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Best path to take...
- Thread starter banzi2
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Moving to pre-allo
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Just to clarify, a masters program won't affect your undergrad GPA. You'll have a separate masters GPA. The only way to improve your cGPA + sGPA is to do a formal or informal post-bacc program that lets you retake undergrad science courses along with more upper division courses. As it stands, you have a long road ahead before you pass GPA screens (typically above 3.0 for both). You should also consider applying to DO schools and taking full advantage of the grade replacement policy.
Did you take the MCAT yet? SMPs are perfect if you have a good to stellar MCAT score and your GPA is the biggest sore spot in your entire application. Good luck.
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A) Do a DIY post-bacc now aiming at grade replacement and study very hard for the MCAT. If you put up decent numbers, you'll have a decent pick of DO schools next year.
A master's degree might help, but they're so notorious for grade inflation that a non-SMP masters is probably just a waste of your money.
B) If you want MD, you have a long, difficult, and uncertain road ahead of you. Do the same thing except make sure your DIY post-bacc is a full time course load for 2 semesters and includes some new upper division sciences courses too. If you get good grades and MCAT, then you can apply for the better MD SMP's next year, but that's likely going to be 3 years in total since you're going to be looking at a gap year after the SMP with that undergrad GPA.
If you have a *very* good MCAT already, you could in theory just do resume enhancers this year and apply to SMP's next year, but I think your shot at the most successful SMP's will be low without some post-bacc work first either way (unless you were an engineering major, in which case they may be more forgiving of your GPA).
I'd go with option A though. It's your quickest, most economical route to becoming a practicing physician.
A master's degree might help, but they're so notorious for grade inflation that a non-SMP masters is probably just a waste of your money.
B) If you want MD, you have a long, difficult, and uncertain road ahead of you. Do the same thing except make sure your DIY post-bacc is a full time course load for 2 semesters and includes some new upper division sciences courses too. If you get good grades and MCAT, then you can apply for the better MD SMP's next year, but that's likely going to be 3 years in total since you're going to be looking at a gap year after the SMP with that undergrad GPA.
If you have a *very* good MCAT already, you could in theory just do resume enhancers this year and apply to SMP's next year, but I think your shot at the most successful SMP's will be low without some post-bacc work first either way (unless you were an engineering major, in which case they may be more forgiving of your GPA).
I'd go with option A though. It's your quickest, most economical route to becoming a practicing physician.
A
AnatomyGrey12
I would go the DO grade replacement route. You would most likely need to do a DIY post-bac just to get your sGPA up to even be able to get into reputable SMPs. My understanding is they rarely take people with sGPAs that low. They usually like something around a 3.0
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Retake courses and go DO. I'm not sure, but, I think your masters GPA is not counted towards your uGPA.
