3.2 sGPA 3.0 cGPA

[Slither]

Hey guys!

So I guess I'll post my stats and take any and all advice I can get to make me a more competitive applicant

3.2 sGPA 3.0 cGPA Physics major Classics minor

Residency: MA

I had a rough freshman year... but I picked up my grades and have been getting about 3.5s every semester beyond my first 2. I know these grades are low =(

I got a 27S on the MCAT (9-9-9) will the S help me at schools? I know thats a really high score so would medical schools be willing to give me a little slack?

I have 3 amazing recommendations, 1 doctor (Family practice which I want to go into!), 1 Physics professor (the chair of the department), and one classics professor (also the chair).

My ECs

I've been volunteering at an ER for about 4 hours a week since senior year of HS.
I work 8hrs a week at a neurologists office doing clerical work.
I have started research last summer but don't have any presentations!
I also tutor/mentor underprivileged children in my city.
I also volunteer at the homeless shelter with my church every other Sunday for about 6-8 hours depending on how popular we are .

I know my GPA isn't that high, and my MCAT isn't impressive but I really hope they'll see my ECs and give me some slack.

Any and all help is welcome, I'm not going to give up on becoming a doctor even if it takes me a very long time!

Thanks,

Slither

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[TriagePreMed]

MD? Not gonna happen. DO? With some luck. I would do retakes and apply Osteopathic.

 

[Slither]

Thank you very much for the advice.

Unfortunately, I'm only looking at medical schools right now as I want to become a doctor....

Do you really think my chances are really that bad? Can't I improve something to make myself more "attractive" to medical schools?

 

[PressPforPi]

Thank you very much for the advice.

Unfortunately, I'm only looking at medical schools right now as I want to become a doctor....

Do you really think my chances are really that bad? Can't I improve something to make myself more "attractive" to medical schools?

Here we go again...

 

[Whatyousay]

Thank you very much for the advice.

Unfortunately, I'm only looking at medical schools right now as I want to become a doctor....

Do you really think my chances are really that bad? Can't I improve something to make myself more "attractive" to medical schools?

Before you get massively trolled by everyone on this forum, I would suggest looking at the following thread:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=813819

Or doing a simple Wikipedia search:

According to the Cecil Textbook of Medicine, 22 ed., other than teaching manual medicine, medical training for an osteopathic degree (DO) is now virtually indistinguishable from that which leads to the MD degree. Osteopathic physicians complete conventional residencies in hospitals and training programs; are licensed in all states; and have rights and responsibilities, such as military service, that are identical to MD qualified physicians and surgeons"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_MD_and_DO_in_the_United_States

Short and simple, a DO = MD for all intents and purposes. There may be some MD residences that favor MDs over DOs (duh), but all in all, they're both flippin' doctors. They both get to practice medicine. Normal people probably can't tell the difference between the two - hell, except for the initials, doctors probably can't tell the difference between the two.

 

[nicknickp3]

I am simply amazed on how people who have wanted to be a physician since their senior year in high school doesnt know what a Doctor of Osteopathic medicine is. Every hospital I go to you see an equal mix of MD/DOs. Oddly enough I know a crap load of "pre-meds" at my university who don't think DO's are doctors either lol...I smell trolllll.

 

[CopaceticOne]

OP - I won't touch the landmine of MD/DO.

But, based on your stats, if you're a senior you should seriously consider doing some post-bacc course work to raise your GPA. That "S" of your MCAT really won't get you anywhere and the 27 is below the median score of accepted applicants by 5 points. Getting a 9 in PS as a physics major raises a warning flag to me. Your EC's are really just average and you have no mention of shadowing.

Sorry to be so blunt, but right now you are a subpar applicant (on paper). If you are willing to put in the time and energy you should be able to strengthen your application.

 

[Slither]

Before you get massively trolled by everyone on this forum, I would suggest looking at the following thread:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=813819

Or doing a simple Wikipedia search:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_MD_and_DO_in_the_United_States

Short and simple, a DO = MD for all intents and purposes. There may be some MD residences that favor MDs over DOs (duh), but all in all, they're both flippin' doctors. They both get to practice medicine. Normal people probably can't tell the difference between the two - hell, except for the initials, doctors probably can't tell the difference between the two.

