Selecting Medical Schools with Low GPA/High MCAT

[Stang13]

Hey all,

I am a resident of NY that graduated from a highly regarded (not Ivy, but top tier) liberal arts college. I double majored in Chemistry and Economics and graduated last May with roughly 3.1 overall GPA (3.2 Science). I took the MCAT in the summer of 2012 for the second time and got a 37Q (33M the previous summer I think). Obviously I made some poor choices, basically did not prioritize my studies, spent too much time playing intramural sports and working, and majored in two subjects I thought were good for me rather than ones I enjoyed. The med-school advisors told me I wouldn't get in anywhere, even Caribbean, so I decided to enroll in a 2 year Bachelor's program in Medical Technology (using the upper level clinical courses as a post-bac to bring up the grades but I really love my classes). I have limited leadership experience (President/Treasurer of one club in college) and only volunteered during high school (~275 hours in a hospital). I also got a bad grade in Orgo II due to medical reasons but retook it last summer at another school and got an A. Last semester I only had one class so tried to work a lot and shadowed a surgeon from June to December. Now I have five classes and looking to get an A in all (have nearly all As since graduating and before during high school), applying with an overall of about 3.25 and science of 3.4 (including all college courses). I work on the weekends and am also looking to begin volunteering at a hospital again soon, but it is probably late to look good on apps. I am applying this summer and look forward to hearing any advice you can give me moving forward (there is little to change about my application at this point besides nailing the PS and interviews). I am trying to be realistic about my chances and would like your suggestions about the following school list in no order:

1. Howard University College of Medicine – Washington, D.C.
2. Morehouse School of Medicine – Atlanta, GA
3. Eastern Virginia Medical School – Norfolk, VA
4. Tulane University School of Medicine – New Orleans, LA
5. Drexel University College of Medicine – Philadelphia, PA
6. Albany Medical College – Albany, NY
7. Wake Forest School of Medicine of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
8. Hofstra North Shore – LIJ School of Medicine
9. New York Medical College
10.University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine
11.Tufts University School of Medicine
12.Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
13.Stony Brook University School of Medicine
14.State University of New York Upstate Medical University
15.State University of New York Downstate Medical Center
16.Ross University School of Medicine – Dominica, West Indies
17.St. Georges Medical School – Grenada, West Indies
18.American University of the Caribbean – St. Maarten

I just would really like to get in somewhere this year so I do not have to retake the MCAT. If I do not, I will reapply next year and work during the break year as a Medical Technologist.

Thanks for any input!

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[WillburCobb]

Remove any UCs, all Carib, add some DO, and you should be looking at several acceptances next year.

 

[gyngyn]

Remove any UCs, all Carib, add some DO, and you should be looking at several acceptances next year.

Also delete mission based schools if you are not their target audience.

 

[Goro]

IF you ace this Med Tech program, consider these

3. Eastern Virginia Medical School – Norfolk, VA
4. Tulane University School of Medicine – New Orleans, LA
5. Drexel University College of Medicine – Philadelphia, PA
6. Albany Medical College – Albany, NY
7. Wake Forest School of Medicine of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
8. Hofstra North Shore – LIJ School of Medicine
9. New York Medical College
11.Tufts University School of Medicine
13.Stony Brook University School of Medicine
14.State University of New York Upstate Medical University
15.State University of New York Downstate Medical Center
BU
Possibly Case
MCW
Rush
Rosy Franklin
SLU

Any DO program, including mine. NYCOM and Touro-NY are in your backyard

 

[Stang13]

Also delete mission based schools if you are not their target audience.

Sorry what would be an example of a mission based school?

Remove any UCs, all Carib, add some DO, and you should be looking at several acceptances next year.

Why remove the Carib?

 

[Stang13]

I should add that I am very interested in surgery (might answer my question above?)

 

[gyngyn]

Sorry what would be an example of a mission based school?

Have you read the mission statements for Howard and Morehouse? These are schools whose purpose is to serve an specific underserved community. Similarly there are schools that exist explicitly to serve Christ (e.g. Loma Linda), or a specific region (UCR, TCMC, southern IL...). If you lack a validated commitment to that community these will be very low yield for you.

The number of threads that address the offshore question are too numerous to count. I will refer you to them.

 

[WillburCobb]

Why remove the Carib?

