ksmajmudar - 3.26 cGPA, 3.08 sGPA, 32Q MCAT

[ksmajmudar]

I'm looking for a little bit of realistic advice on my application statistics. They are as follows:

ksmajmudar - 3.27 cGPA, 3.06 sGPA, 32Q MCAT

I didn't do so hot in my GPA in my first year (and unfortunately, one semester my junior year). Realized that I needed to get serious and got 3.9 GPA's both semesters senior year with science-heavy course-loads (systems physiology, microbiology, advanced cell biology, genetics, pharmacology).

ECs:
10-day shadowing in Dallas Trauma Center ER (12 hour shifts x 10 days = 120 hours)
EMT for a year and a half between high school and college
6-week shadowing of orthopedic surgeon
Research in pharmacology (presented work at 105th international statistical mechanics conference)
Research internship at a biotech facility on a cancer vaccine
Tons of leadership in a philanthropy-based fraternity
Lead singer and guitarist for a band touring through NYC
Performed french horn at carnegie, avery fischer hall


Thoughts? Critiques? Places I should apply to? (I'm a NJ resident, so UMDNJ-SOM is obviously top pick for me). I'm obviously applying to more DO schools than MD, but I was just wondering if MD schools will even glance at me.


Thank you!

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[Catalystik]

- 3.27 cGPA, 3.06 sGPA, 32Q MCAT

I didn't do so hot in my GPA in my first year (and unfortunately, one semester my junior year). Realized that I needed to get serious and got 3.9 GPA's both semesters senior year with science-heavy course-loads (systems physiology, microbiology, advanced cell biology, genetics, pharmacology).

ECs:
10-day shadowing in Dallas Trauma Center ER (12 hour shifts x 10 days = 120 hours)
EMT for a year and a half between high school and college
6-week shadowing of orthopedic surgeon
Research in pharmacology (presented work at 105th international statistical mechanics conference)
Research internship at a biotech facility on a cancer vaccine
Tons of leadership in a philanthropy-based fraternity
Lead singer and guitarist for a band touring through NYC
Performed french horn at carnegie, avery fischer hall

Thoughts? Critiques? Places I should apply to? (I'm a NJ resident, so UMDNJ-SOM is obviously top pick for me). I'm obviously applying to more DO schools than MD, but I was just wondering if MD schools will even glance at me.

While you might have a 33% chance at an MD school based on your cGPA and MCAT score (which stat includes members of groups underrepresented in medicine and those who've done SMPs), I think your very-low BCPM GPA makes that lower. The brief senior year upward grade trend is helpful, but for a real shot at MD, you might consider an SMP to override your low GPAs.

For DO the low sGPA is also a concern, but you have quicker cheaper recourse to repairing it by taking advantage of the AACOMAS grade forgiveness policy, where only the retake counts in your application GPA provided credit hours are the same or greater. While you might get an acceptance somewhere, wouldn't it be worth the extra time spent on GPA repair to have a good shot at your in-state DO school and its cheaper in-state tuition?

Besides potential additional academic work to become more competitive, I think you also beef up your clinical experience, which occurred so many years ago, and included clinical patient experience, but not medical environment experience.

Your shadowing hours are great, but be sure they include a primary care doc, too, and a DO if possible. The leadership and research look fine. It's good you have an Artistic Endeavor to list. You might also start some hands-on nonmedical community service, ideally on a weekly basis for a cause that serves the poor to give your application a wider appeal. (I'm assuming that "philanthropy" meant raising money for charity.)

JMO.