Do I reapply at US Med Schools or give up and accept Carib spot?

[GabbyB]

Hi all, I'm so confused and could use some advice!

I was recently accepted into AUC (Jan 2011) & Ross (May 2011), and SGU wants me to interview for their Charter Foundation Program (Jan 2011, maintain high GPA, pass an exam, then new interview...then get admitted to SGU Med for August 2011).

I previously applied to & was rejected from all the US Med Schools – no interviews. I applied to a mix of schools, both private and public state schools. I also applied to & was rejected from EVMS' SMP and Georgetown's SMP – although I was waitlisted at Georgetown.

I'm going to be re-applying to EVMS's Special Masters Program - I spoke to the admissions counselor there and she said I needed to rewrite my PS, retake Organic Chem II Lecture, & send a final transcript w/my degree posted. She said the biggest problem was that I applied so late, most spots were already filled.

My science GPA: 2.5 & non-science GPA: 2.7. My MCAT was 29R the first time:
Verbal Reasoning 11 84.6 - 95.5
Physical Sciences 08 43.1 - 57.9
Writing Sample R 84.9 - 94.0
Biological Sciences 10 57.8 - 76.9
Total Score 29R
and my 2nd try was 27S:
Verbal Reasoning 12
Physical Sciences 06
Writing Sample S
Biological Sciences 09
Total Score 27R

Soo...do I put in the time/money/effort to reapply to US Med Schools? Do I just apply to more then EVMS's SMPs? Or do I just accept AUC or Ross? ANY advice would be helpful guys...I'm so confused right now. :/

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[avatarftw]

If I were you (assuming you haven't done so) I would retake the science courses that I did worst in and apply to many DO schools. Your MCAT is fine for most DO schools but the GPA needs to be improved substantially. I wouldn't go to the caribbean; check out their match results for residency. It ain't pretty. Something like 50% match.

Hi all, I'm so confused and could use some advice!

I was recently accepted into AUC (Jan 2011) & Ross (May 2011), and SGU wants me to interview for their Charter Foundation Program (Jan 2011, maintain high GPA, pass an exam, then new interview...then get admitted to SGU Med for August 2011).

I previously applied to & was rejected from all the US Med Schools – no interviews. I applied to a mix of schools, both private and public state schools. I also applied to & was rejected from EVMS’ SMP and Georgetown’s SMP – although I was waitlisted at Georgetown.

I’m going to be re-applying to EVMS’s Special Masters Program - I spoke to the admissions counselor there and she said I needed to rewrite my PS, retake Organic Chem II Lecture, & send a final transcript w/my degree posted. She said the biggest problem was that I applied so late, most spots were already filled.

My science GPA: 2.5 & non-science GPA: 2.7. My MCAT was 29R the first time:
Verbal Reasoning 11 84.6 - 95.5
Physical Sciences 08 43.1 - 57.9
Writing Sample R 84.9 - 94.0
Biological Sciences 10 57.8 - 76.9
Total Score 29R
and my 2nd try was 27S:
Verbal Reasoning 12
Physical Sciences 06
Writing Sample S
Biological Sciences 09
Total Score 27R

Soo...do I put in the time/money/effort to reapply to US Med Schools? Do I just apply to more then EVMS's SMPs? Or do I just accept AUC or Ross? ANY advice would be helpful guys...I'm so confused right now. :/

 

[Richardh]

i agree with the previous post. your gpa needs to improve while your mcat is strong. if i were you, i would consider reapplying to US MD and also DO schools. by all means carribean med schools should be your last and final option. its best to attend US med schools where your chance of obtaining residency and licensure later on will not be a problem.

so what you're doing now (reapplying to EVMS’s Special Masters Program) is great

improve your gpa and then reapply to US MD and DO schools. (i believe though you're strong for DO with the previous high mcat score and the new improved gpa.) timing is everything so the sooner you complete and your submit your applications the better

 

[fahimaz7]

I don't htink you have much of a chance (MD wise) with those grades. You need to take a few years to get that corrected, before the MD/DO programs will take you seriously.

Carribean is a huge gamble. Thier graduation rates are extremely poor. Also, if you go that route, make sure you start in August. The later two start times are occupied by really poor students, and your performance might take a hit because of it (I know several former faculty from Ross who made this comment to me).

