MD & DO I know this is old, but what are my chances?

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I know I know a million people have posted this, but I want to know what my chances are to get into either an MD/DO school: I have a 3.67c 3.3s GPA (I got a C in physics my first semester taking science classes, ouch). I haven't taken the MCAT yet but based on my practice tests I figure I'll at least get in the low thirties. I work two jobs at 20 hours a week (working at the college bookstore as well as being a Biology TA), had a great summer internship teaching self employment classes down in Bolivia, I work with a man who a cerebral palsy and I have been doing that for six months, and I have done shadowing and had a lot of leadership opportunities. I should also add that I am an American Studies major and I just decided this last summer that I wanted to be a doctor. I've worked really hard and come a long ways since then.

My real question is that I feel like I have a strong application, but am worried sick that my science GPA basically will eliminate me from and MD school. Is there any hope for me? Suggestions would be appreciated!

One last question, I have been doing research for a Biology professor and have accumulated 9 credits worth of A's from that. Will that raise eyebrows?

raise eyebrows? Is that good or bad? Your sgpa isn't going to eliminate you from an MD, but it isn't going to be beneficial? do you have an upward trend? how much actual clinical experience do you have? number of hours? to me you seem to have a pretty standard/weak application unless you can elaborate on your ECs or have any positives regarding your sgpa. 20 hours between two jobs or 20 hours each? How many hours per week have you worked with the man? How many hours of shadowing? what other leadership opportunities?

most importantly though, what is your state of residence?

Originally Posted by FrkyBgStok

raise eyebrows? Is that good or bad? Your sgpa isn't going to eliminate you from an MD, but it isn't going to be beneficial? do you have an upward trend? how much actual clinical experience do you have? number of hours? to me you seem to have a pretty standard/weak application unless you can elaborate on your ECs or have any positives regarding your sgpa. 20 hours between two jobs or 20 hours each? How many hours per week have you worked with the man? How many hours of shadowing? what other leadership opportunities?

most importantly though, what is your state of residence?

I'm from Utah, and I do have an upward trend with my sGPA. I did decent last semester, and this semester I have improved in all my classes. Before I started taking science classes, I had two years of A's and A-'s, and even made the Dean's list one semester. I don't have a lot of clinical experience beyond the shadowing that I've done, which is about 50 hours. 20 hours total between the two jobs. As for leadership, I'm a manager at where I work, I'm one of the head TA's, and I served an LDS mission where for about a year I was in charge of around 30 other missionaries. I work with this man four hours a week. I'm also fluent in Spanish. Any other questions?

Clinical experience is all but required by Med Schools, DO or MD.

Building from that line of thought, in what way did you assist the man with CP. Depending, maybe some of that could count as clinical experience. But regardless, it wouldn't be enough. I'd suggest you get hired into a medically-related job, or start volunteering somewhere for 4 hours a week (hospital, nursing home, clinic, rehab center, etc) where you actively engage patients in some way.

Shadowing, another important EC, is not viewed in the same way, being a passive activity, where you observe the physician.

Getting As in research classes help raise your BCPM GPA, but they don't help prove you have what it takes to excel in the science-oriented curriculum of a med school. Getting As in upper-level Bio and Biochem WILL show that. Do you have some? Are you willing to wait a year before applying to give yourself a better shot at MD schools? If not, I'd say you have a very good chance at DO schools anyway.

Are you aware of UUtah's stance on clinical experience and nonmedical community service expectations?

Eyebrows won't rise and your chances are pretty good given you do well on the MCAT.