3.67 cGPA, 3.39 BCPM, 31Q MCAT

[mad2013]

I am a 25-year-old nontraditional candidate considering applying for 2013 admission. I graduated magna cum laude from an Ivy League university, and my overall GPA is a 3.67. However, I am concerned about applying to medical school since my BCPM GPA is a 3.39 (3.5 freshman year, no science sophomore year, 3.0 junior year, 3.5 senior year and 3.54 postbacc courses). My MCAT was a 31Q (12 Bio, 10 Verbal, 9 Physical Sciences).

On the positive side, I have very good extracurricular and public health experience. I've worked abroad on monitoring and evaluation for HIV programs in two developing countries in West Africa and one developing country in Southeast Asia with very well-known international agencies. I also have a significant number of publications (one paper in a medical journal and four abstracts at major conferences, with two other papers and two other conference abstracts in progress at my current job). My current job is as a research assistant at a very prestigious HIV research group at one of the top 10 hospitals in the country. I've shadowed in an emergency room and am planning to volunteer at a student-run primary care clinic starting next month.

My question is, given my stats, would it be worth it to take one more science course to get my BCPM over a 3.4? And would it be worth it to retake my MCAT? I am happy with the bio and verbal scores but a little concerned about physical sciences.

Thank you for your help!

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[MIAYO]

Your EC's are excellent. If you live in a state with many/friendly public medical schools then I think you have no problem with your stats. Also, if you are a URM then you should have no problem at some
of the lower-tier schools as well.

 

[Catalystik]

I am a 25-year-old nontraditional candidate considering applying for 2013 admission. I graduated magna cum laude from an Ivy League university, and my overall GPA is a 3.67. However, I am concerned about applying to medical school since my BCPM GPA is a 3.39 (3.5 freshman year, no science sophomore year, 3.0 junior year, 3.5 senior year and 3.54 postbacc courses). My MCAT was a 31Q (12 Bio, 10 Verbal, 9 Physical Sciences).

On the positive side, I have very good extracurricular and public health experience. I've worked abroad on monitoring and evaluation for HIV programs in two developing countries in West Africa and one developing country in Southeast Asia with very well-known international agencies. I also have a significant number of publications (one paper in a medical journal and four abstracts at major conferences, with two other papers and two other conference abstracts in progress at my current job). My current job is as a research assistant at a very prestigious HIV research group at one of the top 10 hospitals in the country. I've shadowed in an emergency room and am planning to volunteer at a student-run primary care clinic starting next month.

My question is, given my stats, would it be worth it to take one more science course to get my BCPM over a 3.4? And would it be worth it to retake my MCAT? I am happy with the bio and verbal scores but a little concerned about physical sciences.

I think your MCAT is fine.

I am concerned about your BCPM GPA also. Is it low due to one bad semester, a slow start freshman year, a recent poor grade, or what? Getting a 3.5 in your postbac work didn't help matters much. How many hours of postbac have you done so far?

How much clinical experience do you have overall, and how many of those hours are US-based? How many shadowing hours? What nonmedical community service have you done? Any leadership or teaching?

Your research experience is, of course, terrific, but overbalances everything else you've told us about to the point where it looks like you've made a last minute decision to go into medicine rather than get a PhD. Adcomms don't like impulsive desions that haven't been thoroughly tested. Is my impression incorrect?

 

[mad2013]

Thank you for your comments.

The low BCPM is due to a C I got in Orgo I during undergrad (I got an A in Orgo II and an A- in Orgo Lab) and a string of B's that I also got in undergrad. I took additional courses as a postbacc to boost my science GPA, but it was challenging since I was working full-time at the same time. I've taken eight science courses as an undergrad and eight science courses as a post-bacc.

My clinical experience includes 80 hours in the US (through a formal ED hospital volunteer program) as well as some experience on the wards when I was working abroad. I also could potentially volunteer at a student-run primary care clinic starting next month until I go to medical school so was thinking of doing that.

With regard to your comment about my research experience, I am very passionate about epidemiology (which is what most of my research has been in) and have recently thought about pursuing an MPH or PhD, especially since I am very interested in monitoring and evaluation of public health programs. However, since I've also enjoyed the time I've spent doing patient care, I thought going to medical school might allow me to have the best of both worlds.

 

[Catalystik]

1) The low BCPM is due to a C I got in Orgo I during undergrad (I got an A in Orgo II and an A- in Orgo Lab)

2) My clinical experience includes 80 hours in the US (through a formal ED hospital volunteer program) as well as some experience on the wards when I was working abroad. I also could potentially volunteer at a student-run primary care clinic starting next month until I go to medical school so was thinking of doing that.

3) With regard to your comment about my research experience, I am very passionate about epidemiology (which is what most of my research has been in) and have recently thought about pursuing an MPH or PhD, especially since I am very interested in monitoring and evaluation of public health programs. However, since I've also enjoyed the time I've spent doing patient care, I thought going to medical school might allow me to have the best of both worlds.

1) Getting the A after the C in OChem helps redeem the lower grade in a prerequisite.

2) Your clinical experience so far isn't as sparse as I'd feared. A gig in the student-run clinic is a very good opportunity to add to what you have with an activity that would be viewed well.

3) You might start outlining your Personal Statement so as to come up with a good reason to transition from one discipline and take your interests in another, but related, direction.

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To answer your original question, if you can get your BCPM > 3.4, I think the extra course would be worth it. If you can keep getting As, I think more coursework during the application year reported via update letters could also help you.