MD & DO Next step?

[chiralC]

I apologize for the length in advance, but I am a bit confused as to my next course of action and could use some advice. I transferred my sophomore year from a CT state school to a highly rated, small, private New England college (for whatever it's worth).

25 years old, white male
cGPA ~3.49
sGPA ~3.49
MCAT 30 (12, 8, 10)

-2.5 years genetics research, no publications
-1 year of division 1 sport at state school, 3 years division 2 sport at private college in best d2 conference in country (captain senior year)
-1 semester gen chem TA
-1 semester club president
-helped create and develop a green business that reached the top 5 in my school (a hypothetical business that I presented to the school and was judged by various CEOs as part of a school-wide competiton)
-held various jobs throughout college

Basically, I was really set on going to grad school for a genetics program but after a few years of research and one summer of working with grad students, I decided it wasn't for me. While medicine was always in the back of my mind, I knew I couldn't live with myself if I didn't try to pursue going pro in my sport. After graduating, I spent a few months getting into shape and tried out for a lower level pro team (kind of comparable to the minors in baseball) and made it as a walk on. After playing for the first half of the summer, I decided to leave the team due to finances (I was working various construction jobs before and after practice and games to pay student loans, rent, food, etc.) and I didn't think that the organization was going to last (horrible relations between coaches, staff, and players). During this time, I also coached a youth team.

Ultimately, I decided to move back home and gain healthcare experience and study for the MCAT. For the past year, I have worked for an agency that provides services for adults with developmental disabilities (hygiene, medications, recreation, doctor's visits etc.). During this time, I have been supporting myself and also my fiancée through a nursing program in another state. As of right now, I have around 30 hours of shadowing a family MD in a small, private setting and will also shadow a DO (preferably a pediatrician) in a hospital setting.

At this point, I don't know whether to seek volunteer experience (a possible red flag in my app?) or buckle down and do the MCAT again. The only problem is that for my state school, UCONN, the median GPA is ~3.7 and MCAT~33. While I realistically think I could get my MCAT up to a 33 and my verbal to a 10, would it better to focus my efforts on the DO route and gain volunteer experiences instead? And honestly, if I can pick up hours at work (I normally can get ~50 a week) it almost makes more sense to work because I can do so much more for my guys in terms of helping them than I ever could with any shorter-term volunteer experience. However, there is the opportunity for me to coach a group of students that immigrated to the US in my sport, which would include practices, games, fundraising for uniforms etc. and would actually be really fun and meaningful to me.

What do you guys think?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Catalystik]

I apologize for the length in advance, but I am a bit confused as to my next course of action and could use some advice. I transferred my sophomore year from a CT state school to a highly rated, small, private New England college (for whatever it's worth).

25 years old, white male
cGPA ~3.49
sGPA ~3.49
MCAT 30 (12, 8, 10)

-2.5 years genetics research, no publications
-1 year of division 1 sport at state school, 3 years division 2 sport at private college in best d2 conference in country (captain senior year)
-1 semester gen chem TA
-1 semester club president
-helped create and develop a green business that reached the top 5 in my school (a hypothetical business that I presented to the school and was judged by various CEOs as part of a school-wide competiton)
-held various jobs throughout college

Basically, I was really set on going to grad school for a genetics program but after a few years of research and one summer of working with grad students, I decided it wasn't for me. While medicine was always in the back of my mind, I knew I couldn't live with myself if I didn't try to pursue going pro in my sport. After graduating, I spent a few months getting into shape and tried out for a lower level pro team (kind of comparable to the minors in baseball) and made it as a walk on. After playing for the first half of the summer, I decided to leave the team due to finances (I was working various construction jobs before and after practice and games to pay student loans, rent, food, etc.) and I didn't think that the organization was going to last (horrible relations between coaches, staff, and players). During this time, I also coached a youth team.

Ultimately, I decided to move back home and gain healthcare experience and study for the MCAT. For the past year, I have worked for an agency that provides services for adults with developmental disabilities (hygiene, medications, recreation, doctor's visits etc.). During this time, I have been supporting myself and also my fiancée through a nursing program in another state. As of right now, I have around 30 hours of shadowing a family MD in a small, private setting and will also shadow a DO (preferably a pediatrician) in a hospital setting.

