Will I have a shot next cycle? (BAD GPA) Need advice and insight

[futurenjdoc]

I've posted on here before but things have happened since then and I appreciate anyone's advice and honesty, no matter how brutal it may be. Here's a little about myself. I am determined to become an osteopathic physician, although my academic record is extremely subpar. Here's my application in a nutshell:

Academic Record

I haven't had the greatest academic record. In fact, in was terrible and my GPA had just a slight upward trend (my grand point average my senior year was 3.3) I graduated in the Spring of 2013 with a bachelors degree in biology with subpar grades at a highly ranked public university. I have retaken some classes several times during college and post bacc at my community college and am currently . I only took and will ace 6 credits this semester, and am planning on acing my classes in the Spring of 2016 (a total of 17 science credits). Assuming this is done, I have calculated my GPAs and they will look like this:

Nonscience GPA - 3.552
Science GPA (AACOMAS) - 3.012
Cumulative GPA - 3.196

I know that my science GPA is attrocious and is on the borderline of making the cut-off at some medical schools, but will my upwards trend help?

Extracurricular Activities

-100 Hours of volunteering in ER
-50 Hours of volunteering at a surgery center
-100 hours shadowing an osteopathic physician
-Interned at my school's public health committee (3 months research, gave lectures)
-premedical society (2010-2013)
-founding father of a fraternity

Work History
-ER transport for 3 years
-Patient Sitter for 1 year
-Morgue technician for 2 years
-This all amounts to 5,000+ hours of clinical experience. I learned a lot from my experiences here and it has motivated me to do everything I can to bring together my resume

Letters of
Recommendation
-2 from my biology professors
-1 from an osteopathic physician
-1 from an allopathic physician
-1 from my RN manager at my work

I am planning on getting at least one more letter of recommendation from my professor.

MCAT
I have started my studying and am planning to take it in April.

I was lazy in college, no excuse for my performance academically. But my experiences at my job have motivated me to do well enough on my MCAT and my post bacc chances to have a chance. I have family as physicians (father and grandfather went to same school), so I hope to carry on the tradition.

Do I have a shot next cycle? Any advice/thoughts? Any response in appreciated.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[goldy490]

Without mcat it's impossible to know, but a solid mcat (508+) would make you a competitive applicant for DO schools. As always, be sure to apply to your state MD schools.

If you can write a good PS based on all that clinical experience that will help a lot

 

[Goro]

DO schools yes.

I've posted on here before but things have happened since then and I appreciate anyone's advice and honesty, no matter how brutal it may be. Here's a little about myself. I am determined to become an osteopathic physician, although my academic record is extremely subpar. Here's my application in a nutshell:

Academic Record

I haven't had the greatest academic record. In fact, in was terrible and my GPA had just a slight upward trend (my grand point average my senior year was 3.3) I graduated in the Spring of 2013 with a bachelors degree in biology with subpar grades at a highly ranked public university. I have retaken some classes several times during college and post bacc at my community college and am currently . I only took and will ace 6 credits this semester, and am planning on acing my classes in the Spring of 2016 (a total of 17 science credits). Assuming this is done, I have calculated my GPAs and they will look like this:

Nonscience GPA - 3.552
Science GPA (AACOMAS) - 3.012
Cumulative GPA - 3.196

I know that my science GPA is attrocious and is on the borderline of making the cut-off at some medical schools, but will my upwards trend help?

Extracurricular Activities

-100 Hours of volunteering in ER
-50 Hours of volunteering at a surgery center
-100 hours shadowing an osteopathic physician
-Interned at my school's public health committee (3 months research, gave lectures)
-premedical society (2010-2013)
-founding father of a fraternity

Work History
-ER transport for 3 years
-Patient Sitter for 1 year
-Morgue technician for 2 years
-This all amounts to 5,000+ hours of clinical experience. I learned a lot from my experiences here and it has motivated me to do everything I can to bring together my resume

Letters of
Recommendation
-2 from my biology professors
-1 from an osteopathic physician
-1 from an allopathic physician
-1 from my RN manager at my work

I am planning on getting at least one more letter of recommendation from my professor.

MCAT
I have started my studying and am planning to take it in April.

I was lazy in college, no excuse for my performance academically. But my experiences at my job have motivated me to do well enough on my MCAT and my post bacc chances to have a chance. I have family as physicians (father and grandfather went to same school), so I hope to carry on the tradition.

Do I have a shot next cycle? Any advice/thoughts? Any response in appreciated.

 

[futurenjdoc]

thank you for the feedback? any other recommendations or feedback??

 

[futurenjdoc]

bump

 

[adrian710]

I plan to apply this cycle as well. MCAT in April just like you. Here is a rough outline of my app. Feel free to critique.

