3.49 cGPA, 3.70 BCPM, no MCAT yet

[Ilikepi]

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Hey guys, just trying to get some other opinions on my chances. I was feeling pretty ok until I was entering my classes into AMCAS today.

I already have one degree, where I had an overall GPA of 3.21. There are a few Cs and a few Ds on the record there.

I graduated, went to work, and thrived where I was in a very technical job. It was a great opportunity, but made me realize that maybe I had sold myself short and it wasn't really what I wanted to do. So while I was still working, I started volunteering weekly at the local ER (total about a year and a half).

I went back to school, and when my grades come in this semester (barring any surprises), I'll have a 4.0 over the last 59 hours of coursework, including all prereqs except physics (taken earlier) and lots of upper level bio.

Other ECs seem pretty standard,
- continued volunteering for the past year, both in hospital and out
- went on medical mission trip to Latin America
- shadowing for ~40 hours by the time I submit
- research for past year and a half with three poster presentations and about to submit for publication
- some sports and club involvement, including leadership roles

I'm going to try to apply pretty broadly, and I really only want MD. It just messed with my head entering those Cs and Ds earlier today. Does the break for 6 years and then the hours at 4.0 compensate very much for the previous mediocre grades?

 

[Catalystik]

3.49 cGPA, 3.70 BCPM, no MCAT yet
Hey guys, just trying to get some other opinions on my chances. I was feeling pretty ok until I was entering my classes into AMCAS today.

I already have one degree, where I had an overall GPA of 3.21. There are a few Cs and a few Ds on the record there.

I graduated, went to work, and thrived where I was in a very technical job. It was a great opportunity, but made me realize that maybe I had sold myself short and it wasn't really what I wanted to do. So while I was still working, I started volunteering weekly at the local ER (total about a year and a half).

I went back to school, and when my grades come in this semester (barring any surprises), I'll have a 4.0 over the last 59 hours of coursework, including all prereqs except physics (taken earlier) and lots of upper level bio.

Other ECs seem pretty standard,
- continued volunteering for the past year, both in hospital and out
- went on medical mission trip to Latin America
- shadowing for ~40 hours by the time I submit
- research for past year and a half with three poster presentations and about to submit for publication
- some sports and club involvement, including leadership roles

I'm going to try to apply pretty broadly, and I really only want MD. It just messed with my head entering those Cs and Ds earlier today.

Does the break for 6 years and then the hours at 4.0 compensate very much for the previous mediocre grades?

Yes, it helps a lot, along with the high BCPM GPA. A solid MCAT score will be very important though. A 33+ would be a nice goal (though lower might do it). Do you have a lenient state school to rely on?

 

[Ilikepi]

Yes, NC resident so I have ECU for a friendly state school. I know the MCAT is a big factor, and not much I can do about the old grades, so I'm going at that hard. Taking it in less than three weeks, so we'll see...

 

[Catalystik]

If your shadowing doesn't include a primary care doc, I strongly suggest you get this in, since the mission of that school is to fill that niche with their grads. Also, to increase your appeal, consider shadowing a rural doc if you didn't grow up in, or have other experiences you'll list from a rural area. And BTW, 40 hours is below average. Try to have at least 50 by the time you submit.

 

[Ilikepi]

Thanks for the feedback! I can definitely get some more shadowing in. There are two ER docs that I shadow and I'm trying to get some experience with a surgeon as well. The mission trip I was on had one day where I was assigned to a doctor there that they called shadowing, but I'm not sure how relevant it was. I was beside the doc as he saw many patients that came into our clinic, but it just didn't really have the same feel of shadowing that I've experienced otherwise.

I'll probably post for some more input once I get closer to submitting, like when MCAT scores are back so there's some hard numbers to go on as well.

 

[Catalystik]

We'll be here. 🙂

 

[Ilikepi]

Ok, so I took the MCAT on 5/26, so it will be a bit before I have scores to go with GPAs. In the last few weeks of studying, I took AAMC 8-11, and ranged from 37-41 on those. I felt that I didn't do as well on the real thing, but I would be quite surprised if it was lower than a 34 or 35. Anyways, with that in mind...

I'm looking at the following school list right now:

UNC
Wake Forest
ECU
Tufts
Boston
Tulane
George Washington
Albany
NYMC
Ohio State
Penn State

and considering adding from:

Rosalind Franklin
Loyola
Rush
Maryland
Rochester
Toledo
Jefferson
Temple

I want to be applying to 15-20 schools. My GPA being on the low side, even though I have had a 4.0 for the past two years since I decided that I wanted to pursue medicine, sort of precludes me from applying to some real reach schools (I'd love to go to JHU, for example).

Also, a question about LORs. I'm getting a letter packet from the pre-med committee/advisor, but it only includes science faculty, since that is all I've taken since I've been here. I also have letters coming from a (math) professor at my previous university and a supervisor from my job that I had in between. Will this suffice for those schools that ask for a committee letter or three letters (one being from non-science faculty)? Or should I contact individual schools?

Sorry for the long post, and I appreciate any feedback that is provided. Also, if somehow I get nearer my practice average on the MCAT (~39), are there any schools that come into play that I should consider?

Thanks all!