Alternative path to becoming a practicing physician?

[Belyzel4]

I started reading through old SDN posts today, and it seems that I have committed one of the cardinal sins when it comes to medical school applications. I applied late with most of my secondaries complete between Oct 1st and Oct 15th. Unfortunately, I am not a standout applicant with my ~3.43 cGPA/514 MCAT/ORM/Non-Traditional status either. This explains the "thousands of more qualified applicants" rejection email I received earlier today.

I sense that my rejection email is just the beginning of a trend. So, in an attempt to hedge against a failed cycle at MD and DO programs and the resulting reapplicant death sentence, I am considering some of the Carribean medical programs. Several of the posts I have read on SDN state that while it is not an ideal path, students that excel in these foreign programs do end up having successful careers. The schools that I have looked into so far, St. George and Ross, boast strong residency match rates as well as a large number of positive testimonials. I also see quite a few commercials from these schools, so they must be doing something right. This leads to my questions:

Are these schools still the best options?
Are there additional schools that I should look into?
Also, am I possibly too late in the cycle for even these foreign programs?

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[hayisferhorses]

I don't see why you wouldn't get any DO interviews. Your stats are great for all DO programs. It is way too soon to give up yet!

 

[Terror Billy]

DO NOT go Caribbean. Your MCAT is great, but you do need to address the GPA. For DOs you should be fine, if anything I'd advocate some sort of linkage program for either a MD or DO school (not educated enough on the available options).

Worst case use this year to build on your credentials if no bite, and apply super early next year. I think there's still plenty of time for DOs though.

 

[AttemptingScholar]

The advertisements by those schools really show that they are making money off students tuitions. A search on SDN will give you reasons, but here is a popular anecdote: Million $ Mistake
Avoid offshore schools until multiple failed US attempts--at least one with DO schools.

Becoming a doctor is a marathon, not a sprint, the best thing to do if you are not a strong applicant is to delay a year or two and buff your application. Your MCAT is above average, with your lowest score, CARS, being a perfectly fine 125. Your GPA is low, but won't get you screened out, and your strong post-bac performance means you're actually in pretty good shape. Your activities are excellent. Your problems:

Here are the problems with you app, which I'm sure you already know
1. You applied too late in the cycle for MD
2. Your GPA (though your postbacc is excellent)

You can try and bring your GPA up, if you want to...enrolled in a community college, especially one on the quarter system and take a class or two there, but considering how many credits you already must have, I doubt it would make a substantial difference.

Absolutely try again next cycle. Make sure you have something good to say when they ask how you've been improving yourself as an applicant over the course of this year.

 

[CrunchyPeanutButter]

Reapplicant with Lizzy m of 68.
Just accepted MD. It’s worth a another shot before Carribean!!!


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[Belyzel4]

Thank you for all the responses.

My worry with the DO path is that I am even further behind in that application process and I only have a letter of recommendation coming in from an MD.

I would like to do the linkage option. However, having passed the deadlines, I feel like they would set me back another 2-3 years.

I didn't technically do a post-bacc because my additional time at university just fed into my senior year GPA rather than the DIY Post-Bacc strategy I should have used.

 

[Belyzel4]

@abriA0 Congratulations on the acceptance! It is good to know that I still have a chance if I reapply. I do need to still determine if I must quit my job and find a medically-related field to show my commitment.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Taking a year off to be a reapplicant for MD/DO is totally reasonable, and a way better investment than carribean.

If you go carribean (and manage to be within the 50% that don't get weeded out) you could end up taking gap years AFTER Med school as you desperately try to match into a Family Med program in rural North Dakota.

No reason you shouldn't get into school with a 514

 

[Belyzel4]

@AttemptingScholar I have so many upper-division units that going to community college might seem unorthodox. I could go back to university for 1-2 quarters to complete my chemistry major. Would that be added in the Post-Bacc GPA category on the AMCAS chart?

 

[CrunchyPeanutButter]

@abriA0 Congratulations on the acceptance! It is good to know that I still have a chance if I reapply. I do need to still determine if I must quit my job and find a medically-related field to show my commitment.

Others may think different, but I don’t think you need to quit your job.
I think you need to continue volunteering, shadowing and showing an interest in Medicine.
I gained a serious amount of volunteer hours (clinical and non clinical) and shadowing hours during my gap year. I still kept my job!

 

[DPTinthemaking15]

I'm gonna have to treat you like a similar poster on SDN.

Don't you DARE apply to the Caribbean with that MCAT. The DO schools should (hopefully) show you some love, but idk about the MD schools. Anyways, if you don't receive anything this cycle, PLEASE re-apply next year. Heck, we can fight the application season together (As long as you don't take my spot lol). Be patient and ask Santa for a sweet, sweet II/acceptance email. Good luck, OP!!!

 

[Belyzel4]

I appreciate the advice and kind words everyone. I have so many of these so-called red flags that I just want to be careful with the steps that I take from this point forward.

 

[Goro]

Thank you for all the responses.

My worry with the DO path is that I am even further behind in that application process and I only have a letter of recommendation coming in from an MD.

I would like to do the linkage option. However, having passed the deadlines, I feel like they would set me back another 2-3 years.

I didn't technically do a post-bacc because my additional time at university just fed into my senior year GPA rather than the DIY Post-Bacc strategy I should have used.

The DO cycle is longer. It's still early in our cycle.
Not all DO schools require a DO LOR. Having helps, but not having one is NOT lethal.If you haven't applied to DO schools, and you want to be a doctor, apply NOW.
Your are fine for any DO school, including mine.
Unless you live in a lucky state, the cGPA is weak for MD.

