What are my chances (Caribbean interviews versus reapply)

[pyruvate090205]

Hey guys, first time posting on these forums. I applied to and got interviews to SGU, ROSS, and AUC but after reading everyone's opinion on the Caribbean, i am rethinking what to do. In theory I could add to my resume and increase my MCAT and apply DO but I would like to know if that is a good option with what I have at the moment. Any opinion is greatly appreciated.

My science GPA is 3.23, my cGPA is 3.29. My sophomore year was absolutely terrible (first semester as a bio major); I was only able to pull of a 2.36 GPA in science classes. My junior and senior years were much better, at 3.48 and 3.39 respectively.

My MCAT score was a 23 (8/7/8 iirc) but this was all self study. I know it doesnt give me a pass but I feel as though if I were to take a class, I should be able to raise it a good amount (>30), right? I was too stubborn to go to one of those the first time around

I have some research experience and a good amount of clinical volunteering. My advisor also told me that my letters of rec are strong.

All that being said, part of me wants to just go to the Caribbean and get it over with instead of reapplying and being in the same boat next year. What does everyone think my best option going forward is?

Again, thank you very much for the replies. I greatly appreciate it

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[xffan624]

Hey guys, first time posting on these forums. I applied to and got interviews to SGU, ROSS, and AUC but after reading everyone's opinion on the Caribbean, i am rethinking what to do. In theory I could add to my resume and increase my MCAT and apply DO but I would like to know if that is a good option with what I have at the moment. Any opinion is greatly appreciated.

My science GPA is 3.23, my cGPA is 3.29. My sophomore year was absolutely terrible (first semester as a bio major); I was only able to pull of a 2.36 GPA in science classes. My junior and senior years were much better, at 3.48 and 3.39 respectively.

My MCAT score was a 23 (8/7/8 iirc) but this was all self study. I know it doesnt give me a pass but I feel as though if I were to take a class, I should be able to raise it a good amount (>30), right? I was too stubborn to go to one of those the first time around

I have some research experience and a good amount of clinical volunteering. My advisor also told me that my letters of rec are strong.

All that being said, part of me wants to just go to the Caribbean and get it over with instead of reapplying and being in the same boat next year. What does everyone think my best option going forward is?

Again, thank you very much for the replies. I greatly appreciate it

Your background doesn't bode well for a good outcome in the Caribbean. Much of the success down there is self study as well. If you can only achieve a 23 with self study, then it tells me you definitely can't succeed in the Caribbean. You are the students they make their money off of. Those who currently have no business being a medical school, but somehow think they will be able to succeed in their sink-or-swim environment.

Fix your MCAT. Go DO. If you feel you need to spend the money on a course, then go for it, but don't blame your poor previous score on that. A course are not really necessary to do well. Plenty of people get decent scores without the benefit of a class (I did and I had been out of my premed course for almost 8 years when I took it). Nor are they a guarantee to do well. Your GPA and poor MCAT tell me you have some knowledge deficits in the sciences that probably can't be fixed completely by one, at least not without some independent study on your part during it.

Regardless of what you do, DON'T GO Caribbean. Your academic history makes you the perfect candidate for a failout from them.

 

[Goro]

Asked and answered in another thread.

 

[Instatewaiter]

Hey guys, first time posting on these forums. I applied to and got interviews to SGU, ROSS, and AUC but after reading everyone's opinion on the Caribbean, i am rethinking what to do. In theory I could add to my resume and increase my MCAT and apply DO but I would like to know if that is a good option with what I have at the moment. Any opinion is greatly appreciated.

My science GPA is 3.23, my cGPA is 3.29. My sophomore year was absolutely terrible (first semester as a bio major); I was only able to pull of a 2.36 GPA in science classes. My junior and senior years were much better, at 3.48 and 3.39 respectively.

My MCAT score was a 23 (8/7/8 iirc) but this was all self study. I know it doesnt give me a pass but I feel as though if I were to take a class, I should be able to raise it a good amount (>30), right? I was too stubborn to go to one of those the first time around

I have some research experience and a good amount of clinical volunteering. My advisor also told me that my letters of rec are strong.

All that being said, part of me wants to just go to the Caribbean and get it over with instead of reapplying and being in the same boat next year. What does everyone think my best option going forward is?

Again, thank you very much for the replies. I greatly appreciate it

Please do a lot more research before you decide to go to the carribean

 

[samac]

Already been through this in DO thread.

