Hi,
I'm currently a sophmore (Bio major) and I plan on starting applications next spring. But, I would like to see where I currently am in regards to my credentials to see if I'm the right path or not for a shot at a DO school.
I currently have a cumulative GPA of 3.4 and a science GPA of 3.0 (I know this isn't a stellar GPA). I've had a few bad grades, including a C+ in Chemistry II, C+ in Physics I, a C in Orgo 1, and a D in Orgo 2. I know these are bad grades. Regarding physics, I did get an A in Physics II so hopefully they can see that I improved. Regarding Orgo, when I took Orgo 1, that semester my grandpa passed away and took a big toll on me and I didn't do well. This really carried over to the next semester when I took Orgo 2 and hurt me understanding the concepts and I ended up with a terrible grade of D. I plan on retaking Orgo II this summer.
Regarding EC's, I don't have much yet. I volunteer at my local volunteer ambulance squad as a Non-EMT and also volunteer at another volunter ambulance squad as well. I will be volunteering at a local hospital this summer and I also applied to a job as an ER Tech at another hospital. I also do religious service/volunteer to my church if that counts. (Side note: do they check as to where you did volunteer service and how many hours? Because I don't have documentation on these volunteer hours so I'm wondering if they contact the organizations directly?)
I can't find a DO doctor to shadow and I've applied to many research positions but no luck as of yet. I will start MCAT prep this summer and plan on taking it next spring (around April or so) and hopefully do well.
I'm hoping someone can chime in on my current status and tell me if those bad grades really will destroy my chances of an acceptance.
Thank you very much.
Relax, you're still a sophmore. You've got plenty of time to improve your application. Take some upper division science classes, get As in them preferably, and make sure you have Cs in pre-requisites...which you do (except for Orgo 2 but you're re-taking it so good).
Most schools don't have time to check up on every applicant's volunteer hours so estimate the hours and keep track of them. And if they do contact the organization directly, I'm sure whoever they contact will verify your information. Just be honest, and you've got nothing to worry about.
You'll find somebody to shadow eventually...just keep trying. Try and shadow at least 30 hours. The more, the better. But 30-50 hours is a good range.
Get some non-medical ECs. It can be something simple like volunteering with habitat for humanity or tutoring high school kids. Whatever you want to do, do it.
Lot of times, your professors have some on-going research projects that you can jump in on. Just tell them that you want to dabble in something for at least a semester. If you find research isn't for you, then you at least have something to show in your application. If you do like it, then you can do more of it and maybe get a poster out of it. Bottom line, it would look good. But understand that research isn't completely necessary if you're applying to DO schools. Plenty of folks get in without any type of research.
Your bad grades won't destroy your chances. But you can significantly improve your chances with the time you have. Lot of us, including yours truly, started out college with terrible grades. Turn yourself around and show yourself first that you can handle academics and kick ass! If you can manage this, the application process becomes much more simpler and relaxing.
I'm trying to decide on DO or MD schools. I'm feeling a /little/ bit better about my chances since my practice MCAT's are going well and my calculated GPA is higher than I thought it was.
I'm trying to balance some fundamental feelings I have about where I want to take my life after med school. I really, really like the feeling I get reading about the philosophy of DO's and the way the schools seem to care more about character. Pre-osteo people seem more like people I would enjoy being around for 4 years (I've met way too many stuck-up pre-allo...). I feel very strongly that more holistic approach to medicine can be very beneficial, although I have a firm faith in science and more traditional methods too. I think osteopathy offers a middle-ground for me there. However, I don't want to go into family practice. I'm interested in pathology/internal medicine... and someday, I might want to go into research. I like finding out new things and new ways to do things, and I would like to contribute to overall scientific knowledge... not to downplay the fact that for the most part, I just want to help people. I don't know if getting my DO will help me there. Though, if I've been successful in my field for a number of years, I don't see why a DO with ideas wouldn't be welcomed by the research community... not being a part of that community yet, I wouldn't know.
On the financial end, AACOMAS is offering me help with the fees for applications while the AMCAS requires verification from my parents (who will not provide it). I cannot afford to apply to both MD and DO... I will still be paying a little to AACOMAS so that I can apply more broadly, but if I blow $2-400 there, then I won't have money to put into AMCAS. Vice-versa. My numbers for DO application are good (particularly if I do as well on the MCAT as I have been in practice ~30), but for MD, my GPA is borderline (3.4). My personal story really makes my application, but I think I'm more likely to have that looked at by a DO school.
Any advice would be really cool. ^.^
Hmm, any way you can borrow money for application? A small loan perhaps? Sell something? It's terrible to hear that application fees are holding you back from applying to MD & DO schools.
Now, just because you're going to be a DO doesn't mean you'll be stuck practicing family practice and you won't be able to do research. Modern medicine doesn't live in 19th century where DOs are treated as second class citizens.
There are plenty of research heavy DO schools. VCOM comes to mind. I'm not interested in research therefore I do not know in detail about research heavy DO schools, but I know that they are out there. You'd need to search around school's website and this forum to get an idea of which schools offer variety in research opportunities.
Just this year, somebody from PCOM-GA matched into opthomalogy research position at a prominent instuition in Philly. Also, if you look at match lists in the DO forum, you'll see that tons and tons of people match into specialities other than family practice, internal medicine, and pediatrics.
This is going to sound cliche but you can be anybody you want to be after you get your DO degree.
I think your GPA is good for DO schools, and it's probably good for your state MD school(s). Any other MD schools will be a long shot and in your financial situation, it's a tough decision to make whether or not you want to apply to those "far out" MD schools.
This might not be something anyone would feel comfortable answering, but I thought I'd ask anyway!
