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[RapidEyeMovementLearning]

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[Cinemed]

Damn, that C in the SMP is no bueno. Was always told "do not get a C in your SMP." Anyways, sorry to hear about your MCAT retake. And no, do not do another SMP. Ace your MCAT and supplement with a volunteer gig, scribe job, or research. Apply to more DO schools and hope for the best.

 

[curbsideconsult]

Agreed with Cinemed. And up the community service by a lot.

What did the SMP say about your application overall? I assume they went over it with you, but maybe they didn't.

 

[curbsideconsult]

They refused to explicitly tell me, but my advising faculty here said it was most likely due to a C grade in the Fall class. I am currently doing well in my Physiology and Neuroscience courses.

What type of employment is looked at better for me? I already have the healthcare exposure, what about starting some research type job with my MS degree? Also, is it advisable to send my reapplications in June this year, or wait till June 2019? Thanks

That's a bit cruel for an SMP program to not go over your application with you before you submit to AMCAS when the express purpose of doing an SMP is to raise your grades and help you get into medical school.

If you can get a research job, that's great, but I think it's more important for you to focus on racking up volunteer hours. If I were you, I would wait a cycle and re-apply to a whole lot more DO schools and make sure to finish all those MD school secondaries. You have to re-take your MCAT anyway so you might as well take the time to prepare for that, get your score early, and then be ready to submit when applications open. But there also may be a chance that you're competitive for DO schools now. I think you should post your stats, etc. in the WAMC section to get a better idea of whether or not you're competitive for DO schools for this upcoming cycle.

 

[Magus5454]

I had a lowish GPA/515 MCAT, i had two MD interview invites and a whole slew of DO ones, which DO schools did you apply to.

 

[calivianya]

I'd say just get whatever job you can that allows you to keep volunteering, like a PP said, and apply to more DO schools - maybe exclusively DO schools next time to save some money. Those grades are tough for MD, but DO schools are going to like your MCAT and are more forgiving with regards to grades. Good luck!

 

[Magus5454]

I only sent secondaries to CCOM AZCOM and LMU. My DO GPA was 2.9 for some reason, makes me think I got screened because of this. Also I don't have a DO letter or shadowing exp. I hope my grad GPA is able to recalculate or mitigate this 2.9 somehow...!

DO counts a few things different but they also look at grad GPA. Get a DO letter.

 

[Goro]

Hi, I'm finishing my SMP program and wrapping up my first cycle of MD/DO apps with no acceptances. I got only one II (from my SMP school) and I did well in the MMI, but I think I didn't have the SMP grades. I got a C in one of the first medical school courses. From there I maintained at least a B in every class. I'll graduate with a 3.5-3.6 smp GPA this May.

3.2ucgpa 3.0usgpa, 512 mcat (Taken 2015 so now it expires, need to re-take)
2000 hrs clinical employment
No substantial research involvement
~140 hrs hospital clinical volunteering
~40 hrs community service
~150 hrs various physician shadowing

I'm a Midwest resident, 26 and I just don't know how to improve from here or how to spend my gap year. I've already taken 30 credits of postbacc classes to boost my GPA over 3.0. Should I find a clinical job? Complete another SMP and try to maintain 4.0? Research position? Apply this summer or wait 1 year? Im confident I will do well or better on my MCAT. Just don't know what my timeline should be. I sent ~40 MD primaries, only 20 secondaries to mostly mid-bottom tier schools. Only applied to 4 DO schools. Thanks.

I think that your chances are best with DO schools and your state MD school, and that's it. Apply broadly to DO.

 

[GypsyHummus]

Im surprised you didnt get any DO love, especially with that MCAT.

The C is not good in the SMP. People are sopposed to ace these, 3.8+ to stick the landing. I would be surprised however if it keeps you out entirely, as your SMP GPA is still ok.

If it were me, Id try to find healthcare employment and apply broadly to all the DO schools I could afford. MD is kind of out of the question unless you totally own the MCAT (520+), and even now, DO is going to be a uphill (but very doable) battle with your undergrad GPA. The grade mistakes of the past are not washed away by an SMP, nay, they just add (or subtract) to the application.

It might be premature, but always have a plan B.

 

[Goro]

Furthermore I was advised by my faculty mentor at my SMP to possible apply for and attend a pharmacy or podiatry school, and continue applying for MD/DO, and withdraw from pharm/pod if I receive an acceptance. He said several former students have done this.

This would defer my large SMP loans and give me a plan B if my reapplications are not successful... I am not sure how feasible this option is, because I think it looks poor to not commit to a certain field.

I think your advisor is an idiot, because we'd ask "if you're willing to bail on Pod or Pharm, you'll fail on Medicine too".

Finish The SMP, get a job, and pay down your loans while you apply.

 

[Goro]

Thank you, would you recommend any osteopathic schools that are friendly towards nontrads/SMP graduates? I want to apply to many more DO schools this year.

I only applied to LMU-DCOM, CCOM (in my state), DMU, and KCOM but was not given a II

Your sin was in not applying to enough DO schools.

Look, you need to apply broadly to DO. MD is not on the table, expcept maybe at yoru state school.

 

[GypsyHummus]

You will have to jump over to the Pharmacy forum to get an estimate of your chances, but for Podiatry school, your grades are excellent. You will prolly get into all the schools you apply to, and maybe even get scholarship!

In order to apply however and have a reasonable shot at admissions, I would shadow a Pod and see if its something you can do for the rest of your life. You might end up hating it, might end up loving it and going strait into it. Lots of procedures and surgery.

Head over to the pod forums and ask questions. The pod community is great here.

Word on the street is there are still spots available for the entering class of 2018 for Pod school at the bigger schools Like Kent.

Furthermore I was advised by my faculty mentor at my SMP to possible apply for and attend a pharmacy or podiatry school, and continue applying for MD/DO, and withdraw from pharm/pod if I receive an acceptance. He said several former students have done this.

This would defer my large SMP loans and give me a plan B if my reapplications are not successful... I am not sure how feasible this option is, because I think it looks poor to not commit to a certain field.