Oh, I see. I'm sorry, in Mass we don't have DOs or many of them. I'm sorry I didn't mean to sound rude or anything I really didn't know! I think I've heard things bout them, but I really don't want to go to the carribbean for 4 years to get this DO then come back and people question my degree!

But still... I plan on staying here in Mass if I can, so I rather stick with medical degree.

 

[Whatyousay]

Oh, I see. I'm sorry, in Mass we don't have DOs or many of them. I'm sorry I didn't mean to sound rude or anything I really didn't know! I think I've heard things bout them, but I really don't want to go to the carribbean for 4 years to get this DO then come back and people question my degree!

But still... I plan on staying here in Mass if I can, so I rather stick with medical degree.

Please, please, please read up on the subject a bit more before posting on here.

You don't go to the Caribbean for DO schools, for one. And the fact of the matter is, your application simply isn't competitive for MD schools - a 3.0 cGPA is about .6 grade points below the national median for matriculants, and your 27 MCAT is about 4 or 5 points below the national median for matriculants as well (that S probably won't help you all that much, since U.S. schools largely care about the numeric score only).

If you're truly gunning for MD schools, the odds don't look good for you.

 

[Slither]

OP - I won't touch the landmine of MD/DO.

But, based on your stats, if you're a senior you should seriously consider doing some post-bacc course work to raise your GPA. That "S" of your MCAT really won't get you anywhere and the 27 is below the median score of accepted applicants by 5 points. Getting a 9 in PS as a physics major raises a warning flag to me. Your EC's are really just average and you have no mention of shadowing.

Sorry to be so blunt, but right now you are a subpar applicant (on paper). If you are willing to put in the time and energy you should be able to strengthen your application.

Thank you for the advice. I do "shadow" the Family Practice doc - I followed him around quite a few times to see what it's like, and I plan on shadowing the neurologist I work for.

I was planning on doing some post-bac work to retake my Cs. Unfortunately, my freshman year I was young and naive. I had some family problems and decided against withdrawing which was stupid. But no excuses, I want to be a doctor and I will what I need to!

I will retake the MCAT, I plan on taking a study course this time and at least this time I'll know what the exam is like!

My church was planning on doing a medical mission to China this coming year, do you think this would help or should I just focus on getting the post-bac work in first?

 

[TriagePreMed]

Oh, I see. I'm sorry, in Mass we don't have DOs or many of them. I'm sorry I didn't mean to sound rude or anything I really didn't know! I think I've heard things bout them, but I really don't want to go to the carribbean for 4 years to get this DO then come back and people question my degree!

But still... I plan on staying here in Mass if I can, so I rather stick with medical degree.

Went too hard there on the troll attempt. Thread could have been good.

 

[Whatyousay]

Thank you for the advice. I do "shadow" the Family Practice doc - I followed him around quite a few times to see what it's like, and I plan on shadowing the neurologist I work for.

I was planning on doing some post-bac work to retake my Cs. Unfortunately, my freshman year I was young and naive. I had some family problems and decided against withdrawing which was stupid. But no excuses, I want to be a doctor and I will what I need to!

I will retake the MCAT, I plan on taking a study course this time and at least this time I'll know what the exam is like!

My church was planning on doing a medical mission to China this coming year, do you think this would help or should I just focus on getting the post-bac work in first?

Fix your grades first. You could be Mother Teresa, but if you have a 3.0 GPA, you'll probably get rejected before schools even look at the rest of your application.

 

[Slither]

Please, please, please read up on the subject a bit more before posting on here.

You don't go to the Caribbean for DO schools, for one. And the fact of the matter is, your application simply isn't competitive for MD schools - a 3.0 cGPA is about .6 grade points below the national median for matriculants, and your 27 MCAT is about 4 or 5 points below the national median for matriculants as well (that S probably won't help you all that much, since U.S. schools largely care about the numeric score only).

If you're truly gunning for MD schools, the odds don't look good for you.

