Help with md/do school reapplicant list

[jb2378]

Hey everybody,

I'll be reapplying to MD and DO programs this summer and would love advice on a school list (applied to 5 schools last year).

cgpa: 3.30
sgpa: 3.16
mcat: 29

I've spent the last year as a clinical research intern and have 3 peer reviewed publications (first author on one) and expect another couple in the coming months. Former D1 athlete. 300+ hrs of shadowing (clinic and OR). 1000+ hrs of volunteer/community service.

Accepted to a Masters program for this fall to improve my gpa, although that gpa wont be available to schools until the next application cycle (2018).

Any and all advice would be much appreciated, thanks!

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[femmegoblue]

Personally, being someone who is doing a science master's myself, I would really recommend waiting until next cycle. You probably could get in somewhere, lower/mid tier DO's, with your stats, but established schools and MD's are going to be a reach imho. Sit this cycle out, retake the MCAT over the summer and knock out the Master's and you will have a much stronger application in 2017. You don't want the Master's to be useless, which it will be if you apply this cycle!

 

[Faha]

You best chances are at the DO schools. Apply to at least 20 schools and you should receive several interviews; Include these schools:
ACOM
BCOM
WCU-COM
LMU-DCOM
UP-KYCOM
MU-COM
WVSOM
LUCOM
CUSOM
VCOM (all 3 schools)
any new schools that open in 2017 (probably in Utah, Texas, Arkansas)
Your stats are not competitive for MD schools but it may be worth applying to your state public schools depending on what state you are from. It is important to apply early in the cycle (June) and submit all your secondaries by July.

 

[hopefulERdoc251]

The problem might be the 3.16 sGPA will get auto-screened out so if you have any grades <B-'s, I'd try to retake!

 

[gyngyn]

Master's grades won't improve the undergrad gpa at MD schools.
DO schools may see it differently.

 

[femmegoblue]

Master's grades won't improve the undergrad gpa at MD schools.
DO schools may see it differently.

At a lot of schools, at least in my state there are three MD schools, they will replace your science GPA from college with your Master's/post bacc GPA if it's all science and you have at least 20 credits. It's worth digging to find those schools.

 

[gyngyn]

At a lot of schools, at least in my state there are three MD schools, they will replace your science GPA from college with your Master's/post bacc GPA if it's all science and you have at least 20 credits. It's worth digging to find those schools.

Where is this!? It would be good to know..

 

[GrapesofRath]

Where is this!? It would be good to know..

It's not alot by any means but Wayne State and LSU New Orleans are two schools that do this. I dont know of any off the top of my head that though. Michigan State was rumored to do this but looking at their web page it's not the case at least anymore.

The person who posted that may also be a TX resident and referring to the grade forgiveness 10 year policy although I have no idea if you would still report old grades to TMDAS/AMCAS there. The record of the grades is destroyed so there is no way of verifying it, but it did exist at one point.

 

[femmegoblue]

Where is this!? It would be good to know..

In the state of Michigan: Central Michigan University, Michigan State University (if you have 16 credits) and Wayne State University (if you have 20). Michiganders are decently lucky in that sense.

 

[femmegoblue]

It's not alot by any means but Wayne State and LSU New Orleans are two schools that do this. I dont know of any off the top of my head that though. Michigan State was rumored to do this but looking at their web page it's not the case at least anymore.

The person who posted that may also be a TX resident and referring to the grade forgiveness 10 year policy although I have no idea if you would still report old grades to TMDAS/AMCAS there. The record of the grades is destroyed so there is no way of verifying it, but it did exist at one point.

For MSU, if you go to their applicant checklist downloadable PDF thing, the 16 credit rule is listed right on there.

 

[PSiloveU2013]

Personally, being someone who is doing a science master's myself, I would really recommend waiting until next cycle. You probably could get in somewhere, lower/mid tier DO's, with your stats, but established schools and MD's are going to be a reach imho. Sit this cycle out, retake the MCAT over the summer and knock out the Master's and you will have a much stronger application in 2017. You don't want the Master's to be useless, which it will be if you apply this cycle!

I agree with this. If you want to re-apply this cycle, skip the masters. Also, what did you improve for this cycle compared to the last, aside from the research job (which is great btw)?

My advice would be the same as the poster I quoted. It seems like your weakness is your GPA (esp for MD programs). Your MCAT score imo isn't an app killer for your state MD programs (I got into my state MD with a 3.5/3.3/30 for example), so I'd focus on a better gpa and then MCAT if possible. If you want to start next cycle, have you applied to Temple's program? I believe they offer admission to their masters students if you meet certain criteria. Alsoooo, if you really want to start next cycle, make sure you're okay with DO programs - did you apply to them last time?


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[carrots28]

I am also a reapplicant with similar stats and have sought a lot of advice on this. From what I know, one has to have made as much change as possible to their application. Previous schools you applied to will look and compare your application from the previous year. Think about what you have added that will show you have done everything you could to improve your app, such as changing personal statement, MCAT, and extracurriculars.

It seems like you have already taken a year off from applying already, so I think that should be a sufficient amount of time, but I suggest you go to as many premedical advisors as you can to get a range of opinions about your case. As far as master's, some premed advisors recommended this to me, while others did not because unless it's a special master's program with linkage then it would not be worth the cost. Also, med schools put more emphasis on undergrad gpa than master's. I would say if you can get your master's free somehow through work then it would be worth it, but I think just doing a master's for the sake of med school app is not worth the time and money, unless there is some linkage with a med school.

 

[jb2378]

I agree with this. If you want to re-apply this cycle, skip the masters. Also, what did you improve for this cycle compared to the last, aside from the research job (which is great btw)?

My advice would be the same as the poster I quoted. It seems like your weakness is your GPA (esp for MD programs). Your MCAT score imo isn't an app killer for your state MD programs (I got into my state MD with a 3.5/3.3/30 for example), so I'd focus on a better gpa and then MCAT if possible. If you want to start next cycle, have you applied to Temple's program? I believe they offer admission to their masters students if you meet certain criteria. Alsoooo, if you really want to start next cycle, make sure you're okay with DO programs - did you apply to them last time?


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Other than research I've been tutoring undergrad physiology and volunteer leading a high school ministry..

Has anybody (or known anybody) had a school tell them they will wait to see fall grades from a Masters/SMP and then decide on an acceptance or even just an interview offer?