At this point, I don't know whether to seek volunteer experience (a possible red flag in my app?) or buckle down and do the MCAT again. The only problem is that for my state school, UCONN, the median GPA is ~3.7 and MCAT~33. While I realistically think I could get my MCAT up to a 33 and my verbal to a 10, would it better to focus my efforts on the DO route and gain volunteer experiences instead? And honestly, if I can pick up hours at work (I normally can get ~50 a week) it almost makes more sense to work because I can do so much more for my guys in terms of helping them than I ever could with any shorter-term volunteer experience. However, there is the opportunity for me to coach a group of students that immigrated to the US in my sport, which would include practices, games, fundraising for uniforms etc. and would actually be really fun and meaningful to me.

What do you guys think?

1) Your stats are fine for DO, as they are. Were I to review your application at an MD school, I'd look first to see what brought down your GPAs. What would I find? If I saw a downward grade trend, I wouldn't look further. UConn in the past has seemed receptive to consistent, steep, upward grade trends after early academic challenge.

2) Does UConn average multiple MCATs or only consider the most recent?

3) Were you paid to coach the youth team? Is the upcoming coaching opportunity paid? If yes to both, then it would be helpful to have something to list under nonmedical community service. That said, it's quite possible that adcomms who thoroughly review your application would consider your current job as a demonstration of altruism, even though it's paid (if your application gets past initial scoring).

4) Do you ever accompany your clients to a doctors visit? (More shadowing if you're in the room.) Are any of your clients medically ill? Most, a few, rarely?

5) I'd suggest sticking to financial issues as the reason for leaving the minor-league team, as you don't want it to sound like you abandoned a commitment, if you give any explanation at all.

 

[chiralC]

1) Your stats are fine for DO, as they are. Were I to review your application at an MD school, I'd look first to see what brought down your GPAs. What would I find? If I saw a downward grade trend, I wouldn't look further. UConn in the past has seemed receptive to consistent, steep, upward grade trends after early academic challenge.

2) Does UConn average multiple MCATs or only consider the most recent?

3) Were you paid to coach the youth team? Is the upcoming coaching opportunity paid? If yes to both, then it would be helpful to have something to list under nonmedical community service. That said, it's quite possible that adcomms who thoroughly review your application would consider your current job as a demonstration of altruism, even though it's paid (if you application gets past initial scoring).

4) Do you ever accompany your clients to a doctors visit? (More shadowing if you're in the room.) Are any of your clients medically ill? Most, a few, rarely?

5) I'd suggest sticking to financial issues as the reason for leaving the minor-league team, as you don't want it to sound like you abandoned a commitment, if you give any explanation at all.

I have a pretty good upward trend. Started with a 3.2 and my last 2 semesters were a 4.0 and a 3.7. I was paid to coach the youth team but the upcoming coaching opportunity would strictly be a volunteer experience. Most of my guys are medically ill and one of them has severe behavioral issues (typically have to perform restraints, etc.). I never knew that I could consider doctor visits as a form of shadowing! Yes, I accompany the guys with everything, including PCP visits, lab work, meeting with behavioral therapists, physical therapy, etc. I'm hoping that the adcoms see it as a form of altruism because the majority of my essay was going to revolve around serving my guys, which has been the most rewarding thing I've ever done.

 

[Goro]

Without actual patient contact experience, you WILL get rejected. You have to show us you actually want to be around sick and injured people for the next 40 years. You also need to demonstrate your altruism and humanism. the coaching is a good start on the non-clinical side.

I don't think there's a need to re-take the MCAT. Just aim for all DO and new MD programs, your state school (if any), and all the low-tier MD schools, say, like Drexel. Invest in MSAR to target schools whose median scores are close to your own.

I apologize for the length in advance, but I am a bit confused as to my next course of action and could use some advice. I transferred my sophomore year from a CT state school to a highly rated, small, private New England college (for whatever it's worth).

25 years old, white male
cGPA ~3.49
sGPA ~3.49
MCAT 30 (12, 8, 10)

-2.5 years genetics research, no publications
-1 year of division 1 sport at state school, 3 years division 2 sport at private college in best d2 conference in country (captain senior year)
-1 semester gen chem TA
-1 semester club president
-helped create and develop a green business that reached the top 5 in my school (a hypothetical business that I presented to the school and was judged by various CEOs as part of a school-wide competiton)
-held various jobs throughout college

Basically, I was really set on going to grad school for a genetics program but after a few years of research and one summer of working with grad students, I decided it wasn't for me. While medicine was always in the back of my mind, I knew I couldn't live with myself if I didn't try to pursue going pro in my sport. After graduating, I spent a few months getting into shape and tried out for a lower level pro team (kind of comparable to the minors in baseball) and made it as a walk on. After playing for the first half of the summer, I decided to leave the team due to finances (I was working various construction jobs before and after practice and games to pay student loans, rent, food, etc.) and I didn't think that the organization was going to last (horrible relations between coaches, staff, and players). During this time, I also coached a youth team.

