Am I on the right track?

[mriyain]

Hello friends! It is the summer before my senior year of undergrad, and I just wanted to make sure I'm doing everything I can so as to stay on the path to getting into DO school (it's so easy to forget big things when you don't ask for second opinions )

My background/future game plan:
-I have a *terrible* transcript (life happens and I've taken responsibility for it and my GPA this past semester was stellar ), but I can't do much to solve those past grades until after graduating, when I will embark on my informal post-bacc journey.
-I have no research experience, because to be honest I'm not interested in it and there's no way any professor is going to let someone with so many low science grades work in their lab... from what I understand, research is not that highly prioritized in DO?
-Finally, in terms of volunteering, I have a lot of hours (nearing 300) doing everything from organizing fun college stress-breaks to cleaning the Ronald McDonald House, but so far I have no hospital volunteer hours (I know, I know--it's a long explanation and again, my fault and I have taken responsibility) (though I have done volunteer health service through Global Medical/Dental Brigades in Nicaragua).

This summer I am:
-Working at my regular part-time job so I can feed myself
-Taking a CNA course so that I can work as a CNA to feed myself and gain healthcare experience after graduation
-Finally beginning to volunteer at the local hospital (they have a 3 hour per week limit on volunteering, though--not sure if that's normal) and will continue volunteering through the fall semester

Just typing all of this out has made me realize that I have no concrete shadowing experience, and no shadowing experience for a DO.

Any input is greatly appreciated!

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[Cardboard101]

You shouldn't think that a low science gpa precludes you from being able to do research. Show you're interested and you know what they're working on. I had a 2.8 when I went in to talk to some professors. What's important is that you show an interest in the work they're doing. You might not understand a lot of it anyway. What's better is to have your own well thought out research proposal.

Grab some clinical hours and shadow a DO. Can you do retakes at a local CC over the summer? How bad is your GPA? If its salvageable and you're ready to take the MCAT before September you might be able to apply next cycle.

 

[cabinbuilder]

1.You do not need research for DO school. I never set foot in a lab.
2. If you work as a CNA ( I did for 7 years before med school) you will get plenty of patient experience and will get doctor contacts who then will let you observe procedures. Then you will be able to get shadowing contacts, etc.
3. Don't be surprised if the doctors try to dissuade you from being a doctor. They will tell you to be a PA. Be sure you do it for yourself. It's not as glamorous as it seems.

 

[Ho0v-man]

Multiple acceptances this past cycle. No research. There's like ~3-4 DO schools that want to see research. Even then, it's not a non-starter if you have the right stats. And they don't have to be epic stats or anything.


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[ampersandwich]

Multiple acceptances this past cycle. No research. There's like ~3-4 DO schools that want to see research. Even then, it's not a non-starter if you have the right stats. And they don't have to be epic stats or anything.


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Out of curiosity, what are the 3-4 DO schools that WANT to see research?

 

[Ho0v-man]

Out of curiosity, what are the 3-4 DO schools that WANT to see research?

I'm sorry. I suppose I should have phrased that better. I suppose they all "want" research, but only some state specifically in their secondaries or on their websites that they want it.

I know kcu, bcom, Rowan, I think marian... I can't really remember any more tbh. All those applications are a blur now. Not having research didn't keep me out of those schools though.

You could literally say "I enjoy reading from scholarly journals and am interested in new research findings, however I think I my place is in the clinical setting and not the lab." You could even get into a research project and when asked about it, be honest and say it's not your thing. That would actually look better than never trying it and expressing no interest imo.


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[PreMedTex]

You know I am curious as to what exactly counts as "research". I worked in an industrial oilfield laboratory for 3 years and worked on several (Company wide) published fluid designs and other projects. Do you think this would count as "research" to an adcomm?
Edit: Sorry I dont mean to in anyway thread jack, but I am in a very similar situation as OP.

 

[mriyain]

You know I am curious as to what exactly counts as "research". I worked in an industrial oilfield laboratory for 3 years and worked on several (Company wide) published fluid designs and other projects. Do you think this would count as "research" to an adcomm?
Edit: Sorry I dont mean to in anyway thread jack, but I am in a very similar situation as OP.

haha no worries, thread jack away!

 

[oOKawaiiOo]

My background/future game plan:
-I have a *terrible* transcript (life happens and I've taken responsibility for it and my GPA this past semester was stellar ), but I can't do much to solve those past grades until after graduating, when I will embark on my informal post-bacc journey.
-I have no research experience, because to be honest I'm not interested in it and there's no way any professor is going to let someone with so many low science grades work in their lab... from what I understand, research is not that highly prioritized in DO?
-Finally, in terms of volunteering, I have a lot of hours (nearing 300) doing everything from organizing fun college stress-breaks to cleaning the Ronald McDonald House, but so far I have no hospital volunteer hours (I know, I know--it's a long explanation and again, my fault and I have taken responsibility) (though I have done volunteer health service through Global Medical/Dental Brigades in Nicaragua).

This summer I am:
-Working at my regular part-time job so I can feed myself
-Taking a CNA course so that I can work as a CNA to feed myself and gain healthcare experience after graduation
-Finally beginning to volunteer at the local hospital (they have a 3 hour per week limit on volunteering, though--not sure if that's normal) and will continue volunteering through the fall semester

Just typing all of this out has made me realize that I have no concrete shadowing experience, and no shadowing experience for a DO.

Any input is greatly appreciated!

I did research, but it never was brought up during my interviews.

Just a generalized stats for DO schools.

GPA: >3.25 A few schools have cutoffs. Do your research.
MCAT: (+503) There were a few fortunate students who got in with a MCAT <25 on the old scale.
Clinical Experience including volunteering: +300 hours
Non-clinical hours: +300 hours

APPLY early.

 

[mriyain]

I did research, but it never was brought up during my interviews.

Just a generalized stats for DO schools.

GPA: >3.25 A few schools have cutoffs. Do your research.
MCAT: (+503) There were a few fortunate students who got in with a MCAT <25 on the old scale.
Clinical Experience including volunteering: +300 hours
Non-clinical hours: +300 hours

APPLY early.

What do you mean by non-clinical hours? Like volunteering for anything? (asking because I have over 300 logged hours of community service for things like my college orientation and Ronald McDonald House)