Should I take a year off and apply next summer?

[sunmedk]

Hey,

I got my mcat scores back. Im going to be a senior next year.

MCAT: 16
VR: 6
PS: 5
BS: 5

I know i have no chance with this score and will have to retake.

Cumulative GPA: 3.117
Science GPA: 3.089

Ive done shadowing my freshman year in college.

I have been doing undergraduate research for the past 2 years:
Have presented my poster at local, state, and national conferences this year.
And will be getting 2 papers out this summer.

I am in a national service fraternity which is my main extracurricular on campus.

Obviously I know that i currently have no chance but i was wondering if i retook the mcat this summer and scored above 30 would i have a chance with all the other stuff i do to get into a md program. Or should i wait another year get my gpa up take more time to retake the mcat instead of retaking this summer and have the a gap year?

Thanks for the advice in advance

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[October88]

Honestly, your ECs (which to me appear average or below) and getting a 30+ on your MCAT will not get you in because of your low (GPA) which is something you did not address... If you were you I would loook into ways to get that GPA up and look into DO schools...

 

[nabilesmail]

How much can your GPA really even improve with 1 year? I suppose you'd be able to apply to D.O. if you raised your GPA to a 3.1 and scored 31+ on your MCAT but...

Maybe a SMP?

 

[Meihua]

Did you do any preparation for the MCAT? Was the 16 significantly lower than practice test scores? Do you have any reason to believe you will be able to score 30+?

Even DO will be a long shot for you - you might want to look into other allied health careers.

 

[huskydock]

Hey,

I got my mcat scores back. Im going to be a senior next year.

MCAT: 16
VR: 6
PS: 5
BS: 5

I know i have no chance with this score and will have to retake.

Cumulative GPA: 3.117
Science GPA: 3.089

Ive done shadowing my freshman year in college.

I have been doing undergraduate research for the past 2 years:
Have presented my poster at local, state, and national conferences this year.
And will be getting 2 papers out this summer.

I am in a national service fraternity which is my main extracurricular on campus.

Obviously I know that i currently have no chance but i was wondering if i retook the mcat this summer and scored above 30 would i have a chance with all the other stuff i do to get into a md program. Or should i wait another year get my gpa up take more time to retake the mcat instead of retaking this summer and have the a gap year?

Thanks for the advice in advance

Yikes. That MCAT score highly suggests that you didn't learn anything from your pre-requisite science classes. How did you prep for this test? Assuming that you prep somewhat diligently for several weeks and take practice tests, you should be able to pull off a score at least in the mid 20s.

A MD program may be out of your reach, even with some significant work. Here is the option I see for you to have a chance at MD:
- Raise GPA as much as you can. Get a 30+ on the MCAT (This is will your greatest hurdle), and get into a SMP, rock the SMP, apply to MD schools

DO schools may be more realistic. You can retake classes you did poorly in and significantly raise your GPA using their grade replacement policy. However, DO school MCAT averages still range 26+, so again, your hurdle.

I'd realistically look into your MCAT prep methods and see how well you are retaining the information. The MCAT is just one standardized test and is not an indicator of intelligence, but the low score suggests that you might have a tough time grasping basic science concepts and applying them on the test, which might continue to be a problem, especially in rigorous medical school classes the board exams. Be realistic and if you are ready to show yourself and everyone else that the 16 was a fluke, then good luck!

 

[sunmedk]

DO is not something i want to do, its just something that im not interested in.

I want to keep trying, and i want to get into a MD program. I know the low gpa is a problem most of my science courses ive got B's in usually missing an A by 3-4% points. As for the mcat I did take the kaplan prep course but i dont think i utilized all the resources that were available to me and i didnt not study as hard as i should have.

Since its now summer and i dont have classes im planning on devoting my time to studying for the mcat again.

The highest i could raise my gpa next year is probably like a 3.25 or so I dont think it will get that much higher.

Im wondering if i get say 32+ which i believe that if i study hard i can do. and get my gpa up to atleast 3.25 or so will i still have a chance at MD without doing a smp.

Or should i look into other career choices and move on with my life as other people above have basically told me to do.

 

[nabilesmail]

DO is not something i want to do, its just something that im not interested in.

I want to keep trying, and i want to get into a MD program. I know the low gpa is a problem most of my science courses ive got B's in usually missing an A by 3-4% points. As for the mcat I did take the kaplan prep course but i dont think i utilized all the resources that were available to me and i didnt not study as hard as i should have.

