Any chance at this point?

[A2022J]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I ended up with a 2.94 sGPA and 3.421 cGPA in my undergrad. Decided to do a DIY post-bac at fordham. Earned A- in Gen Chem I, B+ in Gen Chem II and an A in Bio I. Decided to switch into Columbia's premed postbac program for its reputation and structure. However, I have had less than an ideal experience there thus far, only managing to make B-s in both Orgo I and II and C- in Bio I and B- in Bio II. I plan on taking 2 upper level bio courses in the Fall at Columbia, hoping to get B+/A- in those. I scored a 496 on my first time MCAT and am currently devoting this summer to study and re-take it in September.

Aside from stats, I've held several research positions, have been on a few publications and am currently a medical assistant.

Do I have any shot at MD or DO school at this point?

Any and all feedback would be much appreciated!! Please be as honest and straight forward as you want.

 

[Goro]

As of now, no. Your MCAT score alone is lethal, and in a post-bac, you should be getting A's not B-'s.

 

[Faha]

You need to increase your sGPA to 3.1 to have a realistic chance at some of the newer DO schools. Also, you will need to increase your MCAT to 500 or higher. Let us know in the future if both of these occur.

 

[A2022J]

Thank you to both for your brutal honesty. My 1st goal is to definitely score as high as possible on my mcat this time around--to somewhat demonstrate that I actually learned something from my postbac courses and hopefully mitigate those less than stellar grades. The other coursework I have remaining is going to be more of a challenge to improve but I'm willing to self-reflect and try my best to make As in the fall.

 

[M&L]

That was my first mcat too . Increase Mcat and with amazing ECs you’ll have a shot

 

[Talldoctor96]

You just need to realize you are not even close to being ready to apply. You need years of rebuilding your GPA, rebuilding your MCAT and you need to be a SUPER STAR at ECs.

 

[LondonVibes]

You just need to realize you are not even close to being ready to apply. You need years of rebuilding your GPA, rebuilding your MCAT and you need to be a SUPER STAR at ECs.

Why is being a super star necessary? If OP aces an SMP, the SMP GPA would be looked at primarily at some MDs and most DOs, and, for MCAT, many schools go with last retake, so couldn't the OP apply with normal ECs?

 

[Med Ed]

Why is being a super star necessary? If OP aces an SMP, the SMP GPA would be looked at primarily at some MDs and most DOs, and, for MCAT, many schools go with last retake, so couldn't the OP apply with normal ECs?

OP is already in a post-bac to mitigate subpar undergrad GPA. According to how Columbia calculates grades, here is the performance so far:

• C- Bio I (1.67)
• B- Bio II (2.67)
• B- Orgo I (2.67)
• B- Orgo II (2.67)

Assuming the courses are of equal weight, this works out to a 2.42 GPA, which is actually lower than the OP's undergrad sGPA. OP then took the MCAT and scored ~15 points below the average for allopathic matriculants.

I think we all know the definition of insanity. If I were the OP I would do something else for 5 years and then see if the medicine bug is still there.

 

[Talldoctor96]

Why is being a super star necessary? If OP aces an SMP, the SMP GPA would be looked at primarily at some MDs and most DOs, and, for MCAT, many schools go with last retake, so couldn't the OP apply with normal ECs?

Nothing is necessary.... but it will only help. Also not going to lie its really hard to just ACE an SMP when they have struggled every step along the way. IM not saying they cant do it and I hope they do. But it will help alot to have exceptional ECs

 

[Moko]

I ended up with a 2.94 sGPA and 3.421 cGPA in my undergrad. Decided to do a DIY post-bac at fordham. Earned A- in Gen Chem I, B+ in Gen Chem II and an A in Bio I. Decided to switch into Columbia's premed postbac program for its reputation and structure... managing to make B-s in both Orgo I and II and C- in Bio I and B- in Bio II. I plan on taking 2 upper level bio courses in the Fall at Columbia, hoping to get B+/A- in those. I scored a 496 on my first time MCAT and am currently devoting this summer to study and re-take it in September.

