MD & DO 3.54c/3.32s 37 MCAT

[SententialElf]

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Class of 2013, double major in a science and a humanities field.
OH resident
Strong upward trend. Took 5 years to graduate. GPA from first two years was excruciatingly low, but GPA from years 3-5 is > 3.8c/3.7s.
Looking to apply in Summer 2014.

Research:
-3 years in a basic science lab, one very low-impact publication. 9 presentations. Did one thesis with this lab. Received >10k in scholarships/grants for this project
-2 medical ethics projects (about 6-8 months each), one high-impact publication (second author) from one project, and submitting a paper for the second (second author). 3 presentations. Completed a second thesis based on the latter project. Currently working as a post-bac fellow at my institution on other ethics-related projects. Will continue next year (most likely) while I apply.

Volunteering:
-Free clinic, 3 hrs/week about twice a month for 4 years
-Advocate for a sexual assault group (providing emotional support for survivors of sexual assault in the ED + staffing a rape crisis helpline). 24 hours/month for 3.5 years
-Two week-long service projects (one in LA, one in Providence) through my school
-One week-long international service project through my school
-Volunteered as a TA for a Microbiology lab course for 2 semesters (4 hrs/week)

Shadowing:
-Cardiologist for 40 hours
-Primary care physician (DO) for 16 hours

Employment:
-Worked as a PCA at my university hospital (8 hours/week) for 2 years. Had a lot of meaningful patient interactions in this job, despite how difficult it was.

Other ECs:
-President of a couple of organizations
-Help advise the non-profit I started in high school (I turned leadership over to some other kids when I left for college)

My school list so far:
OSU
Toledo
Cincinnati
Wright State
Case
Brown
UPenn
Indiana University
University of Kentucky
Oakland U- William Beaumont
NYMC
Albany Medical College
Albert Einstein-Yeshiva
Temple University
Medical College of Wisconsin
Tufts University
Boston University
Creighton University
Jefferson Medical College
University of Rochester
Georgetown
MSU (MD)
Penn State
Virginia Tech Carilion
George Washington University
University of Vermont
Tulane
Drexel
Loyola University Chicago

DO:
Ohio University
PCOM
CCOM
NYCOM
MSUCOM



Input would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Goro]

I think you're fine for any DO program, but the discordant MCAT score/GPAs (esp. the sGPA) can be worrisome to AdCom members at MD schools, as the sGPA is significantly lower than the avg MD acceptee. Therefore, remove all OOS public MD schools, where they favor the home team. Brown favors their own UGs. You have too reach schools on the list (like Rochester and Case) and so I've removed those.

Also, for too many schools on your list, your GPAs are significantly below their medians; in fact, your sGPA puts you into the <10%ile category, which makes me think you'll be close to auto-rejected from them. Despite the super MCAT they can afford to ignore applicants like you.

Definitely add more DO programs.

Wright State
OSU
Loyola University Chicago
Oakland U- William Beaumont
NYMC
Albany Medical College
Drexel
ALL other low tier schools

DO:
Ohio University
PCOM
CCOM
NYCOM
MSUCOM



Input would be greatly appreciated![/quote]

 

[SententialElf]

I think you're fine for any DO program, but the discordant MCAT score/GPAs (esp. the sGPA) can be worrisome to AdCom members at MD schools, as the sGPA is significantly lower than the avg MD acceptee. Therefore, remove all OOS public MD schools, where they favor the home team. Brown favors their own UGs. You have too reach schools on the list (like Rochester and Case) and so I've removed those.

Also, for too many schools on your list, your GPAs are significantly below their medians; in fact, your sGPA puts you into the <10%ile category, which makes me think you'll be close to auto-rejected from them. Despite the super MCAT they can afford to ignore applicants like you.

Definitely add more DO programs.

Thank you for the feedback. Would my upward trend do me any favors at more MD programs? My sGPA from the last 3 years was almost exclusively difficult upper-level courses. I'm also considering taking post-bacc courses or doing an SMP, if it will help make me more competitive at more schools. Is that wise, or would it not help me?

 

[BestDoctorEver]

Thank you for the feedback. Would my upward trend do me any favors at more MD programs? My sGPA from the last 3 years was almost exclusively difficult upper-level courses. I'm also considering taking post-bacc courses or doing an SMP, if it will help make me more competitive at more schools. Is that wise, or would it not help me?

Your GPAs are on the low side for MD--albeit not atrocious. I don't think you should apply DO with your combo GPAs/MCAT and upward trend since your ECs are OK. I would not settle for DO if I had your stats. Of course that is my opinion... A post-bacc will definitely help if you can bring that sGPA to 3.4+... You have a 70%+ chance of getting accepted somewhere according to AAMC with your stats. That is a good odd in my book. Use the MSAR to gauge where you should apply!

 

[Goro]

It will depend onthe schools. Invest in MSAR and apply strategically to programs whose median numbers are closes to your own. Again, avoid OOS public schools.

Thank you for the feedback. Would my upward trend do me any favors at more MD programs? My sGPA from the last 3 years was almost exclusively difficult upper-level courses. I'm also considering taking post-bacc courses or doing an SMP, if it will help make me more competitive at more schools. Is that wise, or would it not help me?

 

[nemo123]

Agreeing with BestDocEver. I don't think you need to apply DO with your MCAT. Your GPA, while far from ideal, isn't too atrocious and you say you have a strong upward trend which is good. Your ECs looks really good to me (lots of research+a non-profit organization?). Do you have anything hobbies-related that you would put on your app?

 

[Goro]

Sometimes it's worth doing an app cycle warts and all and taking it on the chin if needed to see where you stand and what you need to do to improve.

If you're only set on an MD, then if you get shut out, contact admissions deans to see if you get any feedback. I semi-agree with the two preceeding posts in that there are MD schools that have acceptees with a SGPA as low as yours; you just have to apply strategically.

However, my caution stems from observations made by my learned colleague gyngyn, who has pointed out that disparities between GPAs and MCAT scores are viewed less than optimistically bu AdComs. In addition, you have a low sGPA from taking difficult courses. Medical school will be harder and thus you didn't shine where you needed to shine.

Hence, apply to a mix of MD and DO programs. An do let us know how things turn out!

Thank you for the feedback. Would my upward trend do me any favors at more MD programs? My sGPA from the last 3 years was almost exclusively difficult upper-level courses. I'm also considering taking post-bacc courses or doing an SMP, if it will help make me more competitive at more schools. Is that wise, or would it not help me?

 

[SententialElf]

However, my caution stems from observations made by my learned colleague gyngyn, who has pointed out that disparities between GPAs and MCAT scores are viewed less than optimistically bu AdComs. In addition, you have a low sGPA from taking difficult courses. Medical school will be harder and thus you didn't shine where you needed to shine.

Sorry if I wasn't clear; my highest grades were actually in the upper level science courses (last ~3years of undergrad), which I thought would at least demonstrate that I can handle difficult coursework now, even though my grades were poor from the first two years of undergrad. My sGPA for the last 3 years of undergrad was about a 3.7.

What other DO programs can I add? I honestly don't know much about DO schools themselves, and I'm not sure where to look regarding which ones are open to OOS students.

 

[Goro]

The rising trend is definitely a good thing. Nearly all of them lack a regional bias. I suggest MUCOM, AT Still, CCOM, the Touros, and PCOM-GA.