Hi, I am recent Biolgy major graduate from NJ, I have 3.5 CGPA & 3.56 SGPA, I took the MCAT twice but my highest score is 26. I was planing to apply to DO schools but I figured out that it will be hard to get accepted in a DO school with my GPA and MCAT thus, I decided to apply to Caribbean Med Schools hoping to start next May. However, I have been hearing rumors that the U.S. hospitals have declared that they won't be taking any Med school graduates from outside the U.S. starting in 2015. Obviously, if I got to a Caribbean Med School I won't be done before 2016. Have anyone heard those rumors as I did and does anyone knows if they are true for sure. Pls, I am in a great need of your advices about what to do and what are the best solutions for me, Thanks for your responses
Can you help me take a decision
- Thread starter bola18
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Why is your status "pre-dental?" Have you taken the DAT?
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If you applied a bit broadly and had a decent app put together, you probably wouldn't have as much trouble as you're thinking you will. Your GPA is just fine for D.O. and your MCAT is still reasonably competitive for a number of schools.
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Like above poster said, if you apply broadly, I think you can find admission into some DO schools, assuming your ECs/LORs are good.
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You seriously shouldn't have trouble getting into a DO school. When I applied, I had a 3.7 cGPA, a 3.5 sGPA, and a 27 MCAT and I received multiple offers.
I have good LOR's but all I have for EC is shadowing for 100 hours. What else can I do to raise my EC's
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What's your background? Are you in college, are you employed, what do you do? You need volunteer work. This is especially important for DO schools. Shadowing isn't the same as volunteering.
I am a Bio major graduate, I graduated in January, I have a part time job now but it's not health or clinical related, I shadow in a Family doctor office
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It sounds like you have a strong application for DO schools. Stay away from Caribbean.
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If you don't have any other ECs except shadowing, I'd stop shadowing immediately and work on ECs. That's important for most DO schools.
I saw your med application profile thing. You have very similar stats as me; hopefully I'll get interviews and acceptance like you did. lol, I guess I'm just writing this b/c you gave me a bit of hope, haha.
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The 3.7 and 27 MCAT are fine for DO schools. You could get into lower tier MD schools (possibly, depending on ECs and LORs) with those basic stats.
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Do some research brah. Apply to DO schools also.
Who told you hospitals are going to stop hiring foreign graduates in 2015? I personally highly doubt it.
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Yes! DO RESEARCH
Are you planning on applying this cycle? Even though DO school deadlines are relatively late, you should try and apply as early as possible - I'd take a year off and do more ECs. Shadowing is awesome - was this with a DO who has already written/promised you a letter? If not shadow a DO to get letter, but don't spend much more time shadowing at this point (although long term rel with doc you shadow will be valued), especially if it is in the same specialty...
I would apply June 2013 cycle, and do the following ECs between now and then:
1. Research - use connections with old profs or blindly email PIs at area institutions to see if you can volunteer in their lab - with no lab experience it might be hard to get an actual research job, but 9 months volunteering is just as good if you don't need to get published and just want it on the app
2. CNA - Cert Nurs Assistant training can only take 2 weeks for some programs (although idk if these exist anymore), and at the most would be a semester but probably much shorter at an easy community college. Work sucks but it is application gold, even if you only do it for a short time/seasonally/oncall. Try and do Home health care if you can cuz that is easy if you have the right client! Use to show you can interact with patients, play up compassion/empathy/interpersonal relationships - prooves you care about pts
3. Volunteer in an area Emergency Department or other clinical area - this is awesome and enjoyable and also looks good b/c its clinical work which allows you to comfort patients
4. Shadow DO if possible, get acquainted with Osteopathy and OMM. Possibly continue to shadow but like 1x every month/2 mos so the shadowing looks more spread out on the application.
5. get a really awesome/unique job not related to medicine in area you also enjoy - this will make you stand out from bland pool of applicants; unique is good if you dont shove the "unique" down your interviewer's throat
6. turn in stuff early, be proactive, apply widely and sprinkle in some lower stats allopathic schools to take a shot if you are interested.
This worked for me (except #6 - I applied on the very last day to only 2 schools total (both allo)) and was ~#1 off the WL at my #1 choice with below avg stats). I think #1 and #5 helped me the most in the interview - I loved talking about research I had done and I drove a Zamboni for fun, which sparked interviewer interest...
ECs matter SO much at DO (from what Ive heard from friends who are M1-M4 @ DO schools) that, if you knock off some of these or related activities, you will be very competitive! (so dont apply caribbean)
Good luck!
Are you planning on applying this cycle? Even though DO school deadlines are relatively late, you should try and apply as early as possible - I'd take a year off and do more ECs. Shadowing is awesome - was this with a DO who has already written/promised you a letter? If not shadow a DO to get letter, but don't spend much more time shadowing at this point (although long term rel with doc you shadow will be valued), especially if it is in the same specialty...
I would apply June 2013 cycle, and do the following ECs between now and then:
1. Research - use connections with old profs or blindly email PIs at area institutions to see if you can volunteer in their lab - with no lab experience it might be hard to get an actual research job, but 9 months volunteering is just as good if you don't need to get published and just want it on the app
2. CNA - Cert Nurs Assistant training can only take 2 weeks for some programs (although idk if these exist anymore), and at the most would be a semester but probably much shorter at an easy community college. Work sucks but it is application gold, even if you only do it for a short time/seasonally/oncall. Try and do Home health care if you can cuz that is easy if you have the right client! Use to show you can interact with patients, play up compassion/empathy/interpersonal relationships - prooves you care about pts
3. Volunteer in an area Emergency Department or other clinical area - this is awesome and enjoyable and also looks good b/c its clinical work which allows you to comfort patients
4. Shadow DO if possible, get acquainted with Osteopathy and OMM. Possibly continue to shadow but like 1x every month/2 mos so the shadowing looks more spread out on the application.
5. get a really awesome/unique job not related to medicine in area you also enjoy - this will make you stand out from bland pool of applicants; unique is good if you dont shove the "unique" down your interviewer's throat
6. turn in stuff early, be proactive, apply widely and sprinkle in some lower stats allopathic schools to take a shot if you are interested.
This worked for me (except #6 - I applied on the very last day to only 2 schools total (both allo)) and was ~#1 off the WL at my #1 choice with below avg stats). I think #1 and #5 helped me the most in the interview - I loved talking about research I had done and I drove a Zamboni for fun, which sparked interviewer interest...
ECs matter SO much at DO (from what Ive heard from friends who are M1-M4 @ DO schools) that, if you knock off some of these or related activities, you will be very competitive! (so dont apply caribbean)
Good luck!
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