GPA's
3.1/3.3
EC's
- 200 clinical volunteering in ER (Hospital A near my home)
- 80 hours clinical volunteering in ER and Radiology (Hospital B near my school affiliated with MSUCOM)
- 60 hours non-clinical volunteering in Detroit area (soup kitchens, gleaners food bank, etc.)
- Italian tutor for MSU Italian Club
- Human Biology Club Public Relations Committee member
- Fraternity leadership position - Judicial Board
- Fraternity leadership position - Philanthropy Committee
- Semester volunteering for NAP (Narrative Assessment Project) - "Research" where we tested 3-6 year olds reading and writing skills
- Captain of my Fraternity soccer team since Freshman - Senior year
Shadowing
- Shadowed neurologist DO
- Shadowed maxillofacial surgeon DMD MD
- Shadowed urologist MD
Work
- Worked at Supermarket during high school
- Worked at a Pizzeria every summer during college
LoR's
- 1 from neurologist DO
- 1 from maxillofacial surgeon DMD MD
- 1 from genetics prof, 1 from science writing prof, 1 from epi prof

Is it worth to raise GPA 3.2/3.4 with summer classes but apply early/mid July vs applying June 1st with 3.1/3.3???
Can you chance me? MCAT needs to be what to have solid chance?

 

[gyngyn]

I plan to apply this cycle as well. MCAT in April just like you. Here is a rough outline of my app. Feel free to critique.

GPA's
3.1/3.3
EC's
- 200 clinical volunteering in ER (Hospital A near my home)
- 80 hours clinical volunteering in ER and Radiology (Hospital B near my school affiliated with MSUCOM)
- 60 hours non-clinical volunteering in Detroit area (soup kitchens, gleaners food bank, etc.)
- Italian tutor for MSU Italian Club
- Human Biology Club Public Relations Committee member
- Fraternity leadership position - Judicial Board
- Fraternity leadership position - Philanthropy Committee
- Semester volunteering for NAP (Narrative Assessment Project) - "Research" where we tested 3-6 year olds reading and writing skills
- Captain of my Fraternity soccer team since Freshman - Senior year
Shadowing
- Shadowed neurologist DO
- Shadowed maxillofacial surgeon DMD MD
- Shadowed urologist MD
Work
- Worked at Supermarket during high school
- Worked at a Pizzeria every summer during college
LoR's
- 1 from neurologist DO
- 1 from maxillofacial surgeon DMD MD
- 1 from genetics prof, 1 from science writing prof, 1 from epi prof

Is it worth to raise GPA 3.2/3.4 with summer classes but apply early/mid July vs applying June 1st with 3.1/3.3???
Can you chance me? MCAT needs to be what to have solid chance?

You really need your own thread and an MCAT for best feedback. Take a look at the stickey above.

 

[adrian710]

You really need your own thread and an MCAT for best feedback. Take a look at the stickey above.

Mind entertaining me with your thoughts on this:

Is it worth to raise GPA 3.2/3.4 with summer classes but apply early/mid July vs applying June 1st with 3.1/3.3?

 

[candbgirl]

Start your own thread like gyngyn told you to do.

 

[Goro]

Your GPA is lethal for MD school and on life support for DO schools. Autoreject at mine, for example. A 3.3 GPA in your senior year is not an upward trend. It should have been 4.0.

Your fastest route to being a doctor will be by retaking all F/D/C science coursework and aiming for DO schools. If you're boning for the MD, acing an SMP or post-bac in required, along with acing MCAT.

And adrian, same applies to you.

I've posted on here before but things have happened since then and I appreciate anyone's advice and honesty, no matter how brutal it may be. Here's a little about myself. I am determined to become an osteopathic physician, although my academic record is extremely subpar. Here's my application in a nutshell:

Academic Record

I haven't had the greatest academic record. In fact, in was terrible and my GPA had just a slight upward trend (my grand point average my senior year was 3.3) I graduated in the Spring of 2013 with a bachelors degree in biology with subpar grades at a highly ranked public university. I have retaken some classes several times during college and post bacc at my community college and am currently . I only took and will ace 6 credits this semester, and am planning on acing my classes in the Spring of 2016 (a total of 17 science credits). Assuming this is done, I have calculated my GPAs and they will look like this:

Nonscience GPA - 3.552
Science GPA (AACOMAS) - 3.012
Cumulative GPA - 3.196

I know that my science GPA is attrocious and is on the borderline of making the cut-off at some medical schools, but will my upwards trend help?

Extracurricular Activities

-100 Hours of volunteering in ER
-50 Hours of volunteering at a surgery center
-100 hours shadowing an osteopathic physician
-Interned at my school's public health committee (3 months research, gave lectures)
-premedical society (2010-2013)
-founding father of a fraternity

Work History
-ER transport for 3 years
-Patient Sitter for 1 year
-Morgue technician for 2 years
-This all amounts to 5,000+ hours of clinical experience. I learned a lot from my experiences here and it has motivated me to do everything I can to bring together my resume

Letters of
Recommendation
-2 from my biology professors
-1 from an osteopathic physician
-1 from an allopathic physician
-1 from my RN manager at my work

I am planning on getting at least one more letter of recommendation from my professor.

MCAT
I have started my studying and am planning to take it in April.

I was lazy in college, no excuse for my performance academically. But my experiences at my job have motivated me to do well enough on my MCAT and my post bacc chances to have a chance. I have family as physicians (father and grandfather went to same school), so I hope to carry on the tradition.

Do I have a shot next cycle? Any advice/thoughts? Any response in appreciated.