3.35 GPA with expected 30+ MCAT

[Jonassen]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

I have a 3.35 GPA (science 3.5) from a top ten undergrad with expected 30+ MCAT.

But in college I was forced to take a leave of absence (i.e., suspension), because I withdrew (W) all my courses for three quarters in a row during a fit of depression and family turmoil. I still graduated with honors.

Am I fated for the Caribbean? I don't mind going to the Caribbean if that's my only option this year (I want to be a doctor, period). My major concern though is how do I maintain my long-term relationship with my girlfriend through 4 years of medical school? She obviously will not be coming with me. Has others managed to do this? I understand the clinicals for Ross and SGU are actually in the States, but are there any clinicals in Chicago or the Northeast? And how often would I have to move? I can do two years of exile on an island, but is it realistic to assume I'll only be in the Caribbean for just two years?

Finally, I just want to say thank god for the Caribbean. Caribbean schools give capable and generally hardworking students a chance to redeem themselves. Everyone I know well in life that is near middle age has had a moment of crisis and failure, some people unfortunately have them during their college years, but it shouldn't mean they are stigmatized forever for it.

 

[Instatewaiter]

You have a few options before you need to apply carribean:
1) actually get that 30+

2) figure out if your bout of depression constitutes an impaired state. You may want to either contact your state medical board or a lawyer of some sort. If you were technically impaired this could wreak havoc on your ability to get licenced.

3) apply broadly to MD and DO schools
4) if you happen not to get in- decide if you want to do the extra year of post-bac/Special masters or apply to the carribean.

Personally I would vote to try as hard as you can to stay in the mainland.

 

[Jonassen]

You have a few options before you need to apply carribean:
1) actually get that 30+

2) figure out if your bout of depression constitutes an impaired state. You may want to either contact your state medical board or a lawyer of some sort. If you were technically impaired this could wreak havoc on your ability to get licenced.

3) apply broadly to MD and DO schools
4) if you happen not to get in- decide if you want to do the extra year of post-bac/Special masters or apply to the carribean.

Personally I would vote to try as hard as you can to stay in the mainland.

I'm going to try as hard as I can to get into a mainland school this year. But I don't think an extra year of special masters is at all better than the Caribbean. For one thing that is $30,000 of extra tuition plus the loss of one year of earning potential (~$120k) as a licensed doctor. In that one year, I would be 1/2 done with basic sciences.

Perhaps the salary of a Caribbean MD is much lower than a lower-tier US school MD? Somehow I really doubt that if you're actually a competent doctor. And I'm talking primary care here.

 

[JoeNamaMD]

I have a 3.35 GPA (science 3.5) from a top ten undergrad with expected 30+ MCAT.

But in college I was forced to take a leave of absence (i.e., suspension), because I withdrew (W) all my courses for three quarters in a row during a fit of depression and family turmoil. I still graduated with honors.

Am I fated for the Caribbean? I don't mind going to the Caribbean if that's my only option this year (I want to be a doctor, period). My major concern though is how do I maintain my long-term relationship with my girlfriend through 4 years of medical school? She obviously will not be coming with me. Has others managed to do this? I understand the clinicals for Ross and SGU are actually in the States, but are there any clinicals in Chicago or the Northeast? And how often would I have to move? I can do two years of exile on an island, but is it realistic to assume I'll only be in the Caribbean for just two years?

Finally, I just want to say thank god for the Caribbean. Caribbean schools give capable and generally hardworking students a chance to redeem themselves. Everyone I know well in life that is near middle age has had a moment of crisis and failure, some people unfortunately have them during their college years, but it shouldn't mean they are stigmatized forever for it.

If you can get a 30 or better on your MCAT, you probably should have no problem with DO schools. MD schools will be a bit of a stretch. Honestly you should also look at Irish medical schools as another alternative if you can get a 30 or better.

 

[Instatewaiter]

I'm going to try as hard as I can to get into a mainland school this year. But I don't think an extra year of special masters is at all better than the Caribbean. For one thing that is $30,000 of extra tuition plus the loss of one year of earning potential (~$120k) as a licensed doctor. In that one year, I would be 1/2 done with basic sciences.

Perhaps the salary of a Caribbean MD is much lower than a lower-tier US school MD? Somehow I really doubt that if you're actually a competent doctor. And I'm talking primary care here.

Personally I think the SMP option is a much, much better option than the carribean. Like it or not your options from a carribean school are going to be limited- this includes but is not limited to- specialty and location. I am not sure if being a carib grad would affect your bottom line in a given field but it certainly can present problems in terms of gaining access to certain fields- ortho, optho, rad onc, derm, plastics, ENT and uro come to mind as near impossible to match from the carribean. All others are defintely more difficult. Look at some of the match lists and you will see perhaps 5 total of those specialties listed out of a class of 450+. Look at a US school and you will see 20 out of a class of 150.

It is smart not to limit your options from the get go.

The money is a minor issue if it gets you where you want. You will be kicking yourself if you want something that is not attainable from a carribean school. This is less of an issue if you know you want primary care but I can tell you that there are a ton of people in my class that came in wanting peds or FM and now realize that peds/FM is the last place they want to be.

 

[a817]

with a 3.35 and a mid 30 mcat from a good university, you would have a good shot getting into a US allopathic school. Try to not think about getting in right now, and shoot for a killer mcat. There alot of overachievers on the allopathic forum, who exaggerate the difficulty of getting into a school. ex if you have a 3.4 34-35 mcat you will get in some where. especially if you claim your self as a illinois resident. They have 6 med schools i believe. I would try to apply as a IL resdient (unless your from a easier state to get admissions etc) apply to all of the IL schools especially SIU and rosalind franklin. Do well on the mcats, dont think about the Caribbeans yet, the mcat will dictate where you go. being from U Chicago will help you. There are many schools that do look at your undergrad. hope this helps

The only thing that can hurt you is the forced suspension, i would talk to the schools and see how much it would effect you. You do have a good reason why, but no one knows how bad it would look. I would also consider DO schools.