MD & DO 3.30 GPA, 35 MCAT, Scribe, Chances/List?

[Rumpertumskin]

Hello all,
First off, thanks for taking the time to read my post. I just wanted some feedback about whether my list of schools was reasonable and/or if I even have a reasonable shot at any schools. My application seems very patchy to me. I have some areas that I think I look good, and others that look poor. I didn't really decide that I wanted to go into medicine until I actually started working as a scribe. Unfortunately, then it was a bit too late to change my less-than-stellar GPA. I went to a state school and spent about 5.5 years there with some time off to travel and study Arabic in Cairo (my school didn't have a good study abroad program in the Middle East so I just kinda did it on my own). During school, I juggled many career ideas but was never extremely motivated like I am now. This, shows in my GPA (which I think is more of a reflection of my effort) and my MCAT (which I think is more of a reflection of my abilities when I commit myself). My transcript has a D+ in a Organic Chemistry course, which I retook and got an A, as well as a pass in another Organic Chemistry course. I also have a C in a writing class (due to getting an F on a final paper for turning it in 2 hours late) and a C+ in Evolution. During college I worked about 15-20 hours per week and spent about 15 hours per week devoted to athletics during school, but I'm not sure that this makes me unique in any way.

My questions for you all are:
1.) Do I have a chance at any MD programs?
2.) What are my chances for DO programs?
3.) Should I do an SMP?
4.) If I want to be able to practice abroad/do medical missions, should I avoid DO and commit the next couple of years to building my application or have I already shut the door on MD?

Double Major: Philosophy, Biology
GPA: 3.30, no upward trend
MCAT: 35 - 12 BS, 12 PS, 11 VR
Bio research: 2 years (cuttlefish are sweet!)
Volunteering: One medical mission, one year of coaching a high school team, minimal hospital volunteering, some research volunteering before I was hired in the bio lab
Medical experience: Scribe for 1.5 years, will be applying for Lead Scribe position where I manage scribes, develop my own project(s) and do other administrative duties. I also grew up in a medical family so I know what the life is like.
Other ECs: College athletics for 4 years (got to go to the national championship tournament one year where we placed 5th), English tutor for Arabic speaking foreign exchange students, Designated Driver Service (give drunk folks rides home to prevent drunk driving)

MD List (*favorites):
Eastern Virginia
Hofstra
Medical College of Wisconsin
OHSU (went to college in Oregon)
Rush (great grandfather went there)
*Tulane
*University of Minnesota (mom and grandfather went there, I'm a MN resident)
Wake Forest
Dartmouth
Georgetown
*Tel Aviv Sackler
George Washington
Tufts
The Commonwealth
Rochester
Emory
Drexel
Loyola
Rosalind Franklin

DO List (*favorites):
Touro NY
Des Moines COM
*Chicago COM
MSUCOM
*Philadelphia COM
University of North Texas COM
Western UOHSU (California and Oregon campuses)

Please give me any advice that you think I could use. I appreciate your time spent reading this and considering my situation.

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[Adnap]

1. MCAT of 35 gives you a slight chance. I would imagine the NCAA (right?) sports team participation may help. GPA is not very competitive, but not a deal breaker for some schools assuming they really really like you. You probably have the best chance at the University of Minnesota by far. They might be willing to overlook the low GPA since you have legacy and are instate.
2. I think you have a great chance at most of the DO schools.
3. Yes. You have a good shot at getting into the SMPs (e.g. Georgetown, EVMS, Tufts, BU, RFU, UCinn). Do well and it's your best chance at getting into a MD school.
4. Will leave this to someone else to answer. SMP is your best chance for MD or hoping to get lucky without one.

Just remember that when you retake classes, it essentially counts as 2 classes when you're calculating the GPA for AMCAS. There is NO grade replacement for AMCAS. There is grade replacement for AACOMAS though so your DO application GPA will be higher than your AMCAS GPA. Good luck.

