MD & DO am I competitive?

[irochka36]

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Hi everyone! I was finishing up my school list for both MD and DO programs, and just wanted to hear some feedback. I am a psychology major chemistry minor at The College of New Jersey and am NJ resident.

-3.62 cGPA, 3.34 sGPA but have two C's in my junior year (one in an upper-level chem class and one in a bio class so the sGPA has a downward trend)
-Don't have my MCAT scores yet (will receive on June 24th) but my most recent practice runs ranged from 29-31.
-I have 125 hours of volunteer work at a DO pain management office over the past summer/winter break (8 hours/week), and included several hours of shadowing but I don't know the exact number (mainly I did receptionist work and took patients to the rooms and took their histories). One of my LOR's is from her
-I was part of a research lab, measuring ERPs/EEGs (brain waves)-- got course credit for one semester, volunteered the next (50 hours) and will be completing a Senior Honors Thesis and expect to be submitting my work for publication in the spring (expect a strong LOR from this)
-Also had an Instructional Internship (kind of like a TA position) for my Biopsychology class, so I should have a strong LOR from this
-Am on Executive Board for my sorority and had several other chair positions, and also did about 250 hours of non-medical community service with it
-was on Executive Board of my Club Volleyball team and had over 250 hours dedicated to this experience (A lot of my PS relates to volleyball, since I have been playing since high school and my experiences on the team actually got me interested in medicine)
-Also have about 15-20 hours of community service with an academic honor society
-Work about 10 hours a week during the school year in a residence hall for 1.5 years and a retail job over the summer/winter breaks where I have been working for almost 2 years now

My school list right now for DO is (in no particular order):
1. Rowan SOM
2. PCOM- PA
3. VCOM - Virginia
4. Nova Southeastern
5. CCOM
6. NYITCOM
7. TouroCOM - NY

And for MD:
-Cooper
-Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson
-Rutgers NJMS
-Temple
-Drexel
-Jefferson
-NYMC
-EVMS
-PSU
-Commonwealth MC
-VCU

I am also starting to volunteer at a hospital again this summer (I did it in high school but didn't continue after that summer) and am looking for more shadowing opportunities

Any feedback would be very helpful, particularly tips to strengthen the app in time for secondaries/interviews if I get them. Thanks!

 

[deanthedream17]

Low science GPA and without any MCAT you really can't guess. You would need a higher MCAT (probably around 34) to compensate for your lower GPA

 

[el_duderino]

I think you're pretty competitive for DO, not so much for MD. Schools might not like seeing those C's in your junior year though, which I assume you just completed. I'd wait for your MCAT score report before applying to any MD programs, and if you got a 30+ consider applying to your state schools only.

Consider retaking one or both of those C classes at some point in your senior year in case you don't get an acceptance this cycle. This will make your cGPA much higher for AACOMAS next cycle. Also get more community service, preferably at a program you can stick with all year, and more physician shadowing.

 

[NYCdude]

Science GPA is too low for MD. Forget about MD until you can get it above 3.5 at least. If you get a 30 MCAT, that should be fine so long as you increase that sGPA.

Fine for DO though.

 

[irochka36]

Thank you for the input, I kind of figured as much.

 

[csx]

Apply to your state schoools. Cooper's medical school is new and in NJ so you might get some love there (it's on your list already I know)

 

[irochka36]

Apply to your state schoools. Cooper's medical school is new and in NJ so you might get some love there (it's on your list already I know)

Both Rutgers Robert Wood and NJMS have high average GPA's (~3.62 science + and 3.67 cumulative), does this seem out of reach even with me being in-state? And would a high MCAT (>33) help in that case?

 

[irochka36]

I think you're pretty competitive for DO, not so much for MD. Schools might not like seeing those C's in your junior year though, which I assume you just completed. I'd wait for your MCAT score report before applying to any MD programs, and if you got a 30+ consider applying to your state schools only.

Consider retaking one or both of those C classes at some point in your senior year in case you don't get an acceptance this cycle. This will make your cGPA much higher for AACOMAS next cycle. Also get more community service, preferably at a program you can stick with all year, and more physician shadowing.

Do you think applying ED to RowanSOM would be beneficial (especially as its a state school for me) or would that make me risk being late for other DO schools?

I have shadowing lined up for the rest of the summer, and an interview set for volunteering at the hospital as well. I know this will probably go on secondaries rather than the primary app.

 

[csx]

Both Rutgers Robert Wood and NJMS have high average GPA's (~3.62 science + and 3.67 cumulative), does this seem out of reach even with me being in-state? And would a high MCAT (>33) help in that case?

hi mcat always helps. I think with your stats it'd be worth a shot applying to them since they are instate.

 

[Goro]

Looks like a good list. sGPA is not too low IF you apply strategically, especially to the newest MD schools, and yes, your state schools.

Hi everyone! I was finishing up my school list for both MD and DO programs, and just wanted to hear some feedback. I am a psychology major chemistry minor at The College of New Jersey and am NJ resident.

