I advise you guys NOT to....

caliotter3 · Dec 14, 2009

I didn't think a 3.4 GPA would be competitive for med school admission.

tfleuter, BSN, RN · Dec 14, 2009

I think the only thing you can do is get good grades for the remainder of your BSN so you can raise your gpa and focus on those extra activities that med schools like to see. I've heard (but don't know for sure) that the DO schools are somewhat less competitve, maybe that's an option as well? I'm sure not making it into med school would be a huge disappointment, but there are certainly many other gradutate opportunities for you in nursing that will still be within your reach.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Dec 14, 2009

Does Med School not have a strict grading scale as well?

No problem for me, I have no desire to go into Med School.

Lovely_RN, MSN · Dec 14, 2009

Is it too late to change majors? People have become docs for years with no prior healthcare experience. I don't think it's necessary for you to be a nurse if you know you want to go to med school. Also those nursing school spots are hard to come by what a waste since you will never use your license and someone who would have didn't get your spot.

tfleuter, BSN, RN · Dec 14, 2009

I don't see how changing majors would benefit anyone. If the OP is already a few semesters into the program, another spot won't be availble for a new applicant next semester just becase s/he drops out. Plus, I would think that med schools would find a change from a nursing to degree to something else as odd, but maybe not. I certainly don't know what they consider for med school application.

melmarie23, MSN, RN · Dec 14, 2009

I wouldnt say it is a waste. Plenty of people change majors in college. Its hard to know what you want to do with your life at that age.

OP, I would go talk with your academic adviser asap. Tell them what your ambitions are and what is the next logical step from here. Tell them that you are entertaining changing majors, but are concerned that it might set you back a semester or two. I'd ask how close you are say to a Biology degree...your sciences for nursing may be able to be counted towards that (I was a Biol major in college...and I was entertaining going on to Med-school. For gen bio classes, we had a bunch of students from the nursing program taking them with us).

Since you already have your med-school pre-reqs out of the way, see if you can take some other courses, say some psych or sociology classes, math (calculus) and maybe some other humanities to help boost your GPA. You need to get that up if you want to boost your resume and chances of getting into med school.

Good luck with everything and keep us posted!

TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP · Dec 14, 2009

It's not a competitive GPA - when I was trying to get in, a 3.4 was somewhere around two standard deviations below the mean of students who matriculate to medical school. That said, medical schools do look favorably upon nurses who apply and have competitive GPAs - they already know about all the BS that goes on in healthcare and what physicians actually do.

Mi Vida: med schools tend to either grade Pass/Fail or Honors/Pass/Fail.

Supernrse01, BSN · Dec 14, 2009

What exactly was your thinking when you decided to apply to nursing school before going to med school. Were you under the impression that nursing school would be a breeze and that you would be able to glide right through with no studying? Was it just something you thought you would be able to do just to bring up your GPA? It's a sad thing if your answer to these questions are "yes". I would hate to be one of nurses that you work with once and if you become a physician. Good physicians realize that nurses are their right hands, possessing a lot of the same assessment and thinking skills. As a nurse, you need to be thinkning like a physician and sometimes above and beyond that. I find it very hard to stomach that it seems you have little respect for the nursing profession.

CharlotteDarcy · Dec 14, 2009

Supernrse01, you are making too many assumptions. The only thing I was unaware of prior coming into this program is the competitive grading scale.

Two of my Bs this semester are 92%.

I chose this major because I thought it would give me a competitive edge over other applicants (bc of my health background).

caliotter3 · Dec 14, 2009

With no thought to practicing as a nurse? Do someone a favor and free up a space for someone who wants to be a nurse. Thank you.

ok2bme · Dec 14, 2009

well, the good news is med schools concentrate on your science gpa (which doesn't include nursing classes) & mcat...if those are competitive i think you still have a shot, best of luck!