Since its now summer and i dont have classes im planning on devoting my time to studying for the mcat again.

The highest i could raise my gpa next year is probably like a 3.25 or so I dont think it will get that much higher.

Im wondering if i get say 32+ which i believe that if i study hard i can do. and get my gpa up to atleast 3.25 or so will i still have a chance at MD without doing a smp.

Or should i look into other career choices and move on with my life as other people above have basically told me to do.

You would still have almost no chance unless you have AMAZING extracurriculars like an olympic gold.

Why would you rather move on than go D.O.? Research D.O. especially on this site before making that decision.

A D.O. is a full physician that can even apply to M.D. residencies, has no difference in pay, no difference in practice, and can pursue any field of medicine just like an M.D.

 

[preMedDonut]

DO is not something i want to do, its just something that im not interested in.

I want to keep trying, and i want to get into a MD program. I know the low gpa is a problem most of my science courses ive got B's in usually missing an A by 3-4% points. As for the mcat I did take the kaplan prep course but i dont think i utilized all the resources that were available to me and i didnt not study as hard as i should have.

Since its now summer and i dont have classes im planning on devoting my time to studying for the mcat again.

The highest i could raise my gpa next year is probably like a 3.25 or so I dont think it will get that much higher.

Im wondering if i get say 32+ which i believe that if i study hard i can do. and get my gpa up to atleast 3.25 or so will i still have a chance at MD without doing a smp.

Or should i look into other career choices and move on with my life as other people above have basically told me to do.

Ok, I'm going to be brutally honest with you, because it sounds like you need a big dose of reality.

One, your EC's are not great except for the research. Any volunteering? Non-medical and medical? Any leadership? A fraternity is not a big EC by the way and I have no clue what you mean by "national service." Then again maybe I'm just bias against frats.

Two, even if you got a 30+ on the MCAT you would still be mostly screened out by MD schools for your GPA. Saying that you are not interested in DO at all no matter what, just shows your lack of comprehension and understanding about both programs. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if someone took your quote and put it in the "ill informed premed" post.

Three, a 16 on the MCAT? And you only want to be MD? Come on, wake up!! How can you toss away your main goal and do so poorly on the one test to get to your goal?


In summary, wake the hell up. Man up and starting busting your butt in life. It's time to get volunteering, get some leadership activities, study a lot harder and push yourself until you think you can't push yourself anymore...then work harder.

 

[mcloaf]

DO is not something i want to do, its just something that im not interested in.

I want to keep trying, and i want to get into a MD program. I know the low gpa is a problem most of my science courses ive got B's in usually missing an A by 3-4% points. As for the mcat I did take the kaplan prep course but i dont think i utilized all the resources that were available to me and i didnt not study as hard as i should have.

Since its now summer and i dont have classes im planning on devoting my time to studying for the mcat again.

The highest i could raise my gpa next year is probably like a 3.25 or so I dont think it will get that much higher.

Im wondering if i get say 32+ which i believe that if i study hard i can do. and get my gpa up to atleast 3.25 or so will i still have a chance at MD without doing a smp.

Or should i look into other career choices and move on with my life as other people above have basically told me to do.

So you care more about the letters on your degree than being a physician?

 

[huskydock]

DO is not something i want to do, its just something that im not interested in.

I want to keep trying, and i want to get into a MD program. I know the low gpa is a problem most of my science courses ive got B's in usually missing an A by 3-4% points. As for the mcat I did take the kaplan prep course but i dont think i utilized all the resources that were available to me and i didnt not study as hard as i should have.

Since its now summer and i dont have classes im planning on devoting my time to studying for the mcat again.

The highest i could raise my gpa next year is probably like a 3.25 or so I dont think it will get that much higher.

Im wondering if i get say 32+ which i believe that if i study hard i can do. and get my gpa up to atleast 3.25 or so will i still have a chance at MD without doing a smp.

Or should i look into other career choices and move on with my life as other people above have basically told me to do.

If you got a 32+ and raised your GPA to a 3.25, you'd still need to do a SMP. If you ever get your hands on the MSAR (a comprehensive guide to all MD schools), you'll see that even most of the lower tier MD school have their 10th percentile GPAs at 3.3-3.4. Unless you are a URM or have a very forgiving state school (like North Dakota or something), then a 3.25 won't cut it.

