Cant get in this cycle: PhD --> MD

I probably wouldn't do Georgetown's (or any other) SMP. They tend to be expensive, have rigid requirements, and offer no real advantage over other options. Go to a state school to save money. It also would be better to have a more flexible schedule where (1) you can take science courses that will help you for the MCAT and (2) where you feel you can get A's (which is the bottom line at this point).

It's very tough to do well on the MCAT if you didn't do well on the premedical sciences. Given your 3.19 undergraduate GPA, here's what I suggest.

• You probably should retake some or all of your premedical courses.
• Then take the MCAT, but only after studying 20-40 hours a week for at least 2-4 months.
• You really need to improve your Verbal Reasoning score. This score is the best predictor of whether you'll pass the USMLE, so it's important to do well in it. Start studying for the Verbal Reasoning now (it will likely take you a good 12 months or more to improve in this area).
• If you get A's and a 30 on the MCAT, apply to medical school.
• While your application is being processed, start a masters in biology, just in case you have to reapply.

However, before you start, make sure you are ready to dedicate yourself completely to getting into medical school. Given your history of weak performance, I think it would be a bad idea to try to squeeze in some classes while you are primarily doing something else.

 

I'm so sorry about this cycle. It is discouraging, and it's very hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel right now, but know assuredly that it is there.

In your case, it's just the MCAT. The scores suggest a global issue rather than just a lack of a fund of knowledge in the sciences. Beg borrow or steal to pay for a review course if you have not already done so, and try to figure out where the major issues are. I used to teach MCAT prep for a professional company and I lost count of how many really bright students ended up with low scores. In many cases it was one of two things: 1) slow reading, 2) applying too much outside knowledge to the questions rather than reading the passages carefully to see what the question is asking. That is, many students see the question that you 'wanted' to be asked rather than the one that was asked. The MCAT is not so much hard, but it is tricky. The good news is that neither problem is insurmoutable if you are dedicated to figure out where the major issue is. Many people have earned presentable scores on this test after several retakes but it does take time.

Again, right now, the MCAT is the major issue if you want to get into an allopathic medical school. In my opinion, there is nothing to be gained by taking more science classes. You have proved yourself at the graduate school level and, unless you're dead-set on one medical school that is insisting you do this to get past their pre-interview screen (in which case you need to do it), retaking classes or taking more classes is a very poor use of your time and money. While many people quote the MCAT as a significant predictor of performance on professional medical exams, do realize that many of those studies show a significant, but only slight correlation. Also, look at the average MCAT for osteopathic schools and you'll see that they do just fine on professional exams. Bottom line: good test takers tend to stay good test-takers, that's all.

Speaking as a Ph.D. with a less than stellar MCAT score, I applied (late!) to nine allopathic medical schools and I received just three interviews--two of which I attended--and I was admitted without waitlist to both. It's rare, but it happens. I think these things may have helped me: 1) The Ph.D. showed I had a lot of commitment, 2) I had a ton of publications in both clinical and basic science, 3) I did both a clinical and a basic science post-doc, so I was an 'unusual' applicant (med schools like unusual applicants), 4) I obtained my green card half-way through the application cycle, 5) I only applied to schools that I had thoroughly researched and believed that I had a realistic chance of winning an interview.

You can gain admission to an osteopathic school with those scores. If you want allopathic, I would try to get that MCAT to 27+. Allopathic medical schools are real sticklers for the numbers, and I'd be lying if I told you that that a decent GPA and MCAT are almost mandatory. No matter how stellar the extra-curricular work is, notable matriculants to allopathic programs with a really low MCAT score, GPA, or both are very few and far between. With a Ph.D, recent clinical experience, a 27+ MCAT, and a VERY wide application net (20+ schools), I think you'll receive more interviews. That said, not being a perm res will keep you out of a lot of schools, too. Can you start that paperwork now?

My advice may differ somewhat from what you hear from medical schools, but it is just based on my experience which seems to be similar to yours. If a specific medical school tells you that they want something, you pretty much have to give them what they want. My very best to you.

 

I feel your pain, my friend. Well, at least you got one interview - it is better than nothing at all, which is unfortunately my situation at the moment (still waiting to hear from several schools, but I think it will take some sort of divine intervention for anything positive to happen ). I talked to the chair of AdCom at the school I got my PhD (a very good school), and he said the thing killed my chance of getting into this particular school is the lack of RECENT medical work/activities. As for the numbers, I think your GPA is probably not going to kill you - as long as you can pull your MCAT PS and BS scores to ~12 (or better). In fact, I suspected my foreign UG GPA (which is NOT even verified by AMCAS) and not-so-great graduate GPA (in the US) was the main reason I was screened out pre-interview, and the chair of AdCom did mention my GPA briefly. So, I asked him whether I should consider post-bacc program to boost my GPA, he said "No. Don't waste your time and money doing that. You got good science scores in MCAT (12/12) and a quite good publication, so we know you can do science." Even for VR, you are not too far away from that - it seems even 8 is enough to give you an interview (provided the rest of ypur application is strong), though 10 will be more secure for an acceptance. English is not my native language either, so I know what kind pain in the *** it is to work on MCAT VR (and I am likely to work on it again to get the magic number of 10, IF I have to re-apply the next cycle).

By the way, your visa status is a BIG RED FLAG for med school application. If you do not mark either US citizen or permanent resident on your AMCAS, then it is almost for sure you just got yourself a ticket to "automatic" rejection from most medical schools. Is it possible for you to find a way to get your green card? I know it is very hard and no less painful than applying to medical school, because I just went through it. Other than marrying a U.S. citizen, the most practical way (if you want to start medical school by the age of 30) is to find a very good research position in a field where you can get good publications quickly to claim national interest waiver (a special subcategory for green card). As I mentioned earlier, unfortunately, it is quite unpredictable, just like med school application (or even worse) - I have seen more than plenty of people who have superior credentials (in terms of # of publications and citations) but did not get approval. To me, it is not too different from people complaining, "I got 34/3.75 and decent EC, volunteer, and shadowing, why didn't I get in?"

One last point: if you plan to apply again some time later, do it early - I mean, ridiculously early - sending out secondaries no later than August, if possible. That is one lesson I learn from the SDN . I could not do it this cycle (thesis defense two weeks before the August MCAT......talking about the fun of being stressed.....), but definitely I am going to do it next time if I have to re-apply. Good luck!

 

Your plan sounds like a good one.

If you have a lot of money, I say take every advantage. It might benefit you most, perhaps, to have an experienced MCAT test-taker 'diagnose' which areas you need to work on most: timing, over-analyzing the question, applying too much outside knowledge, confidence during the test, speed-reading etc. I'm betting that it's one or more of those because you're obviously accomplished.

You can beat this test and, since you have been interviewed at an allopathic school already, it can happen again....and then some.

Keep in mind that you won't be eligible for federal loans for medical school without a green card. As a PhD, CD4helpCD8 explained about the national interest route, which is an attractive option. It takes time, but it will get you there.

Good luck!