They are degree mills that will take you as long as you're willing to pay the astronomical tuition and have a pulse; some don't even require an MCAT and will take people with sub 2.5GPAs. Their attrition rates are astronomical (probably less than 50% who start actually finish). For the few who do actually finish approx. only 50% are successful in the match (and this percentage is expected to steadily drop as time goes on), and those that are generally land crappy residencies in less competitive specialties. Imagine being $300+k in debt and having to fall back on you undergrad degree for a job. MD>/=DO>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>foreign MD.

 

[Stang13]

Thanks for the info! I'm planning only to apply to the 3 accredited schools (Ross, St. Georges. and AUC) which I thought were a safe bet. Sure surgery would be insanely tough to get into but I thought it is possible to get a residency in something less competitive from one of those three. I know the rest of them are worthless.

 

[gyngyn]

Thanks for the info! I'm planning only to apply to the 3 accredited schools (Ross, St. Georges. and AUC) which I thought were a safe bet. Sure surgery would be insanely tough to get into but I thought it is possible to get a residency in something less competitive from one of those three. I know the rest of them are worthless.

They are not LCME accredited.

 

[WillburCobb]

Those 3 still have the exact same problems as I mentioned above. Any Carib school, including those, is a huge gamble with the odds highly favoring the house. FWIW, I know 2 people who went to Ross, one was kicked out during her first year and is currently making around $30k and close to $200k in debt, the other was dismissed during her second year for barely failing one class. Also, I work with a physician who graduated from Saba and didn't match (IM) twice with a 220-230 step1 and step 2, decent clinical grades, and good social schools. He was realistic about how many and what types of programs to apply to (for the most part). After failing to match a second time he re-took the MCAT and applied to US med schools and was actually accepted. He ended-up repeating an abbreviated version of years 1 and 2, and all of years 3 and 4. Yeah, he's a practicing physician now, but at the considerable cost (both time and especially money) of 7 years in med school. These are just a few anecdotal examples, but a quick search on SDN or Google will reveal a plethora of similar stories.

Edit: The Dr. who graduated from the Carib actually went to Saba not AUC

 

[Stang13]

Well this is good to know. I looked at other threads as you mentioned gyngyn and it seems like it is worth the wait to get into a U.S. school over the Carib even if it takes an extra year. Since I know nothing about D.O. schools, do you any suggestions for which ones to look into with my credentials (especially if I am interested in a competitive specialty such as surgery)? Anything extra I need to know about the D.O. schools for the application process or otherwise? I noticed the OMM requirement for D.O. schools.

 

[Stang13]

Here is the updated list I'm looking at, minus the D.O.s I haven't look at yet. Just saw that the application starts on May 1st for D.O. so I really need to jump on this...Meeting with the pre-med advisor tomorrow hopefully (The committee for the college I'm at now said they would write me a committe letter btw, I have one LOR from the surgeon I shadowed and another from a professor, hoping for another two by the end of the semester). Also forgot to mention I'm not really interested in writing a thesis so I excluded the schools while searching in MSAR. Even after adding the D.O.s I can probably add a couple to this list right? I've done a little searching but having some trouble finding out which D.O. schools I have a chance at while still having a good possibility of placing into surgical residencies.

Boston University- Boston, MA
Eastern Virginia Medical School – Norfolk, VA
Tulane University School of Medicine – New Orleans, LA
Drexel University College of Medicine – Philadelphia, PA
Albany Medical College – Albany, NY
Wake Forest School of Medicine of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
Hofstra North Shore – LIJ School of Medicine
New York Medical College
Tufts University School of Medicine
Stony Brook University School of Medicine
State University of New York Upstate Medical University
State University of New York Downstate Medical Center
New York College of Osteopathic Medicine

 

[gyngyn]

Well this is good to know. I looked at other threads as you mentioned gyngyn and it seems like it is worth the wait to get into a U.S. school over the Carib even if it takes an extra year. Since I know nothing about D.O. schools, do you any suggestions for which ones to look into with my credentials (especially if I am interested in a competitive specialty such as surgery)? Anything extra I need to know about the D.O. schools for the application process or otherwise? I noticed the OMM requirement for D.O. schools.

Ask @Goro.

 

[gyngyn]

There are so many G Surg programs that a US senior with a moderately good application who shows enough enthusiasm should be able to match in most cases. In the worst case scenario you can get a prelim and move into an open slot.