 

[AttemptingScholar]

The DO cycle is longer. It's still early in our cycle.
Not all DO schools require a DO LOR. Having helps, but not having one is NOT lethal.If you haven't applied to DO schools, and you want to be a doctor, apply NOW.
Your are fine for any DO school, including mine.
Unless you live in a lucky state, the cGPA is weak for MD.

[I made] a list of DO schools that do not require any doctor's letter of rec • r/premed
I didn't personally verify this list of DO schools that do not require a letter. As you're the one applying, that's your job. Look into it. If it's still early in the DO cycle, get on it!

 

[AttemptingScholar]

@AttemptingScholar I have so many upper-division units that going to community college might seem unorthodox. I could go back to university for 1-2 quarters to complete my chemistry major. Would that be added in the Post-Bacc GPA category on the AMCAS chart?

Potentially--I said CC because it's easy to enroll in. However, you should do the math on how much it would help you. Considering you taken so many credits, a quarter or two, even of excellent grades, might not raise your sGPA very much. Say you continue a 3.8 average and take the classes to complete your second major. What would your final GPA actually be?

 

[Jdp00921]

As mentioned above, try another cycle pending you get no positive results throughout the current. I myself was a non-trad that needed 2 cycles to gain an acceptance. As also mentioned above, I applied once, took a year in between to improve my application, and with my second application, I was admitted to both DO/MD. I guess I should also note that your MCAT is higher than mine as well. Also, applying early is so, so important. My first application was late, my most recent was submitted as soon as possible. You will likely hear something this cycle, but if you don't, another cycle with an on-time submission and I would assume you will be golden.

Also, Ross University is seemingly forcing students to complete a semester on a cruise ship. I'm not one of those completely against Caribbean, but a cruise ship? Idk...

 

[21Rush12]

I had a 3.4 with a 514 and I am now a second year, after reapplying. Got in the second cycle after my first was 0 interview. You're doing fine, you're nowhere near the position that would make Caribbean a good idea (which is almost always the case)


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[Belyzel4]

Thank you, everyone, for your wonderful feedback. I especially appreciate your extensive writeup @gonnif. This has been a big reality check. I got so excited after receiving secondaries from screening schools like UCLA, UCR, and VCU that I thought everything was looking merry.

For now, I have decided to put foreign medical programs on the back-burner. @Goro, I should be complete at many of the DO schools that I am applying to between now and the first half of November, so I am keeping my fingers crossed for those. I will use the advice and resources provided here to begin working on my application for next cycle in anticipation of being a reapplicant with a rigid submission date of June 1st. Admittedly death sentence was a harsh word for being a reapplicant, but I guess my biggest fear is quitting my job in order to actually show full-time academic growth only to end up both jobless and rejected again next cycle.

I was also considering retaking the MCAT in January because my 125 CARS makes it seem like I cannot read English text (averaging 519-520 prior to my exam day screw up), but it looks like that is not advisable.

@AttemptingScholar, based on my calculations, taking eight courses on the quarter system and getting A's would put me at a 3.48 cGPA. I would just need to be careful with some of the physical chemistry and quantum mechanics courses.

 

[nezpas]

I started reading through old SDN posts today, and it seems that I have committed one of the cardinal sins when it comes to medical school applications. I applied late with most of my secondaries complete between Oct 1st and Oct 15th. Unfortunately, I am not a standout applicant with my ~3.43 cGPA/514 MCAT/ORM/Non-Traditional status either. This explains the "thousands of more qualified applicants" rejection email I received earlier today.

I sense that my rejection email is just the beginning of a trend. So, in an attempt to hedge against a failed cycle at MD and DO programs and the resulting reapplicant death sentence, I am considering some of the Carribean medical programs. Several of the posts I have read on SDN state that while it is not an ideal path, students that excel in these foreign programs do end up having successful careers. The schools that I have looked into so far, St. George and Ross, boast strong residency match rates as well as a large number of positive testimonials. I also see quite a few commercials from these schools, so they must be doing something right. This leads to my questions:

Are these schools still the best options?
Are there additional schools that I should look into?
Also, am I possibly too late in the cycle for even these foreign programs?

Your MCAT is great. Do not retake it. I say this because if it is lower the second time, it will hurt your application. Anyway, I was a re-applicant this season. The first time I applied, it was VERY late ( late November) and I applied to mainly far reach schools. I got rejected by every school. I took the MCAT again and got above 500 but still not as good as yours. This cycle however, I applied as soon as the cycle opened for both MD and DO programs and adjusted my school list to my stats. I got into an MD program a week ago. My LizzyM is 60. We have ~same GPA but my MCAT is several points lower than yours. The points I'm trying to make are:
1) Don't lose hope yet. It is still very early in the cycle.
2) Adjust your school list to your stats and apply to one or two reach schools if this cycle does not end with you getting accepted. There are also schools who weigh MCAT more heavily than GPA.
3) Your MCAT is too good to be wasted on a Carribean med school (I hold no grudges).
4) Also follow advice from other posters regarding volunteering, shadowing doctors and gaining experience while you wait to reapply. You can always update your application throughout this cycle.
5) Being a re-applicant is not a death sentence. If your application shows significant improvement, it could be seen as you being very committed to the medical profession. I know a 3-time re-applicant who got in last year.

Sorry for the long post. I wish you good luck, IIs and acceptances this cycle.

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[Belyzel4]

@nezpas, congratulation on your acceptance and thank you for your feedback! I agree with all your points. I will make sure to have everything prepared in advance for the next time I apply. I just need to persevere at this point. I have actually been laying out my plan for re-application since my last post on this thread. For Spring, I intend to work through open enrollment at UCLA or UPenn's Specialized Studies program to increase my undergraduate GPA + volunteer/paid work in healthcare + getting back into scientific research. Then, if this current MD/DO cycle turns out to be unsuccessful, I am also going to give it my all at a special master's program that starts in Fall of 2018.