* *2009-2010 "What Are My Chances/Where Should I Apply/What Should I Do" * *

[docorno]

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Decided to delete. No further advice needed.

 

[nerdsmakegraves]

I have a couple of questions about some courses.

I graduated in May of 2008 and I did not take physics. Therefore, since I work full-time during the day and there are no night time or weekend classes in my area, would DO schools accept a distance education physics course? As far as the pre-reqs go, this is the only class I still need to take.

What would DO schools think about a person getting a Master's degree in Health Sciences from the University of South Florida that is distance education based? Yes, I know it is always best to do this type of degree in a classroom setting. Any thoughts? Here is the link: http://health.usf.edu/medicine/graduatestudies/mscus/health_science_page.htm

I want to retake a couple of Cs I got during my undergrad days. Therefore, would DO schools be ok with me retaking these courses via distance education? I know there are some schools that have science courses that can be done via distance education.

What would DO schools think about me taking a couple of online scinece courses from Harvard Extension? The courses are:

BIOS E-234 Principles of Human Disease: Cellular Metabolism
ENSC E-155 Fundamentals of Microfluidics with Applications in Biological Analysis and Discovery
BIOS E-50 Neurobiology
BIOS E-172 Biological Perspectives on HIV and AIDS
BIOS E-235 Principles of Human Disease: Physiology and Pharmacology

If DO schools do not allow a prospective student to take distance education courses (aka accepting the classes), I will just go back to school and just retake the Cs and finish out a couple of degrees in chemistry and biochemistry and then enrolling in a heavy science master's degree program and then apply to DO schools.

Thank you for your time.

I am by no means an expert on this and you should probably talk to a pre-health adviser and/or talk to the specific schools admin department of their preferences.... With that little disclaimer here is my opinion!

Although Physics is not O Chem i still do not think most schools would accept a distance learning class, also how would you do the labs?? Plus there comes into play how do they know YOU actually did the work. Lame, yes, valid, yes as well. I would say find a school to take the class, if this is want you really want to do you can find a way to make it work. I know the distance learning makes life easier but i think the schools really want to see your dedication to getting into med school.

Hmm i am surprised you cannot find any night classes for Physics, try community college, plus summer is coming up, look into those courses. I don't know if you have a flexible job or not but maybe they would let you come in an hour late if you say that hour at the end of the day.

The Masters. I have a Masters in Science in Infectious Diseases and Microbiology and i have to say it has only helped me, but i did it because i wanted to do research. HOWEVER, i did bench research and attended a very good school = awesome letters of recs. The fact that you want to do it as a distance course i don't see it helping you as much as mine did. I think the things you can learn by networking and involvement by being in the classroom is important. Somethings are learned by doing not by reading and taking tests.

At the end of the day, i think you are best off doing the Physics, and if you decide to do a Masters, all in person at local schools, not distance learning. Again, my opinion take it for what its worth!

Good Luck!

 

[Spooner13]

I am from canada (US citizen) , I am planning to send my application to DO school in June, I have a 3.52 (non sci GPA) and a 3.45 sci GPA (aadcom average), I have a 3.8 non sci/ 3.62 sci gpa in my last 3.5 years of school, (with a 2.9 non sci/3.1 sci gpa in my first 2 years, I have 4 repeated classes on my application, and a couple of C's in my last 3.5 years (bio chem and cell bio but I have A's in many other upper level science courses). I am a EMT and I also work as a rehabilitation worker for the Handicapped, I will have more relevant EC's by June, I am also planning to take my MCAT, what do you think my chances are for getting in next year? -Oh I almost forgot, Because Im in canada theres not to many DO's to shadow, because of this I think it will be next to impossible to get one, I can get a MD LOR, but will it be acceptable to schools who require LOR's from DO's. Thanks

I think you are off to a good start at gaining admissions. Your gpa's seem on par with many DO schools. They might be slightly low but they are solid...especially with that upward trend. And I wouldn't worry too much about the repeated courses and C's. A lot of DO schools look at the applicant as a whole. Being an EMT and rehabilitation worker, that shows that you have some great EC's, and adm committees will really like that. If you can/have time, also try to get some volunteer and or shadowing experience. And of course, study hard for that MCAT. Most schools do not require a DO letter and an MD letter will suffice. Plenty of people get in every year with just an MD letter. Look under chocolate bear's signature for a list of schools that require a DO letter. I'm fairly certain that if a school requires a letter, they will not consider you if you don't have one. But you can always call them and double check. Hope that helps. Good luck!

 

[docorno]

I am by no means an expert on this and you should probably talk to a pre-health adviser and/or talk to the specific schools admin department of their preferences.... With that little disclaimer here is my opinion!

Although Physics is not O Chem i still do not think most schools would accept a distance learning class, also how would you do the labs?? Plus there comes into play how do they know YOU actually did the work. Lame, yes, valid, yes as well. I would say find a school to take the class, if this is want you really want to do you can find a way to make it work. I know the distance learning makes life easier but i think the schools really want to see your dedication to getting into med school.