-3.62 cGPA, 3.34 sGPA but have two C's in my junior year (one in an upper-level chem class and one in a bio class so the sGPA has a downward trend)
-Don't have my MCAT scores yet (will receive on June 24th) but my most recent practice runs ranged from 29-31.
-I have 125 hours of volunteer work at a DO pain management office over the past summer/winter break (8 hours/week), and included several hours of shadowing but I don't know the exact number (mainly I did receptionist work and took patients to the rooms and took their histories). One of my LOR's is from her
-I was part of a research lab, measuring ERPs/EEGs (brain waves)-- got course credit for one semester, volunteered the next (50 hours) and will be completing a Senior Honors Thesis and expect to be submitting my work for publication in the spring (expect a strong LOR from this)
-Also had an Instructional Internship (kind of like a TA position) for my Biopsychology class, so I should have a strong LOR from this
-Am on Executive Board for my sorority and had several other chair positions, and also did about 250 hours of non-medical community service with it
-was on Executive Board of my Club Volleyball team and had over 250 hours dedicated to this experience (A lot of my PS relates to volleyball, since I have been playing since high school and my experiences on the team actually got me interested in medicine)
-Also have about 15-20 hours of community service with an academic honor society
-Work about 10 hours a week during the school year in a residence hall for 1.5 years and a retail job over the summer/winter breaks where I have been working for almost 2 years now

My school list right now for DO is (in no particular order):
1. Rowan SOM
2. PCOM- PA
3. VCOM - Virginia
4. Nova Southeastern
5. CCOM
6. NYITCOM
7. TouroCOM - NY

And for MD:
-Cooper
-Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson
-Rutgers NJMS
-Temple
-Drexel
-Jefferson
-NYMC
-EVMS
-PSU
-Commonwealth MC
-VCU

I am also starting to volunteer at a hospital again this summer (I did it in high school but didn't continue after that summer) and am looking for more shadowing opportunities

Any feedback would be very helpful, particularly tips to strengthen the app in time for secondaries/interviews if I get them. Thanks!

 

[irochka36]

Looks like a good list. sGPA is not too low IF you apply strategically, especially to the newest MD schools, and yes, your state schools.

In your opinion, should I swap out any schools on my list right now for newer/more strategic schools?

 

[Goro]

Rush, Quinnipiac, TCMC, Hofstra

In your opinion, should I swap out any schools on my list right now for newer/more strategic schools?

 

[irochka36]

Update : I got a 30 on my mcat (PS 9 VR 11 10 B)

This was my list of schools before, @Goro do you have any suggestions for editing? I'm considering taking Drexel, NYMC, and Jefferson off.

MD: Cooper, Rutgers RWJ, Rutgers NJMS, Temple, PSU, Drexel, Jefferson, TCMC, NYMC, VCU, Rush, Quinnipiac, Hofstra
DO: Rowan, PCOM, NYIT, Touro-NY, VCOM-VA, Nova, CCOM

I have also received a shadowing opportunity for the rest of the summer with another DO doctor and an MD at Cooper Hospital.

 

[Goro]

Nope, keep those on the list!
Also consider the Philly triplets, Penn State , Albany, Rush, Tufts, Rosy Franklin, MCW, SLU and EVMS.

This was my list of schools before, @Goro do you have any suggestions for editing? I'm considering taking Drexel, NYMC, and Jefferson off.

MD: Cooper, Rutgers RWJ, Rutgers NJMS, Temple, PSU, Drexel, Jefferson, TCMC, NYMC, VCU, Rush, Quinnipiac, Hofstra
DO: Rowan, PCOM, NYIT, Touro-NY, VCOM-VA, Nova, CCOM

I have also received a shadowing opportunity for the rest of the summer with another DO doctor and an MD at Cooper Hospital.[/QUOTE]

 

[irochka36]

Nope, keep those on the list!
Also consider the Philly triplets, Penn State , Albany, Rush, Tufts, Rosy Franklin, MCW, SLU and EVMS.

This was my list of schools before, @Goro do you have any suggestions for editing? I'm considering taking Drexel, NYMC, and Jefferson off.

MD: Cooper, Rutgers RWJ, Rutgers NJMS, Temple, PSU, Drexel, Jefferson, TCMC, NYMC, VCU, Rush, Quinnipiac, Hofstra
DO: Rowan, PCOM, NYIT, Touro-NY, VCOM-VA, Nova, CCOM

I have also received a shadowing opportunity for the rest of the summer with another DO doctor and an MD at Cooper Hospital.

[/QUOTE]

thanks!!!

 

[irochka36]

@Goro and everyone else who commented..thanks for all of your advice i was accepted to my top choice yesterday!

 

[LuluLovesMe]

@Goro and everyone else who commented..thanks for all of your advice i was accepted to my top choice yesterday!

Which one was it! Curious 🙂

 

[el_duderino]

Which one was it! Curious 🙂

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...lication-thread.1073983/page-11#post-16080346
Cooper/Rowan, it seems.

 

[irochka36]

Which one was it! Curious 🙂

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...lication-thread.1073983/page-11#post-16080346
Cooper/Rowan, it seems.

yes it was Cooper! I wanted to stay in my area and I love their mission! I also had an interview with Drexel.

 

[LuluLovesMe]

yes it was Cooper! I wanted to stay in my area and I love their mission! I also had an interview with Drexel.

Congrats! I suspected Cooper would want you