I don't understand - I've been looking around the forums and people have been saying all these problems with DOs being looked down upon and having a significantly harder time with residencies...

If DO is the same as an MD I don't understand why they wouldn't just be an MD then... I promise I'm not trying to insult you, like I said I've worked at this hospital for years and never heard of a DO, I'll talking with the neurologist I work for and see what he thinks.

 

[Slither]

Fix your grades first. You could be Mother Teresa, but if you have a 3.0 GPA, you'll probably get rejected before schools even look at the rest of your application.

I understand, thank you for the advice! You've been very kind, thank you. =)

 

[UNMorBUST]

Oh, I see. I'm sorry, in Mass we don't have DOs or many of them. I'm sorry I didn't mean to sound rude or anything I really didn't know! I think I've heard things bout them, but I really don't want to go to the carribbean for 4 years to get this DO then come back and people question my degree!

But still... I plan on staying here in Mass if I can, so I rather stick with medical degree.

Again, a DO is a medical doctor. They graduate with a medical degree. If you are looking to stay in the north east, there are DO schools in NY, PA, NJ and Maine. As others have said, yo don't really have a shot at MD schools. If you want to be a doctor seriously consider DO schools.

http://www.aacom.org/people/colleges/pages/default.aspx

 

[CascadaFan]

I understand, thank you for the advice! You've been very kind, thank you. =)

If after all of the help everyone has given you with information about DOs and you still say no. I think getting your GPA up is the least of your problems. Reading comprehension 101.

 

[Slither]

Again, a DO is a medical doctor. They graduate with a medical degree. If you are looking to stay in the north east, there are DO schools in NY, PA, NJ and Maine. As others have said, yo don't really have a shot at MD schools. If you want to be a doctor seriously consider DO schools.

http://www.aacom.org/people/colleges/pages/default.aspx

I'll read up on it, thank you for this information. I'm very sorry if I offended anyone, it wasn't my intent.

 

[Slither]

So I did a little reading... I think I'll stick with being a traditional doctor - I feel like DOs are more like chiropractors with this manipulation... I don't think I want to do that, I rather be a traditional doctor. I rather not be just a DO.

But I do have more question...

If DO schools do grade replacement and still have .2 lower GPA than regular medical schools don't they in reality have significantly lower GPAs imagine every 2.0 someone has being magically turned into a 4.0 rather than averaging them. That seems like a large amount of number cooking.

 

[PressPforPi]

So I did a little reading... I think I'll stick with being a traditional doctor - I feel like DOs are more like chiropractors with this manipulation... I don't think I want to do that, I rather be a traditional doctor. I rather not be just a DO.

But I do have more question...

If DO schools do grade replacement and still have .2 lower GPA than regular medical schools don't they in reality have significantly lower GPAs imagine every 2.0 someone has being magically turned into a 4.0 rather than averaging them. That seems like a large amount of number cooking.

Obvious Trololololol is obvious.

 

[CascadaFan]

Obvious Trololololol is obvious.

Thread should be locked after he posted "I'm just looking into Medical schools" obvious callback to another famous troll (he was at least funny...)

 

[group_theory]

How did you get a 9 on verbal?

 

[TheUPSIDEdown]

How did you get a 9 on verbal?

I was thinking the same.


As far as the OP in wanting to become an MD, I'd say an SMP is your only way to go about it without wasting years to try and improve the uGPA (assuming you have what it takes to get the 3.5+).

I would definitely get a solid MCAT retake (~33) in before you consider a SMP, though.

 

[soccerbabe7582]

Yeah dude. Not trying to gain up on you or anything... but if you want to be a Family Doctor, then DO is probably a better route for you anyways. Fam docs are highest ranked through a DO education vs. an MD. I think you need to just shadow a DO and see for yourself. If you have the MD. shadowing experience already, I can bet on my life that you will see there is little to no difference.

AND, a DO can take the same BOARDS as an MD in addition to their major test (i can't remember what they are called). It is proven as well that MD's usually have great difficulty passing the DO test but DO docs rock on the BOARDS and their own test.

just saying.