graduate school before DO school

[trainer911]

Could anybody tell me if I would increase my chances of getting into DO school if I went to grad school first. I have an average gpa of 3.2, I will be taking the MCAT in april and graduating in may. I have considered waiting a year to apply so that I could obtain my masters in exercise science. The reason to do so would be to increase my chances of getting into DO school. SO if anybody could help me out that would be great.

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[Gregory Gulick]

It definitely won't hurt your chances. I was a post-bacc premed student and, because I already had my bachelors degree, I had a year off while I was applying to medical school. Because I've always enjoyed gerontology, I decided to spend that free year getting an accelerated masters degree (3 semesters). Fortuantely my application numbers were pretty much on target so I didn't NEED to do it, but I WANTED to do it (I enjoy school). But when I went to my medical school interviews, I was always asked about my work in graduate school and if I intended to complete my degree. When they asked why I went, I told them that I had always wanted to go to graduate school and knew this was the only time I would have do so, so I went.

So I'd say go for it if you enjoy the material you are going to be studying. Just be sure you pick something that you really enjoy studying (don't feel like it has to be directly medically related). I had a blast in graduate school, and don't have any regrets about doing what I did.

Good luck.

 

[Doctor Peloncito]

Originally posted by trainer911
Could anybody tell me if I would increase my chances of getting into DO school if I went to grad school first. I have an average gpa of 3.2, I will be taking the MCAT in april and graduating in may. I have considered waiting a year to apply so that I could obtain my masters in exercise science. The reason to do so would be to increase my chances of getting into DO school. SO if anybody could help me out that would be great.

Personally, I think it all has to do with your MCAT scores. A 3.2 GPA is respectable as long as you have a decent MCAT and good ECs/work experience. If you are set on getting a MS, go for it, but I think a year of work experience is just as good. I got into two DO schools with about the same GPA as you and a 26M mcat. I will have been out of school for two years when I start school next year. During that time I worked in a biochem lab and spent time with my wife and two daughters (time that will be very sparse when I start school).

You should start studying for the MCAT now, while you have lots of time, because come march, you will be worrying about midterms. If you do well on the MCAT you shouldn't have to worry about much.

Good Luck,

Russell