Been coming to this forum for almost two years now. Most people post about their "chances" of getting in to places and I don't know for those who have been accepted into programs where you were. I don't want to make this long, but I am not your typical applicant. Took me awhile to get through undergrad, my health wasn't 100% a few semesters that set me back and hurt my GPA. I finished my undergrad with a 2.6 in Biology.
After school. I became an anesthesia tech and I was instantly put in an environment I knew that I wanted to work in for the rest of my life. It motivated me. I found the AA program and went back to school for post-bacc. I pretty much did everything again almost... Orgo I/II, Physics I/II, A&P, Advanced Physiology, Calc, Gen Chem II. I finished with a 3.79 GPA in my post-bacc. I didn't take any general biology courses over again because I feel I have a strong background in it. I could take those classes again, but I am paid my way through post-bacc myself. So it's difficult to load up classes to take with my budget and full time work schedule.
I've worked in the last 3 years in anesthesia and logged about 8,000 hours in that time, averaging 55 hours a week. Took the MCAT, pretty average with a 495. I was hoping for a 500, but I put my all into it over the last two years. I've worked hard for what I have achieved thus far and now I am worried that it's not enough. I have 3 LORs from the anesthesia director at my hospital, trauma anesthesia coordinator, cardiac anesthesiologist and my orgo professor. So on paper, I am happy with what I accomplished and I am just praying for an interview. But I don't knoe if the undergrad GPA is going to deter a lot of schools from even looking at me.
Stressful. Don't know if any accepted students that are on this forum took a different path like myself. Thanks for reading.
I think you have a very good chance of being invited for interviews. The programs will zero in on your most recent performance, since they're getting the student you are now, not the one from undergrad. Like the other commenter said: own your status as a non-traditional applicant in the interview. Show up and do well on that day and I think you will be accepted to at least some of the programs.
Being not the typical applicant is what will make you stand out. Own it and live by it. I am myself not the typical applicant. Grades are one thing but grades will not save your butt when you have a patient on the table. You can be the smarter student but the worst anesthetist at the same time. What will make you good at your job is your personality, your motivation, your initiatives and your dedication. And clearly throughout your description and past experiences (scholar and professional) you are showing it. If you are sure that it is the field that makes you waking up happy everyday it will show in your recommendation letter, your resume, at your interview etc. Just know that having an atypical life story is what makes you interesting, standing out and catch the attention of people.