me know if they are worth it for me to look into and do? Especially with my lower GPA?

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[gyngyn]

Graduate degrees do not remediate undergraduate performance for MD schools.
DO schools see things differently.

Graduate study abroad is enlightening, but is not generally a factor for MD. I have no experience with how DO schools might view it.

You need a sustained period of academic excellence in upper division sciences to show that you are a candidate for medical school.

 

[AJS59]

What specifically are the programs you're considering? What is your science GPA now?

 

[Goro]

I'm a junior at UCSB and transferred from ASU my sophomore year. At ASU, I had a 3.75 cumulative, and now at UCSB, I have a 3.1 cumulative, I was wondering if someone could give me any advice about grad programs in the UK, I've been looking into the University of Nottingham and Durham, and I would love to do those programs, but not if they aren't going to boost my resume for med school. Could someone let me know if they are worth it for me to look into and do? Especially with my lower GPA?

You're not doing yourself any favors by taking grad school courses when you need to be taking and aceing med school-like courses.

Read this:

• Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I'm a junior at UCSB and transferred from ASU my sophomore year. At ASU, I had a 3.75 cumulative, and now at UCSB, I have a 3.1 cumulative, I was wondering if someone could give me any advice about grad programs in the UK, I've been looking into the University of Nottingham and Durham, and I would love to do those programs, but not if they aren't going to boost my resume for med school. Could someone let me know if they are worth it for me to look into and do? Especially with my lower GPA?

Welcome to the forums.

Is your endgame to become a physician? Why are you looking at graduate programs in the UK? What specific programs at Nottingham and Durham are you talking about? Do you have qualifying GPA's/grades/marks to be admitted? Do you have to take the GRE or some other entrance exam?

 

[Alejandro]

If you want to go to medical school and practice in the states, don't spend the extra money to do something abroad. It is exceptionally difficult to train abroad and work back in the states. Matching as an IMG is still very hard, even if you're a US citizen. That said, if the reason why you're not doing as well as at ASU is the school or your environment, that will be important to change instead of just slogging away for another year (if it can be helped). I haven't done the research, but if you do something where you can delay graduation (i dunno, change majors, change back? who knows) so you can take a few more courses to redeem your gpa (maybe even go back to ASU) without having to graduate and then consider postbac plans.