Reapplicant Questions, Advice Welcome

[KansasDR]

Hello,

This is my first post on here and I am looking for some honest constructive help on reapplying.

My situation:
I am currently an MPH student about to receive a midpoint Graduate Certificate within my program with a >3.57GPA. This will be my third time applying to MD schools and I am also looking into DO this next round. My stats: 3.3cGPA, 3.27sGPA and 26 mcat... I realize my education in the past has been weak which is why I enrolled into the graduate program in order to prove my grades can be better. Now onto my EC's. I have held VP, Scholarship Chair, and Recruitment Chair within my Fraternity and in those positions I have helped push our house to a top 10 on campus, moving up from 22nd/24 on campus this is attributed to grades, sports, and philanthropic activity. I have also been a Treasurer on a campus club, Tutored over 30 students in AnP, and taught as a TA for entry level Biology. My shadowing experience has been remarkable; 200 hours divided between a Cardiologist, Ophthalmologist, and Two Family Physicians. Ive also got letters of recs from three of them because of the relationship I have with them.

My Question is this, as I look towards applying again, (this is my dream and I don't give up easily) what would be the best course of action to improve my grades from undergrad? I have been told by the schools that that has been my Achilles heal and grades aside I will make a great doctor. My thoughts are to maybe retake some classes maybe one over the summer and then focus on three or four more this next year as the application cycle gets back underway. Thanks for any input and I apologize for the lengthy first post!

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[newmember1234!]

I think the biggest issue here might be choosing which schools to apply to. Your stats fit well within the DO range so I would strongly encourage you to apply to those schools. Please do not be dissuaded by this as both types of schools (MD and DO) are capable of producing outstanding physicians. I would also encourage you to look into taking the MCAT again if you think you can get a higher score. If you want to improve grades, I'd suggest trying a special master's program. There are plenty to choose from if you do a quick Google search. Just my two cents but hope it helps.

 

[Faha]

You should be fine for DO schools. Apply in June and submit all your secondaries by July. Apply to at least 20 schools and you should receive several interviews. There are several DO schools where the median MCAT is in the 24 to 26 range.

 

[KansasDR]

Thanks for the advice, now if you don't mind some follow up questions. As I am sure it is obvious I need to focus on shadowing a DO doctor or two for the application and to get more respect and understanding of how a DO works. But do you think the DO schools will/would look down at all my MD shadowing? I mean regardless it is good clinical knowledge I have learned. Also would they look down on letters of recs from one or more of those MDs provided I have some DO recs to supplement?

 

[newmember1234!]

DO/MD really aren't all that different in practice (besides OMM) so DO schools embrace letters from any and all physicians. I would definitely get on shadowing a DO sooner rather than later though. And make sure to apply early