The **NEW & IMPROVED** official low gpa thread...

[DrMidlife]

meh gpa, great science gpa from pre-reqs in a post bacc, 40 mcat, meh extra curriculars, wants to be a doctor

I think you look interesting. Find unfriendly older faculty to mock interview you, so that you are unfazed by the questions you'll get in interviews. Such as "convince me you won't fall apart during the boring/unchallenging parts of med school & residency."

Best of luck to you.

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[DrMidlife]

cGPA: 2.87
sGPA: 2.87
MCAT: 26/24

I'd suggest a 2 year masters program at a DO school.

The biggest fear you should have is being able to keep up in med school without being sunk into misery. If/when you can show a sustained 3.7+ level of effort (where "sustained" means multiple years) then you can have some confidence that you can keep up in med school.

Retake the MCAT and break 30 whether your program requires it or not, if you want confidence in your board scores. The number of choices you have for residency is a direct result of being able to kill the boards. As a DO you double your residency choices if you do both DO & MD boards.

Best of luck to you.

 

[rock2doc]

I think you look interesting. Find unfriendly older faculty to mock interview you, so that you are unfazed by the questions you'll get in interviews. Such as "convince me you won't fall apart during the boring/unchallenging parts of med school & residency."

Best of luck to you.

This is great advice-- thank you.

 

[bigloley]

Hey everyone. Not sure what to think about this app season and was hoping some of you more experienced folks could share your thoughts about my chances/plans.

cGPA 3.24
sGPA 3.92
40S MCAT (woo)

I screwed around with no real goals in college and graduated with around a 3.0 gpa. My grades are weird-- I did horribly in very easy classes (didn't show up) and well in the upper level classes. I was definitely not interested in the classroom. I did a lot art things instead.

Worked a job while I pursued lots of artistic things for a few years (had a band, did comedy) and then finally decided to pursue a career that really meant something to me. I know now that I am really happy when I am doing this stuff (medicine, science) and am 100% confident that this is the only career for me.

did a post bacc in two years, aced all the prereqs, was a TA and taught one of the prereqs, and volunteered for a few hours a week (sometimes a lot more) at a really great health center for an under served population. Now I work full time at a really fascinating clinical research job, and am coordinating two studies. i get to work with patients and doctors and am involved in some cutting edge stuff. I still volunteer, will teach in the fall, and will take one class as well.

Unfortunately, there is no state school available to me, so I applied broadly to private schools and outsider friendly public schools on the east coast. If I don't get in this year, my plan is to reassess, and decide whether or not I want to pay for an SMP, or apply DO. I might be interested in academic medicine, and so DO scares me a little. but just a little. thanks for reading.

tl;dr meh gpa, great science gpa from pre-reqs in a post bacc, 40 mcat, meh extra curriculars, wants to be a doctor

If you've already applied broadly I'm pretty sure you'll get in somewhere. Your sGPA is great and your MCAT is amazing. Some school is going to want you. Good luck with interviews and hopefully acceptances

 

[johnnyscans]

This is great advice-- thank you.

Please keep us informed of your interview invites and acceptances.

 

[JHOLT10]

Is GPA calculation for post bacc programs in osteopathic and allopathic similar GPA calculation for application into medical school? (osteopathic - grade replacement/no math in science gpa vs. allopathic - ave. of repeated courses/math in science gpa)

 

[FindingMyWay7]

Hello, I am new to this forum and was wondering if i could get advice on the best path to get to dental school

I finished my undergrad with a degree in Biology with only a 2.5 GPA
I took the DAT twice only to get 18s across the board both times

I looked for other options in the health field but dentistry is the only thing that truly interests me.

I am enrolled for an anatomy course at a CC for the fall and I shadow a few dentists regularly but, what do I do next to be a competative applicant for dental school? And how long will it take me?

 

[DrMidlife]

Is GPA calculation for post bacc programs in osteopathic and allopathic similar GPA calculation for application into medical school? (osteopathic - grade replacement/no math in science gpa vs. allopathic - ave. of repeated courses/math in science gpa)

A program that wants to see your completed AMCAS (such as the EVMS SMP) is going to care about the AMCAS GPA calc.

A program that isn't affiliated with a med school, or is completely separate from a med school, is going to be much less interested in GPA calc details and errata than you are.

Best of luck to you.

 

[DrMidlife]

Hello, I am new to this forum and was wondering if i could get advice on the best path to get to dental school

I finished my undergrad with a degree in Biology with only a 2.5 GPA
I took the DAT twice only to get 18s across the board both times

I looked for other options in the health field but dentistry is the only thing that truly interests me.

I am enrolled for an anatomy course at a CC for the fall and I shadow a few dentists regularly but, what do I do next to be a competative applicant for dental school? And how long will it take me?

You're thinking small & soon. Think big & long term, because you're at best ~3 years from being ready to apply, and you have major academic issues that take years to resolve.

A 2.5 followed by 18's means you need to get back into undergrad and retake the basic sciences, among other things.

Have respect for your competition - they may not have suffered, but they set the standard for who gets into dental school. High scores are the standard. Accept this and plan accordingly.

Here's my recipe for a way-below-3.0: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=11083370&postcount=3

Best of luck to you.

