Hi there!

[doctor K]

Hey guys,

I just registered here. You all seems genuinely helpful, so I thought I might as well tell you about my situation. Thanks for reading my post.

I've finished my undergrad, without a good enough gpa (3.04..), and am currently in a grad school with a couple of more semesters to complete before graduation (3.47 gpa so far). I have extensive extracurricular, volunteer, job-shadowing, and research experiences (co-op at two biopharma companies; 16 mos, research as a student (8 mos) and as a technician (4 mos) at school). I haven't taken the MCAT yet.

Do you guys think that I have a shot? What worries me the most is of course my low undergrad gpa, and also fact that I mostly took three or four courses per semester (I have done five courses, just once).

Do you guys think I have a shot??

Any thoughts/suggestions/advices would be appreciated!

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[JJMrK]

Moved to "What are my Chances?". You'll get better responses here.

 

[Stratego]

To get into an MD school, you'd either need a spectacularly high MCAT score, or a decent MCAT score and a completed SMP program (Special Masters Program=last ditch effort to redeem a low cGPA) with high grades. If your current masters is a heavy science degree, there are a few schools that will look at that as redemptive. Note that AMCAS schools for the MD application process outside of Texas, don't regard a grad school GPA in making decisions.

To get into a DO med school, you'd still need a fairly good MCAT score due to the low GPA. They probably do regard a masters GPA to some extent as their application calculates the two together. You could get your GPA higher by repeating any classes you did poorly in during undergrad, as they only include the most recent retake when calculating your application GPA.

The above assumes your application is solid otherwise, besides great letters of recommendation, a strong Personal Statement, and good interviewing skills. It looks like your ECs are fine.

 

[Anesthetic]

Stratego is correct with all the info about getting where you want to be, wether its MD or DO is up to you and the effort your willing to give.

I personally think that unless you can destroy the MCAT 34+, then I would look at DO. With a 3.4 GPA you will be close to the median of DO schools, with a 32+ MCAT you will be ahead of most. Trying to work for MD could get expensive with an SMP and also a lot harder to get an acceptance, even an interview.

Also, you said you had job-shadowing... is this physician shadowing or just random jobs?

work hard and good luck!

anesthetic

 

[camaras2480]

I think the situation is pretty simple - a standard MD or DO case.

OP, if you wanna go MD, you need an SMP. There's no (reasonable) way out of that. A strong SMP (3.5+) with 32+ MCAT can get you into 'low' tier US MD schools.

If you wanna go DO, your masters courses should help, but you should also retake any class you got a C or below in undergrad, which would boost your GPA at least somewhat (maybe it'll rise to like 3.2 or 3.3). Then, an MCAT of 28-29 would suffice.

 

[doctor K]

wow, three replies in a day! Thanks everyone. I'm actually looking at DO. I guess what I have to do is retake some undergrad courses and destroy the MCAT to begin with.

Stratego:
Thanks for your advice. Btw, I don't think I mentioned that I'm a Canadian citizen.. and this is the first time I've ever heard about SMP. Do you know by any chance there is the same program in Canada?

Anesthetic:
Thanks for your input. That was physician (MD) shadowing, but not DO. Since I'm now looking at DO, do I still need more hours of job shadowing DO(s)? If so, what would be the best way of finding one willing to let me observe? And how many hours would suffice?

Camaras2480:
Thanks for your opinions. Yea, I think should retake a couple of classes where I got C+.

 

[daffodilh]

There are no formal SMP programs in Canada, you will have to go to the US to do one of those... or do a second undergraduate degree.

There are currently a few practicing DOs in Canada... so you might want to try to find one and talk to them...

I have to say it can be very challenging to gain acceptance as a Canadian without a green card... not impossible, but challenging.

Good luck

 

[camaras2480]

There are no formal SMP programs in Canada, you will have to go to the US to do one of those... or do a second undergraduate degree.

There are currently a few practicing DOs in Canada... so you might want to try to find one and talk to them...

I have to say it can be very challenging to gain acceptance as a Canadian without a green card... not impossible, but challenging.

Good luck

SMP >>>>> second bachelors. Many SMPs are 1 year, and all others are 2. Bachelors are minimum 3 years, if not 4.

 

[Stratego]

Thanks for your input. That was physician (MD) shadowing, but not DO. Since I'm now looking at DO, do I still need more hours of job shadowing DO(s)? If so, what would be the best way of finding one willing to let me observe? And how many hours would suffice?

Some of the DO schools require shadowing and a letter from a DO, but many don't, and will take MD letters:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=10677&d=1217108730

You could avoid applying anywhere where a DO letter is needed, but really, you need some contact with a DO to get a feel for the philosophy and to be able to come across to adcomms that you know what OMM is.

If you go to the Pre-Osteo Forum and look at the FAQ stickied at the top, there should be a link about what to do to get linked up with a DO nearby through the osteo med association.

 

[doctor K]

I guess SMP is equivalent of post-bacc in Canada. I'll look into it.

Thanks for the list, Stratego. I think I will eventually have to find one (or two) DO(s) to get a solid idea of what it's like, which is a lot more realistic.

Thanks all!

 

[Stratego]

Happy to help.

 

[camaras2480]

Good luck!