Help & Advice? Low GPA, slightly high MCAT

[Paul Leto]

GPA: 2.85 (both, and terrible I know)
MCAT: 515

Phys: 127 Psych: 129 Bio: 129 Reasoning: 130​

Major: Biochemistry (graduated May 2015, UIUC)
Minor: Chemistry
ECs & Volunteer Work: insignificant, unless you count the unverifiable.

State: Illinois (and the Philippines)
As you can see, I've got little going for me but the MCAT score. The GPA comes from a terrible junior and shaky senior year that was juxtaposed with family problems, personal problems, and insomnia. The same reasons partly explain the lack of ECs. I've applied to some Caribbean medical schools for their fall semesters, and I think I stand a good chance of acceptance (Ross, et al), but perhaps it's best to wait and strengthen my application?

And what can I do to actually strengthen my application to get into MD or DO schools? I've heard of SMPs. Could those help me achieve a competitive GPA (as low as it is), and which ones would plausibly accept me (some I've run into want a 3.0 minimum or no science background)? I can try and shadow doctors and begin volunteering now that most of the issues have blown over.

Should I strongly consider training as a PA, RN, or go into industry instead? A few of my relatives encouraged me to apply to San Beda, Santo Tomas, or the University of the Philippines.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you!

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[candbgirl]

Well first off if you want to practice in the USA go to school in the USA. As to the Caribbean schools- I'm positive you will be accepted. They take just about anyone who can write a check. But that doesn't mean you will end up graduating . Actually just the opposite is a very real possibility. And if you do somehow manage to graduate you will have a hard time finding a residency.
As for US schools, although you have a great MCAT your GPAs are awful. You would be auto screened at all MD schools and probably most DO. Your best bet would be to investigate the lovely grade replacement offered by DO schools. If you retake all science classes you received a C/D/F in and get As your GPA will rise very quickly. When you get to a 3.2+ you'd be okay to apply for DO schools. Of course that is a few years down the road and DO stats are rising every year. I wouldn't even consider MD school. They don't do grade replacement so at some point your GPA will be very hard to change. It might be there now depending on how many hours you took in undergrad. Then you of course have those ECs. In your situation I wouldn't worry about research and focus on your clinical and non clinical ECs and shadowing. You have lots of work ahead of you but if you want to be a doc badly enough you'll find a way to get it done ! Good luck.




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[grapp]

Post-Bac ASAP for 3.0+?

@Goro any comments?

 

[Goro]

If OP is boning for the MD degree, there are MD schools that reward reinvention. You'll need to ace all the classic pre-reqs, and ace either a post-bac (which can be DIY) or a SMP, ideally one given at a med school.

Post-Bac ASAP for 3.0+?

@Goro any comments?

 

[pinay58]

could always go to a Philippines school and then apply for residency here. i know a lot of filipino doctors who have done that.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

could always go to a Philippines school and then apply for residency here. i know a lot of filipino doctors who have done that.

Just.......no.

 

[grapp]

Just.......no.

I'd truly have to second that answer from the bottom of my essence.

 

[pinay58]

y'all act like foreign graduates are the worse doctors ever. you'd be surprised with how many there are working here. in the end, they're doctors too.

 

[Skydive Fox]

y'all act like foreign graduates are the worse doctors ever. you'd be surprised with how many there are working here. in the end, they're doctors too.

It's not that they're bad doctors, it's just that coming back to the US for residency as an FMG is increasingly difficult, even for FM or IM.

P.S. my dad's an FMG (early 1990's) and now practices & teaches alongside Top 20 graduates. He'd never recommend anyone be an FMG nowadays and says to always take the gap year or post-bacc to boost stats instead.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Grade replacement and DO. Quality of education is better, quality of life is better, and your competitiveness in the match is astronomically better.

The Caribbean (and other non-US schools) used to be reasonable, but this is not the case anymore. Residency merger and exploding numbers of US MD and DO grads (as well as other problems) are fast pushing places like Ross out of the market.

I recently visited a sports med doc for a knee injury, and met a Ross 3rd year doing one of her rotations there. She wasnt working with the doctor though. She was observing the Xray tech lol. It was painfully obvious how frustrated she was as the tech explained how all the different dials on the x-ray machine worked. Sounds aweful.

 

[grapp]

y'all act like foreign graduates are the worse doctors ever. you'd be surprised with how many there are working here. in the end, they're doctors too.

It's not that...

Hear me out, there are a few variables that factor in:

#1) It's very expensive (however, this shouldn't completely sell you out yet)
#2) Medical Schools have standards for a reason, so people can competitively compete in medical school. (without this, people might go in and flunk lots of times)
#3) I don't have any numbers, you should be okay with internal medicine and family medicine. (of course, this shouldn't sell you out.)
#4) Do you want to work on the US? It's going to be hard to get a position in the United States from what I've heard. (this would probably sell me out)

If you can confidently go into $200,000+ worth of debt in a Caribbean or Philippines school, go right ahead.

However, it's important to weigh the options.

One of the doctors I talk with graduated from a Caribbean medical school and has done great. He's an internal medicine doctor, and he is a great one.
If you can live with all of these risks, I say go for it.

 

[grapp]

Grade replacement and DO. Quality of education is better, quality of life is better, and your competitiveness in the match is astronomically better.

The Caribbean (and other non-US schools) used to be reasonable, but this is not the case anymore. Residency merger and exploding numbers of US MD and DO grads (as well as other problems) are fast pushing places like Ross out of the market.

I recently visited a sports med doc for a knee injury, and met a Ross 3rd year doing one of her rotations there. She wasnt working with the doctor though. She was observing the Xray tech lol. It was painfully obvious how frustrated she was as the tech explained how all the different dials on the x-ray machine worked. Sounds aweful.

Couldn't agree more with that statement.