 

[mehc012]

Hey all! I didn't realize that I wanted to try for med school until this year, and definitely need to put some serious work in if I want a competitive app. I would be extremely grateful for any and all comments on my current plan!

Now:
3.17 cGPA, 3.2 sGPA with 135 credits
Mostly organic chemistry courses, all offered microbiology, some psychology, CS, then a smattering of humanities. Many literature based, writing-intensive science courses.
ECs:
- 4+ years of research experience, including senior thesis (the first year was not project-based, the rest were)
- Tutored in HS and all 4 years of college, including a job teaching someone enough of Orgo I to succeed in Orgo II
- Head organizer of largest student organization on my (admittedly small) campus
- 4 years of competitive club sport
- A position responsible for managing/overseeing 1/3 of the RAs at my school and organizing campus-wide events
- Scattered volunteer events; mainly charity music events (pretty scant, I know)

The next 2 years:
- I always planned on working in research after college, so that will remain unchanged
- Evening and weekend courses from an extension program (3 courses/semester) until my cGPA hits 3.4. Since the only real options are upper-level bio, my sGPA should increase even more.
- Part time work (16hrs/wk) as an ER scribe
- Take one semester off for MCAT, scribing, and a cool program in my area that should get me a minimum of 100hrs of shadowing, and potentially double that!

Questions:
Is it bad to do most of my shadowing in that one semester? I'm thinking that the scribe experience will give me a good idea of the practitioner's viewpoint, at least in EM, and then the later program (which sounds really really interesting) will give me exposure to a variety of departments.

Would volunteering be better than scribing? I don't think I can realistically add hospital volunteering to this schedule, but I could switch it out. I feel as if I personally would get more out of the scribe experience than clinical volunteering. Alternatively, there are some non-clinical options that I could fit in on top of the scribing.

Should I try to get out of CA? Would it be worth moving back with my family in another state for a while in order to have a decent in-state option? I don't yet qualify for CA residency, but there are 2 other states I could make a reasonable claim for.

If this is too detailed for this thread, just let me know and I'll edit it all out!

 

[DrMidlife]

3.17 cGPA, 3.2 sGPA with 135 credits

How long ago did you take the bio/physics/genchem prereqs, and how well did you do? Consider whether you learned the material well enough to do well on the MCAT. I suggest that a C (and arguably a B) in a prereq would mean you didn't.

- 4+ years of research experience, including senior thesis (the first year was not project-based, the rest were)

Any chance you could get a pub out of this? If not, that's a lot of research without a pub.

- Evening and weekend courses from an extension program (3 courses/semester) until my cGPA hits 3.4. Since the only real options are upper-level bio, my sGPA should increase even more.

Every grade you get that isn't an A is a step away from med school. Stay focused. Solve your study/exam problems.

Note that there's no guarantee of getting in, ever, and a 3.4 is still low. Lots of folks do an SMP from a 3.4. You can't run GPA redemption on a schedule.

- Take one semester off for MCAT, scribing, and a cool program in my area that should get me a minimum of 100hrs of shadowing, and potentially double that!

First priority when you're doing MCAT prep has to be MCAT prep. Full time job. Your career depends on it. Don't let the excitement of the ER & OR distract you.

A note on MCAT prep: you can't use the practice exams to reliably predict your score, because the content on the real test is different. Use practice exams to gauge your timing and stress management and accuracy. Use boatloads, many boatloads of review problems to gauge your mastery of the content. IMHO do a structured formal prep course (Kaplan or whatnot) in addition to working through review books from another source (Examkrackers or whatnot).

Your MCAT score is arguably under your control; your GPA is not. You could save yourself a lot of time and money and stress with a well-above-average MCAT, like a 35.

Note there's no writing section anymore, as of this coming fall. Halle freaking llujah.

Is it bad to do most of my shadowing in that one semester? I'm thinking that the scribe experience will give me a good idea of the practitioner's viewpoint, at least in EM, and then the later program (which sounds really really interesting) will give me exposure to a variety of departments.

There's no problem here. What you want is the most mature and thoughtful understanding you can get of how healthcare is delivered, by whom, what that requires, and what you like and don't like about it.

Would volunteering be better than scribing? I don't think I can realistically add hospital volunteering to this schedule, but I could switch it out. I feel as if I personally would get more out of the scribe experience than clinical volunteering. Alternatively, there are some non-clinical options that I could fit in on top of the scribing.

Doesn't matter. You'll be above the bar for clinical exposure from scribing. Don't invest in more stuff at the expense of GPA/MCAT.

Should I try to get out of CA? Would it be worth moving back with my family in another state for a while in order to have a decent in-state option? I don't yet qualify for CA residency, but there are 2 other states I could make a reasonable claim for.

Depends on the other states, and depends on whether your parents are still counting you as a dependent. But yes, generally you'll have worse odds in CA than anywhere but maybe NY.

Qualifying for CA instate tuition is a totally different thing from qualifying as a resident. If all your assets and identification are in CA, you're a CA resident from the perspective of other states.

You don't necessarily have to leave CA, but do the work now to understand the residency requirements for your other states, pick one, and get your assets and identification lined up in that state. Do it now. You'll have to file a pile of documentation to prove your domicile, and you want that documentation to be very complete, very compelling, and not at all new.