 

[AutumnChild]

I agree with everyone before me. Caribbean should be your last resort. I was thinking about going to Caribbean route when I didn't get into med school my first time applying but SDN was a great resource and steered me away from that for many good reasons. I'm glad I declined my acceptance to SGU. I did an SMP last year and as of right now I have 6 DO and 2 MD interviews and have already been accepted. Your MCAT score is perfect for DO but you really do need to work on that GPA and bring them up to as close to 3.0 as you can. The SMP won't make up for uGPA but it can help your case by showing your ability to do well in upper level courses so uGPA won't weigh as much. This means, you have to rock all your SMP classes. Good luck!

 

[TriagePreMed]

Your cGPA is around a 2.6 if your A/O is 2.7 and your sGPA is 2.5, correct? In that case, pack your bags and go to the Caribbean. Here's why:

MD is completely out of the question in the US. You would need to take the same amount of units you currently have and get a 3.5 to get to a cGPA of 3.0. This will be extremely costly, time consuming, and your chances of getting that 3.5 over as many units as you've taken isn't good. Also, a 3.0 and a 29 MCAT is still horrible.

DO school is almost out too. Yes, you could re-take classes, but how many would those be? Time and all other factors are also in play here. Also, some schools don't look at applications with more than 3 re-takes in their science. Some will look at your application, but really, how well do you think it will look when they realize the only reason your GPA is that high to begin with is because you had to go through your classes twice? The MCAT score is fabulous, but it won't save you unless you have a cGPA and sGPA of at least 3.0.

Also, remember that if you take too long retaking courses, you might need to retake the MCAT. If you get a lower MCAT next time, consider it a game over. Actually, you already did and scored lower. Who is to say the 3rd time it won't be a 25? Also, consider that if you don't accept one of the Caribbean invites you may end up game over too since they may not accept you if you reapply.

There's a lot of bad rep when it comes to the Caribbean schools. Yes, it will be harder for you to get into a specialty. Yes, there is horrible attrition rates. However, if you survive, you will be 100% as much of a doctor as the guy that went to Johns Hopkins Med and got a 4.0 since elementary school.

Trust me, pack your bags. Don't look back, and study your ass off to be the best you can.

 

[gman33]

Forget aboout US med schools.

So the question is DO vs. Carib.
There is also a question of are you ready for med school even if you go.

Why do you think your grades were so poor in the past?
Lack of effort, lack of study skills...

Make sure you get that figured out before you start anything or you will get smoked in med school. I always did well in school, but I never ran into the all out memorization that med school required. My first class was a struggle to say the least. Took me a while to build up the study skills to do well.

As for what to do, I agree with the sentiments above that DO schools are a better option for most. Get a transcript and figure out how quickly you can get your GPA up with some retakes. If you replace some Fs/Ds with A's it might not be too long. If you can get this done in a year or two, it's probably worth while to try for DO schools before going abroad.

 

[noshie]

I would disagree that US MD schools are out actually... I think if you make a few good moves to better your application you could have a really good chance, at least at your state school. I have a 2.8 science and a 2.9 overall GPA, plus a 27Q MCAT, and I have had 2 MD interviews already this season. DO will also not be impossible for you... I think your best bet is to take post bac for a few years or do a master's program in hard science, retake the MCAT and make at least a 29, and get in some amazing experiences that will allow the adcoms to look past your undergrad GPA... I did really badly on my first few MCATs... Really badly, check out my MD apps for just how low an MCAT can be haha... But I didn't give up, and I have a DO acceptance early in the cycle to show for it. Nothing is impossible. Sure, it is going to be really difficult and it will take some real time and dedication from you, but it will not impossible. And in the end, nothing in life worth having is easy, right…?

 

[fahimaz7]

I would disagree that US MD schools are out actually... I think if you make a few good moves to better your application you could have a really good chance, at least at your state school. I have a 2.8 science and a 2.9 overall GPA, plus a 27Q MCAT, and I have had 2 MD interviews already this season. DO will also not be impossible for you... I think your best bet is to take post bac for a few years or do a master's program in hard science, retake the MCAT and make at least a 29, and get in some amazing experiences that will allow the adcoms to look past your undergrad GPA... I did really badly on my first few MCATs... Really badly, check out my MD apps for just how low an MCAT can be haha... But I didn't give up, and I have a DO acceptance early in the cycle to show for it. Nothing is impossible. Sure, it is going to be really difficult and it will take some real time and dedication from you, but it will not impossible. And in the end, nothing in life worth having is easy, right…?