Hmm i am surprised you cannot find any night classes for Physics, try community college, plus summer is coming up, look into those courses. I don't know if you have a flexible job or not but maybe they would let you come in an hour late if you say that hour at the end of the day.

The Masters. I have a Masters in Science in Infectious Diseases and Microbiology and i have to say it has only helped me, but i did it because i wanted to do research. HOWEVER, i did bench research and attended a very good school = awesome letters of recs. The fact that you want to do it as a distance course i don't see it helping you as much as mine did. I think the things you can learn by networking and involvement by being in the classroom is important. Somethings are learned by doing not by reading and taking tests.

At the end of the day, i think you are best off doing the Physics, and if you decide to do a Masters, all in person at local schools, not distance learning. Again, my opinion take it for what its worth!

Good Luck!

Going back to school full-time is what I'm thinking would be the best thing to do. I can try and find a CNA job that I can work full-time during the NOC shift and take courses during the day (I am a certified CNA).

I was mostly just wondering what other people thought or had experiences with.

I'm honestly thinking of just going back to school and retaking a couple of those Cs and finishing degrees in chemistry and biochemistry as I'm only a few credits short of getting a degree in both fields (I have a B.S. in biology). After that I would take the MCAT and apply and if I do not get in I can do a heavy science master's degree.

Thanks for your input. To tell the truth, I think I would do better in classes that are face-to-face anyways.

 

[nerdsmakegraves]

Going back to school full-time is what I'm thinking would be the best thing to do. I can try and find a CNA job that I can work full-time during the NOC shift and take courses during the day (I am a certified CNA).

I was mostly just wondering what other people thought or had experiences with.

I'm honestly thinking of just going back to school and retaking a couple of those Cs and finishing degrees in chemistry and biochemistry as I'm only a few credits short of getting a degree in both fields (I have a B.S. in biology). After that I would take the MCAT and apply and if I do not get in I can do a heavy science master's degree.

Thanks for your input. To tell the truth, I think I would do better in classes that are face-to-face anyways.

I think that is the best. I know it tough because i had to do most of my pre-med classes at night and work during the day as well. It is so hard to pass up those distance learning classes but you will be better off for doing so.

Plus, if you do well in your classes and MCAT, unless you are interested in public health work, you wouldn't have to do the Masters. Also many med schools both MD and DO have MPHs you can complete at the same time.

 

[docorno]

I think that is the best. I know it tough because i had to do most of my pre-med classes at night and work during the day as well. It is so hard to pass up those distance learning classes but you will be better off for doing so.

Plus, if you do well in your classes and MCAT, unless you are interested in public health work, you wouldn't have to do the Masters. Also many med schools both MD and DO have MPHs you can complete at the same time.

The thing is, for one of the other allied healthcare careers (my backup), they will accept distance education courses as long as they are not pre-reps. I know that MD/DO school admissions is a whole different ball game.
There seems to be plenty of schools that offer an MPH via distance education. I've noticed that most of these programs are for people with advanced degrees already. Sure most programs will admit students with just a B.S. degree. I'm interested in a career as a clinical geneticist. So if I do a master's degree, I want to try and at least get a degree that will be somewhat relevant (M.S. of anatomy from the Iowa DO school).

If the Do thing does not work out, I will try to get into a Ph.D. medical genetics program and work for a genetic testing company (not the direct-to-consumer types, but the labs that test clinical tissue for conditions.....the types of labs that send lab results back).

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[chocolaterie]

I wanted to add, that some schools do take distance learning courses.

I'm currently taking a bio course online, but I am required to do 2 in person exams (so they're proctored and I do them on the weekends). But be advised that each med school has their own requirements. 🙂

 

[docorno]

I wanted to add, that some schools do take distance learning courses.

I'm currently taking a bio course online, but I am required to do 2 in person exams (so they're proctored and I do them on the weekends). But be advised that each med school has their own requirements. 🙂

I'm sure some schools do. I'm actually afraid of taking physics online as I have never taken that course before and I don't know how to study for it yet (will research how to study for it when that time comes).

I will still contact some DO schools that I am thinking of applying to in a couple of years if they would be ok with the Harvard University Extension classes. Even so, I know that I still need to go back to school and retake a couple of classes and might as well just finish off a couple of degrees since I'm only a few credits away from getting those degrees.

I have taken four science courses via distance education already (when I was a student). I took those courses out of interest.

What bothers me about online training are the advanced degree programs offering distance education...the programs that work directly with humans. I flat out hate that. There is no way possible to replace clinical training at the bedside with keys on a keyboard and a mouse.

