Can SMP fix any undergraduate mistakes?

[zappyapples]

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I made a post here two years ago about my low gpa and some struggles with stress/mental health. Long story short, I did not correct these issues immediately after and did make some more mistakes. My gpa is 2.9 presently, and I realize now that there was quite a bit of poor judgement on my end. I have 6 C's, 3 F's, and a D on my transcript.

My goal was physician from day one, but I used to enjoy challenging myself and my poorest semesters were those in which I would take classes like differential equations, linear algebra, and modern physics as electives. I really did like those topics, but I know now that my main priority should have been the classes that matter for med school. I changed my major a lot and was studying physics and applied math at different points. Again, poor judgement; I should have been more focused on getting a good gpa.

I failed organic chemistry 1 (D) and 2 (F) before passing each on a retake with a B/B-. I've also gotten C's in three upper level bio classes as electives that I was using as a sort of DIY postbacc in my 4th year.

I'm a fifth year biochemistry major currently and I'm going to finish with at least a 3.5 this semester (all A's and one or two B's), and I believe I can bring my gpa above 3.0 before graduating this spring. I'm also consistently getting 510+ on my practice MCATs. I definitely feel like I'm beginning to get my study habits down and am preparing to apply to SMPs next semester after taking the MCAT in March. I've been following Goro's reinvention advice heavily and I guess what I want to know is if I'm doing the right thing (i.e. not wasting my time) or if there's anything else I should/could be doing.

Some more stats:

- 1000+ hours clinical experience (Hospital PCT 1 year, ED scribe 1 year so far).
- Around 720 hours research experience (1st one was nuclear physics with a poster presentation, currently at a national laboratory doing diabetes research).
- 14 hours shadowing a pediatrician.
- 0 hours non-clinical volunteering.
- Miscellaneous leadership at my school's event programming board (sound engineering).

Many thanks for the help.

 

[ecobio]

Try to get yourself to 3.0 at a minimum as many schools have a GPA cut off at that value. Im glad to hear you are applying to SMPs as that would help your case too. My big concern would be having 0 hours of non-clinical volunteering. I really think that having minimal to no volunteering is a big factor in what tanked my application cycle previously as a low GPA applicant.

 

[Goro]

Try to get yourself to 3.0 at a minimum as many schools have a GPA cut off at that value. Im glad to hear you are applying to SMPs as that would help your case too. My big concern would be having 0 hours of non-clinical volunteering. I really think that having minimal to no volunteering is a big factor in what tanked my application cycle previously as a low GPA applicant.

10000% agree with this wise advice!

 

[zappyapples]

Try to get yourself to 3.0 at a minimum as many schools have a GPA cut off at that value. Im glad to hear you are applying to SMPs as that would help your case too. My big concern would be having 0 hours of non-clinical volunteering. I really think that having minimal to no volunteering is a big factor in what tanked my application cycle previously as a low GPA applicant.

10000% agree with this wise advice!

Thank you both, I’m definitely going to be getting some more soon. I was hoping to wait until starting the SMP to really get volunteering done so I can focus on everything else but I’m not sure how heavily SMPs themselves weigh volunteering. Should I be getting some done before applying, and if so would it hurt me that I’m doing it so late?

 

[ecobio]

Thank you both, I’m definitely going to be getting some more soon. I was hoping to wait until starting the SMP to really get volunteering done so I can focus on everything else but I’m not sure how heavily SMPs themselves weigh volunteering. Should I be getting some done before applying, and if so would it hurt me that I’m doing it so late?

I dont have any insight on the SMP application process, however I think it would be beneficial to get involved in meaningful volunteering as soon as you can. Just do an hour or two a week. Its important to show a long term commitment to service when you start applying to med school. Could look fishy if you start it the same year as applications 🙂

 

[Mr.Smile12]

First off all, no SMP will "fix" your undergraduate decisions. What you did is in the past, and you must own your decisions on the way to your current trajectory.

Second, I agree with the above: with zero non-clinical community service/service orientation hours, your application just rings like you want to pursue an academic or research career. We don't have a full picture of your profile to know how you have stretched yourself beyond your comfort zone aside from your desire to challenge yourself academically. Do you have any desire to be with people who are sick, in a horrible living situation (financially or whatnot), or have very little hope about their lives? And I mean doing something that is not health-adjacent.

You once mentioned wanting to quit being a PCT. What changed?

