What are my chances of getting into med school?

[Spaceball1]

Here's my situation. I want to go to med school(obviously). But I have two years preferably to do it. I wanted to go into physical therapy at first, but there's something about being a physician that makes me really feel there's a better purpose for me in life. So, I have a lot of General prereques done, but I still need to take a full year of physics, general biology, and organic chem/biochem(if needed). Also haven't taken the mcat yet. So, here's my plan. I'll take physics and bio this coming year. I understand the mcat has some organic on it but barely any. So I'll take that in the spring of 2017. Then take organic chem my last year along with getting some shadowing in the field done as well. I currently have a 3.4 GPA overall. It's lower due to a bad freshman year. But I'm a straight A student now. So, with that being said, assuming all my other classes go well the GPA should rise. If I were to apply right after I took the mcat and performed well in organic the final year of undergrad, do I have a decent shot at being accepted? Aka, do I have a solid plan at least? I am new at this, so any thoughts are very much appreciated. Thanks

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[candbgirl]

What is your sGPA? What are your ECs besides "getting some shadowing done in the field as well"? Did you do stuff with patients when you were a PT major? What are your other activities? Any volunteering with those less fortunate than you? How about research. Any leadership experience? Your plan is okay but it seems you are really rushing things. What's the hurry? When do you graduate? You really only want to apply once with the best application possible. From what you have shared you seem to have some big holes in your application package. Slow Down and do it right. I just reread your post. Do you only have GEN CHEM now? Who told you that the MCAT has barely any Orgo on it? I think I've read that biochem is important but I'm not sure about that. Are you looking at DO or MD or both? So many questions you need to answer for yourself. You really do need to slow down and take a breath.


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[Spaceball1]

Sorry, I understand this sort of question is hard to answer in a forum. I just spit it all out so that the post wouldn't be so long. I'll try to answer some of your questions.
I work part time and have for 5 years - not in a leadership position but I am very well respected there. I even received a LOR from my manager for a $5000 scholarship application(which I ended up getting). I have about 30 hours of volunteer work with goodwill clothing drives, and in pt I was in both a pediatric setting and an impatient rehab setting. 70 hours total. I was only allowed to do little with the patients themselves since i was not lisenced but I was able to help with like throwing/catching activities, pushing wheelchairs, simple things. There is a slight rush for me since if my plan goes well, I'll have completed 5 years of undergrad instead of 4. I need to get my life going. Yes I took Gen Chem 1&2. I have done research for a class that required IRB approval but the findings were not anything significant and won't be published. It was real research, but practice research. And I plan on M.D.

 

[DoctorLongDog]

You haven't taken any of the hard stuff, and no MCAT, so there is zero data to go on here. A 3.4 does not help matters either.

Here's a better idea. Take ORGO now. If you get A's in it, full speed ahead. If you get crushed, that's a good sign early on you don't have what it takes.

You absolutely want ORGO for MCAT.

 

[Boogy'sChick15]

If you plan on MD, it would be best to take your time to be able to apply with a strong application. Orgo is very important for the MCAT, you absolutely need to take it. I recommend taking Biochem, it is also relatively important for the MCAT, at least from what everyone has told me.
With your current GPA, you need to improve your application by kicking *ss on the MCAT, and I would advise improving your EC's. 30 hours of volunteer work and 70 hours of clinical experience is very low. Some MD schools have a volunteer requirement so you should pay attention to which schools those are. Take your time to do well in the prereqs you still have to take to try and improve your current GPA, look for more volunteer opportunities both in clinical and non-clinical settings, and maybe look for a new research opportunity if you have the time.

If you take your time and do things right the first time around, you will save yourself a lot of time, stress, and money. There is nothing wrong with starting a little later if it means you will be the better applicant for it. It's taking me 5 years to graduate in total, AND I am planning on a gap year because I know with my busy schedule, I don't have enough time to finish all that I need to finish in order to apply on time. If you are dead set on MD, then don't rush the process.

 

[DoctorLongDog]

BioChem not important for MCAT. I scored a 41 with no BioChem... I know others who scored 38-42 without it.

 

[Boogy'sChick15]

BioChem not important for MCAT. I scored a 41 with no BioChem... I know others who scored 38-42 without it.

congrats on that score!

 

[QuestionsAnswers]

BioChem not important for MCAT. I scored a 41 with no BioChem... I know others who scored 38-42 without it.

It's a big part of the new MCAT though.

 

[Domepiece]

BioChem not important for MCAT. I scored a 41 with no BioChem... I know others who scored 38-42 without it.

Biochemistry alone represents 12.5% of the new exam's content per AAMC published figures.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

BioChem not important for MCAT. I scored a 41 with no BioChem... I know others who scored 38-42 without it.

Having seen your posts throughout the day I'm going to call you a troll. Anyone smart enough to get a 41 would know that the mcat has changed and that Biochem is a huge part of it.

 

[Doctor Dream]

BioChem not important for MCAT. I scored a 41 with no BioChem... I know others who scored 38-42 without it.