Best of luck to you.

 

[mehc012]

How long ago did you take the bio/physics/genchem prereqs, and how well did you do? Consider whether you learned the material well enough to do well on the MCAT. I suggest that a C (and arguably a B) in a prereq would mean you didn't.

My issue was definitely not with learning the material; I always rocked the exams. It was a time management problem. I would plan just enough time to get things done last minute, but if anything came up in my life near the end of the semester, I didn't have enough time to deal with it and then still finish my work. I went to a small college with a lot of personal interaction with the professors, and have talked with enough of them in enough detail to know that this assessment isn't just in my head!

Any chance you could get a pub out of this? If not, that's a lot of research without a pub.

That's cumulative, starting in HS. I had a minor project back then, not enough for a publication, and then in college did primarily my thesis work, which was unfortunately in a field that doesn't publish much.

I keep seeing a push for publication on SDN, but from growing up in a research household and working in a variety of labs, I would say that the lack of publications is extremely expected in the particular fields I was involved in. At any rate, as I said I plan to continue working in research as I work on my app.

Every grade you get that isn't an A is a step away from med school. Stay focused. Solve your study/exam problems.

Not study/exam problems. I learn the material fine. What I want to demonstrate with this postbacc work is that I've improved my time management. I am confident that I can get high grades in this...I have greatly improved my attitude and decreased procrastination, and I have always tested well. That being said, everything else will go out the window before I lose ground on the GPA.

First priority when you're doing MCAT prep has to be MCAT prep. Full time job. Your career depends on it. Don't let the excitement of the ER & OR distract you.

Yeah, I was planning on following the 4mo SN2ed schedule for this part, and was considering either dropping all ECs and just continuing work while studying, or dropping work and classes and just doing the 16hr scribe week plus some shadowing. You think I should drop more?

Your MCAT score is arguably under your control; your GPA is not. You could save yourself a lot of time and money and stress with a well-above-average MCAT, like a 35.

Note there's no writing section anymore, as of this coming fall. Halle freaking llujah.

I have spent a lot of time figuring out what I think will be the best MCAT schedule for me, including textbooks and timing with my postbacc work. Fortunately I'm fresh out of college, so the material is still there, and I have always been an excellent test-taker. While I feel confident that I can get a well-above-average score, I recognize that everyone thinks that going in, and I realize that I can't rely on that. If I don't manage to achieve the MCAT score I want, I will adjust my plan accordingly. At that point I would consider an SMP or something more intensive than DIY gpa repair courses. There's only so far I can raise my GPA with the number of credits I have and the number of courses offered around here. My chem and bio heavy ugrad leaves me with fewer options in postbacc, as I've already taken a large number of the courses.

Doesn't matter. You'll be above the bar for clinical exposure from scribing. Don't invest in more stuff at the expense of GPA/MCAT.

thank you, this is what I was hoping.

Qualifying for CA instate tuition is a totally different thing from qualifying as a resident. If all your assets and identification are in CA, you're a CA resident from the perspective of other states.

I have no assets, I don't have an apartment yet, my car is registered in one state, my license is from another, and I'm currently staying with family who themselves moved to CA less than a year ago. I don't even know where I'm supposed to vote in this upcoming election! I know this isn't viable long-term, and I will have to straighten out all of the registrations and licenses soon (I was thinking as soon as I found an apartment). I'm not trying to jump residency; I think I do honestly have better claims for in-state tuition from other states than I do here, and there are paths I could take to solidify those claims rather than the CA one...I was just wondering if it'd be worth the effort!

Thank you so much for your help! Your comments are always insightful!

 

[Acryzz]

Hi all, I'll preface this story by saying that I recently graduated University with a degree in Economics and a minor in Business. My cumulative GPA is a 2.8.

Anyway, I recently made up my mind that I am not interested in pursuing a career in Economics, because I feel my real passion is in the medical field. After a few months of research I believe a career in the medical field is right for me and something that I am naturally interested in.

Which brings me to this, I have reapplied to my University and my plan is to take all of the required undergraduate courses over the next two years. I am confident that I can force my nose into the book and get a very high gpa in the pre-requisites.

So my question is, with my background and previous undergraduate work, is it realistic for me to believe that if I acquire a very high GPA in the pre-requisites, score well on the GRE, and perform volunteer work at a local hospital that I will have a strong shot at getting into a Medical school? (In other words, will my past major and gpa haunt me in goal to make it into the medical field?)

 

[DrMidlife]

Hi all, I'll preface this story by saying that I recently graduated University with a degree in Economics and a minor in Business. My cumulative GPA is a 2.8.

Anyway, I recently made up my mind that I am not interested in pursuing a career in Economics, because I feel my real passion is in the medical field. After a few months of research I believe a career in the medical field is right for me and something that I am naturally interested in.

Which brings me to this, I have reapplied to my University and my plan is to take all of the required undergraduate courses over the next two years. I am confident that I can force my nose into the book and get a very high gpa in the pre-requisites.

So my question is, with my background and previous undergraduate work, is it realistic for me to believe that if I acquire a very high GPA in the pre-requisites, score well on the GRE, and perform volunteer work at a local hospital that I will have a strong shot at getting into a Medical school? (In other words, will my past major and gpa haunt me in goal to make it into the medical field?)