 

[seewag]

I am currently doing my PhD in a cancer hospital. I find the work very interesting but the thought of directly serving people, and at the same time tackling the disease has crossed my mind, many times.
My undergrad GPA is a 3.5 and my masters GPA is 3.88 (just counting actual classes); I am doing ok in the PhD (3.46) but laying all my focus on research and publishing killer papers.
I am very interested in applying to D.O. programs since I am not too confident about my chances for MD. I repeated three classes in my career. I know AMCAS includes ALL classes in GPA calculations. The three classes (taken in sophomore year) for reasons varying from forgetting to drop, missing a final and failing an online class, I have 0.0 GPA for all three (accounting, history and discrete math). I am very paranoid about this. DO schools allow grade replacement. I do realize the 0.0 GPA remain on my transcript (Fs) though.
I still have to take 4 classes of O.chem and physics before I take my MCAT and apply.
My questions are as follows:
1. How do I make a case for my interest in pursuing science as a D.O. /PhD. Not all COMs are research intensive. But does that really matter since I will get my PhD (atleast 3 papers) beforehand?
2. How much should I worry about the three classes. I kinda bothers me while I know it is spilt milk.

 

[cliquesh]

I think you'll be fine, and I wouldn't worry too much about it. Sorry that my response is not longer or more indepth,but I can't see why your PHD or 3 failed classes will be an issue.

I would, however, only apply to schools that have strong research departments if you really want to be a researcher. TCOM, to my knowledge, receives the most NIH funding of all DO schools and CCOM receives the most NIH funding for PRIVATE DO schools.

 

[seewag]

Thanks cliquesh.The recommendations are very much appreciated.

 

[rddoms]

I think you have a great shot at applying to most COM's. I did a MS in BioMed research here at KCOM, and have classmates with PhD's, PharmD's, etc.

Don't worry about the three classes. Too many people (myself included) get too worked up about those situations, and it does you no good. I made it, and had a much worse transcript (oddly enough, I'm doing really well in med school). You have shown with your graduate studies that you could handle the medical school curriculum.

Your first sentence in the post is a GREAT reason for wanting to pursue a medical degree. Start with that. Also, as you probably know, shadow a DO and get some experience with osteopathic medicine. EVERY DO school will like the fact that you have a PhD, regardless of what anyone else says. I think that some schools will like it more, though.

There are a lot of residency programs that allow for training as a physician scientist, and that is where you should be aiming. Make it known that you are interested in both sides of the coin, and you will be fine (especially with a PhD under your belt).

Don't wrooy about the three classes, just go for it.

Good luck!

 

[VCU07]

Excuse this question if it has already been discussed, but is it common to apply to both MD/DO? I understand the DO philosophy and actually agree with it more so than the MD philosophy. They recently opened PCOM-GA (I live in GA) and am considering applying there. I am in an odd situation as I need to stay in/around Atlanta which leaves me with Emory, Morehouse, Mercer, and PCOM-GA. I obtained my PharmD in 2007 and my undergrad and pharm gpa's were both 3.75. I also have tons of clinical/volunteer/research experience and am currently showding. Taking MCAT in March, but my scores have been in the low 20s, which I just can't seem to raise. Not sure what to do, any advice?

 

[Chocolate Bear]

Excuse this question if it has already been discussed, but is it common to apply to both MD/DO? I understand the DO philosophy and actually agree with it more so than the MD philosophy. They recently opened PCOM-GA (I live in GA) and am considering applying there. I am in an odd situation as I need to stay in/around Atlanta which leaves me with Emory, Morehouse, Mercer, and PCOM-GA. I obtained my PharmD in 2007 and my undergrad and pharm gpa's were both 3.75. I also have tons of clinical/volunteer/research experience and am currently showding. Taking MCAT in March, but my scores have been in the low 20s, which I just can't seem to raise. Not sure what to do, any advice?

Yes, many/most applicants who apply DO also apply MD, for a multitude of reasons. 👍

For the MCAT, check out our MCAT forum. 👍

 

[chocolaterie]

I graduated last year with a BA in liberal arts. 3.97 gpa. I was on track to go to law school and came to my senses :-D . I've been taking science courses, and I'm finding I can't put in the same amount of time/effort as I did with my major because my job requires a lot. I can't cut my hours because my husband has been unemployed the last 4 months.

I'm very much a numbers person and worry that I will only get Bs in my remaining prereqs. If this happens, my cgpa will drop to 3.79 and my sci gpa will be 3.3. I know this is around average for DO schools, but I worry that the adcoms will see this as a "downward" trend. Is my concern legitimate? I've worked out a study schedule for the MCAT and I hope to score a 25+ (this is a realistic number for me).

I've worked ft in education for the last 3 years (started as a campus receptionist for a motorcycle school and now I'm a Sr HR Analyst for a CC), shadowed with three different physicians (30+ hrs so far, but hope to gain 60+ hrs), volunteered at a children's center as a reader, writer's guild, volunteer reporter/writer for a national adolescent website (only two articles were ever published), bunch of honor societies, public speaking finalist in a statewide competition, one of the lead roles in a college play, did a Summer French Immersion program in Quebec (I'm a CDN citizen with US permanent residency) and I play the flute. As you can see, I have a few EC's but very few are medically related. This spring break the primary doctor I have been shadowing has invited me to help her with a research article (and she said I would be included as one of the authors).