You realize that very, very few applicants get accepted to a MD granting institution with a GPA<3.0 and a sciGPA ~2.5? If they do, they have a 2 year history of solid grades (post bacc, graduate degree, smp, etc) to make up for their lack-luster performance, and a stellar MCAT. We have 500+ applicants a year that look better on paper (3.5 GPA's), so why would we accept someone who made C's in half or his science classes?

Getting into a DO school is a lot easier than a MD school, for an applicant with a GPA <3.0.

Lets try to be realistic, and not promote the idea that it's common to get in with such a poor track record. It takes years of work to bounce back from that type of a record (or a 42 MCAT).

 

[noshie]

You realize that very, very few applicants get accepted to a MD granting institution with a GPA<3.0 and a sciGPA ~2.5? If they do, they have a 2 year history of solid grades (post bacc, graduate degree, smp, etc) to make up for their lack-luster performance, and a stellar MCAT. We have 500+ applicants a year that look better on paper (3.5 GPA's), so why would we accept someone who made C's in half or his science classes?

Getting into a DO school is a lot easier than a MD school, for an applicant with a GPA <3.0.

Let's try to be realistic, and not promote the idea that it's common to get in with such a poor track record. It takes years of work to bounce back from that type of a record (or a 42 MCAT).

I didn't say that everyone could do it! And I did say that the OP needed to do post bac or a science masters program to show that they could do well in med school. I mean, it does take years to overcome poor grades, but if you want to be a doctor bad enough, it can be done... I don't have a steller MCAT, but I have taken 5 years to improve my application in many other ways, and I have had MD interviews regardless of my undergrad GPA. If you try really hard, you can make the adcoms consider you based on your persistence and life experiences, and make them care less about your grades in my opinion.

You have to realize that I'm speaking from my own personal experience in applying, I'm not just BSing some rainbow and butterfly crap... I am a pessimist/realist by nature&#8230;

 

[fahimaz7]

I didn't say that everyone could do it! And I did say that the OP needed to do post bac or a science masters program to show that they could do well in med school. I mean, it does take years to overcome poor grades, but if you want to be a doctor bad enough, it can be done... I don't have a steller MCAT, but I have taken 5 years to improve my application in many other ways, and I have had MD interviews regardless of my undergrad GPA. If you try really hard, you can make the adcoms consider you based on your persistence and life experiences, and make them care less about your grades in my opinion.

You have to realize that I'm speaking from my own personal experience in applying, I'm not just BSing some rainbow and butterfly crap... I am a pessimist/realist by nature&#8230;

I applied with a 3.25/30 in 2005, 2007, and 2008.
I was in a PhD program from 2005-2009. I also retook the MCAT in 2009 with a 31.
It took me 4 times of applying to get in.

3.25/30 UG with a sciGPA of a 3.4.
3.9 in grad school.

I too speak from experience. But, most people don't realize that it's going to take 4 years to make the change. 4 freaking years of a DO salary, to do what.. get an MD? Not the best decision in the world...

PS. Being considered isn't that hard.. Getting into medical school is the hard part. I interviewed in 2007, 2008, and 2009 at multiple MD granting schools.

 

[Lmcarroll20]

I would say go Caribbean. I know a couple people who have done that and are doing just fine. They might have some high attrition rates and lower board pass rates, but if you go there on a mission there is no doubt you will be an MD.

I say this because you have two things working against you. 1) your GPA...good point mentioned above in saying that it would take you years just to get to a 3.0-3.3, which is still subpar. 2) you have a 27 MCAT....normally this is not a bad thing and people get in MD all the time with 27, but your score decreased from 29. This is a red flag for pretty much 100% of adcoms (it says you cant improve when you want to)...and if you get an interview you better have a really really good reason for scoring lower (you were deathly ill and didnt finish the test, family emergency the morning of, etc.) because this will undoubtedly be a topic in the interview.

I know you will do fine at any school! And who knows maybe the caribbean will turn out to be a really cool place to go to school

 

[Avoidthetiger]

Unless you want to put time and effort to improve your grades, I too would recommend going to the carib. I would go the SGU route though -- both because you would be starting at a normal class year time but also because I generally believe its the best medical school in the carib. Don't do there england 1-year program because that will deny you from working in Cali or NJ (unless that has been cleared up or you don't want to work there).