Your GPA is more permanent than a tattoo. You have to get more than the prereqs done to redeem your 2.8 - like a couple more years of full time study, at 3.7+. Every grade you get that isn't an A is a step away from med school, and the prereqs are likely harder than any classes you've seen so far. You're 2-3 years from being ready to apply to med school.

I suggest getting into a clinical setting before you start taking more classes. Smell some patients and get puked on and get familiar with healthcare delivery in all its profitable but wretched glory. Then decide if you want to try to go to med school.

Best of luck toyou.

 

[camshark]

Just found this board...looks like it has a wealth of information! I'll give a short version of my crisis. Cgpa 3.0, sgpa 3.3. (AMCAS) 3.2/3.4 (aacomas). Did awful (ie failed all classes) senior year of high school taken at cc. The last 4 yrs GPA is around 3.6 with last 2 years of upper division sciences being around 3.8. Took MCAT 5/31 got 23 (9PS, 4VR, 10BS) retaking on Thursday. I'm applying all DO except my state school which is very in-state biased. So I'm concerned my MCAT will fail me and what to do in that event. Would a masters thru a DO school help?? Maybe an SMP? If I did either of those then id be enrolled in it while I'm reapplying which doesn't seem like itd help as the schools wouldn't see any new grades. I just don't want to take another year off without somehow helping my application. Thanks for reading.

 

[deleted248403]

Just found this board...looks like it has a wealth of information! I'll give a short version of my crisis. Cgpa 3.0, sgpa 3.3. (AMCAS) 3.2/3.4 (aacomas). Did awful (ie failed all classes) senior year of high school taken at cc. The last 4 yrs GPA is around 3.6 with last 2 years of upper division sciences being around 3.8. Took MCAT 5/31 got 23 (9PS, 4VR, 10BS) retaking on Thursday. I'm applying all DO except my state school which is very in-state biased. So I'm concerned my MCAT will fail me and what to do in that event. Would a masters thru a DO school help?? Maybe an SMP? If I did either of those then id be enrolled in it while I'm reapplying which doesn't seem like itd help as the schools wouldn't see any new grades. I just don't want to take another year off without somehow helping my application. Thanks for reading.

Nothing overcomes a **** MCAT (taking classes-wise) - till you get that in a more competitive range; the rest doesn't matter

 

[DrMidlife]

So I'm concerned my MCAT will fail me and what to do in that event.

As robf said, you just have to beat the MCAT. No getting around it. You'll be up against similarly painful exams, constantly, in med school and beyond. No "program" is going to mitigate poor MCAT performance.

Don't retake on Thursday unless your practice scores are much higher. In other words, if you didn't dedicate all your time and money since your last MCAT to improving your score, you're not ready to retake.

Best of luck to you.

 

[jontaejones]

I stumbled across this thread because one of my friends is doing a post-bac and got hooked on it. This is a very fascinating thread. I'm not a doctor or an aspiring doctor, but I do have something relevant to contribute.

My first undergrad was in natural sciences at a Top 15 school and I did horrid. A 2.1 to be exact. It would have been higher, but I was so incompetent I failed to electronically drop classes I didn't even attend ... ever. And they counted for Fs. That's how bad it was.

I went and did a 2nd bachelors in Engineering as a career change at a good school and got a 4.0. A lot can change and people and their work habits can change.

However, to consider doing 2 to 3 years of undergraduate to repair your undergrad GPA, and then a special masters program, kill yourself studying for the MCAT, and do all kinds of volunteer/professional work and then not even have a guarantee of acceptance after all of that ... wow, I salute anybody who takes this road. Also, how are those extra 5 years of school being fiscally supported?

All this to enter a profession you are not even sure you will like. I know many doctors, including my older sister, and none of them love their jobs. None. And it is a rough job. Rough...

I do think if you are able to pull it off, the salary and prestige of being an MD will pay off in the end. And I think for most people who take this path, that is the biggest drive, whether they want to admit it or not. That and just proving to themselves they can do it. Kudos to those who got it done...

 

[jl lin]

I stumbled across this thread because one of my friends is doing a post-bac and got hooked on it. This is a very fascinating thread. I'm not a doctor or an aspiring doctor, but I do have something relevant to contribute.

My first undergrad was in natural sciences at a Top 15 school and I did horrid. A 2.1 to be exact. It would have been higher, but I was so incompetent I failed to electronically drop classes I didn't even attend ... ever. And they counted for Fs. That's how bad it was.

I went and did a 2nd bachelors in Engineering as a career change at a good school and got a 4.0. A lot can change and people and their work habits can change.

However, to consider doing 2 to 3 years of undergraduate to repair your undergrad GPA, and then a special masters program, kill yourself studying for the MCAT, and do all kinds of volunteer/professional work and then not even have a guarantee of acceptance after all of that ... wow, I salute anybody who takes this road. Also, how are those extra 5 years of school being fiscally supported?

All this to enter a profession you are not even sure you will like. I know many doctors, including my older sister, and none of them love their jobs. None. And it is a rough job. Rough...