My school of choice is ATSU-Mesa (I live in Phx and I know I don't get any bonus points for being a resident here). What are my chances?

 

[method1420]

Hey everyone whats up? I'm a junior at Stony Brook University and would really appreciate advice on what to do at this point.

My cum gpa(excluding spring 09') is 2.970. I plan to raise it to 3.078 by the end of this semester. My BCPM is around 2.75 while my non- science is slightly over the 3.0 line. I'm practicing for the MCAT and am confident that my score will at least be a 30, if not higher.

My extraciricculars include EMT certification and practice(100 calls), 200+ volunteering hours in the ER and anesthesiology departments, and a little more than 100 hours of shadowing doctors in both the MD and DO field from general practitce to subspecialties like Anesthesiology and Ophthalmology.

I plan on applying broadly to both MD and DO schools, keeping in mind that I have a more realistic chance of getting accepteed to the DO schools. Does anyone have any advice on what they think I should do?
Thanks

 

[method1420]

Hey everyone whats up? I'm a junior at Stony Brook University and would really appreciate advice on what to do at this point.

My cum gpa(excluding spring 09') is 2.970. I plan to raise it to 3.078 by the end of this semester. My BCPM is around 2.75 while my non- science is slightly over the 3.0 line. I'm practicing for the MCAT and am confident that my score will at least be a 30, if not higher.

My extraciricculars include EMT certification and practice(100 calls), 200+ volunteering hours in the ER and anesthesiology departments, and a little more than 100 hours of shadowing doctors in both the MD and DO field from general practitce to subspecialties like Anesthesiology and Ophthalmology.

I plan on applying broadly to both MD and DO schools, keeping in mind that I have a more realistic chance of getting accepteed to the DO schools. Does anyone have any advice on what they think I should do?
Thanks

 

[Hokie06]

try to bring up your GPA as much as you can. You will definitely need to get 30+ with a low overall and science GPA. Since you have a year left in college, do your best to get A's in most of your classes while taking some upper level science classes and doing well in them also. It seems you have the experience, focus on getting the highest MCAT score possible because they will obviously be weighed heavily. Also start planning on who you are going to ask for recommendations and start seeing them and talking to them regularly so they can write you excellent letters. GL!

 

[Semicolon]

Hey everyone whats up? I'm a junior at Stony Brook University and would really appreciate advice on what to do at this point.

My cum gpa(excluding spring 09') is 2.970. I plan to raise it to 3.078 by the end of this semester. My BCPM is around 2.75 while my non- science is slightly over the 3.0 line. I'm practicing for the MCAT and am confident that my score will at least be a 30, if not higher.

My extraciricculars include EMT certification and practice(100 calls), 200+ volunteering hours in the ER and anesthesiology departments, and a little more than 100 hours of shadowing doctors in both the MD and DO field from general practitce to subspecialties like Anesthesiology and Ophthalmology.

I plan on applying broadly to both MD and DO schools, keeping in mind that I have a more realistic chance of getting accepteed to the DO schools. Does anyone have any advice on what they think I should do?
Thanks

I agree with what Hokie said above. Your greatest weakness (and possibly your only true one) is your GPA, so you definitely have to place most of your effort in improving that.

Remember that AACOMAS is very nice in that they will replace a bad grade with a retake; you should use this to your utmost advantage. You should consider retaking courses you've received a C or below in (this would usually mostly apply to science courses, but since you have a low non-science GPA as well, you should think about retaking some non-science courses as well to improve your overall GPA along with it). Also, don't forget that DO schools do not use the conventional "BCPM GPA" that MD schools use; the most noticeable difference is that math is not included, but if you want a detailed list of the courses that count towards the science GPA check out: https://aacomas.aacom.org/survey/views/applicant/collegesInstructions.html and scroll down to where the subjects are.

Other than that, it sounds like you have some great experiences. Work on making sure that you do your very best on the MCAT; it will NOT cancel out a bad GPA, but it WILL definitely "soften the blow".

Good luck! 👍

 

[method1420]

truee true, thanks hokie and semicolon. I enjoyed reading a lot of your posts, especially the thread where you guys were waiting for your NYCOM admission lolz. congrats btw

I can count on strong letters of recommendation from both my volunteer ER supervisor and an osteopathic physician that I shadowed. I'm also always trying to show up at my BIO professors office hours. Honestly, however, the class is very easy but should I ask him questions(that I already know that answers to) so that he can see I'm putting in effort and that I am not just coming there for a letter of recommendation a couple of months later?

Second, I do plan on taking or retaking some classes, but I dont want to delay my application or apply a year later. How would I go about doing this right? should I somehow mention in my aacom app's that I'm planning on taking it?