I have a friend down in Grenada and he seems to love it. Just stay focused and make sure you get the best grades you can.

 

[Ursa]

yup go caribbean! delaying starting med school for 2-3 years just to raise your grades and get the same license as the johns hopkins grad doesnt make any sense... youve been accepted to a school that will give you an MD....TAKE IT!

 

[Trinigal]

I am going to say something, I am in Trinidad not in Grenada... and I'm native...

I don't want to go to SGU or UWI..

It has to do with culture and the small nature of the university... it is a small island...

the level of exposure you get is better.

I'd say what was the reason for the GPA in any case...

Frankly I have decided I will do MCAT for kicks and accept whatever job I can find at this point...

 

[Goro]

Quite simply, your GPA is too low for either MD or DO programs.

 

[NontradICUdoc]

Forget aboout US med schools.

So the question is DO vs. Carib.
There is also a question of are you ready for med school even if you go.

Why do you think your grades were so poor in the past?
Lack of effort, lack of study skills...

Make sure you get that figured out before you start anything or you will get smoked in med school. I always did well in school, but I never ran into the all out memorization that med school required. My first class was a struggle to say the least. Took me a while to build up the study skills to do well.

As for what to do, I agree with the sentiments above that DO schools are a better option for most. Get a transcript and figure out how quickly you can get your GPA up with some retakes. If you replace some Fs/Ds with A's it might not be too long. If you can get this done in a year or two, it's probably worth while to try for DO schools before going abroad.

I do not know of any DO school that will accept a subpar GPA as the OP has. And now DO schools are getting more and more competitive. The average GPA of 2014 in my school is 3.6 with an MCAT average of 29.

 

[NontradICUdoc]

Getting into a DO school is a lot easier than a MD school, for an applicant with a GPA <3.0.

No.

 

[Buzz Me]

She said the biggest problem was that I applied so late, most spots were already filled.

I would argue that your biggest obstacle is the low GPA.

 

[Meerkatology]

why has nobody mentioned this:

you can't turn down an acceptance into a med school period.

having no acceptances and being forced to reapply when you never applied to carrib is one thing. but applying to carrib, getting an acceptance, and then turning it down to reapply US is a huge red flag.

med schools want to see that you want to become a doctor no matter what, if you get an acceptance , you take it, no questions. if you turn down an acceptance, you just dug yourself a hole for any possible chance of future acceptances because you have just said, that your preference for school reputation takes precedence over your desire to be a doctor.


perhaps my info isn't correct that somehow US/DO schools can't see that you've turned down an carrib acceptance as it is a different system or something but somehow I doubt that.

but i'm pretty sure that if someone ever turned down an admission to an US school in favor of reapplying to a more prestigous school will never get another acceptance this life.

 

[TriagePreMed]

Meerkatology brings up a very important point. Seeing that you applied to the big 3, your re-application into the Caribbean could be doomed. You have the opportunity to be a doctor. Go become a doctor!

 

[ShyRem]

With a 2.5 and 2.7 GPAs, go caribbean. Your chance of getting into US MD or DO schools is slim to none.

You can go into a linked SMP I believe. If you do well you would have a shot.

 

[Gastrapathy]

PA school?

 

[Arthroscope]

I do not know of any DO school that will accept a subpar GPA as the OP has. And now DO schools are getting more and more competitive. The average GPA of 2014 in my school is 3.6 with an MCAT average of 29.

This is the truth. Back in 1990 you *may* have had a shot at DO with a 2.9 gpa and a >25 mcat, but this simply isn't the case anymore. Even newer DO schools have an average of a 3.4-3.5 gpa and ~26 mcat.

The question here to ask is this:

How many more years would it take to re-do a bachelors degree, or maybe a post-bacc to raise your gpa to >3.0? I'm guessing at least 3-4 years possibly. SMP? a serious gamble. I know several people who did SMP's and pulled a few B's during them, and henceforth did not get accepted. Is this true in all cases, no, but are you willing to spend the extra time gambling on it?