Ultimately, I decided to move back home and gain healthcare experience and study for the MCAT. For the past year, I have worked for an agency that provides services for adults with developmental disabilities (hygiene, medications, recreation, doctor's visits etc.). During this time, I have been supporting myself and also my fiancée through a nursing program in another state. As of right now, I have around 30 hours of shadowing a family MD in a small, private setting and will also shadow a DO (preferably a pediatrician) in a hospital setting.

At this point, I don't know whether to seek volunteer experience (a possible red flag in my app?) or buckle down and do the MCAT again. The only problem is that for my state school, UCONN, the median GPA is ~3.7 and MCAT~33. While I realistically think I could get my MCAT up to a 33 and my verbal to a 10, would it better to focus my efforts on the DO route and gain volunteer experiences instead? And honestly, if I can pick up hours at work (I normally can get ~50 a week) it almost makes more sense to work because I can do so much more for my guys in terms of helping them than I ever could with any shorter-term volunteer experience. However, there is the opportunity for me to coach a group of students that immigrated to the US in my sport, which would include practices, games, fundraising for uniforms etc. and would actually be really fun and meaningful to me.

What do you guys think?

 

[Catalystik]

However, there is the opportunity for me to coach a group of students that immigrated to the US in my sport, which would include practices, games, fundraising for uniforms etc. and would actually be really fun and meaningful to me.

I'd go for it. I like your passion about your sport. I like to see some of your interests linked by a common theme.

If MD, and maybe a significant decrease in cost of attendance for four years, is highly important to you, IMO, there's a good chance you'd need a higher MCAT score to offset your lower GPAs. Is it really worth all that restudying though? Only you can decide. And if UConn is going to average your two scores, it makes it less worthwhile unless you really, really knock the beast out of the ballpark. Why don't you call UConn's admissions office and ask, as this detail will be import to your decision-making.

Doctor visits are only "shadowing" during the time you are in the presence of a care provider. You could probably estimate this and split the time out from your employment (never double count hours) and list them on their own under the Shadowing category if they are substantive.

I think that shadowing an in-hospital DO pediatrician would be perfect to fill in the gaps. And be sure to get an LOR, as some DO schools require it.

 

[chiralC]

Without actual patient contact experience, you WILL get rejected. You have to show us you actually want to be around sick and injured people for the next 40 years. You also need to demonstrate your altruism and humanism. the coaching is a good start on the non-clinical side.

I don't think there's a need to re-take the MCAT. Just aim for all DO and new MD programs, your state school (if any), and all the low-tier MD schools, say, like Drexel. Invest in MSAR to target schools whose median scores are close to your own.

Goro,

Your comments have me somewhat worried. Can I consider my job as clinical experience/do you think adcoms would view my line of work as having patient contact experience? I basically do the same things as a CNA, only that the clients I serve live in group home settings rather than hospitals or nursing homes. For example, I take vitals, monitor weights and food intake, pour medications, perform bathing and hygiene needs, etc. Either way, I have decided to stick with my MCAT and really focus on meaningful volunteer opportunities, both clinical and non-clinical.

 

[Goro]

Ahh, that clarifies things greatly. Your post gave me a very different impression. When you fill out your apps, be sure to mention all this stuff, because have indeed walked the walk.

Goro,

Your comments have me somewhat worried. Can I consider my job as clinical experience/do you think adcoms would view my line of work as having patient contact experience? I basically do the same things as a CNA, only that the clients I serve live in group home settings rather than hospitals or nursing homes. For example, I take vitals, monitor weights and food intake, pour medications, perform bathing and hygiene needs, etc. Either way, I have decided to stick with my MCAT and really focus on meaningful volunteer opportunities, both clinical and non-clinical.

 

[chiralC]

Ahh, that clarifies things greatly. Your post gave me a very different impression. When you fill out your apps, be sure to mention all this stuff, because have indeed walked the walk.

Goro,

I know your advice holds a lot of weight, so I was seriously worried there for a second haha. Thanks for the clarification!