I do think if you are able to pull it off, the salary and prestige of being an MD will pay off in the end. And I think for most people who take this path, that is the biggest drive, whether they want to admit it or not. That and just proving to themselves they can do it. Kudos to those who got it done...

It's kind of good you are being real, so to speak. I must say, however, that I have worked with MANY physicians over the years. A good percentage of them still have love for the role, a fair amount are tired (beat up) but still OK with it, and then there are the few that either leave or tolerate the role. No, I can't quantify this with numbers. This is only based on my experiences over a good chunk of time. No one loves their job every day, even if something inside them is still drawn to it. Plus changes in healthcare reimbursement have put a heavier burden on many physicians. It's reasonable to understand that after ALL the years of prep, work, biting the bullet, and for a number of folks, scraping by, a number of them feel they are getting the short end of the stick financially. People need balance in life too, and that can be hard to get in the field of medicine. But I do know a number of physicians that are still happy that they are physicians, and they couldn't see themselves doing anything else. The latter really is the bottom line. The best thing to do is to get as much experience being around and working with physicians--especially residents and fellows (lol) as much as possible.

Also, a lot of people believe that we are in a "waiting to exhale" kind of pattern, not knowing exactly how things are going to roll politically speaking. People need to consider that there is a reason that there are hiring freezes at many hospitals and facilities--perhaps "selective" hiring freezes, but more jobs (only the bare minimum) will not open up like they need to for hospitals employees unless there is some serious economic relief on the horizon. Some folks don't want to hear it, but it's true.

 

[jontaejones]

It's kind of good you are being real, so to speak. I must say, however, that I have worked with MANY physicians over the years. A good percentage of them still have love for the role, a fair amount are tired (beat up) but still OK with it, and then there are the few that either leave or tolerate the role. No, I can't quantify this with numbers. This is only based on my experiences over a good chunk of time. No one loves their job every day, even if something inside them is still drawn to it. Plus changes in healthcare reimbursement have put a heavier burden on many physicians. It's reasonable to understand that after ALL the years of prep, work, biting the bullet, and for a number of folks, scraping by, a number of them feel they are getting the short end of the stick financially. People need balance in life too, and that can be hard to get in the field of medicine. But I do know a number of physicians that are still happy that they are physicians, and they couldn't see themselves doing anything else. The latter really is the bottom line. The best thing to do is to get as much experience being around and working with physicians--especially residents and fellows (lol) as much as possible.

Also, a lot of people believe that we are in a "waiting to exhale" kind of pattern, not knowing exactly how things are going to roll politically speaking. People need to consider that there is a reason that there are hiring freezes at many hospitals and facilities--perhaps "selective" hiring freezes, but more jobs (only the bare minimum) will not open up like they need to for hospitals employees unless there is some serious economic relief on the horizon. Some folks don't want to hear it, but it's true.

I agree with a lot of your points actually. I wasn't trying to say being a doctor is a miserable job. On the contrary, I was trying to say it has it's ups and downs just like any other job. But it is just that ... a standard job.

The standard, traditional path to medical school is well worth it my opinion. But I know three people off the top of my head who got their MDs (traditional path) and want nothing to do with medicine. They are doing other things. So if you need to spend several more years to repair a GPA without guarantee of acceptance, that is a huge gamble. I would only take that kind of gamble on a field if it was something I passionately breathed and did in my spare time, such as music, acting, or art, etc. But to each their own. It's all easy for me to say, because I have never wanted to be a doctor. I have a lot of respect for people who got it done.

Oh ... and please stop with doctors being underpaid. Pretty please. I don't know a single doctor who makes under six figures, even the ones who work part time. I don't care if you have $300,000 in loans. You can wipe that out in 3-5 years living the lifestyle that the rest of us live, and after that you'll be living high off the hog!

 

[jl lin]

I am looking at time and money invested : annual income (-major loan replayment--think mortgage payment). Honestly, six figures is not what it used to be--$100,000 to $200,000 per year. People have to pay actual mortgage (high even with a modest home), car payments (high enough with decent used vehicles), child expenses (don't have the time to go into that but it's big and the tax write off doesn't come close to making a difference), insurance contributions/premium, HUGE school-loan repayments (again think mortgage payment), and general cost of living.

For the investment of time and money (and the loss of money over that time period in order to get there), it's a smack in the face for people that do something like primary care or psych. This is why, sadly, many people end up considering specializing and doing interventional treatments, etc.

Six figures can be relative depending--and you don't have to be living high off the hog. Of course, I don't know what part of the country you live, but that makes a big difference too.

 

[DrMidlife]

Please don't feed the troll.

 

[jontaejones]

Please don't feed the troll.

Haha. I'm not a troll.

I'm just voicing my opinions. Like I said, I have a LOT of respect for anybody who puts in the work to repair a low GPA to accomplish what they want because I have had to do it too.

Good luck to you all.

 

[NJD519]

I'm not a doctor or an aspiring doctor

Well there you go.

Also, you do not know the reason why certain people are choosing that tortuous path. It could be due to something far greater than prestige and money. Furthermore, the discontent of a few doctors is certainly not a large enough sample size to draw the conclusion you are insinuating.

Ok, back to my "futile" journey.

 

[mehc012]

Sooooo tempting to join the threadjack, as I think I hold the minority opinion!

