2nd Gap Year Suggestions

[Nachyacheese]

Hello!

I wanted to ask for everyone's advice on how to proceed for my second gap year. Here are some of my stats of now:

cGPA 3.45, sGPA 3.43, BS Biology 2016
33 MCAT (2013), retaking next month for an updated score
50 hours clinical and surgical shadowing
100 hours clinical volunteering (Free clinic)
1900 hours clinical work experience (ER Scribe)

I have applied twice in the past, both times broadly to ~20 schools in my GPA range:

2015-2016: Applied with a 3.35 GPA at that time, did not have the ER scribe experience --> 0 interviews

2016-2017: Applied with 3.45 GPA and a few hours (~50hrs ) of ER scribe experience at the time of application --> 1 interview, waitlisted

For the upcoming 2017-2018 cycle I will have the 1900 hours of ER scribing, EP LORs, and (hopefully) more thorough PS.

I'm currently deciding between two options for which to spend the next year continuing to improve my application - one being clinical employment as an ophthalmic technician (solid pay and patient contact, but no change to academics) and another being an SMP program (EVMS Medical Master's - rigorous curriculum, expensive, but chance to improve my academics).

I had contacted every school I applied to this year requesting suggestions on how to improve my application and received 2 responses - both suggesting I improve my academics ("your GPA is below our matriculant average"). However my undergrad premed advisor had advised me that my GPA (c3.45) is not low enough to warrant investing in an SMP. I understand that enrolling in the SMP entails some risk if I do not do well but I am eager to get back into school after working for a year.

What are your thoughts?

Thank you!

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[saabbro]

If the extra clinical work experience didn't help too much last time, doing more of it in a different setting will likely not change how your application is viewed. With that GPA I would probably do some more research into different SMPs, paying special attention to programs that have linkages for better chances to gain acceptance to their respective med school.

Take a look at this table on what med schools find important:

A Compilation of Essential SDN Wisdom

Reflect on your application and determine what you're missing or could use more of, and go from there. Again, I would suggest an SMP, but if you will end up being against it for whatever reason, I would look into other ways to spend a year besides more clinical employment, e.g. a research position or year long AmeriCorps program to diversify yourself a bit and give you more material to talk about in future interviews.

Hope this helps!

 

[Faha]

I suggest applying broadly to at least 12 DO schools and you will be competitive for all DO schools if your MCAT is above 505. Post your new MCAT score here when available. You may have a chance at MD schools depending on your MCAT score. Where is your state of residence?

 

[Nachyacheese]

Hey Saabbro, thank you for the input! The table you provided was definitely helpful - I'll make sure to get some clinical/nonclinical volunteering experience in there as well. I was talking to some now medical school students who took the program I'm looking at who had told me that their SMP year was the most stressful year they have ever gone through and that it is apparently even tougher than PGY-1 per some of their older colleagues. I'm not too put off about having to put work into the program, I'm just worried about the risk of not placing at the top of my class in order to get the best out of it. In that case I'm just wondering - would my cGPA be enough to have a solid chance at admissions this year with the added scribing clinical experience?

Faha, thank you as well! I will be sure to do so. One important thing I forgot to mention is that I just established residency in Virginia (previously in Maryland) in time for this next cycle (looking at EVMS/VCU as top choice schools).

 

[saabbro]

Youre welcome! I second what faha noted regarding your shots at DO/MD schools with your current stats. Maybe consider post-bac for gpa repair?

But as I said earlier, you already have a lot of paid clinical experience, so I would look for a different type of year long position such as research, americorps programs, or other opportunities that would give you more talking points for interviews. I would choose between post-bac, smp, research, or some sort of year-long americorps/community involved program if I were you. Look at what's weakest in your app and fix it/add to it.