 

[Faha]

Consider applying to the newly established medical schools-Quinnipiac, Oakland Beaumont, Western Michigan, Sacramento Northstate. Also, New York Medical College,
Albany, Creighton, St Louis. You should be able to get into a DO school.

 

[Catalystik]

Hello all,
First off, thanks for taking the time to read my post. I just wanted some feedback about whether my list of schools was reasonable and/or if I even have a reasonable shot at any schools. My application seems very patchy to me. I have some areas that I think I look good, and others that look poor. I didn't really decide that I wanted to go into medicine until I actually started working as a scribe. Unfortunately, then it was a bit too late to change my less-than-stellar GPA. I went to a state school and spent about 5.5 years there with some time off to travel and study Arabic in Cairo (my school didn't have a good study abroad program in the Middle East so I just kinda did it on my own). During school, I juggled many career ideas but was never extremely motivated like I am now. This, shows in my GPA (which I think is more of a reflection of my effort) and my MCAT (which I think is more of a reflection of my abilities when I commit myself). My transcript has a D+ in a Organic Chemistry course, which I retook and got an A, as well as a pass in another Organic Chemistry course. I also have a C in a writing class (due to getting an F on a final paper for turning it in 2 hours late) and a C+ in Evolution. During college I worked about 15-20 hours per week and spent about 15 hours per week devoted to athletics during school, but I'm not sure that this makes me unique in any way.

My questions for you all are:
1.) Do I have a chance at any MD programs?
2.) What are my chances for DO programs?
3.) Should I do an SMP?
4.) If I want to be able to practice abroad/do medical missions, should I avoid DO and commit the next couple of years to building my application or have I already shut the door on MD?

Double Major: Philosophy, Biology
GPA: 3.30, no upward trend
MCAT: 35 - 12 BS, 12 PS, 11 VR
Bio research: 2 years (cuttlefish are sweet!)
Volunteering: One medical mission, one year of coaching a high school team, minimal hospital volunteering, some research volunteering before I was hired in the bio lab
Medical experience: Scribe for 1.5 years, will be applying for Lead Scribe position where I manage scribes, develop my own project(s) and do other administrative duties. I also grew up in a medical family so I know what the life is like.
Other ECs: College athletics for 4 years (got to go to the national championship tournament one year where we placed 5th), English tutor for Arabic speaking foreign exchange students, Designated Driver Service (give drunk folks rides home to prevent drunk driving)

MD List (*favorites):
Eastern Virginia
Hofstra
Medical College of Wisconsin
OHSU (went to college in Oregon)
Rush (great grandfather went there)
*Tulane
*University of Minnesota (mom and grandfather went there, I'm a MN resident)
Wake Forest
Dartmouth
Georgetown
*Tel Aviv Sackler
George Washington
Tufts
The Commonwealth
Rochester
Emory
Drexel
Loyola
Rosalind Franklin

DO List (*favorites):
Touro NY
Des Moines COM
*Chicago COM
MSUCOM
*Philadelphia COM
University of North Texas COM
Western UOHSU (California and Oregon campuses)

Please give me any advice that you think I could use. I appreciate your time spent reading this and considering my situation.

You didn't mention your AACOMAS sGPA or AMCAS BCPM GPA. Also, TCOM uses a different application system (TMDSAS) which has an sGPA more like AMCAS' with no grade forgiveness. And JMO, but I don't think you have enough nonmedical community service to those in need to appeal to Georgetown, Loyola, or Creighton. I was under the impression that UMinnesota liked that sort of humanistic involvement, too, but as it's your state school, I'm sure you have wider experience of their expectations.

Also, this is old, but gives you a start:
DO International Practice Rights: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=107627

To do short term work with groups like Doctors Without Borders you don't have to have a license in that country. That type of requirement is waived by the countries requiring humanitarian aid or it is bypassed by working in conjunction with licensed physicians in that country.

The lists of international practice rights apply to those who wish to permanently relocate and practice in another country.

 

[Rumpertumskin]

Thanks! That list is really helpful. I am now much more excited about DO school knowing how many places I can practice.