Also, this may be a long shot, since no one really has 100% of an idea of what they want to do as a specialty, but if you think you would be happy with peds, gyn, psych, IM, FP, neuro, EM or anes, then take your AUC acceptance and go. The match rate for carib schools in those specialties is decent (assuming you performed adequately in class and boards) . If you think you are DEAD set on rads, neurosurgery, ortho, derm, ENT, then do Absolutely anything in your power to get into a US school ( MD or DO).

In 4 years, if you go to the caribbean, you will be a physician. It would not be fun to complete a new degree/post bacc, retake the MCAT 2x more ( maybe) etc etc etc, only to finally resort to going carib anyways. With so many stellar graduates from undergrad schools with >3.8 gpa's out there the gene pop for med school apps is at an all time high , and so are the # of applications received by schools in general.

If your 2.5 gpa was the result of you being a slack off, ( im guessing it is since you got a decent MCAT) then you should have no trouble performing well in med school in the carib, and passing boards.

Something to think about.

 

[dragonfly99]

I am concerned that if you do not change the way you are studying drastically (or drastically change the amount of studying you do, compared with undergrad) that you will not succeed in any med school. So I think you should think long and hard about whether you are actually willing to do what it takes to become a physician. Note I didn't say you should think long and hard whether it seems or sounds cool to be a doctor. The reality is that for the most part, getting there (through med school and residency) is a damn long hard slog. And you had better be ready for that. And I mean sitting in class for 6 hours a day and then going home and studying 4-6 more hours or something.

Your GPA is the main problem, and you also have a lower MCAT (though it is good enough for Caribbean, and would be good enough for DO and some of the lower-tier US schools if your GPA was better).

My vote would be that you start now/next semester with course retakes, in an attempt to replace/raise the bad grades from the past for the sake of your DO application. Also, I think you need to retake the MCAT and make a better score - 30+ would be good. Since verbal and writing sample are your strong point, I think you have a good chance to do this, but only if you study hard. Physical sciences IMHO is the easiest score to raise - I basically memorized a lot of stuff, learned how to take that section (in my case, it involved not fixating on reading all the passages and wasting time there, but skipping straight to the equations, then questions, then using the passages/readings only as needed), and raised my score several points. I also took a professional prep course.

If you don't want to do all this, and spend another year, then you can just go to Caribbean, but I think that if you CAN get into any US school, then spending another year, and the money, etc. that entails, would be worth it. I think that even if you raise the MCAT and grades, the more competitive DO schools will be out, but there are some I think you'd have a shot at. It's easier to get a good residency coming from a DO school vs. Caribbean. I work at a university hospital in the US, and there are several DO's around, but very few Carib grads. It is mainly discrimination, but I think part of it stems from the fact that faculty know that Caribbean doesn't really screen their admitted students for criminal background, being kicked out of US schools, or having much volunteer experience, etc.

 

[BLKPA2MD]

PA school?

..still tough. 1000+ applicants for 40 sit. Most program requires a 3.0 Science GPA.

 

[deleted6669]

..still tough. 1000+ applicants for 40 sit. Most program requires a 3.0 Science GPA.

some places are even more competitive than this. the new program in NC got 1200 applicants for 20 seats for it's first class.
a friend of mine who is a nurse with a 3.5 didn't even get an interview...

 

[WhitJord85]

I would agree your GPA is low... And retakes will help you if you want to go DO... However your GPA is unlikely to change too much without taking tons of classes if you have acquired enough credits to have degree.

Another option, similar to what others have mentioned is SMPs or Post-Bacc.
I am currently a LECOM student and I know a bunch of people in my class did Post-Bacc last year... You need a 2.7 overall GPA (I think you have that) and 22 MCAT (you definitely have that)... Here is the link to the complete list of requirements:

http://www.lecom.edu/pros_degreereq...aureate-entrance-requirements/76/0/2249/12264

I think something like this would be your best bet... At least something that has a good percentage getting accepted to med school.

Also I would call the schools you are most interested in going to, to see if they can give you any idea what else they would like to see (besides the obvious)

As for going caribbean, I would exhaust all possible efforts in the US first... you don't want to be that much in debt and have no way to earn enough to pay it back (worse case)

 

[fahimaz7]

No.

Yes. DO schools are easier than MD schools to get in to.

 

[thepoopologist]

Yes. DO schools are easier than MD schools to get in to.

Yes.

Getting into a DO school is a lot easier than a MD school, for an applicant with a GPA <3.0.

No.

