Should I give up on MD schools already?

[EtTuAlex]

cGPA: 3.64
sGPA: 3.45

I am mainly concerned about my science GPA. I had a bad semester spring of my freshman year, but have had an upward trend since then. I am about to enter the spring semester of my junior year, so I will be taking the April MCAT and applying to enter for Fall 2017.

No clinical volunteering yet. I am planning on working on that next semester.

I have about 100 hours of other volunteering including 30 hours of volunteering in diagnostic imaging at the local hospital. I have only shadowed one doctor, a FM doc for about 10 hours but I have an open invite to return in the future to get more shadowing time.

I am also employed in one of the Genetics research labs on campus. Separately, I am in the same lab for research credit. I have approx. 125 hours of research time and will be returning to the lab next semester. The Genetics professor that runs the lab will be writing one of my LOC.

Otherwise, I have been involved with the same campus organization since my freshman year, I am currently a member of the exec board and will be applying for a chair position for next year. The family doctor I have shadowed has been practicing for over 50 years in a very rural community. I have a legitimate interest in practicing rural medicine and I lived in a community of about 900 people for the first 18 years of my life. I am also a URM.

Obviously my MCAT score is the smoking gun here and will reveal a lot about my chances, but given my relatively low GPA and lack of clinical experience, should I go ahead and focus on DO schools?

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[Goro]

You're still competitive for MD schools if you apply strategically. Even more so if you live in a "lucky state" with a high preference for residents.

cGPA: 3.64
sGPA: 3.45

I am mainly concerned about my science GPA. I had a bad semester spring of my freshman year, but have had an upward trend since then. I am about to enter the spring semester of my junior year, so I will be taking the April MCAT and applying to enter for Fall 2017.

No clinical volunteering yet. I am planning on working on that next semester.

I have about 100 hours of other volunteering including 30 hours of volunteering in diagnostic imaging at the local hospital. I have only shadowed one doctor, a FM doc for about 10 hours but I have an open invite to return in the future to get more shadowing time.

I am also employed in one of the Genetics research labs on campus. Separately, I am in the same lab for research credit. I have approx. 125 hours of research time and will be returning to the lab next semester. The Genetics professor that runs the lab will be writing one of my LOC.

Otherwise, I have been involved with the same campus organization since my freshman year, I am currently a member of the exec board and will be applying for a chair position for next year. The family doctor I have shadowed has been practicing for over 50 years in a very rural community. I have a legitimate interest in practicing rural medicine and I lived in a community of about 900 people for the first 18 years of my life. I am also a URM.

Obviously my MCAT score is the smoking gun here and will reveal a lot about my chances, but given my relatively low GPA and lack of clinical experience, should I go ahead and focus on DO schools?

 

[EtTuAlex]

You're still competitive for MD schools if you apply strategically. Even more so if you live in a "lucky state" with a high preference for residents.

What states would those be? Texas, I am assuming. I am actually an OK resident, so there is only one MD school in my state, and I guess I am concerned bc my stats are significantly lower than that of the recently matriculating classes.

 

[Goro]

OK is one.

Let's see, the Dakotas, SC, GA, TX, LA, KS, IA, MA, MO, NE, HI, the WAAMI states, MS, AL, NM, TN, KY

Your state school will most likely have a mandate to give IIs out to locals first.

What states would those be? Texas, I am assuming. I am actually an OK resident, so there is only one MD school in my state, and I guess I am concerned bc my stats are significantly lower than that of the recently matriculating classes.

 

[el_duderino]

Wait for that MCAT score to rule anything in or out.