In addition to what others have said, it is also concerning that you took Bio I again at Columbia, and scored a C- despite this being your second time seeing the material. The fact that you previously got an A in this course at Fordham really calls into question the rigor of their curriculum and your overall chemistry performance there. Your low MCAT unfortunately confirms these suspicions.

What will you be doing differently this coming semester to get a "B+/A-"? "Hope" is not an adequate strategy. You also cannot afford small incremental improvements in your academic performance. What do you need to do in order to get A's? If you are unable to start getting competitive grades now, consider taking some time off and trying again at a later time should you remain interested in becoming a physician.

Continuing to get these middling grades is a waste of your time and money. Just my thoughts.

 

[LondonVibes]

OP is already in a post-bac to mitigate subpar undergrad GPA. According to how Columbia calculates grades, here is the performance so far:

• C- Bio I (1.67)
• B- Bio II (2.67)
• B- Orgo I (2.67)
• B- Orgo II (2.67)

Assuming the courses are of equal weight, this works out to a 2.42 GPA, which is actually lower than the OP's undergrad sGPA. OP then took the MCAT and scored ~15 points below the average for allopathic matriculants.

I think we all know the definition of insanity. If I were the OP I would do something else for 5 years and then see if the medicine bug is still there.

I agree OP shouldn’t beat a dead horse. It’s a fairly fine line between insanity and perseverance. Theoretically, I don’t feel like the OP is DOA until they fail an SMP and/or use up all MCAT retries, but I understand why the big guns on here don’t want OP to take a break before they even come close to that point.

 

[Goro]

Why is being a super star necessary? If OP aces an SMP, the SMP GPA would be looked at primarily at some MDs and most DOs, and, for MCAT, many schools go with last retake, so couldn't the OP apply with normal ECs?

The O P doesn't have to win the Nobel Peace Prize, or join the Peace Corps, but many of the schools that reward reinvention our service loving schools

 

[LondonVibes]

The O P doesn't have to win the Nobel Peace Prize, or join the Peace Corps, but many of the schools that reward reinvention our service loving schools

So for a service loving school, OP would want their nonclinical volunteering to be >400 hours and focused on dealing with underserved populations right?

 

[Goro]

So for a service loving school, OP would want their nonclinical volunteering to be >400 hours and focused on dealing with underserved populations right?

That would be outstanding

 

[LondonVibes]

That would be outstanding

Outstanding can only help, but I can see how this would be excessive for OP. What would be a more realistic number of service hours as a “solid minimum” to be competitive for the service loving schools specifically, and how much of those need to be with the underserved (as opposed to tutoring able bodied and well of children for example)?

 

[Goro]

Outstanding can only help, but I can see how this would be excessive for OP. What would be a more realistic number of service hours as a “solid minimum” to be competitive for the service loving schools specifically, and how much of those need to be with the underserved (as opposed to tutoring able bodied and well of children for example)?

> 200, and seriously, the more the better

 

[candbgirl]

Thank you to both for your brutal honesty. My 1st goal is to definitely score as high as possible on my mcat this time around--to somewhat demonstrate that I actually learned something from my postbac courses and hopefully mitigate those less than stellar grades. The other coursework I have remaining is going to be more of a challenge to improve but I'm willing to self-reflect and try my best to make As in the fall.

You know you might want to consider doing the MCAT retake next SPRING instead. Based on your sGPA and the grades you have earned at Columbia you most likely have gaps in your knowledge base. Spend the next year working hard in your science classes and filling in the gaps. You could also stop by your academic counseling office and get tips on studying and organization and time management. Maybe you need some clarity in how to study effectively for upper level science. They can also probably help you with test taking strategies for the classes and the MCAT. You are currently not competitive for any med school. So slow down and figure things out and give yourself the best shot. Of course there are no guarantees so always have a backup plan. Good luck.