Two questions from a career changer

[Careerchangepostbac]

I am currently in a formal postbac program for career changers. While my uGPA wasn’t terrible, it was only a 3.5. My postbac GPA is going to end up being 3.8+. This will my my cumulative GPA a 3.6. I was wondering how adcoms will take into account my GPA. Will they focus mostly on my postbac considering it is my first time taking these science courses? Or will they just see the 3.6 and focus on that?

My second question is about clinical and research hours. When I see people post their hours on here, it makes me worry about how many hours I’ll have. I obviously worked a full time job and had things I did before deciding to pursue a medical degree, but my postbac program is only two years and I will like end up with less than 1k hrs in clinical and research experience. Will this be a problem or will it be expected since I am a career changer?

For a little more context for your answers, I want to shoot for the stars in terms of medical schools. I have an interest in neurosurgery and want to give my self the most opportunity to match into that. (I know my mind could change, that’s just where I am mentally right now) So, I want to get into the best medical school I can and would like to get answers tailored that way. But obviously I’d be happy getting into med school anywhere.

Thank you for your time and answers!

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[Goro]

I am currently in a formal postbac program for career changers. While my uGPA wasn’t terrible, it was only a 3.5. My postbac GPA is going to end up being 3.8+. This will my my cumulative GPA a 3.6. I was wondering how adcoms will take into account my GPA. Will they focus mostly on my postbac considering it is my first time taking these science courses? Or will they just see the 3.6 and focus on that?

This will be school, and even interviewer specific

My second question is about clinical and research hours. When I see people post their hours on here, it makes me worry about how many hours I’ll have. I obviously worked a full time job and had things I did before deciding to pursue a medical degree, but my postbac program is only two years and I will like end up with less than 1k hrs in clinical and research experience. Will this be a problem or will it be expected since I am a career changer?

Med schools don't expect more Ecs just because you're a career changer.

If you have research, > 150 hrs of clinical exposure and nonclinical volunteering and 50+ hrs of clinician shadowing, you're fine.

If that's your real name in your screen name, suggest changing it for the sake of anonymity

 

[Careerchangepostbac]

This will be school, and even interviewer specific

Med schools don't expect more Ecs just because you're a career changer.

If you have research, > 150 hrs of clinical exposure and nonclinical volunteering and 50+ hrs of clinician shadowing, you're fine.

If that's your real name in your screen name, suggest changing it for the sake of anonymity

Thank you!

 

[Dral]

I think your grades will be taken differently based on the school. Either way, you won't be in the range of the upper most tiers in terms of your GPA. For instance, average GPA for matriculants to Hopkins is 3.94 (which we might assume has a tight standard deviation).

However, certainly don't sell yourself short. I think I've seen here on SDN that research requirements may be a bit more lax for career changers. I think if you have some research, whatever it is, you should be in good shape. Clinical hours are more important since it's direct exposure to what you would potentially be doing in the future. If you have to choose between the two, defer to getting more clinical hours. Hopefully your non-clinical volunteering is good to go and your clinical exposure is split well between shadowing/working and volunteering.

 

[Careerchangepostbac]

I think your grades will be taken differently based on the school. Either way, you won't be in the range of the upper most tiers in terms of your GPA. For instance, average GPA for matriculants to Hopkins is 3.94 (which we might assume has a tight standard deviation).

However, certainly don't sell yourself short. I think I've seen here on SDN that research requirements may be a bit more lax for career changers. I think if you have some research, whatever it is, you should be in good shape. Clinical hours are more important since it's direct exposure to what you would potentially be doing in the future. If you have to choose between the two, defer to getting more clinical hours. Hopefully your non-clinical volunteering is good to go and your clinical exposure is split well between shadowing/working and volunteering.

My science GPA will basically be my postbacc GPA, as I did not really take any BCPM classes in my undergrad. This would mean my science GPA will be upper 3.8s. Even with that would I still be out of the running for top tier places?

 

[Careerchangepostbac]

This will be school, and even interviewer specific

Med schools don't expect more Ecs just because you're a career changer.

If you have research, > 150 hrs of clinical exposure and nonclinical volunteering and 50+ hrs of clinician shadowing, you're fine.

If that's your real name in your screen name, suggest changing it for the sake of anonymity

As far as ECs, I was more meaning would they expect less hours from me since I am basically doing my premed in 2 years, whereas someone who had med school as their plan all along has 4 years of ECs on their resume.

 

[Goro]

As far as ECs, I was more meaning would they expect less hours from me since I am basically doing my premed in 2 years, whereas someone who had med school as their plan all along has 4 years of ECs on their resume.

Yes, but there's still a minimum you have to do. And the more, the better. You're in a marathon now, not a sprint. Med schools aren't going anywhere.

 

[Dral]

My science GPA will basically be my postbacc GPA, as I did not really take any BCPM classes in my undergrad. This would mean my science GPA will be upper 3.8s. Even with that would I still be out of the running for top tier places?

You can contact schools to ask, but most (at least MD) mainly consider undergrad GPA as their metric as I understand it. I suppose some could look at your undergrad record and just bypass your app, while others could look at your science GPA and consider that you improved in your post bacc and give your app consideration.