 

[thepoopologist]

I applied with a 3.25/30 in 2005, 2007, and 2008.
I was in a PhD program from 2005-2009. I also retook the MCAT in 2009 with a 31.
It took me 4 times of applying to get in.

3.25/30 UG with a sciGPA of a 3.4.
3.9 in grad school.

I too speak from experience. But, most people don't realize that it's going to take 4 years to make the change. 4 freaking years of a DO salary, to do what.. get an MD? Not the best decision in the world...

PS. Being considered isn't that hard.. Getting into medical school is the hard part. I interviewed in 2007, 2008, and 2009 at multiple MD granting schools.

Yet you still applied four times. Why did the thought not cross your mind before?

 

[fahimaz7]

Yet you still applied four times. Why did the thought not cross your mind before?

I was in graduate school and was doing just fine where I was. I was also in the process of getting married, so why move off to a DO school that I didn't want to be at?

I turned down an acceptance to a DO school. Smart choice? Who knows. We each make very personal decision and we have to live with each one of them. For me, I'm in the top 10% of my medical school, so I would say that it was a good move. Plus, my wife wouldn't have been able to continue on with her education at that said institution.

I also had a strong MCAT score, research papers, and 3 years of solid academic performance.

At the end of the day, I was told that I was put on the waitlist b/c the school didn't see me coming back to my home state. When I moved back, I was immediately accepted via EDP.

PS: Are you really naive enough to think that one might learn something from their decisions? The difference between my first application in 2004, and my ultimate acceptance in 2009 is enormous. Not only did I change as an applicant, my priorities and level of maturity also improved.

Would I recommend someone to follow in my same steps? No.. I would go ahead and tell them to apply DO, unless they had issues with their tuition and the $3000 deposit (which is non-refundable and bull****).

 

[thepoopologist]

I see.

 

[NontradICUdoc]

Yes. DO schools are easier than MD schools to get in to.

no.

 

[fahimaz7]

no.

Why is this even disputed? I'm not bashing the DO schools, just simply saying that they tend to average a lower GPA/MCAT than the MD schools. So, one could extrapolate that it would be "easier" to get into a DO school than a MD school.

I'm not the only person in the world that has come to this conclusion.

 

[NontradICUdoc]

Why is this even disputed? I'm not bashing the DO schools, just simply saying that they tend to average a lower GPA/MCAT than the MD schools. So, one could extrapolate that it would be "easier" to get into a DO school than a MD school.

I'm not the only person in the world that has come to this conclusion.

at what point did I say you were bashing DO schools? I simply said, No. It is not easier to get into a DO school.

There are plenty of people that do not get into a DO school that do get into an MD school. And because there are a lot more applicants than there are seats since there are only 26 DO schools, one could extrapolate that DO schools are more competitive to get into. In addition, since there are more MD schools out there and therefor more people failing out of them, then one could extrapolate that there are more failures out of MD schools.

Don't assume anything. The fact is, that it is getting harder and harder to get into any US medical school plain and simple. So, no. It is not easier to get into a DO school.

At what point did I say you were the only one that came to this conclusion? You stated your argument and I rebutted. No need to be defensive, I certainly am not. A person with a subpar GPA with or without a good MCAT will not get into a DO school and that is a fact. Plain and simple.

 

[TriagePreMed]

at what point did I say you were bashing DO schools? I simply said, No. It is not easier to get into a DO school.

There are plenty of people that do not get into a DO school that do get into an MD school. And because there are a lot more applicants than there are seats since there are only 26 DO schools, one could extrapolate that DO schools are more competitive to get into. In addition, since there are more MD schools out there and therefor more people failing out of them, then one could extrapolate that there are more failures out of MD schools.

Don't assume anything. The fact is, that it is getting harder and harder to get into any US medical school plain and simple. So, no. It is not easier to get into a DO school.

At what point did I say you were the only one that came to this conclusion? You stated your argument and I rebutted. No need to be defensive, I certainly am not. A person with a subpar GPA with or without a good MCAT will not get into a DO school and that is a fact. Plain and simple.

No offense to you, but it does sound like you're getting defensive. And I don't think anyone would conclude the things that you did unless they didn't understand the concept of ratios. Fact is that people with lower scores do get admitted to D.O. schools. This inevitably leads to the question, why? Or easier for who?