If being a doctor is your dream, there is no reason to discount the DO route. I understand the apprehension since we're on SDN and all. But provided you don't want to do something like dermatology or radiation oncology, you'd reap all the benefits and joys (and pains) of being a physician, albeit with "DO" behind your name. I would consider it strongly because at this point, DO is your most clear-cut route to becoming a doctor. Say you do care a lot about getting a MD and you just can't get over it, I suppose you have three options:
1. Try, try, and keep trying until you get it. You work your ass off. Do SMP, make yourself a really special applicant. You can do it. But this will take TIME and MONEY (lots and lots of it).
2. Find another career. Consider your motivations for being a physician, especially if you won't even consider DO when it provides a viable way for you to practice medicine (it has its limitations, but hey, at this point, beggars can't be choosers)
3. Go Caribbean, but don't be surprised if you can't get a US residency even after applying to hundreds, while drowning in six figure debt. Residency spots are quickly being sucked up by US graduates from the newer schools (including DO schools). You'll need a very good board score to match in the US, but judging by the MCAT score, I'm sorry to say that I wouldn't really know how that would bode for you (ADCOMs use MCAT scores to try to pre-determine how you'd do on the boards).

Good luck.

 

[sunmedk]

Ok, I'm going to be brutally honest with you, because it sounds like you need a big dose of reality.

One, your EC's are not great except for the research. Any volunteering? Non-medical and medical? Any leadership? A fraternity is not a big EC by the way and I have no clue what you mean by "national service." Then again maybe I'm just bias against frats.

First its not a social fraternity. Its called Alpha Phi Omega which is a co-ed national service fraternity which is associated with the boy scouts of america. So within this we have requirements such has 20 hours of service a semester, leadership requirements such as tutoring. So even though this is one ec there is a lot to it. and I have many hours with different organizations such as ronald mcdonald house, big brother/big sister, Gods pantry. so a lot of the service has been outside the health field.

Second Im not throwing out DO because i think there is a difference between the two degrees i know that the two programs let you practice the same medecine. The problem is that there is only one DO school in my state and its just in the middle of no where and mainly focuses on rural medecine which is something im not interested in, and i dont think i can afford to go out of state. That is why i am only looking at an MD program.

Sorry i didnt make these things clear in my first post.

This is what i want to do. I know that my grades arent the best, and that i didnt try my hardest for the mcat. But I have woken up and i know that i need to try harder especially for the mcat and get my gpa up. I have extremely strong letters of rec. and i believe all my community service and research efforts will pay off.

I know 100% that this is what i want to do and i will do it no matter how much time it takes me.

 

[nabilesmail]

First its not a social fraternity. Its called Alpha Phi Omega which is a co-ed national service fraternity which is associated with the boy scouts of america. So within this we have requirements such has 20 hours of service a semester, leadership requirements such as tutoring. So even though this is one ec there is a lot to it. and I have many hours with different organizations such as ronald mcdonald house, big brother/big sister, Gods pantry. so a lot of the service has been outside the health field.

Second Im not throwing out DO because i think there is a difference between the two degrees i know that the two programs let you practice the same medecine. The problem is that there is only one DO school in my state and its just in the middle of no where and mainly focuses on rural medecine which is something im not interested in, and i dont think i can afford to go out of state. That is why i am only looking at an MD program.

Sorry i didnt make these things clear in my first post.

This is what i want to do. I know that my grades arent the best, and that i didnt try my hardest for the mcat. But I have woken up and i know that i need to try harder especially for the mcat and get my gpa up. I have extremely strong letters of rec. and i believe all my community service and research efforts will pay off.

I know 100% that this is what i want to do and i will do it no matter how much time it takes me.

What do you mean you can't afford to go out of state? Like financially? If so Most premeds fund their entire medical education through loans, YOU can afford it. If it's other factors such as family etc then thats different.

Does that also mean your only willing to apply to M.D. schools in state AFTER all the gpa reapir MCAT smp ETC? Then your chances are further significantly lowered

 

[preMedDonut]

What do you mean you can't afford to go out of state? Like financially? If so Most premeds fund their entire medical education through loans, YOU can afford it. If it's other factors such as family etc then thats different.

Does that also mean your only willing to apply to M.D. schools in state AFTER all the gpa reapir MCAT smp ETC? Then your chances are further significantly lowered

Exactly this.

I'd say 90% of people can't afford medical school. Seems like you are trying to get out of your answer about DO. If you want to do MD only, good luck but you have a loong road ahead of you.

 

[Nissan GTR]

don't even bother applying