Would Love Some Advice, Please!

[Sed8&Intub8]

I am about to turn 27, I finished undergrad in 2009, finished a master's program (microbiology) in 2013.

I was fine/set on going the D.O. route for med school but recently I found out that some of the humanitarian NGOs I was really interested in working for don't accept the DO degree! So now I really need to pursue MD.

I don't have have MCAT score yet, I took it a little over a week ago, so I know this is a major piece here. My AAMC average was 35. My undergrad GPA is low, but I had to work full time throughout undergrad :/ so I did what I could.

AACOM GPA = 3.60 (non-science), 3.36 (science), 3.46 (cumulative)
AMCAS GPA = 3.37 (cGPA), 3.26 (sGPA)

In the GPA is my graduate GPA which is a 3.6 of all science class. My first semester didn't go so well (all B's), after I figured out how to study, I had almost all A's in the next 3 semesters with a GPA of 3.82.

As for ECs, they are stellar (sorry not trying to be arrogant). Thousands of hours of EMS experience, working with special olympics, inner-city kids, refugees, big brother, 1st and 2nd author papers, regional and national abstracts and oral presentations, tutoring, TA, shadowing, going to be a scribe, and more...

So basically, with what I have, any advice on how to make myself a more competitive applicant for MD schools? I know I can't budge my GPA because I have 2 undergrad degrees and one graduate degree. But just taking more classes and getting A's, would that help?

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[kenjixshadow]

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[soggydog]

I think your stats make you a pretty good candidate. Apply broadly to MD schools and if you have the time and money, maybe look into SMP programs? A friend of mine took an SMP program and updated every school with their grades after every exams and ended up with 3 MD acceptances. If not, just continue to do things to ramp up your application like volunteering, shadowing, and any clinical experience you can get and update your schools.

 

[Law2Doc]

I am about to turn 27, I finished undergrad in 2009, finished a master's program (microbiology) in 2013.

I was fine/set on going the D.O. route for med school but recently I found out that some of the humanitarian NGOs I was really interested in working for don't accept the DO degree! So now I really need to pursue MD.

I don't have have MCAT score yet, I took it a little over a week ago, so I know this is a major piece here. My AAMC average was 35. My undergrad GPA is low, but I had to work full time throughout undergrad :/ so I did what I could.

AACOM GPA = 3.60 (non-science), 3.36 (science), 3.46 (cumulative)
AMCAS GPA = 3.37 (cGPA), 3.26 (sGPA)

In the GPA is my graduate GPA which is a 3.6 of all science class. My first semester didn't go so well (all B's), after I figured out how to study, I had almost all A's in the next 3 semesters with a GPA of 3.82.

As for ECs, they are stellar (sorry not trying to be arrogant). Thousands of hours of EMS experience, working with special olympics, inner-city kids, refugees, big brother, 1st and 2nd author papers, regional and national abstracts and oral presentations, tutoring, TA, shadowing, going to be a scribe, and more...

So basically, with what I have, any advice on how to make myself a more competitive applicant for MD schools? I know I can't budge my GPA because I have 2 undergrad degrees and one graduate degree. But just taking more classes and getting A's, would that help?

First, you don't have an MCAT score until you have one, so I don't think it's fruitful to play the "assume I get a 35" game.
Second, it's rare to be able to pay off student loans and earn a living working with an NGO. This is usually something doctors do later in their career, to give back. So it's not nearly as common for nontrads, who already start their careers later to end up in these, and are often a bit less idealistic by the time they get through. Its also quite possible with the potential MD-DO "merger" efforts that this concern won't even be relevant by then.
But the bottom line is I agree that if your mcat is good, your credentials are probably adequate for "someplace MD" and so you'll just need to apply broadly and widely to try and find where that someplace happens to be.

 

[Sed8&Intub8]

First, you don't have an MCAT score until you have one, so I don't think it's fruitful to play the "assume I get a 35" game.
Second, it's rare to be able to pay off student loans and earn a living working with an NGO. This is usually something doctors do later in their career, to give back. So it's not nearly as common for nontrads, who already start their careers later to end up in these, and are often a bit less idealistic by the time they get through. Its also quite possible with the potential MD-DO "merger" efforts that this concern won't even be relevant by then.
But the bottom line is I agree that if your mcat is good, your credentials are probably adequate for "someplace MD" and so you'll just need to apply broadly and widely to try and find where that someplace happens to be.

Thanks for your message! I'm never said I am assuming I have a 35, I just stated my average, I have no idea how I did, and I did say that it's a major piece that I don't have an MCAT score yet. Finance wise, the Swedish government will help me out quite a bit, and I am saving most of my income right now for med school, so thats not a concern. Personally, I want to work for NGO's when I am younger rather than older because I have worked with them and I know the tough lifestyle. I don't know how the merger is going to effect European organizations.

 

[Law2Doc]

Thanks for your message! I'm never said I am assuming I have a 35, I just stated my average, I have no idea how I did, and I did say that it's a major piece that I don't have an MCAT score yet. Finance wise, the Swedish government will help me out quite a bit, and I am saving most of my income right now for med school, so thats not a concern. Personally, I want to work for NGO's when I am younger rather than older because I have worked with them and I know the tough lifestyle. I don't know how the merger is going to effect European organizations.

My bad -- Didn't realize we weren't talking about coming from US undergrad. (you didn't specify where you are doing schooling, visa status, etc -- it matters). If you are a graduate from a foreign country applying to US med schools, I'm not sure most of the advice you see on this board will be relevant or helpful to you. You'll want to peruse the international boards on this site and try to find people who have made similar transitions.

 

[Sed8&Intub8]

My bad -- Didn't realize we weren't talking about coming from US undergrad. (you didn't specify where you are doing schooling, visa status, etc -- it matters). If you are a graduate from a foreign country applying to US med schools, I'm not sure most of the advice you see on this board will be relevant or helpful to you. You'll want to peruse the international boards on this site and try to find people who have made similar transitions.

I am an American grad and an American citizen. I am also a Swedish citizen. As a Swedish citizen they will help me pay for school for upto 3 years I think, and I chose to wait to use that benefit until med school. They will help pay for education abroad (US).