 

[BlitzSleep]

Honestly, however, the class is very easy but should I ask him questions(that I already know that answers to) so that he can see I'm putting in effort and that I am not just coming there for a letter of recommendation a couple of months later?

Find out what his research interest is in and drop by to talk about it. Wouldn't hurt to see if you could research with him as well.

 

[Semicolon]

Second, I do plan on taking or retaking some classes, but I dont want to delay my application or apply a year later. How would I go about doing this right? should I somehow mention in my aacom app's that I'm planning on taking it?

It all depends on how many classes you will be retaking and when/where you'll be taking them. You may consider taking classes during winter/summer sessions as well as taking the classes elsewhere (such as at a CC). At some point, however, it may be best to delay your application if it'll mean that you'll be that much better of a candidate in the end.

 

[method1420]

cool that definitely helped.

I don't think I will retake my science courses at a CC because of how it might look if I get an A, I think I can score that A in stony brook.

Do you guys think its better if i just stay an extra year in my current univeristy and retake my weakest courses or should I just graduate as expected and apply to a post- bac/enrichment program or something like that?

 

[docorno]

The thing is, for one of the other allied healthcare careers (my backup), they will accept distance education courses as long as they are not pre-reps. I know that MD/DO school admissions is a whole different ball game.
There seems to be plenty of schools that offer an MPH via distance education. I've noticed that most of these programs are for people with advanced degrees already. Sure most programs will admit students with just a B.S. degree. I'm interested in a career as a clinical geneticist. So if I do a master's degree, I want to try and at least get a degree that will be somewhat relevant (M.S. of anatomy from the Iowa DO school).

If the Do thing does not work out, I will try to get into a Ph.D. medical genetics program and work for a genetic testing company (not the direct-to-consumer types, but the labs that test clinical tissue for conditions.....the types of labs that send lab results back).

Thanks for the feedback.

So I contacted the DO schools that I'm interested in and they don't want the science courses to be taken from distance education. I was interested in those Harvard classes. Oh well.

I have an interview this Wed. for a 3rd shift CNA job for full-time. I would get paid $12.30/hr with State benefits. So now I can use the one hour travel time to take courses at three different universities.

The DO schools also said that my background is strong, stronger than most applicants. So now I just need to improve my sGPA, take the MCAT and see how I do in the admissions game.

 

[docorno]

cool that definitely helped.

I don't think I will retake my science courses at a CC because of how it might look if I get an A, I think I can score that A in stony brook.

Do you guys think its better if i just stay an extra year in my current univeristy and retake my weakest courses or should I just graduate as expected and apply to a post- bac/enrichment program or something like that?

I talked with several schools in the Midwest and they would prefer to have the courses taken at a 4-year college. I took a couple of science courses at a community college when I started this college "thing" and the science courses at the university level were more indepth and better taught (not always the case, as well know).

 

[ilovefishing]

I talked with several schools in the Midwest and they would prefer to have the courses taken at a 4-year college. I took a couple of science courses at a community college when I started this college "thing" and the science courses at the university level were more indepth and better taught (not always the case, as well know).

That's interesting.. I talked to a few of the west coast schools (TUCOM-NV, Western, AZCOM) and told them my situation (basically that I can only afford community college right now) and they said that it would be fine to take some of my science courses there, just that I'd better get an A!

 

[PharmGuyfromIA]

ok...here is the thing. I have been pre-pharm and am currently applying for pharmacy schools. I have a 3.8 gpa and decent PCAT scores, so pretty good chance of getting in I hope. But, i really regret not taking different classes so that i can get into the D.O. program. So...what i am possibly thinking is that i will go to pharm school this year if i get accepted and work towards applying for the D.O. program for the next fall. I do not have a Bach degree...but have gone to three years of undergrad...and have had full year of bio, gen chem, organic chem, english, and 1 semester of physics. however...it has been quite some time since i took physics...so i was thinkin about taking it at a comm college while going to pharm school so it would be a bit easier. but i already have 60 hours from a comm college...so question 1 is could i choose the classes that i want to use to transfer as i know some schools only allow 60 credit hours to transfer from Comm college...question 2...if i take the MCAT's this coming August...would that be enough time to still apply this fall for the following fall at a D.O. school? question 3...could i take physics 2 the summer before going into D.O. school, or would they require me to have it done before this??? thanks guys

 

[beachblonde]

With a few exceptions, medical school admission is contingent upon finishing the degree program in which you are enrolled.

So, for you, applying while in your first year of a pharmacy program-only to drop out if you get an acceptance-is not an option.

Just a heads up.

 

[lastcall]

Do you want the PharmD or D.O. degree? If you don't get into med school, would you be content to finish out the rest of a 4-year pharmacy school program? If you really don't want to be a pharmacist, I would advise you to just finish up the pre-reqs, take the Mcat and then apply to med school.
Not trying to be harsh, just relating from personal experience. Good luck to you.

