MD & DO 3.35 cGPA&sGPA and MCAT-?Chances for MSUCOM and Michigan Allopathic schools

[Neurality]

Hello all,

I am a pre-med senior at Michigan State University (will graduate in December after 4.5 years) with a 3.35 cumulative and similar science GPA. I am planning to take the MCAT as early as January of 2016 and applying through the Spring and Summer. I am primarily interested in osteopathic schools because of their philosophy but also want to apply to allopathic schools. I know that a 3.3 GPA is low but I am going to list certain factors surrounding this as well as my extracurriculars over the past 4 years. I have spoken to various admission advisors but it seems they usually say very similar things. I am trying to get input from other current and past medical students or anyone else who is involved in the admission process.

Academics:
-Failed inorganic chemistry and biology lab sophmore year due to family crises (2 last grandparent deaths in 1 year and was the caretaker and mediator for my younger sister over 2 years who was admitted 3 times for suicide attempts.)
-Upward trend in grades the past 1.5 years from 2.6 to 3.35
-4.0 GPA in Genetics, Human Anatomy, Physiology I&II, Immunology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Health Psychology, Inorganic Chem (retake)
-3.5 GPA in Virology, Organic Chemistry I, Physics I and Epidemiology
-Other classes include Statistics, Survey of Calculus, and the Physics, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and Biology labs required to graduate.

Extracurriculars:
-Volunteered in the ED for 3 semesters and inpatient for 1 semester
-Volunteered over 200 hours for the Red Cross over 2 years
-Shadowed outpatient DOs (1 in ED and 1 in outpatient exercise clinic) amounting to 50 hours (so far, more to accumulate)
-Work(ed) as a Medical Scribe in the ED for 6 months (will have 1.5 years by the time I apply)
-Member of Human Bio Club with volunteer commitments over 1.5 years
-Mission trip for 1 week to Mexico and again to the same place for 1 month the following year.
-100 hours various volunteer experience (animal shelters, food banks, blood drives)
-High school consisted of 4 years of football at private school with 40 hours communitry service
-New Add-Worked for telemarketing at MSU, cold calling and fundraising over $35,000 in 1 year for scholarships and other programs
This sums up about 90% of my resume, pending 4 letters of recommendation (a pool of 1 DO, 1 MD, a nurse anesthetist and a my genetics professor)

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[deleted659912]

Generally schools want 2 science recs and 1 non-science rec although I don't know about the specifics for the schools you listed. DO sounds like the best bet but you could have a decent chance at MD depending on your score. Does your GPA average the two grades for chem/bio lab or completely replace it? Because allopathic schools average grades while osteopathic schools completely replace it.

 

[Neurality]

I have not retaken the bio lab yet but the because the grade received was a 0.0 for chem, the 4.0 entirely replaced it, rather than averaging. Because I am science major and it was degree req, anything less than a 2.0 is considered a "fail." The school has a policy that if you receive a 2.0 or higher, you cannot retake the class.

 

[Neurality]

UPDATE WITH MCAT SCORE... So I received a score of 503 for the exam in January. From what I've read, this puts me somewhere between a 40-55% chance at most DO programs and maybe 25-35% for MD, based on academics alone. Also, my GPA will be closer to a 3.4 for DO admissions based on the repeat classes overriding the failed classes. Any other ideas based on the rest of my resume?

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Apply broadly for DO and you should be fine. From my understanding your stats are competative for MSUCOM, but apply to other schools

 

[Neurality]

Thank you. I am also looking to apply to LECOM, Des Moines Osteopathic College, OU-HCOM, West Virginia SOM and PCOM. Have to look more into what constitutes "competitive" to these schools but I am definitely trying to stay as Midwest as possible.

 

[Goro]

You're fine for DO schools, lethal for MD, but at least try Oakland-B, Wayne State, Central MI and Western MI.

Thank you. I am also looking to apply to LECOM, Des Moines Osteopathic College, OU-HCOM, West Virginia SOM and PCOM. Have to look more into what constitutes "competitive" to these schools but I am definitely trying to stay as Midwest as possible.