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

why has nobody mentioned this:

you can't turn down an acceptance into a med school period.

having no acceptances and being forced to reapply when you never applied to carrib is one thing. but applying to carrib, getting an acceptance, and then turning it down to reapply US is a huge red flag.

med schools want to see that you want to become a doctor no matter what, if you get an acceptance , you take it, no questions. if you turn down an acceptance, you just dug yourself a hole for any possible chance of future acceptances because you have just said, that your preference for school reputation takes precedence over your desire to be a doctor.


perhaps my info isn't correct that somehow US/DO schools can't see that you've turned down an carrib acceptance as it is a different system or something but somehow I doubt that.

but i'm pretty sure that if someone ever turned down an admission to an US school in favor of reapplying to a more prestigous school will never get another acceptance this life.

I don't really know much of how pre-med and med works but this guy brings up a very valid point. I'd say go for the carib opportunity.

 

[WhitJord85]

No need to have the DO/MD argument.

Fact is getting into US medical school is not easy, whether MD or DO.
Getting into any US medical school is an accomplishment.
Whether the letters at the end of your are DO or MD, will not make you a good or bad doctor.

Your undergrad GPA and MCAT score will not determine whether you will be successful in medical school or whether you will be a good doctor or not. They are purely used as a way to compare applicants. It sucks, but it's one of the many hoops you will have to jump through to become a doctor.

Figure out a way to get your GPA where it needs to be to gain admission. Then kick butt once you get there!!!

 

[fahimaz7]

why has nobody mentioned this:

you can't turn down an acceptance into a med school period.

having no acceptances and being forced to reapply when you never applied to carrib is one thing. but applying to carrib, getting an acceptance, and then turning it down to reapply US is a huge red flag.

med schools want to see that you want to become a doctor no matter what, if you get an acceptance , you take it, no questions. if you turn down an acceptance, you just dug yourself a hole for any possible chance of future acceptances because you have just said, that your preference for school reputation takes precedence over your desire to be a doctor.


perhaps my info isn't correct that somehow US/DO schools can't see that you've turned down an carrib acceptance as it is a different system or something but somehow I doubt that.

but i'm pretty sure that if someone ever turned down an admission to an US school in favor of reapplying to a more prestigous school will never get another acceptance this life.

This is crap. I turned down a DO school, and then received an acceptance to my top MD choice the following year. I was completely honest with the admissions committee, and they accepted me through EDP.

There's no black and white system to this, and no adult is naive enough to assume that if you decline an acceptance to a DO school, then you don't want to be a doctor. If you have a legit reason (whether it is family, spouse, children, or your desire to have more options), they are going to be perfectly happy with your decision.

I know multiple people that turned down DO acceptances, only to get into a MD school the following year.

 

[Meerkatology]

This is crap. I turned down a DO school, and then received an acceptance to my top MD choice the following year. I was completely honest with the admissions committee, and they accepted me through EDP.

There's no black and white system to this, and no adult is naive enough to assume that if you decline an acceptance to a DO school, then you don't want to be a doctor. If you have a legit reason (whether it is family, spouse, children, or your desire to have more options), they are going to be perfectly happy with your decision.

I know multiple people that turned down DO acceptances, only to get into a MD school the following year.

i don't think med school reputation would count as a legit reason
i suppose carrib may be a bit different as the fail out rate is very high compared to us schools.

if you got in by telling them you wanted to go to a school with better reputation, you may have just been lucky or made huge improvements to your app, i don't think this happens often.

and also, the OP's stats are clearly not in the run for US MD schools, and even DO is unlikely, let alone if he turns down a previous acceptance

 

[bioman2006]

.

 

[fahimaz7]

i don't think med school reputation would count as a legit reason
i suppose carrib may be a bit different as the fail out rate is very high compared to us schools.

if you got in by telling them you wanted to go to a school with better reputation, you may have just been lucky or made huge improvements to your app, i don't think this happens often.

and also, the OP's stats are clearly not in the run for US MD schools, and even DO is unlikely, let alone if he turns down a previous acceptance

Having "more options" is a legit reason. When we talked about this in my interview, I was honest about preferring my institution b/c I didn't know what I wanted to do, but I didn't want to close any doors before I can open them. With 15 ortho matches/year, my MD school has had great success matching into virtually every residency in the country.

I can't say the same for the DO schools that I looked at.