 

[Bacchus]

ok...here is the thing. I have been pre-pharm and am currently applying for pharmacy schools. I have a 3.8 gpa and decent PCAT scores, so pretty good chance of getting in I hope. But, i really regret not taking different classes so that i can get into the D.O. program. So...what i am possibly thinking is that i will go to pharm school this year if i get accepted and work towards applying for the D.O. program for the next fall. I do not have a Bach degree...but have gone to three years of undergrad...and have had full year of bio, gen chem, organic chem, english, and 1 semester of physics. however...it has been quite some time since i took physics...so i was thinkin about taking it at a comm college while going to pharm school so it would be a bit easier. but i already have 60 hours from a comm college...so question 1 is could i choose the classes that i want to use to transfer as i know some schools only allow 60 credit hours to transfer from Comm college...question 2...if i take the MCAT's this coming August...would that be enough time to still apply this fall for the following fall at a D.O. school? question 3...could i take physics 2 the summer before going into D.O. school, or would they require me to have it done before this??? thanks guys

Can you transfer into a 4-year degree or dual major? I have one friend that dropped Pharmacy completely for biology and another that is dual majoring, thus graduating with a BS in May. He won't finish his Pharmacy degree. I'd contact some schools to see what they say about finishing the PharmD degree.

 

[nlax30]

Yea, you're kind of all over the place with your plans there.

But yea, you are pretty much going to need that bachelor's degree as well as finishing up any other pre-reqs you haven't taken yet.

Honestly if I were you I'd slow down a bit and really decide on which path (pharm, med, etc..) you want to pursue. Frankly I don't think any schools will look favorably on not having a 4-yr degree along with the possibility of you leaving pharm school after 1 year. Plus, why go through the expense and hassle of applying and going through a year of pharm school if you know you'd like to go the med route.

Also, not sure how smart that would be taking additional classes WHILE going to pharm school....

I don't know, I just think you need to step back and really get yourself organized in what you want to do and come up with a realistic plan of how to get there. Does your school have any sort of pre-med advisor?

 

[seelee]

ok...here is the thing. I have been pre-pharm and am currently applying for pharmacy schools. I have a 3.8 gpa and decent PCAT scores, so pretty good chance of getting in I hope. But, i really regret not taking different classes so that i can get into the D.O. program. So...what i am possibly thinking is that i will go to pharm school this year if i get accepted and work towards applying for the D.O. program for the next fall. I do not have a Bach degree...but have gone to three years of undergrad...and have had full year of bio, gen chem, organic chem, english, and 1 semester of physics. however...it has been quite some time since i took physics...so i was thinkin about taking it at a comm college while going to pharm school so it would be a bit easier. but i already have 60 hours from a comm college...so question 1 is could i choose the classes that i want to use to transfer as i know some schools only allow 60 credit hours to transfer from Comm college...question 2...if i take the MCAT's this coming August...would that be enough time to still apply this fall for the following fall at a D.O. school? question 3...could i take physics 2 the summer before going into D.O. school, or would they require me to have it done before this??? thanks guys

Applying to a graduate program with a clear intention not to finish is lame. There are students who did not get in who had every intention to finish. If you think you want to go D.O. then do it.

1. Those are questions that you need to take up with your specific undergraduate institution. In general though, if you are taking a physics class at a CC after having taken classes at a 4-year college so that "it will be easier" med schools will be wise to you. Better to maybe audit the first semester or get a review book to refresh your memory. Either way talk to the professor who teaches it and ask what concepts are necessary to understand for taking the second half of physics.
2. If you take the MCAT this August, then you will be set to enter school in the Fall of 2010.
3. Since there is no chance of you getting into DO school for Fall of 2009, you have a whole year to take the second half of physics.

 

[mebridges]

DO schools look for students who are well-rounded, personable, and show complete dedication to pursuing their future career. I made a 21P on my 1st MCAT, still waiting on my 2nd MCAT score (which doesn't really matter too much now), my overall GPA is currently a 3.14, my science GPA is close to a 2.9, and I have a TON (literally probably 4 or 5 pages) of community service involvement and extracurricular activities. I also volunteered in an emergency room and worked for a professor in a histology lab. Your numbers don't have to be fantastic (it's easier if they are, but not necessary really), you just have to show that you work hard and you're dedicated.

I just got accepted, and one thing that I remember coming up over and over again during my interview was "is this really what you want to do? are you sure you're going to be dedicated to this for years to come? etc.." They are looking for responsible, motivated, hard working students, not just the brainiacs.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

DO schools look for students who are well-rounded, personable, and show complete dedication to pursuing their future career. I made a 21P on my 1st MCAT, still waiting on my 2nd MCAT score (which doesn't really matter too much now), my overall GPA is currently a 3.14, my science GPA is close to a 2.9, and I have a TON (literally probably 4 or 5 pages) of community service involvement and extracurricular activities. I also volunteered in an emergency room and worked for a professor in a histology lab. Your numbers don't have to be fantastic (it's easier if they are, but not necessary really), you just have to show that you work hard and you're dedicated.