However, this thread is way too much of a resource for that, so I will simply wish everyone on here luck in their GPA repair!

 

[ReadytobeMD]

I have been trying to look for different volunteer experiences that I can get involve in but it has been hard to find any. I have volunteer at hospitals, done research, traveled to south america and done work there for 2 weeks and now I am teaching. However, I am looking for something exciting and something that I have never done before but haven't found anything. Any suggestions where I might find something? Thank you!

 

[PikaPikaPika]

Currently 4th year, Bio major (still have ~30 units to go)
University GPA: 3.27
AMCAS GPA: 3.43
SciGPA: 3.20

MCAT score: 28S

GPA trend is kind of shaky. Last year's grades as a Junior

Summer 10 units - GPA 4.0 (all upperdiv)
Fall - 14 units - GPA 3.2 (2 lower divs, 2 upper divs)
Spring - 20 units - GPA 3.8 (5 upper div, 1 lower div)

Assuming all goes well this semester (3.8+), do I have a decent chance at applying to a DO post bacc this winter? MD Post bacc?

Thanks.

 

[HopeItWorksOut]

asdf

 

[chayo234]

I remember being there a few years ago... the whole postbac/master's thing. Should I do it? No? I did do the master program at USF (one year). Today I have 4 interviews to MD schools. I submitted my AMCAS in late July and received/submitted secondaries first week of September. Today I have 4 interview invites and so far 1 rejection. I know I haven't been accepted yet, but I have a shot and that is more than I could have ever hoped for. I even have 2 MD/PhD interviews lined up ('they' said it was impossible).

Undergrad: 3.0 cGPA, sGPA 2.9
Graduate GPA: 3.8 (all science)

MCAT 2008 - 24
MCAT 2012 - 30

Excellent ECs/lots of research/great LOR/awesome PS

NEVER GIVE UP!!!

Inspiring

 

[CRCprofessional]

Hi all,

Thinking of which post-bacc programs to shoot for if I don't get into D.O. school.
Stats:
3.4 cGPA, 3.25 sGPA
27Q MCAT (10 VR, 9 BS, 8 PS)

Do you think I have a good chance of getting into the more competitive post-bacc programs?

 

[SixStringPsych]

Hi all,

Thinking of which post-bacc programs to shoot for if I don't get into D.O. school.
Stats:
3.4 cGPA, 3.25 sGPA
27Q MCAT (10 VR, 9 BS, 8 PS)

Do you think I have a good chance of getting into the more competitive post-bacc programs?

From my experience in the post Bacc forum, looks like you would be good for EVMS Medical Master's Program. Cut off for MCAT is 27 and many previous students have posted on here praising the program. Dr.MidLife attended and still posts here often to help out others, hopefully they will see this post and offer you advice since I am not too sure on all the details.

 

[Tayne]

Updating some of my previous stats since I just received my MCAT score. Hoping to get some of your opinions on my chances of getting into SMPs, especially Cincinnati and EVMS, but also Tufts, BU, and Georgetown. Thanks!

Undergrad - cGPA: 3.01, BCPM: 2.89 (chemistry major.)
Post-bacc - cGPA: 3.89, BCPM: 3.876
Overall - cGPA: 3.26, BCPM: 3.19

MCAT: 35R (12PS/11VR/12BS)

Extracurricular (abbreviated synopsis):

• ~300 hours volunteering in emergency department (ongoing)
• 150 hours volunteering as health educator at hospital
• 1 year in a biochemistry lab, with paper (not 1st author) coming in the next couple months; won't be published by application time to SMPs, but will likely be in time for med school apps (ongoing)
• 4 year member (served as treasurer and president) of my undergrad. school's competitive trivia team/club
• Just started as a clinical research assistant which involves a lot of physician shadowing (ongoing)

Quite frankly, I'm a little bummed about my MCAT since I was scoring between 36-40 on my last several practice AAMCs. But I'm wondering if you guys think that my score is considered competitive for these SMPs (and ultimately medical school.) I will consider retaking the test if I find that it's necessary, but I'd like to avoid it!

 

[johnnyscans]

Updating some of my previous stats since I just received my MCAT score. Hoping to get some of your opinions on my chances of getting into SMPs, especially Cincinnati and EVMS, but also Tufts, BU, and Georgetown. Thanks!



MCAT: 35R (12PS/11VR/12BS)

Extracurricular (abbreviated synopsis):

• ~300 hours volunteering in emergency department (ongoing)
• 150 hours volunteering as health educator at hospital
• 1 year in a biochemistry lab, with paper (not 1st author) coming in the next couple months; won't be published by application time to SMPs, but will likely be in time for med school apps (ongoing)
• 4 year member (served as treasurer and president) of my undergrad. school's competitive trivia team/club
• Just started as a clinical research assistant which involves a lot of physician shadowing (ongoing)

Quite frankly, I'm a little bummed about my MCAT since I was scoring between 36-40 on my last several practice AAMCs. But I'm wondering if you guys think that my score is considered competitive for these SMPs (and ultimately medical school.) I will consider retaking the test if I find that it's necessary, but I'd like to avoid it!

How many credits of post-bacc work? Did you apply to any MD/DO schools with these stats?

