MD & DO How likely? What to do next?

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deoxyribonucleicacid

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To give a brief overview, I am applying in the 2015 cycle, I plan to take my MCAT this May, and applying once I receive my scores (if they are well enough). I am also planning to apply both MD and DO. I am new to SDN.

I am currently going into my spring semester for my third year and I have enough credits to be labeled as a senior. My GPA is not the best (standing at a 3.18; however, there are reasons as to why. In the past, I had attended a rural high school in which the science curriculum was not up to par. I had a chemistry and physics teacher in which had not updated his material for over 30 years and preferred to tell life stories and quiz us over vocabulary rather than teach equations and problems and my biology teacher had not gone into the details on how evolution and photosynthesis occurred. I had applied and been accepted to a good school within my state of residency. Going into college, I was expected to know scientific information that I had not previously been exposed to and my GPA suffered. With the problem at hand, I had gone to my professors for help and overtime I had developed a great method of study and I had caught up on my curriculum. Freshman year I had a 2.8 GPA each semester. Second year, I had a 3.8 and a 3.6.
This year, first semester I had overcame a lot in the beginning; I had finally moved out into my own apartment, I had gotten out of an abusive relationship, and I had a medical issue in which had brought me to a rough start. I did absolutely terrible on all of my first exams. Using my failure as a motivator, I was able to get the help I needed from my doctor and my professors and I was able to end the semester acing all of my exams. I had also applied the study methods I had developed my second year. Sadly, doing badly in the beginning and doing extremely well in the end only brought my grades to average this past semester landing me at a cumulative 3.18 and a science GPA of 3.3. Classes start again next week and I am hoping that I can start out doing well since I have learned how to better manage my schooling and my classes will be with the same professors.

Other than my schooling, I am planning on taking the new 2015 MCAT this May. I have previously taken a practice exam from the old MCAT and scored a 32 in which I think would do me well. However, the new MCAT will be completely different and my practice exam score could be completely irrelevant. I am hoping I can do well on the new exam and I will be taking an MCAT 2015 course starting next week as well.

My strong-suit are my EC's. Why? I have years of research experience, several shadowing hours, I've worked throughout my college career, I have held positions in a few clubs, and I have had a few accomplishments along the way. The only thing I probably need now is more volunteer hours.
  • I have plenty volunteer hours from a lab (associated with medical research) in which I help with research; however I will soon be using those hours as class hours to do my senior capstone project. I have applied to volunteer at several of the local hospitals but sadly, I have never heard back from one of them. I have also done some volunteering for clubs I am involved in.
  • My research is probably my most accomplished area and may help me the most. By the time I apply for medical school, I will have at least one publication. I have worked at a couple of labs on campus (one of which I currently volunteer in - noted above) and I also do scientific research for the government (which is now my current job). My research subject areas have included animal biology, neurology/neuroscience, and biochemistry. Overall, I have assisted in around 5-7 different research projects. One of which was submitted for publication last year and should be in a journal within the next couple of months and another in which is about to be finalized and submitted. Some of the other projects in which I have assisted with may also be in the process. I have also presented posters at a few state-wide conferences and one at a national conference.
  • I have shadowed under two doctors in the past, both of which had different specialties. One had an MD degree, the other had a DO degree. They each had taught me a few lessons and skills on how to assess patients, how to suture, the typical "do's and don't's", and they had exposed me to a variety of different cases. I had shadowed hundreds of hours and I feel like I am going in the right direction. I am also a part of my school's medical mentoring program in which allows for me to be paired with a current medical student and the student gives me insight on what medical school is really like.
  • My college career has been completely funded by scholarships and financial aid. In order for me to afford anything else (like applying to medical school, food, and other random necessities), I have had to work. I have held several different jobs. I was a camp counselor for a summer, I was a sales associate at a department store (until school/work hours conflicted), I did on campus lab work, I was a sales associate for a store chain (until I landed my current job), and now I do scientific research for a government agency in the area.
  • In school, I have been and currently am involved in several clubs - most of which revolve around science. In the past year, I have held position as "president" for the biology club and I held position as "secretary" for the psychology club. I am involved in my school's pre-med club, but positions there are extremely hard to obtain. I am also a member of our anatomy club and chemistry club. I get involved in most (if not all) of the activities in which the clubs host and am not a simple member who has just paid their dues. I have also done some volunteering for the club. I have also obtained a few accomplishments such as getting on the dean's list for the entirety of my second year as well as scholarships. I have also been selected to be a TA for anatomy during the summer.
I have been very much involved with my premedical advisor this year and she thinks I could make a great candidate but I would have to aim for a high MCAT score and have a good personal statement to back me as well as have good letters of recommendation. I am just curious on how likely it may be that I land a spot and what I should do next? I also hope to gain some advice from others on here.
Thanks!

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I also do not plan on attending any of the top schools, I just think that would be too much of a stretch for me
 
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I grew up in a rural area (thus, lacking of high school science knowledge) but now I'm in an urban area
The schools where your MD odds are likely to be the highest all have 10th% gpa's well above 3.08. They are: NEO (3.44) Toledo (3.43), U of Cincy (3.35) and Wright (3.31). With an MCAT over 30 you are not out of the running, even for OH State. Generally speaking though, your odds will be much better with a strong DO application.
 
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To be honest, I'm glad to hear that. I'm hoping this next semester I can do extremely well to bring up my GPA and chances. I'm also taking an MCAT prep course and volunteering more next semester. I'm doing all that i can to make a strong application :)
 
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