Non-traditional md/phd

[SwearIdNeverMakeAnAccount]

Read the sticky but need advice on where to go from here

Age: 25
Year: 1st year MS student
cGPA in 2012: 2.7 (business major, wasn't motivated for school)
cGPA in 2014: 3.01 (after taking 2 years of pre-requisites for med school)
sGPA: 3.4 (got a C+ in general chemistry and calc 1 when I was a freshman years ago but retook)
Postbacc GPA: 3.6 (Got B+'s, A-'s and A's in all the pre-requisites)
Currently: Have a 4.0 in a Masters program (physiology and biophysics) at a top 25 med school
MCAT: 30 (12PS/7V/11BS)- planning on retaking 2015 mcat, or current mcat if seats magically open
Non-clinical volunteering: 1000+ hours at a local non-profit agency focused on drug/alcohol addiction
Clinical Volunteering: ~40 hours at local hospital, and just recently at my program found a volunteer position that will give me 40 more hours by the time I apply as a motivational health coach
Shadowing: about 100 hours (pathology, GI, Pulmonology, Family Medicine, Plastic Surgery)
Research: did 1 year of undergraduate research in Biology Department (was in plants- sparked my interest in research, but not in plants). Won a research award through my university, presented poster at my schools research symposium, submitted abstract at American Plant Biology symposium. By the time I (tentatively) apply this summer I will have 1 year of graduate research. I am a research intern at the department of plastic surgery. It is one of the top programs in the country, should definitely have at lease a clinical publication (not that publications are necessary), but will mainly be doing basic science research.

There isn't too information on non-traditional students applying to md/phd programs. I know that my overall gpa from business hurts me, and so does my mcat especially with the low verbal. I didn't do great in the postbacc in undergrad, but hoping that doing well in the masters will help with that. I'm not expecting to get into a MSTP program, but in terms of a non-MSTP program how do I look? Assuming I continue to do well in my program, which I don't anticipate changing, and an improvement on the mcat, is there anything else I can do? Or is this a lost cause?

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[ValentinNarcisse]

Your chances are not great with these stats unless you have something special (high impact paper, URM, etc).

 

[Neuronix]

Agreed. MSTP or fully funded MD/PhD is a stretch with that GPA. Doesn't hurt to try if you can pull off a 36+ MCAT but have a backup in mind. You might have luck with MD only with a high MCAT score, or even a partially or unfunded MD/PhD. With your current MCAT I'd be thinking DO.

 

[Fencer]

I do not have as negative assessment as Neuronix. Depending upon the strength of your research, and a reasonable MCAT (at least 33, preferably 36 or higher), you might be considered by several fully funded MD/PhD programs. For the record, a single number doesn't define you ... several numbers do. In the past 3 years, my fully funded program has accepted people with MCAT as low as 28 (median 35) but with an awesome research component and/or other students with UG cGPA as low as 3.02 (median 3.76). As you can see, we evaluate applicants holistically but also realistic. Some programs have very strict cut-offs and will not invite anybody with UG cGPAs below 3.60 (or any other number) or MCAT below a minimum of 36.

Your graduate school GPA helps a lot. There is hope ... but you can't stumble any more.

 

[dakmag]

Fencer,
Any opinion getting a little nervous about MD PhD applications. Applied to multiple programs and received secondaries from all. MCAT 39(V14,B13,P12), GPA 3.86 degree in BME at a top name university with 2 years of research in one lab and 4 months in another lab. Rejected by two so far, interview offer from one only thus far. Most apps completed in early to mid September. My rec letters should be good and have shadowing, some activities but that may be the weakest part of app. At this point should I be concerned I will not get any other interview invites? Wondering if I should apply to PhD programs for next year?(GRE 332/340, essay 5/6).