Am I doomed for DO?

[CUNYguy]

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I'm an Asian American junior with 3.1 cGPA / 3.2 sGPA / no MCAT (taking it summer 2015).

I started in a community college and was highly unmotivated (I had a 1.6 one term :-/ ) , but I have a good upward trend. I went from a 2.6 cGPA pre-transfer to a 3.5-.6 term GPA the following year but since I'm a junior, I feel I don't have enough redemption time in my UG years to boost it to a more competitive number.

The program I'm in (clinical lab science) gives an 80% guarantee that you'll make it into their MS in Biotech program. Should I apply for the MS program first, then DO? Or just go for DO. The way things are looking, I won't shoot higher than 3.5/3.5 (didn't take many practice MCATs to say the projected score).

Thanks in advance.


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[el_duderino]

No you're not at all doomed. You will probably want to retake some or all of the classes you did poorly in. Make sure you're accumulating community service, shadowing, and clinical hours.

 

[coolingglasses]

to answer your question: lol no

 

[chizledfrmstone]

So there's SUNY and then there's CUNY?

 

[el_duderino]

So there's SUNY and then there's CUNY?

S = State
C = City

CUNY is a collection of public colleges in NYC. They don't have a medical school.

 

[chizledfrmstone]

S = State
C = City

CUNY is a collection of public colleges in NYC. They don't have a medical school.

I probably should have known that since... I lived in NYC for a while.

 

[keels99]

You could always apply to both.

 

[chizledfrmstone]

You could always apply to both.

 

[keels99]

Hahahaha thanks I needed a good laugh

 

[CUNYguy]

Thanks for your help. And also to those of you who digressed a bit lol

 

[DoctorSynthesis]

Thanks for your help. And also to those of you who digressed a bit lol

You're not even doomed for MD you haven't taken the MCAT yet. Obviously your GPA as is will be hurting your app though.

 

[shockazulu]

I'm an Asian American junior with 3.1 cGPA / 3.2 sGPA / no MCAT (taking it summer 2015).

I started in a community college and was highly unmotivated (I had a 1.6 one term :-/ ) , but I have a good upward trend. I went from a 2.6 cGPA pre-transfer to a 3.5-.6 term GPA the following year but since I'm a junior, I feel I don't have enough redemption time in my UG years to boost it to a more competitive number.

The program I'm in (clinical lab science) gives an 80% guarantee that you'll make it into their MS in Biotech program. Should I apply for the MS program first, then DO? Or just go for DO. The way things are looking, I won't shoot higher than 3.5/3.5 (didn't take many practice MCATs to say the projected score).

Thanks in advance.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN Mobile

You're not "doomed" for MD but it is somewhat unrealistic at this point and there is a better than good chance that you would end up wasting your money applying unless you crushed the MCAT, and got a LOR from Joe Biden. If health care is what you want to do you have a great shot at DO when the time comes. When do you plan on applying?

 

[CUNYguy]

You're not "doomed" for MD but it is somewhat unrealistic at this point and there is a better than good chance that you would end up wasting your money applying unless you crushed the MCAT, and got a LOR from Joe Biden. If health care is what you want to do you have a great shot at DO when the time comes. When do you plan on applying?

I'm planning on going for the 2016 cycle. I just don't know if I should stay in school for the MS in biotech, or if I should apply for that cycle or if I should get a master's so I can (a) be more competitive with a higher (hopefully) GPA, and (b) have another life experience/skill set for the application.

 

[deleted436726]

I have very similar stats (swap the cGPA and sGPA) and have a 32 MCAT and a 3.33 SMP GPA, currently in the app cycle. I'll let you know how I fare, OP 😉

 

[el_duderino]

For DO, retaking any classes you have a C/D/F in will make you more competitive than a Master's will.

 

[CUNYguy]

For DO, retaking any classes you have a C/D/F in will make you more competitive than a Master's will.

Why is this the case? I would think that a master's would be since you're having higher level courses.


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[el_duderino]

Why is this the case? I would think that a master's would be since you're having higher level courses.

You would think, but it's apparently not. From what I gather, undergrad GPA is viewed as much more important, because it's more consistent. Many graduate (MS and PhD) programs apparently practice significant grade inflation.

If we're talking about an SMP that's a different matter, as those are generally quite rigorous and specifically intended to prepare you for medical school. But a regular Master's, not so much.

Giving your undergrad GPA a significant boost via grade replacement is going to do more for you than getting a Master's.

 

[DrEnderW]

.

 

[el_duderino]

If you equate going to a DO granting med school as being "doomed" then I would highly suggest doing whatever post-grade classes/program you need in order to increase your MD chances. It's perfectly fine to have that outlook and you won't be happy in the long run if that's your opinion. It would behoove you to do what you can to shoot for MD.

Also, for the record, your GPA is by no means average for established/higher stat DO programs so keep on the up-trend regardless of what you decide. As others have said, if you are interested in DO, then repeating your low scoring classes would be more beneficial with the grade replacement policy. These one/two year master programs without a major thesis/research component are not deemed academically impressive at all.

I read the OP as thinking his chances at making it into a DO program were doomed, not that he could only get into DO and was therefore doomed.

 

[DrEnderW]

I read the OP as thinking his chances at making it into a DO program were doomed, not that he could only get into DO and was therefore doomed.

Ahh that's fair, I misread. That's what I get for skimming SDN while at work.

 

[CUNYguy]

I read the OP as thinking his chances at making it into a DO program were doomed, not that he could only get into DO and was therefore doomed.

Yea. That's what I meant.

I'm willing to turn down an MD college for a DO college, regardless of tier. It resonates more for what I want in medicine.


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[FutureDrB]

From what I gather, undergrad GPA is viewed as much more important, because it's more consistent. Many graduate (MS and PhD) programs apparently practice significant grade inflation.

I'll second this. I got a 4.0 in my Master's program, granted I worked hard and put in the effort, but I think you could've just as easily gotten A's by half-assing everything. From what I've experienced working in higher education, there's not a lot of graded work in graduate programs -- you show up to class and participate in discussions, you get an A. I'm sure however that this varies depending on your program of study.

 

[deleted436726]

I'll second this. I got a 4.0 in my Master's program, granted I worked hard and put in the effort, but I think you could've just as easily gotten A's by half-assing everything. From what I've experienced working in higher education, there's not a lot of graded work in graduate programs -- you show up to class and participate in discussions, you get an A. I'm sure however that this varies depending on your program of study.

Heh, I wish my SMP was as easy as showing up to class and participating in discussions...