1st time reapplicant looking for input.

[Nafeeza]

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Hey, I'm Nafeeza and I'm just looking for some opinions on my situation.
I usually avoid these forums, because I see people getting 36T on their MCAT's and freaking out and that in turn makes me freak out.

I graduated with my bachelors in biochemistry at Marshall in WV. I got rejected from med school this year, from everywhere i applied. I took it in June 2008 and got a 26R and then retook it in August 2008 and got a 19S. Absurd, I know. I have no idea how it decreased so significantly. Anyways.. I had a 3.47 cumulative at Marshall, my science was probably low, about 3.2-3.3.

I'm doing my MPH at Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in International Development and Health focusing on Infectious Disease. I have a 3.75GPA there now. I'm retaking the MCAT on June 18th and reapplying for Fall 2010. I'm doing a practicum experience for my degree this summer in Guyana for the World Health Organization and taking a summer course in Suriname about the Public Health threats there. I've also volunteered in India and Nepal for about 5 weeks in November 2008, which really inspired me to do my MPH.

I dont have a perfect GPA or MCAT score. Do ya'll even think I stand a chance? I'm not looking to go to columbia, just to my state.

Be honest. I'm not looking for sugar coating, haha. I dont think that problem exists here though.
Thanks and gl to the reapps.

 

[beckhunter116]

Ok, well the MPH won't be looked at too highly as it isn't science intense, but at least you have added something to your application.

Your best chance is to rock the MCAT. When you went from a 26 to 19 this is like the kiss of death. I believe the only way to overcome this is to at least break 30 and possible 35+. Hopefully others with more experience will comment on what you need.

Also, you need to be applying to as many schools as possible (lower-tier) as early as possible.

Since you are at Tulane now, see if you could schedule a meeting with an admissions counselor from the medical school and see what they suggest. You may have to look into a SMP. Good luck!

 

[Thomas Hearns]

You could try checking out those "linked" post-bac programs or whatever. I don't know much about them, but I've heard a bit about them here, you'd have to do more research. You go into the program linked to a medical school, and if you maintain a certain GPA or something like that you are granted acceptance. Columbia seems like a bit of a reach, but just read around, see what other people have experienced.

 

[DMF2009]

lol no sugarcoating. kk if that's the case... have you considered Osteopathic Medicine? judging by your GPA and your previous MCAT score, you have a much better chance there than getting into an Allopathic Medicine. so if i were in your shoes, i'd do the following:

1) nail the MCAT in June. this will determine for the most part if you have a shot at Allopathic or if you should focus on Osteopathic. if you get a 30+ then apply to both schools of medicine. you shouldn't limit yourself. if you get somewhere in the mid 20s, then strongly consider Osteopathic medicine.

2) enhance your extracurriculars/LoR. judging by your background, i'm going to assume that this area is one of your strenghts. try to find and shadow a D.O. and get a letter of rec, if you do decide to go for Osteopathic medicine.

3) apply early and boardly. don't limit yourself to your state school. beggers can't be choosers right? ;-P i think AACOMAS opened up on May 1st as oppose to AMCAS which opens June 1st.

as stated by beck, MPH won't wow the adcom, but it's still helps in the fact that it makes you stick out from the other candidate. but still, MCAT and GPA are the two most important factors in my opinion. alot of schools use those two scores to come up with a composite score to determine if you even get an interview (for the most part). so yea... bottom line, you have to do well on your MCAT.

and don't stress over all the ppl getting 35+ on their MCAT here on these forums. the reason why so many of them get these scores is because everyone else who doesn't do well, don't post their scores!!! anyways, good luck and hopefully you'll get interviews by fall/winter!

p.s.- if they ask during the interview about your MCAT score, you can tell them that you were going through a tough time in your life, but you've managed to move past it (assuming you do well this time around) and worked hard to push yourself through any adversity placed in your way of achieving your goal of becoming a doctor. if all else fails, there's always International Med Schools.

 

[ChairmanMao]

Hey, I'm Nafeeza and I'm just looking for some opinions on my situation.
I usually avoid these forums, because I see people getting 36T on their MCAT's and freaking out and that in turn makes me freak out.

I graduated with my bachelors in biochemistry at Marshall in WV. I got rejected from med school this year, from everywhere i applied. I took it in June 2008 and got a 26R and then retook it in August 2008 and got a 19S. Absurd, I know. I have no idea how it decreased so significantly. Anyways.. I had a 3.47 cumulative at Marshall, my science was probably low, about 3.2-3.3.

I'm doing my MPH at Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in International Development and Health focusing on Infectious Disease. I have a 3.75GPA there now. I'm retaking the MCAT on June 18th and reapplying for Fall 2010. I'm doing a practicum experience for my degree this summer in Guyana for the World Health Organization and taking a summer course in Suriname about the Public Health threats there. I've also volunteered in India and Nepal for about 5 weeks in November 2008, which really inspired me to do my MPH.

I dont have a perfect GPA or MCAT score. Do ya'll even think I stand a chance? I'm not looking to go to columbia, just to my state.

Be honest. I'm not looking for sugar coating, haha. I dont think that problem exists here though.
Thanks and gl to the reapps.

I think you should have stopped when you hit that 26. Based on your testing history, I would say that you probably topped out at that score. If you had appled to DO schools with that 26 and a 3.47, you would have stood a very good chance of being accepted by several DO programs (though MD programs would have been a stretch). Now that you retook it and your score dropped back down to 19, I would say that you probably jeapordized your chances of being accepted by both DO and MD programs. Here's why: a lot of DO and MD schools either take the most recent MCAT score into consideration, or they average your MCAT score from all of your exams.

Assuming that you retake the MCAT and score really well (30+), you're still in the running for DO schools and if you do really well (35+) maybe for MD schools as well. However, if you score somewhere around where you previously scored (high teens or mid-twenties), your chances of going to medical school are going to be almost nil. Combined with your lower than average overall and science GPA, your application might get screened out. Although you did well in your grad program, the fact is that a lot of medical schools don't consider graduate school GPAs in their decision because most med school applicants didn't go to graduate school.

I wish I could help you out. It sounds like you received a lot of bad advice or weren't well-informed about the medical application process when you were in college. Retaking the MCAT 5 times and going off to do an MPH instead of a post-bac program (or taking higher level science classes) probably won't help your application. The reason why the MCAT is so important for admission to medical school is because you'll have to take the USMLE or COMLEX when you are in medical school - and those exams are much more difficult than the MCAT. Ultimately, I think the results of your June 18th MCAT are going to determine where you go. If things don't work out, consider doing a PA or nursing program or going a different route (i.e. International or Carribbean medical school) if you're still determined to become a practicing physician.

 

[slick27]

I would either start looking at DO programs or maybe even other careers. Unless you do something complety different on this upcomming mcat (30 plus) you will not have a shot at md school. The mph will only be looked at as a EC. You must have the numbers first.

I have a 3.8 and 29O mcat, but since i'm not a urm and live in a tough state to get into, I am heading to DO school in the fall. I can't believe your mcat changed so much. I took it twice four years apart and scored within one point of my pervious score. Hopefully your third mcat will prove that the 19 is a fluke (on the upside).