 

[Tayne]

How many credits of post-bacc work? Did you apply to any MD/DO schools with these stats?

After this semester, it will have been 42.5 semester units of BCPM classes. 16 of those are re-takes in courses I got C-/C's in.

I did not apply to any schools in the current cycle. I didn't take my MCAT until 9/11, and even then I didn't feel that my ECs or GPA were at a level I felt comfortable applying to schools with.

 

[johnnyscans]

After this semester, it will have been 42.5 semester units of BCPM classes. 16 of those are re-takes in courses I got C-/C's in.

I did not apply to any schools in the current cycle. I didn't take my MCAT until 9/11, and even then I didn't feel that my ECs or GPA were at a level I felt comfortable applying to schools with.

I think your MCAT is great and you've shown some pretty damn decent GPA redemption. Your ECs, while average to slightly above average, won't keep you out of a program or school.

I think you are good to go in regards to SMPs. Hell, I'd argue that you may even have a shot at MD (and definitely DO) next application cycle, especially if you're still taking and succeeding in BCPM classes.

There are others who know better than me. If only you weren't a science major in undergrad you would have shown, in my opinion, no questions asked GPA redemption.

What are you currently up to?

 

[vancoxsta]

1

 

[Tayne]

I think your MCAT is great and you've shown some pretty damn decent GPA redemption. Your ECs, while average to slightly above average, won't keep you out of a program or school.

I think you are good to go in regards to SMPs. Hell, I'd argue that you may even have a shot at MD (and definitely DO) next application cycle, especially if you're still taking and succeeding in BCPM classes.

There are others who know better than me. If only you weren't a science major in undergrad you would have shown, in my opinion, no questions asked GPA redemption.

What are you currently up to?

Thanks johnnyscans. I realize my ECs don't have a "wow-factor" to them, but I do feel as though I have done a good job with all the things I do participate in and have built a good rapport with my supervisors/PI/etc. (which will hopefully translate to good letters of rec.)

Currently, I'm still taking science classes, while also volunteering at that hospital, volunteering as a clinical research assistant, and working in a lab.

 

[AntonFreeman]

ug: 2.6
postbac: 3.8 (74 semester units, including retakes and upper div sciences courses at formal post-bacc programs)
cumulative: 3.0, BCPM: 2.93

MCAT: 26 (11 6 10), 31(10,10,11).
ECs: average at best.

I am planning on applying to SMPs in upcoming cycle, mainly looking for schools with linkage without glide year (RFU, EVMS, and Toledo). I was hoping for at least 32 on my retake. Would it be wise for me to sit down for 3rd MCAT? I feel like I have to hit at least 35 to be worthwhile, but I am not too confident if I can get in that score range.

 

[NJD519]

Great post-bacc. I don't see what is wrong with your 31 right now if you are looking at SMPs, especially with linkage. If I were you I would go for the SMP now and not risk getting a lower score on the MCAT. However, if you are that confident then give it a shot.

 

[PikaPikaPika]

REPOST. Because I want advice and no one responded

Currently 4th year, Bio major (still have ~25 units to go)
University GPA: 3.27
AMCAS GPA: 3.43
SciGPA: 3.20

MCAT score: 28S

GPA trend is kind of shaky. Last year's grades as a Junior

Summer 10 units - GPA 4.0 (all upperdiv)
Fall - 14 units - GPA 3.2 (2 lower divs, 2 upper divs)
Spring - 20 units - GPA 3.8 (5 upper div, 1 lower div)

Assuming all goes well this semester (3.8+), do I have a decent chance at applying to a DO post bacc this winter? MD Post bacc? My friend even advised no going to post-bacc and save my money and just apply DO outright?

Thanks so much.

 

[CRCprofessional]

REPOST. Because I want advice and no one responded

Currently 4th year, Bio major (still have ~25 units to go)
University GPA: 3.27
AMCAS GPA: 3.43
SciGPA: 3.20

MCAT score: 28S

GPA trend is kind of shaky. Last year's grades as a Junior

Summer 10 units - GPA 4.0 (all upperdiv)
Fall - 14 units - GPA 3.2 (2 lower divs, 2 upper divs)
Spring - 20 units - GPA 3.8 (5 upper div, 1 lower div)

Assuming all goes well this semester (3.8+), do I have a decent chance at applying to a DO post bacc this winter? MD Post bacc? My friend even advised no going to post-bacc and save my money and just apply DO outright?

Thanks so much.

You have a pretty decent chance of D.O. school. It's late in the cycle to apply now, but if you're interested, I'd make the decision ASAP and do it.

 

[sjingle]

Ok so I'm curious, in 2008 I started off my undergrad career with no drive and had a terrible 1st two years, about 2.0 average including C's in general biology 1/2, C in micro and D's in general chemistry 1&2 as well as several other grades I'm not proud of. Anyways fast forward to 2010 I found an interest in medicine and started my schools Athletic Training program, became super involved in school and my grades shot up! Averaging a 3.7 since and I have gotten my GPA up to a 3.1 for both cumulative and science gpa while retaking a couple of my science classes (gen chem 1/2 getting an A&B) I'm in organic now with B after mid term. I however have not retaken my general biology classes or micro, but I have taken genetics (got a B) A&P 1/2 (B/A) and an internship (A). I'm applying to several DO schools in June with hopefully at least a 3.2 for both cumulative and science. My delima is I'm over my limit on hours and will have to start paying out of state tuition next semester, so do I need to retake those biology's or can I make up for them with the MCAT? My goal is at least a 30, would this be enough to have a chance at DO schools? I have truly found my passion and I am willing to do whatever it takes to get into school but I would like to not spend more than what I need to. Any advice is much appreciated!!!!

