3.0 uGPA, 3.7 Post-Bacc GPA, 500 MCAT -- Strong Clinical Exp -- NY

[10-13]

NY Resident - 27 years old not URM

Grades
Undergrad GPA - 3.0 -- BS in Biology
Post Bacc GPA - 3.7
MCAT - 500

Employment
Current NYC Paramedic in 911 System -- over 7 years experience. Too many hours to count

Clinical Volunteer Experience
Volunteer Ambulance Corps - ~2000 Hours
ER Volunteer - ~850 Hours
Neurologist Shadowing - ~200 Hours
Clinical rotations as part of paramedic program spread between ER, OR, Peds, ICU and OB-GYN. - ~500 Hours
Volunteer Ambulance Corps - Youth Squad Adviser and Drill Team Coach - ~300 Hours

Research
Research Assistant to Interventional Cardiologist - ~200 Hours with publication
--------------------------------------------------------------

Just got my MCAT score today and I'm pretty bummed out. Don't know what to do from here, looking for some guidance. Should I even try to apply this year?

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[femmegoblue]

NY Resident - 27 years old not URM

Grades
Undergrad GPA - 3.0 -- BS in Biology
Post Bacc GPA - 3.7
MCAT - 500

Employment
Current NYC Paramedic in 911 System -- over 7 years experience. Too many hours to count

Clinical Volunteer Experience
Volunteer Ambulance Corps - ~2000 Hours
ER Volunteer - ~850 Hours
Neurologist Shadowing - ~200 Hours
Clinical rotations as part of paramedic program spread between ER, OR, Peds, ICU and OB-GYN. - ~500 Hours
Volunteer Ambulance Corps - Youth Squad Adviser and Drill Team Coach - ~300 Hours

Research
Research Assistant to Interventional Cardiologist - ~200 Hours with publication
--------------------------------------------------------------

Just got my MCAT score today and I'm pretty bummed out. Don't know what to do from here, looking for some guidance. Should I even try to apply this year to DO? I know my MCAT is a death sentence for MD.

Doe your post-bacc include all your med school prereqs/essentially your science GPA? If not, is it upper level science? With that 500 being ~25 on the old scale, I think you can apply broadly to DO school and will get some II's. Skip coastal Touros, AZCOM/CCOM, RVU and any incredibly regionally selective if you're not from the area (PNWU, OH-COM, MSUCOM, etc). Start your list with LECOM-E, LMU-DCOM, KYCOM, WVSOM and all three VCOM's. I am similar stat wise to you with a slightly higher MCAT and am casting my net to 21 DO's. I personally think your clinical experience will be received well.

I don't see DO shadowing/DO letter in your description..do you have one?

 

[10-13]

Doe your post-bacc include all your med school prereqs/essentially your science GPA? If not, is it upper level science? With that 500 being ~25 on the old scale, I think you can apply broadly to DO school and will get some II's. Skip coastal Touros, AZCOM/CCOM, RVU and any incredibly regionally selective if you're not from the area (PNWU, OH-COM, MSUCOM, etc). Start your list with LECOM-E, LMU-DCOM, KYCOM, WVSOM and all three VCOM's. I am similar stat wise to you with a slightly higher MCAT and am casting my net to 21 DO's. I personally think your clinical experience will be received well.

I don't see DO shadowing/DO letter in your description..do you have one?

Thanks for the quick reply. Yes, my post bacc consisted of all the pre-reqs.

It's nice to hear that my clinical experience will count for something, though I know nothing can replace a low MCAT. Unfortunately, no DO letter at this time.
I guess I'm just looking to see how competitive I am. Any other advice on schools?

 

[femmegoblue]

I definitely think you are competitive especially with that nice sGPA, that will instill some confidence in your academic abilities despite the 3.0 from college. No, clinical experience will not overcompensate for a low MCAT but your MCAT is within the range at quite a few DO schools. Make sure to check the CIB to see which ones require a DO letter.

As for other schools, I also recommend any of the below, and probably NYIT COM because you're from NY (next to each school are the averages of their incoming class)

CUSOM: 3.6/3.5/27
KCOM: 3.59/3.51/27
PCOM: 3.5/3.5/27 (?)
LECOM-E/SH: 3.48/3.35/27
SOMA: 3.45/3.34/27
PCOM-Ga: 3.4/3.5/27
WCU: 3.5/3.4/26 (2013)
ACOM: 3.4/26 (2013)
VCOM (all): 3.6/3.5/25.36
LMU: 3.43/3.35/25-26
WVSOM: 3.4/3.4/25 (2013)
KYCOM: 3.50/3.41/24.6

 

[10-13]

Thank you so much, femmegoblue for your input. I'll peruse the CIB for sure!
I'm open to any other bits of wisdom.

 

[femmegoblue]

Thank you so much, femmegoblue for your input. I'll peruse the CIB for sure!
I'm open to any other bits of wisdom.

EDIT: Since this thread seem to be going down the DO route -- can I request the thread to be moved to the Pre-Osteopathic board?

If you'd like to PM me, we can chat more!