I'm from the west coast and I'd like to do my residency here and work here after residency. I'd also like to specialize as a doctor. What would be the top schools for me to look at? Should I be looking more geographically, or looking at the most established schools... or both? If someone could make me a list of schools to look into, that would be cool 😀
Thank you all, again!
Look at CIB and the school listings. I gave you an answer earlier regarding the issue of applying to strictly west coast schools if you want a residency in west coast.
Going with the most established schools is always a good thing because of their extensive connections with residency programs around the country.
cGPA - 3.84
sGPA - 3.84
MCAT - Havn't taken (scheduled July 30th)
EC's - Shadowed 2 doctors (have LOR from both), AED, Volunteer at ER and hospice, literacy tutor.
Worked through undergraduate and will be taking a CNA course over the summer to be certified and begin working over this next year. I would like to get into CCOM, MSUCOM, PCOM, or NOVA. Thoughts?
Don't screw up on the MCAT (i.e. get a balanced score and don't score below 25) and you're a shoe in for those schools.
would be senior this fall. I have 3.9c GPa and 3.94 in science. My MCAT score was only 25 ( I did work hard for these average scores. BS 10, PS 8 and verbal 7). I have lot of EC. However only 75 hours of shadowing or clinical work and volunteer in a health clinic ( another 50 hours). My question is : should I apply now or wait to take new MCAT. Since I worked hard, not sure, how much I will improve. Which D. O. colleges, these stats would be competetive? Will appreciate any advice.
Your MCAT is pretty average. I say go ahead and apply. When you get your new MCAT scores, send them to the schools.
Get a LOR from a DO, look at the MCAT averages for the schools (they are usually found on their website or you can call up admissions), and apply!
Okay...here goes my stats and story. Much thanks to CB for walking me through a lot of my decision making via PM so far.
I am a full time Chiropractor, working 50ish hours a week. Currently studying for the MCAT with a sit date of July 31.
My undergrad has a pretty poor showing for my first year. The reasons for this are reflected in my personal statement, no need to rehash it here
Suffice it to say, I had more "C" grades than anything in a lot of my medical pre-reqs.
My current AACOMAS gpa is right at a 2.99/3.00. They have taken down my GPA calculations to see if my recent change put me at the 3.0 mark. My sGPA is a 2.74/2.75. Again, I cannot see if my changes have put me over the cutoff mark.
I figure I have two choices. I can start retaking courses this summer at the local community college with 3-4 courses completed by the end of Fall semester. With improved grades in those courses, my GPA would be improved and I can submit my AACOMAS after December.
I could submit my AACOMAS now and continue with my plan to retake courses. My fear with this idea is that I would be filtered out of some schools due to being on the cusp of minimum undergrad standards.
I have a meeting with LECOM-B admissions this Friday, so I plan on asking all these questions and see what they recommend. Retake courses and apply very late, or apply early and risk being screened out.
My EC's are good I think. 2,500+ hours of community and church volunteer work from 2007 to present. Over 100 hours of organizing and leading teams of volunteers into government housing to do repairs, working at the salvation army, hubbard house which houses cancer patients who need extended stay housing etc. 500+ hours spent in Viet Nam on a medical trip. We went into villages and hospitals to care for the people as we could.
I am currently shadowing a DO who specializes in OMM/Musculoskeletal and a Family Practice MD. I have LOR's from a Theologian/Philosopher who I took courses under at a local seminary. He used to teach at Princeton with Einstein and lived next door to him, as well as LOR's from two of my professors from Chiropractic college. An MD and DC.
So, that is my story. I have put a tremendous amount of energy and time into this process so far. Sure, I am bummed about my low undergrad GPA which I had forgotten about I suppose but all I can do is change gears a bit and chug ahead. I am putting in well over 80 hours a week with my current clinic schedule, shadowing, studying etc. It's the most challenging thing I have done so far, but I honestly am enjoying the challenge. Obviously, I want this to pay off with an acceptance to an Osteopathic school
😀
Thanks for reading and I look forward to your suggestions.
Most schools have a cutoff at 2.75 GPA, I believe. I'm not certain but you should check in the College Information Book, the school's website, or the admissions if that 2.75 GPA is for science GPA or overall GPA.
I think you should apply early and indicate somewhere in your secondaries that you are re-taking certain classes. Applying in December is very late, and with your mediocre stats, it would not be wise to gamble for an interview spot. So many qualified applicants miss out simply because they applied very late. Don't make this mistake.
And if you don't get in this cycle, then there is always next year. Plus, by that time, your GPA will be higher because you would have taken more re-takes.
I'm starting to consider the next step in my life, now that I've got into, and been accepted in an MPH program.
About me:
2.95 U-Gpa, 4 years of research, volunteering (clinical, and ec)
starting USC Mph program ( lets assume I graduate with a 3.5)
Hopefully going to start a research project, as the coordinator (paid)
I understand that without a MCAT score, you can't really give me definitive advise...
But generally, would I have any chance of gaining acceptance to DO school with those stats? I'm interested in public health, hence the MPH, but I know that MD schools don't weigh a MPH program too highly ( as in gpa weighing). I don't know too much about being a DO ( beyond the basics), but I'm thinking it might fall in line with my philosophy ( prevention, and close patient-doctor relationships).
Believe it or not, with your uGPA, and stellar (28+) MCAT, you'd have a good shot at DO schools. Getting your MPH will probably increase your chances at DO schools.
And don't worry too much about DO philosophy. Do some research on OMM instead and see if OMM is an effective tool that you may see yourself using in your future practice. The MPH and your desire for prevention medicine takes care of the "DO philosophy and why DO" portion of your application.