 

[health123]

posting this in a few places...thought I post here as well for advise:

Hello everyone, I am trying to find the right thread to post this in, and I think this might be it as some of you are already physicians and have significant others who are nurses. A little bit of a background: top of my class in high school, went straight to UCLA-beginning of second year of undergrad, sister passes away from car accident, dad dies the next year of mi. Grades drop like crazy, especially the premed science grades. Anyway, I gather myself the last two years of UCLA, take LVN night classes during that time thinking my md days are over, become an LVN, get my BS in neuroscience, then go on to a year of RN. Become an RN, work, open my own business (home health), go back to school become an Adult NP, work some more, go back to school finish Critical Care NP certification. Here I am, contemplating medical school. I love what I do, I have helped save many lives, but I hunger for the sciences which I feel I didn't get as much in nursing or np school. I find myself going back to the books after an interesting case, reading the microbiology of what happened. But, I want that to be in the back of my mind always, like all MD students have when practicing (I'm assuming). I am considering CRNA (fascinated by anesthesiology since the first rotations in rn school). But, I might still feel inadequate and all my schooling might feel like a waste and leave me depressed wanting for more. I am 33 now, married to a loving, caring Dentist, and we have a 1 year old boy. Am i crazy for wanting medicine at this stage in my life? Will being a crna be mentally challenging and is it as respected as anesthesiology? I know if i go that route, I'll go all the way to dnap. But is that worth it? or should i go back and improve my science grade and give med school a shot. I am at a cross roads in my life, I really need sound guidance from the the tried and true. Thank you.

 

[gyngyn]

posting this in a few places...thought I post here as well for advise:

Hello everyone, I am trying to find the right thread to post this in, and I think this might be it as some of you are already physicians and have significant others who are nurses. A little bit of a background: top of my class in high school, went straight to UCLA-beginning of second year of undergrad, sister passes away from car accident, dad dies the next year of mi. Grades drop like crazy, especially the premed science grades. Anyway, I gather myself the last two years of UCLA, take LVN night classes during that time thinking my md days are over, become an LVN, get my BS in neuroscience, then go on to a year of RN. Become an RN, work, open my own business (home health), go back to school become an Adult NP, work some more, go back to school finish Critical Care NP certification. Here I am, contemplating medical school. I love what I do, I have helped save many lives, but I hunger for the sciences which I feel I didn't get as much in nursing or np school. I find myself going back to the books after an interesting case, reading the microbiology of what happened. But, I want that to be in the back of my mind always, like all MD students have when practicing (I'm assuming). I am considering CRNA (fascinated by anesthesiology since the first rotations in rn school). But, I might still feel inadequate and all my schooling might feel like a waste and leave me depressed wanting for more. I am 33 now, married to a loving, caring Dentist, and we have a 1 year old boy. Am i crazy for wanting medicine at this stage in my life? Will being a crna be mentally challenging and is it as respected as anesthesiology? I know if i go that route, I'll go all the way to dnap. But is that worth it? or should i go back and improve my science grade and give med school a shot. I am at a cross roads in my life, I really need sound guidance from the the tried and true. Thank you.

You really need your own thread.

 

[health123]

You really need your own thread.

New to site....how do I start a thread? Is that the same as "conversation"?

 

[gyngyn]

New to site....how do I start a thread? Is that the same as "conversation"?

There is button in the upper right corner that says: "Post New Thread."

 

[ThoracicGuy]

There is button in the upper right corner that says: "Post New Thread."

And it would probably be better in the NonTraditional Student forum...

 

[Adhori Yaadin]

I feel I didn't get as much in nursing or np school. I find myself going back to the books after an interesting case, reading the microbiology of what happened. But, I want that to be in the back of my mind always, like all MD students have when practicing (I'm assuming). I am considering CRNA (fascinated by anesthesiology since the first rotations in rn school). But, I might still feel inadequate and all my schooling might feel like a waste and leave me depressed wanting for more. I am 33 now, married to a loving, caring Dentist, and we have a 1 year old boy. Am i crazy for wanting medicine at this stage in my life? Will being a crna be mentally challenging and is it as respected as anesthesiology?



__________________
Arslan1

 

[gyngyn]

I feel I didn't get as much in nursing or np school. I find myself going back to the books after an interesting case, reading the microbiology of what happened. But, I want that to be in the back of my mind always, like all MD students have when practicing (I'm assuming). I am considering CRNA (fascinated by anesthesiology since the first rotations in rn school). But, I might still feel inadequate and all my schooling might feel like a waste and leave me depressed wanting for more. I am 33 now, married to a loving, caring Dentist, and we have a 1 year old boy. Am i crazy for wanting medicine at this stage in my life? Will being a crna be mentally challenging and is it as respected as anesthesiology?



__________________
Arslan1

You need your own thread...
Probably in the non-trad forum.