MD Can research make up for ~low GPA and volunteering?

[EndlessEntropy]

I have a 3.71 cGPA and 3.64 sGPA. I am a Biomedical engineering major and scored a 522 on the new MCAT, relatively balanced and translates to a 38+ old MCAT.

I volunteered for 2.5 years at a hospital for ~200 hours total (including clinical experience) and tutored elementary kids weekly last year. I shadowed 2 different doctors for about 50 hours total.

For research, I worked in a lab for all 4 years so far of undergrad with a 2nd author publication (bench research) and 1 year at another lab with a poster presentation at the annual international conference for the premier professional society in our field. I was also a finalist at an international undergraduate research poster competition (~30 undergrads selected out of a couple hundred, we were flown out for a week and presented our research).

I'm worried about my GPA and my relatively low hospital and non clinical volunteering; is it still worth applying to top tier schools? I'm a NYS resident so besides the SUNY's, my top location are major cities, so I would love to go to schools like Harvard, Tufts, BU, Columbia, Cornell, NYU, Mt. Sinai, USC, UCLA, Chicago, Johns Hopkins.

I also love research, so I would definitely prefer a research heavy school too. Am I better off applying to MD/PhD programs instead of MD if my application fits those programs more? I really enjoy research and have been thinking about trying for a PhD as well but my GPA worries me.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[WedgeDawg]

3.7 GPA is acceptable for any school. Shadowing and clinical volunteering look fine. Research looks pretty good. MCAT is very good. You are a competitive applicant for top tier schools, but nothing is guaranteed. Apply to as many top tier schools as interest you, but also make sure you apply to many mid-tier schools and all the NYS state schools.

No one is more competitive for MD/PhD than they are for MD alone. Only go that route if you need the PhD for your professional goals. FWIW, your volunteering, shadowing, and research are all comparable to mine, your GPA is lower, and your MCAT is higher, and I attend one of the schools on your list. Apply broadly and see what happens.

 

[Goro]

On what planet is your GPA low????????

I have a 3.71 cGPA and 3.64 sGPA. I am a Biomedical engineering major and scored a 522 on the new MCAT, relatively balanced and translates to a 38+ old MCAT.

I volunteered for 2.5 years at a hospital for ~200 hours total (including clinical experience) and tutored elementary kids weekly last year. I shadowed 2 different doctors for about 50 hours total.

For research, I worked in a lab for all 4 years so far of undergrad with a 2nd author publication (bench research) and 1 year at another lab with a poster presentation at the annual international conference for the premier professional society in our field. I was also a finalist at an international undergraduate research poster competition (~30 undergrads selected out of a couple hundred, we were flown out for a week and presented our research).

I'm worried about my GPA and my relatively low hospital and non clinical volunteering; is it still worth applying to top tier schools? I'm a NYS resident so besides the SUNY's, my top location are major cities, so I would love to go to schools like Harvard, Tufts, BU, Columbia, Cornell, NYU, Mt. Sinai, USC, UCLA, Chicago, Johns Hopkins.

I also love research, so I would definitely prefer a research heavy school too. Am I better off applying to MD/PhD programs instead of MD if my application fits those programs more? I really enjoy research and have been thinking about trying for a PhD as well but my GPA worries me.