I just got accepted, and one thing that I remember coming up over and over again during my interview was "is this really what you want to do? are you sure you're going to be dedicated to this for years to come? etc.." They are looking for responsible, motivated, hard working students, not just the brainiacs.

Congratulations on achieving your dream! Others who have a similar application as yours should know that they face an uphill battle, should apply broadly, plan to remediate any shortcomings, and not give up if they don't get accepted during a cycle.

However, it's nice to hear that schools can look past numbers and see when a good future physician applies, like yourself. Thanks for sharing! 🙂

 

[CardioPlus]

Hey everyone, I am just looking for some opinions about my chances for the 09-10 cycle from people who have gone through or are currently in the app process.
-3.45 GPA, strong upward trend, although I do have 2 Ws. 😳(One was because I was taking 20 cr and I would rather take orgo2 in the summer, ended up with an A in the summer. The 2nd i've just had some health things going on in the fam, nd that combined with studying for mcat + apps is not good haha)
-3.20 sGPA
-110 hrs shadowing
-200+ volunteer hours in an ER
-DO letter in hand! 🙂 lol and solid other LOR
-90 hrs volunteer on a medical mission trip
-MCAT in June/July I figure I need at least a 27 to be competitive with my low sGPA
-NY resident
I really would like to get into any D.O. program so I will prob be applying to half of the 25 schools. Any thoughts? I appreciate any feedback! You can also PM if you would rather do that. Thanks!

 

[Postictal Raiden]

Hey everyone, I am just looking for some opinions about my chances for the 09-10 cycle from people who have gone through or are currently in the app process.
-3.45 GPA, strong upward trend, although I do have 2 Ws. 😳(One was because I was taking 20 cr and I would rather take orgo2 in the summer, ended up with an A in the summer. The 2nd i've just had some health things going on in the fam, nd that combined with studying for mcat + apps is not good haha)
-3.20 sGPA
-110 hrs shadowing
-200+ volunteer hours in an ER
-DO letter in hand! 🙂 lol and solid other LOR
-90 hrs volunteer on a medical mission trip
-MCAT in June/July I figure I need at least a 27 to be competitive with my low sGPA
-NY resident
I really would like to get into any D.O. program so I will prob be applying to half of the 25 schools. Any thoughts? I appreciate any feedback! You can also PM if you would rather do that. Thanks!

If I were you, I would apply to all 25 DO programs

 

[beckhunter116]

Hey everyone, I am just looking for some opinions about my chances for the 09-10 cycle from people who have gone through or are currently in the app process.
-3.45 GPA, strong upward trend, although I do have 2 Ws. 😳(One was because I was taking 20 cr and I would rather take orgo2 in the summer, ended up with an A in the summer. The 2nd i've just had some health things going on in the fam, nd that combined with studying for mcat + apps is not good haha)
-3.20 sGPA
-110 hrs shadowing
-200+ volunteer hours in an ER
-DO letter in hand! 🙂 lol and solid other LOR
-90 hrs volunteer on a medical mission trip
-MCAT in June/July I figure I need at least a 27 to be competitive with my low sGPA
-NY resident
I really would like to get into any D.O. program so I will prob be applying to half of the 25 schools. Any thoughts? I appreciate any feedback! You can also PM if you would rather do that. Thanks!

I would study hard for the MCAT, as your science GPA is lower than your overall. Ensure the best score you can and so you only have to take it once.

Next, do you have any volunteering outside of medicine? Adcoms want to see well-rounded applicants. You may want to add that as you have a few months before app cycle.

 

[CardioPlus]

Good idea, I actually forgot to mention that I'm currently:
- volunteering at a local community organization, working in food pantry, clerical tasks(basically anything they need me to do) and I should have around 50-60 hrs their by the time I apply.
--also forgot to mention that I have significant extracurricular exp in music, dance, and i'm also an officer of a club( for some leadership exp or what not).

That's good to hear though they value well rounded applicants. Well I can only hope in my case!

 

[hereitgoesagain]

.

 

[Semicolon]

Hey everyone, I am just looking for some opinions about my chances for the 09-10 cycle from people who have gone through or are currently in the app process.
-3.45 GPA, strong upward trend, although I do have 2 Ws. 😳(One was because I was taking 20 cr and I would rather take orgo2 in the summer, ended up with an A in the summer. The 2nd i've just had some health things going on in the fam, nd that combined with studying for mcat + apps is not good haha)
-3.20 sGPA
-110 hrs shadowing
-200+ volunteer hours in an ER
-DO letter in hand! 🙂 lol and solid other LOR
-90 hrs volunteer on a medical mission trip
-MCAT in June/July I figure I need at least a 27 to be competitive with my low sGPA
-NY resident
I really would like to get into any D.O. program so I will prob be applying to half of the 25 schools. Any thoughts? I appreciate any feedback! You can also PM if you would rather do that. Thanks!

