27MCAT WAMC, Good EC's

[FirefighterDoc]

Well, i figured id finally post one for myself. Im trying to decide if i want to retake my MCAT in January. Im looking to apply early next summer. I recently got my MCAT scores back this months and received PS:9 VR:10 BS:8 for a 27.

My GPA is 3.45 and im a Bio major. I have been working as a Firefighter/EMT on an ALS rig for 3 years and i have also worked in an ER as a tech for 3 years. When i apply i will have had 2 years of research experience with one poster and hopefully my name on a pub. Ive shadowed an Anesthesiologist for ~60 hours an Emergency physician for ~40 hours and a DO who specializes in OMM( actually head of OMM department).

In fact, all of my shadowing experiences have been with DO's. I had a really positive experience sitting in on OMM lab last year and thats all i want to pursue. Being from/living in the chicagoland area, my number 1 school is CCOM. Besides that, i would love DMU, NSU( i lived in Miami for 8 years), and then really anything else.

Should i retake my MCAT, what are my chances for CCOM? Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

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[TriagePreMed]

Averages for CCOM are becoming more and more competitive. While true that you're still within the range, you're in the lower part of their range. I would advice you to apply much more broadly or bring up your GPA before applying.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

agree with triage. CCOM and DMU seem to be the 2 schools who's averages are going up very quickly. You can try. You are low average and at this point, there are no guarantees but an acceptance is attainable to those two schools. If you were to wait until next year you could bump up that GPA with a couple retakes and be better off. If you are thinking any school, you could have a good chance this year if you apply broadly. NSU seems well within your reach.

 

[Goro]

You're fine if you don't limit yourself to those two schools. Quit fussing and start applying!

Well, i figured id finally post one for myself. Im trying to decide if i want to retake my MCAT in January. Im looking to apply early next summer. I recently got my MCAT scores back this months and received PS:9 VR:10 BS:8 for a 27.

My GPA is 3.45 and im a Bio major. I have been working as a Firefighter/EMT on an ALS rig for 3 years and i have also worked in an ER as a tech for 3 years. When i apply i will have had 2 years of research experience with one poster and hopefully my name on a pub. Ive shadowed an Anesthesiologist for ~60 hours an Emergency physician for ~40 hours and a DO who specializes in OMM( actually head of OMM department).

In fact, all of my shadowing experiences have been with DO's. I had a really positive experience sitting in on OMM lab last year and thats all i want to pursue. Being from/living in the chicagoland area, my number 1 school is CCOM. Besides that, i would love DMU, NSU( i lived in Miami for 8 years), and then really anything else.

Should i retake my MCAT, what are my chances for CCOM? Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

 

[FirefighterDoc]

Thanks for the input guys. I will definitely be working on getting the GPA up this next year. I'm assuming it would probably be in my interest to retake my MCAT. I really want at least a 30. Thanks again!

 

[FirefighterDoc]

Any other suggestions EC wise?

 

[Catalystik]

Do you have any volunteer activities, teaching, or leadership to list? Don't forget leisuretime activities, too, to help you stick out from the crowd. Even without them, you'd likely be fine due to your extraordinarily strong clinical experience, but every little bit helps make an acceptance at more selective institutions more likely to happen.

 

[Morsetlis]

Do you have any volunteer activities, teaching, or leadership to list? Don't forget leisuretime activities, too, to help you stick out from the crowd. Even without them, you'd likely be fine due to your extraordinarily strong clinical experience, but every little bit helps make an acceptance at more selective institutions more likely to happen.

I'm sure firefighters have leadership and volunteering activities..

Very high clinical experiences, nonexistent research -> DO schools will like you more, but don't discount MD schools. You are a very interesting candidate with a slightly below-average MCAT.

 

[FirefighterDoc]

I'm sure firefighters have leadership and volunteering activities..

Very high clinical experiences, nonexistent research -> DO schools will like you more, but don't discount MD schools. You are a very interesting candidate with a slightly below-average MCAT.

Not too much leadership, but plenty of volunteering throughout the year cleaning up the town, pub ed events with the public about fire safety, boot drives to collect money for muscular dystrophy association and similar things like that. Is my research non-existent because i have no publications? I thought 2 years would be about average.

 

[Catalystik]

A year of research is the average. So you're in excellent shape there, publication, or not.

 

[FirefighterDoc]

agree with triage. CCOM and DMU seem to be the 2 schools who's averages are going up very quickly. You can try. You are low average and at this point, there are no guarantees but an acceptance is attainable to those two schools. If you were to wait until next year you could bump up that GPA with a couple retakes and be better off. If you are thinking any school, you could have a good chance this year if you apply broadly. NSU seems well within your reach.

A year of research is the average. So you're in excellent shape there, publication, or not.

Thanks guys, it means a lot hearing things like this from people who actually know what theyre talking about as opposed to just friends/family.

 

[shinbeats]

Thanks for the input guys. I will definitely be working on getting the GPA up this next year. I'm assuming it would probably be in my interest to retake my MCAT. I really want at least a 30. Thanks again!

At this point your MCAT is fine, what's more important is your GPA.

 

[FirefighterDoc]

At this point your MCAT is fine, what's more important is your GPA.

Since the DO average is ~3.5 It would probably behoove me to get it above that to make up for my MCAT im assuming?