Biochem is all over the BS and PS of the new MCAT. Anyone who goes in to the new MCAT without the class is setting themselves up for failure.

Case and point: Tutored a girl last year in biochem who bombed the MCAT and was studying for a retake.

 

[DoctorLongDog]

There was BioChem on the old one. With a good ORGO background and some studying on your own, you were fine. Same applies now. After all... BioChem is an applied form of ORGO. See all those carbons, oxygens, double bonds..... Real tough to pick up that enzyme stuff if you aced ORGO, huh.

 

[Doctor Dream]

There was BioChem on the old one. With a good ORGO background and some studying on your own, you were fine. Same applies now. After all... BioChem is an applied form of ORGO. See all those carbons, oxygens, double bonds..... Real tough to pick up that enzyme stuff if you aced ORGO, huh.

This statement is not true. If you haven't taken or even studied for the new MCAT, please don't make generalizations like this and pretend like it is so easy to learn all this stuff and do well. Comments like this are harmful to pre-meds just learning about the MCAT.

Does ochem knowledge help when learning biochem? Obviously, otherwise it wouldn't be a pre-req in many places. Can some people take ochem and teach themselves biochem adequately for the MCAT? Sure, but those people are few and far between. There is more biochem on the MCAT than when you took it, asking about more topics, making it difficult to just learn on your own. Enzyme kinetics for example have nothing to do with ochem, yet that is a common and difficult topic for many to master.

 

[ATPsynthase123]

You absolutely want ORGO for MCAT.

The new MCAT has virtually no orgo on it. Like a max of 1 passage.


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[FCMike11]

There was BioChem on the old one. With a good ORGO background and some studying on your own, you were fine. Same applies now. After all... BioChem is an applied form of ORGO. See all those carbons, oxygens, double bonds..... Real tough to pick up that enzyme stuff if you aced ORGO, huh.

Hardly true. Didnt cover any amino acid structure or function in organic. Same for glycolysis, PPP, krebs cycle etc. Have to have Biochemistry.

Get real.

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[ATPsynthase123]

Hardly true. Didnt cover any amino acid structure or function in organic. Same for glycolysis, PPP, krebs cycle etc. Have to have Biochemistry.

Get real.

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I agree. Biochem is way more applicable for the MCAT that orgo could ever think of being


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[zurc2014]

You haven't taken any of the hard stuff, and no MCAT, so there is zero data to go on here. A 3.4 does not help matters either.

Here's a better idea. Take ORGO now. If you get A's in it, full speed ahead. If you get crushed, that's a good sign early on you don't have what it takes.

You absolutely want ORGO for MCAT.

Bull. There is NOT that much orgo on the new test. Biochem is FAAARRRR more important.

BioChem not important for MCAT. I scored a 41 with no BioChem... I know others who scored 38-42 without it.

Bull. This test is clearly not the same as before (except maybe for CARS). Biochem is super important and theres no way around it for this test. Its all over it.

 

[Siromas]

^^^ Agreed. Biochem is ESSENTIAL to the new MCAT. Orgo 2? Not so much.

Biochemistry alone represents 12.5% of the new exam's content per AAMC published figures.

Can you link this data?

 

[zurc2014]

^^^ Agreed. Biochem is ESSENTIAL to the new MCAT. Orgo 2? Not so much.



Can you link this data?

Poster had to quote that wrong. I was blessed to have about 80% biochem on the PS section (MCAT physics is not my strongest). Then don't get me started on the bio section. There is no way it makes up 12.5%. If its true then it would be the Psy/Soc and CARS section diluting it overall, making it look like there's less than it really is. As far as the science sections go, it is very concentrated.

 

[Domepiece]

^^^ Agreed. Biochem is ESSENTIAL to the new MCAT. Orgo 2? Not so much.



Can you link this data?

Poster had to quote that wrong. I was blessed to have about 80% biochem on the PS section (MCAT physics is not my strongest). Then don't get me started on the bio section. There is no way it makes up 12.5%. If its true then it would be the Psy/Soc and CARS section diluting it overall, making it look like there's less than it really is. As far as the science sections go, it is very concentrated.

Understand that obviously each MCAT test taken is different and there are overlaps between biochemistry, organic chemistry, and biology making exact elucidation of source subject for a question as designated by the AAMC complicated. My statement says that 12.5% of the entire exam represents biochemistry, which means that yes, it would include CARS and P/S since those are sections of the exam. The AAMC numbers under the section content PDFs on the linked page state that 25% of content from the B/B section and 25% of the C/P section are representative of a first-semester Biochemistry course. Each of those sections comprises 25% of the MCAT exam. (.25)x(.25) + (.25)x(.25) = .625 + .625 = 12.50%. I definitely agree amino acids and metabolism concepts/pathways are essential and likely the highest yield material for the exam, but my quote is factually correct although possibly not representative of any given exam.

 

[Siromas]

I definitely agree amino acids and metabolism concepts/pathways are essential and likely the highest yield material for the exam, but my quote is factually correct although possibly not representative of any given exam.

Thank you for the explanation. I remember someone posting seemingly reliable information with regards to expected number of questions per exam topic.