It all looks pretty good to me. If you CAN manage at least a 27 and raise that GPA a bit, I'd say you have a good chance this coming cycle. Just get in those apps/secondaries early. 👍

If I were you, I would apply to all 25 DO programs

I hope you're kidding. 😱

 

[chkntony]

Hi,
I have overall GPA of 3.35 and Science GPA of 2.96.
I am taking MCAT on this April.
I graduated from undergrad in 2007 and working as a research technician since then. I'm also in a Masters program which I started this semester.

My plan was to apply this year to DO school and some MD schools.
However, I met my advisor from undergrad and she said I have almost no chance of getting in to MD or DO school because of my low Science GPA.
She suggested waiting another year to take some science classes to raise my science gpa and take MCAT later.

Let say I have MCAT score of like 25-26 (DO school average).
Do I really have no chance of getting in or very difficult because of my GPA? My advisor did really great job discouraging me.🙁

 

[rddoms]

Apply this year, as long as your MS grades look good. It never hurts to try(unless you are really broke). People have been accepted with those scores.

Good luck!

 

[Eudjinn]

you have no shot at MD schools unless you get a 35 on your mcat or even higher probably would be needed.

you do have a shot at DO schools depending on your EC's, experience, etc. if it makes you feel better, I had a 3.3 overall gpa and a 2.98 science or something like that and got into 3 DO schools with a 26 MCAT. This was a year ago so keep in mind the stats are rising every year.

don't get discouraged. 95% of undergraduate pre-med advisors are pretty much *****s. hope that helps.

 

[CardioPlus]

Thanks Semicolon, Now I gotta get moving on my mcat studying haha july is going to come way to fast!

 

[Frankdotcom]

Hey guys! I'll throw my hat in the ring...

cGPA around a 2.96-3.00

sGPA - 3.78 (extremely lopsided, i know!!)

4.0 for past ~50 hours of post bacc coursework (all sciences)

MCAT - Taking in April

EC's = ER nurse in trauma center for 2 years, 1 year of free clinic volunteering as a RN, DO shadowing.

Chances with that cGPA? I have SO MANY credits that it really doesn't like to budge. I think an A in a 4 hour class bumps it up around .02 points.

Also, I'll be applying with organic 2 still left to take. Will this be a hinderance? Thanks!

 

[chkntony]

How reliable are the undergrad advisors? I know they give us the numbers (ie, gpa and mcat) to decide wheter I'm competitive or not. But do they benefit if the acceptance rate increases within a cohort?

How much do medical schools rely on science gpa?

Will it change that much if I take 3-4 science classes in this year?

(I'm graduated from undergrad since 2007)

 

[pdeco1]

If a application had a 2.7 ugrad GPA and a science GPA of 4.0 with a strong 30+ MCAT and lots of quality ECs and D.O LOR. Would that still not be enough to offset the low non trad GPA?

I was caught up in an Econ major that I was never interested in and could not get out of. Instead of dropping out I made my way though it and graduated. I am going back to take the science pre reqs most of which I have not taken.

Am I destined for an SMP no matter how well I do on the mcat and the pre reqs?

 

[Grey Wind]

Hey guys! I'll throw my hat in the ring...

cGPA around a 2.96-3.00

sGPA - 3.78 (extremely lopsided, i know!!)

4.0 for past ~50 hours of post bacc coursework (all sciences)

MCAT - Taking in April

EC's = ER nurse in trauma center for 2 years, 1 year of free clinic volunteering as a RN, DO shadowing.

Chances with that cGPA? I have SO MANY credits that it really doesn't like to budge. I think an A in a 4 hour class bumps it up around .02 points.

Also, I'll be applying with organic 2 still left to take. Will this be a hinderance? Thanks!

I'm in same situation and would love some opinions!

 

[thethethe]

hi guys!!!

what do you think my chances are?
overall 3.49
Science 3.42
mcat-28O
1.5 years of neuroscience research in college.
will have 2 years of clinical genetics research before class of 2010 (hopefully)
about 100 hrs of volunteer at a hospital
shadowed an emergency medicine DO, with a LOR

I really hope I can get into NYCOM. I'm from NYC and would love to stay near home.

thanks

 

[Bacchus]

hi guys!!!

what do you think my chances are?
overall 3.49
Science 3.42
mcat-28O
1.5 years of neuroscience research in college.
will have 2 years of clinical genetics research before class of 2010 (hopefully)
about 100 hrs of volunteer at a hospital
shadowed an emergency medicine DO, with a LOR

I really hope I can get into NYCOM. I'm from NYC and would love to stay near home.

thanks

I don't want to get you lax, but you definitely look good going into the upcoming cycle. I had a 29Q, 3.47sci/3.51cum going in and got accepted to the three places I interviewed at (VCOM, LECOM, PCOM) and had invitation invites to DMU and CCOM. Look at my MDApps for more info.

But, that said, I think you're gonna have a great shot!