Which Classes to take

[vguarino]

Background info, cumulative 3.0 GPA as calculated by CASPA spreadsheet, (last 60 cumulative 3.52, last 60 science 3.11, work in pharmacy technician, clinical research, and emergency room technician. I would estimate somewhere around 10,000 hours in the medical field, with about half of that being interactive with patients directly.

When I first went through college and was undecided, I was not the best student, and got several Cs. Recently, I have taken ochem 1 (got a D twice during undergrad right when COVID hit) and 2, immunology, and biochemistry 1 and got an A in 3 of them and an A- in the other. I am currently slotted to take the following this summer, full term:

Biology 1 (retake, got a C in fall of 2017), Genetics (retake, C in spring of 2018), abnormal psychology, developmental psychology (both never taken).

Currently, per the spreadsheet, if I get an A in genetics and biology 1, my science last 60 jumps to a 3.35. 

I am debating trying to fit in pathophysiology at Doane University for two purposes-one, if it is more beneficial to take a new high level science instead of retake a passed (albeit with a C) prerequisite, and two, for last 60 GPA purposes. If I drop abnormal psych and get an A in pathophysiology, I would jump my last 60 science to a 3.55. Since I already have a degree, I could go to school forever and not get my cumulative GPA up to a 3.8 or something more competitive, so I am focused on showing recency and health care experience. 

How should I proceed? Drop Biology 1 for pathophysiology? Add pathophysiology and drop abnormal psych? I could take pathophysiology starting in August after the other 4 classes end/approach their end, but I do not want to risk not being able to verify the grade in CASPA before most of the deadlines.

[UGoLong]

Personally, I think doing well in a challenging pathophysiology class is a good indication about your likely performance in PA school. A good bit of PA school is applied patho.

Going back and repeating bad grades is also a good strategy. As far as replacing grades, CASPA averages retakes, so getting a 3 credit A after previously getting a 3 credit C results in a 6 credit B. You don't get to drop grades.

There are programs that emphasize your last x credits. I don't have such a list of schools but you can probably find them posted here somewhere.

Good luck!