 

[PikaPikaPika]

You have a pretty decent chance of D.O. school. It's late in the cycle to apply now, but if you're interested, I'd make the decision ASAP and do it.

Oh, definitely not this cycle. I was anticipating on applying next cycle, but am doubting whether I need to spending the extra $15k-$40k for a post-bacc if I have a decent chance at DO :\

Dilemmas....

 

[wadda]

.

 

[doc99999]

................

 

[deleted248403]

Go carib. This whole SMP thing is like buying a chance to get into a US medical school at a heavy cost and it can cost 2/3 years+. Going abroad doing well there almost means you will be fine. But do go to a good school and work hard there. There is a hype on this forum to trash carib schools but there are tons of foreign educated doctors doing just fine here - bottom line is that education has become so expensive that it will be outsourced in times to come anyway. Tom improve credentials to get into MD or DO school is just waste of time.

Ignore this. Look at posters historic posts - some giant red flags to be doling out advice.

Avoid the Carib at all costs

 

[DeucesHigh3]

Hey everyone, I'm looking for some advice. I graduated with a Bachelor's of Science back in 2010 (did a double major in Biology and History). Since then, I took off some time to care for my sick mom. In the past year, I decided to get back on track so I took 18 credits worth of post baccalaureate classes at my college. I redid both semesters of general chemistry and one semester of physics. I also enrolled in two courses that I did not take before: neurobiology and biochemistry.

Currently, I am working part time as a tutor and shadowing an oncologist. I'm also preparing to retake the MCAT in 2013 (I took the MCAT twice before, but they are from 2009 and early 2010). I'm considering doing an SMP program before I apply to MD and DO programs. However, I don't know if I should take more post-baccalaureate classes or just go for the SMP. My science GPA is pretty low

Here are my stats:
Overall Undergraduate GPA: 3.11
BCPM GPA: 2.7
Total Undergraduate Credits: 159
I did very poorly during my first two years (~2.2-2.3 GPA). I did show an upward trend after that, but it was hard to bring up my GPA significantly.


Post Baccalaureate GPA: 4.0
Total Post Baccalaureate Credits: 18

Previous MCAT scores: 25 (2009), 26 (2010)

ECs: 1) volunteered for two summers at a hospital, 2) worked in a lab on campus for three semesters, 3) shadowed an oncologist/hematologist for about 100 hours so far

I know that the MCAT scores look really bad. I was not as focused as I should have been and did not devote too much time to studying for them. However, taking the post-bacc courses really helped me to revamp my studying technique. I now know what works for me and I'm feeling more motivated than ever. I just really hope I can turn the mess that is my transcript around and get in somewhere.

If anyone has any advice for me, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks again and good luck to you all!

I was just typing a reply when Robflanker beat me to it. Definitely ignore the asinine advice to go to the Caribbean -- you still have plenty of chances in the US, and will be in an infinitely better position when the residency slots fill up with American medical grads in 4-5 years.

--

Great work in the post-bac, for starters. I would say to take more science classes to get that sGPA up above a 3.0, but it depends on how many you've already taken -- if that would take you more than 1 or 2 semesters, forget about it. You should move on to a SMP, hopefully for Fall 2013. You really, really (really!) need to kill the MCAT on your third (and final...forever) attempt, though. There's only so many times you can make excuses for low scores before an ADCOM will simply assume it takes you 4 years to study for something that most people take once and move on. Absolutely do not pass Go until your practice exams are in the mid-30's (35+). It doesn't matter how insanely much studying you need to do to get there -- there are plenty of people who get some practice scores around 32, but then only eek out a 29 on exam day; you need that margin of error, because I feel that anything under 30 would be the last nail in the coffin for you.

Keep up the volunteering, and see if you can't do some good shadowing with a primary care physician (lower-end MD schools, and DO schools of every flavor, love that). Maybe some non-medical volunteering too. If you don't have any publications forthcoming with your lab position, I'd cut that loose to make time for other things.

I think you're still okay to shoot for US allopathic schools if you really *have* turned around your studying techniques and can break out of the pack in a SMP. I had a sub-3.0 GPA (albeit with a higher sGPA than you) and 3 MCATs over 7 years, and it worked out.

 

[wadda]

.

 

[doc99999]

......................

 

[deleted248403]

OK you can be judgemental, thats no going to make a good doc anyway. Take a loan on120k , n go buy a ticket to a SMP program and that will get you to a low level MD school or a DO school. Alternativley, you can go carib do will and save time and money.

Yes, SDN has a few self-proclaimed ADCOMS avoid them.Enjoy!

And again based on your series of posts are well positioned to tell us why we are going to be bad doctors...

U can go to the Carib and there is no guarantee yih,'all come back.

Great response deuces