Applying to med school while in SMP or wait until after SMP?

[deleted770098]

I was planning on applying to medical schools (MD and DO) this upcoming cycle (2018-2019) with cGPA 3.4, sGPA 3.7, MCAT 508. I'm a career changer (history major, worked in accounting for a few years, started undergraduate post-bacc 3 years ago). I've gathered all my LORs, which I think are pretty strong, have 1100 hours of scribe experience, and have chemistry research on my resume. I'm also going to get a committee letter from Loyola's pre-health advisory committee.

However, I recently got into Loyola's MAMS program which starts in the fall, and I intend on enrolling. My question is, should I have an active application to med school while I am in MAMS, or should I wait until I'm done with the program?

My physician brother recommends that I apply after I'm done with the program, as he feels my stats are not strong enough to be competitive for MD schools. He believes the SMP would give me a strong boost, especially if I do really well. I'm on the fence, as I do want to apply this year, but I also feel somewhat insecure about my stats. Also thinking of retaking the MCAT. Opinions?

 

[DarklingThrush]

What is your post bacc GPA?.... you seem to be in a not so terrible position for applying without a SMP

 

[deleted770098]

What is your post bacc GPA?.... you seem to be in a not so terrible position for applying without a SMP

My post bacc GPA is currently 3.81, still taking 3 classes this semester. My undergraduate GPA started out at 3.1, my current cGPA is 3.4.

 

[DarklingThrush]

My post bacc GPA is currently 3.81, still taking 3 classes this semester. My undergraduate GPA started out at 3.1, my current cGPA is 3.4.

Dude... just apply. You don't need a SMP.

 

[Magus5454]

Dude... just apply. You don't need a SMP.

This. DO schools would be all over you, and so would some MD's. Don't retake the MCAT without giving a cycle a go.

 

[deleted770098]

Thanks for the replies, I’ll probably apply this cycle.


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[Magus5454]

Thanks for the replies, I’ll probably apply this cycle.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

I know you wont like hearing this, but skip the SMP, those are for students that cant get their GPA above 3.0 with a post bacc

 

[DarklingThrush]

I know you wont like hearing this, but skip the SMP, those are for students that cant get their GPA above 3.0 with a post bacc

Yeah. You're wasting your time and money doing an SMP when you can get in without it.

 

[Magus5454]

My physician brother recommends that I apply after I'm done with the program, as he feels my stats are not strong enough to be competitive for MD schools. He believes the SMP would give me a strong boost, especially if I do really well. I'm on the fence, as I do want to apply this year, but I also feel somewhat insecure about my stats. Also thinking of retaking the MCAT. Opinions?

To explain further why this is a bad idea. If you do poorly, you wreck your chances. Both on the SMP/MCAT. Apply this year, find @Goro 's awesome list of schools that reward reinvention, nail your interviews, get into med school.