Chances of Getting in; 3.5cgpa, 3.45sgpa, 38 mcat

[futuredoc193]

Philadelphia Resident
Clinical Volunteering the last 2 years at the same hospital - heavy patient exposure (mental health patients).
Shadowed 4 doctors (1 was a D.O) - 15 hours each, 25 hrs for the D.O
Research experience at Drexel College of Medicine with most likely 1 publication before I apply; already completed a couple poster presentations at the University of Penn.
Thousands of hours volunteering at local church with several leadership positions
38 MCAT (14 V, 12 BS, 12 PS)
3.5 cgpa, 3.45 sgpa, with upward trend each year, but my sophomore year wasn't much of an improvement. This year is going well so far and I expect it to stay that way (3.90 cgpa this year with a 3.87 sgpa so far, should stay the same or be better)
I'll have 3 good LOR's from professors plus 1 from my research coordinator, plus 1 from the D.O doctor I shadowed.

What are my chances of getting into schools nearby Philadelphia (please be blunt)? Do you agree with my reach/match list?

Prospective List (I need to add more a lot more here, but these are the schools I'd love to attend):

Drexel - I think a match?
Temple - Considering it a Reach
Jefferson - Reach
PCOM - D.O - match
Robert Wood Johnson - Rutgers - Reach
Rutgers New Jersey Medical School - Reach
University of Maryland - Reach

Thank you!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[futuredoc193]

Bump

 

[Catalystik]

Philadelphia Resident
Clinical Volunteering the last 2 years at the same hospital - heavy patient exposure (mental health patients).
Shadowed 4 doctors (1 was a D.O) - 15 hours each, 25 hrs for the D.O
Research experience at Drexel College of Medicine with most likely 1 publication before I apply; already completed a couple poster presentations at the University of Penn.
Thousands of hours volunteering at local church with several leadership positions
38 MCAT (14 V, 12 BS, 12 PS)
3.5 cgpa, 3.45 sgpa, with upward trend each year, but my sophomore year wasn't much of an improvement. This year is going well so far and I expect it to stay that way (3.90 cgpa this year with a 3.87 sgpa so far, should stay the same or be better)
I'll have 3 good LOR's from professors plus 1 from my research coordinator, plus 1 from the D.O doctor I shadowed.

What are my chances of getting into schools nearby Philadelphia (please be blunt)? Do you agree with my reach/match list?

Prospective List (I need to add more a lot more here, but these are the schools I'd love to attend):

Drexel - I think a match?
Temple - Considering it a Reach
Jefferson - Reach
PCOM - D.O - match
Robert Wood Johnson - Rutgers - Reach
Rutgers New Jersey Medical School - Reach
University of Maryland - Reach

Thank you!

Are there any upper-level Bio classes included in this last year's excellent grades? What?

 

[futuredoc193]

All my upper level courses were taken last year and this year, most being this year. Last year my grades were so-so (3.51 cgpa, 3.49 sgpa), this year I took all upper level bio classes plus one humanity term 1 and had a 3.9 cgpa, with a 3.87 sgpa.

Some of those classes were: Biochem, Bio of Aging, Bio of Cancer, Human Genetics, Gross Anatomy, etc. The only one I didn't get an A or A- in was Biochem, which I got a B+ in.

Freshman year I had like a 3.4 cgpa and a 3.1 sgpa.

 

[Catalystik]

If you can keep your academic momentum going this term as you project, so that a microanalysis of your lower GPAs gives reassurance that you can consistently produce excellent grades in med school-like coursework, I think you have a decent chance at an MD school acceptance (with DO being a near shoe-in). I'd like to have seen 3 terms of high grades, but your outstanding MCAT score makes it more likely you will be a successful candidate with two, despite your limited geographic preference.

What science classes are you taking this term? Has your shadowing given you opportunities to witness the care of acutely (medically) ill and injured folks? Any primary care doc on the list?

 

[futuredoc193]

If you can keep your academic momentum going this term as you project, so that a microanalysis of your lower GPAs gives reassurance that you can consistently produce excellent grades in med school-like coursework, I think you have a decent chance at an MD school acceptance (with DO being a near shoe-in). I'd like to have seen 3 terms of high grades, but your outstanding MCAT score makes it more likely you will be a successful candidate with two, despite your limited geographic preference.

What science classes are you taking this term? Has your shadowing given you opportunities to witness the care of acutely (medically) ill and injured folks? Any primary care doc on the list?

I actually go to Drexel now, which runs on a trimester schedule. So technically, I would have 3 terms of good grades if I kept it up.

This terms I'm taking Microbiology, microbio lab, vertebrate biology, and verts lab.

Next term I'll be taking Biology of Evolution and genetics as bio classes, and I'll be taking Orgo 3 and Orgo 2 lab. I'm also taking a required math class (statistics) which goes towards my BCPM.

My shadowing opportunities were mostly great! One was a pulmonologist at Temple, which was kind of uneventful since he was so busy. One was a psychiatrist/pediatric doctor who was awesome. I got to spend a lot of time with him and his patients (outside of psych evals of course). The D.O was great in terms of her showing me how cool osteopathic medicine was. The final doctor I shadowed was a primary care physician and I spent some time outside of shadowing with him, which was great and truly helpful.

Are there any other schools you could suggest (MD schools specifically), that you think I would have a good shot at? Going out of my geographic preferences.

 

[Catalystik]

All that sounds good to me.