You will not have time to catch up your missing community service hours once you start an SMP. I don't really question your motivation once you are in an SMP, but I wonder whether you have done enough to be truly emotionally ready to be a physician. Sure you have some clinical experiences, but the community service is going to be important too. Otherwise, you might as well move up the ladder and manage multiple scribes or medical personnel.

 

[zappyapples]

First off all, no SMP will "fix" your undergraduate decisions. What you did is in the past, and you must own your decisions on the way to your current trajectory.

Second, I agree with the above: with zero non-clinical community service/service orientation hours, your application just rings like you want to pursue an academic or research career. We don't have a full picture of your profile to know how you have stretched yourself beyond your comfort zone aside from your desire to challenge yourself academically. Do you have any desire to be with people who are sick, in a horrible living situation (financially or whatnot), or have very little hope about their lives? And I mean doing something that is not health-adjacent.

You once mentioned wanting to quit being a PCT. What changed?

You will not have time to catch up your missing community service hours once you start an SMP. I don't really question your motivation once you are in an SMP, but I wonder whether you have done enough to be truly emotionally ready to be a physician. Sure you have some clinical experiences, but the community service is going to be important too. Otherwise, you might as well move up the ladder and manage multiple scribes or medical personnel.

I appreciate the advice, these are very good points. I'm going to start volunteering as soon as this semester ends then. As for quitting my PCT job, I did quit a few months after mentioning that. I took a break and started working my scribe job which I'm still currently in. Is that what you mean by what changed?

 

[LindaAccepted]

I also recommend that you start a community service activity ASAP while still maintaining your GPA. I do think some SMPs will look at your profile and wonder about your ability to get accepted to med school after the SMP if you don't have any community service when you apply. So don't wait. It doesn't have to be tons of hours, but a consistent commitment.

 

[Ellesandra319]

I made a post here two years ago about my low gpa and some struggles with stress/mental health. Long story short, I did not correct these issues immediately after and did make some more mistakes. My gpa is 2.9 presently, and I realize now that there was quite a bit of poor judgement on my end. I have 6 C's, 3 F's, and a D on my transcript.

My goal was physician from day one, but I used to enjoy challenging myself and my poorest semesters were those in which I would take classes like differential equations, linear algebra, and modern physics as electives. I really did like those topics, but I know now that my main priority should have been the classes that matter for med school. I changed my major a lot and was studying physics and applied math at different points. Again, poor judgement; I should have been more focused on getting a good gpa.

I failed organic chemistry 1 (D) and 2 (F) before passing each on a retake with a B/B-. I've also gotten C's in three upper level bio classes as electives that I was using as a sort of DIY postbacc in my 4th year.

I'm a fifth year biochemistry major currently and I'm going to finish with at least a 3.5 this semester (all A's and one or two B's), and I believe I can bring my gpa above 3.0 before graduating this spring. I'm also consistently getting 510+ on my practice MCATs. I definitely feel like I'm beginning to get my study habits down and am preparing to apply to SMPs next semester after taking the MCAT in March. I've been following Goro's reinvention advice heavily and I guess what I want to know is if I'm doing the right thing (i.e. not wasting my time) or if there's anything else I should/could be doing.

Some more stats:

- 1000+ hours clinical experience (Hospital PCT 1 year, ED scribe 1 year so far).
- Around 720 hours research experience (1st one was nuclear physics with a poster presentation, currently at a national laboratory doing diabetes research).
- 14 hours shadowing a pediatrician.
- 0 hours non-clinical volunteering.
- Miscellaneous leadership at my school's event programming board (sound engineering).

Many thanks for the help.

OMS3 here.

i was non-trad, back to school 5-6 years post undergrad where i pretty much got B's/C's and didn't really try lol. my GPA was 3.1ish even after A's and a couple B's in post-bacc pre-req's. ended up getting a 510+ on the MCAT and thought it was gonna make up for my GPA and one thing I'll say is a good MCAT doesn't make up for a bad GPA. I ended up getting 1 MD and 3 DO interview invites and am OMS3 now so things obviously worked out, but don't bank on MCAT making up for things. i wouldn't go back to pre-med if you paid me a million bucks, but in retrospect, if I had to, I would've done an SMP before applying because adcom's have to see you can handle the intense curriculum, not just perform on a standard exam.

that said, knowing how to study to get 510+ on the MCAT was hugely helpful for Step 1/Level 1 so definitely aim for that! it was also a nice talking point in DO programs where a lot of applicants have good GPA's and bad MCAT's, and I had the exact opposite!

Good luck!