MD & DO cGPA 3.4, sGPA 3.3, MCAT 510

[putmynameinbold]

Hi everyone, I was hoping to get a realistic idea of how my stats hold up for MD or DO programs. I’m hoping to apply this upcoming cycle for a 2017 admission.

• (estimated GPA) cGPA: 3.44, sGPA: 3.3; I’m currently doing an abbreviated post-bacc mainly because I wanted a bit of a GPA boost, and my major didn’t help me much with human anatomy/physio
• MCAT score: 510 (129,127,126,128) - retake after getting a 25 on the old test

EC Highlights:

• UC Grad, Biopsych major
• Not disadvantaged
• 250-300 hours Scribing/Shadowing experience for a DO
• 150 hours of volunteering as a scribe for patient care coordination meetings
• 35 hours volunteering at an NCU for a community hospital
• 2.5 years as an RA, I completed a senior research project and presented at two undergrad conferences
• 4 years working for the school newspaper, editor for two of those years
• 1 year as a tutor on through an on-campus org
• 2.5 years in a pre-med cohort/scholarship recipient through this

Is there anything I can do to strengthen my app in the few months I have till crunch time? I’d appreciate any input!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[gyngyn]

Learn Spanish.

 

[putmynameinbold]

Learn Spanish.

Thank you for the input, I'm definitely working on this. I took Spanish in high school, and was discouraged from taking it in college because of my AP score. Most of the providers in the practice I'm scribing at speak Spanish with the patients, so I'm starting to pick up a few of the medical terms. I'll be sure to brush up and add that to my app!

 

[Goro]

Great for any DO school.

Hi everyone, I was hoping to get a realistic idea of how my stats hold up for MD or DO programs. I’m hoping to apply this upcoming cycle for a 2017 admission.

• (estimated GPA) cGPA: 3.44, sGPA: 3.3; I’m currently doing an abbreviated post-abc mainly because I wanted a bit of a GPA boost, and my major didn’t help me much with human anatomy/physio
• MCAT score: 510 (129,127,126,128) - retake after getting a 25 on the old test

EC Highlights:

• UC Grad, Biopsych major
• Not disadvantaged
• 250-300 hours Scribing/Shadowing experience for a DO
• 150 hours of volunteering as a scribe for patient care coordination meetings
• 35 hours volunteering at an NCU for a community hospital
• 2.5 years as an RA, I completed a senior research project and presented at two undergrad conferences
• 4 years working for the school newspaper, editor for two of those years
• 1 year as a tutor on through an on-campus org
• 2.5 years in a pre-med cohort/scholarship recipient through this

Is there anything I can do to strengthen my app in the few months I have till crunch time? I’d appreciate any input!

 

[putmynameinbold]

Great for any DO school.

Sorry for the late reply! I was compiling my list and wondering how my stats looked for MD schools, any that you recommend I apply to? Also, are my stats competitive enough for CA DO schools?

 

[gyngyn]

Sorry for the late reply! I was compiling my list and wondering how my stats looked for MD schools, any that you recommend I apply to? Also, are my stats competitive enough for CA DO schools?

Good for both Western and Touro.

 

[putmynameinbold]

Good for both Western and Touro.

That's really promising! I'm starting to compile my lists for apps, with Western and Touro higher up on my DO list. Are there any MD schools you recommend? I know I should shoot for lower tier/newer ones with my stats, just unsure of where to start...So far, I'm thinking 15-18 DOs, 25-30 MDs.

 

[gyngyn]

That's really promising! I'm starting to compile my lists for apps, with Western and Touro higher up on my DO list. Are there any MD schools you recommend? I know I should shoot for lower tier/newer ones with my stats, just unsure of where to start...So far, I'm thinking 15-18 DOs, 25-30 MDs.

Have you looked at the MSAR? I'll be happy to review your list!

 

[GrapesofRath]

If MD is the end goal you are a pretty reasonable SMP candidate.

While nothing is impossible, being from CA it's just not going to be very easy to generate real traction at OOS MD schools with a GPA that is 1 SD below the MD matriculant average and an MCAT history where the best score is at the MD average and the MCAT average of your two scores is 1 SD below the MD matriculant average.

Youll be fine for DO schools if that's the path you want to pursue instead.

 

[putmynameinbold]

While nothing is impossible, being from CA it's just not going to be very easy to generate real traction at OOS MD schools with a GPA that is 1 SD below the MD matriculant average and an MCAT history where the best score is at the MD average and the MCAT average of your two scores is 1 SD below the MD matriculant average.

I've heard that some schools don't look at the old MCAT if you've taken the new MCAT as well. Wondering how true that is....Also heard that they care for significant upward trend in MCAT scores for retakers, would that help me at all?

 

[putmynameinbold]

Have you looked at the MSAR? I'll be happy to review your list!

Thank you gyngyn! I've been feverishly riffling through the MSAR and I feel discouraged due to my stats and the definite OOS bias everywhere else. That said, most of these schools are definitely reach schools.
MDs:
California Northstate (new school - stats actually seemed somewhat attainable)
Loma Linda
UC Davis
UCLA
UCR - (I'm originally from the area, thought it was worth a shot)
Charles Drew
Mercer
Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin
Tulane
Western Michigan Homer Stryker
Michigan State
Wake Forest
New York Medical College
Albany Medical College
CUNY (another new one)
Sidney Kimmel

DOs:
AZCOM
LECOM - Bradenton
LECOM
NYIT COM
NSU COM
PNWU COM
PCOM
RVUCOM
TouroCOM-NY
TouroCOM-CA
TUNCOM
Western COMP
Western Lebanon

Any other schools I should add? Definitely starting to worry about the short MD list...I was always told to apply broadly, but my stats have been turning me off from considering quite a few schools, despite a list with mainly reaches.

 

[gyngyn]

Delete:
California Northstate: you deserve better
Loma Linda are you Adventist?
UC Davis
UCLA: OK for a reach, you know you are going to apply anyway!
UCR - (I'm originally from the area, thought it was worth a shot)
Charles Drew
Mercer
Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin
Tulane
Western Michigan Homer Stryker
Michigan State
Wake Forest
New York Medical College
Albany Medical College
CUNY (another new one) Take a look at their mission statement.
Sidney Kimmel

I like MCW, SLU, Creighton, U IL and both AZ schools for you as well.

 

[Goro]

If you're not a GA resident, scratch Mercer
Not from MI, scratch MSU

Delete:
California Northstate: you deserve better
Loma Linda are you Adventist?
UC Davis
UCLA: OK for a reach, you know you are going to apply anyway!
UCR - (I'm originally from the area, thought it was worth a shot)
Charles Drew
Mercer
Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin
Tulane
Western Michigan Homer Stryker
Michigan State
Wake Forest
New York Medical College
Albany Medical College
CUNY (another new one) Take a look at their mission statement.
Sidney Kimmel

I like MCW, SLU, Creighton and both AZ schools for you as well.

 

[putmynameinbold]

Delete:
California Northstate: you deserve better

Do you not recommend as a safety-type school either? I was looking at last year's matriculants, and there was overwhelming 2:1 male to female ratio, thought that could potentially be to my advantage

Delete:
Loma Linda are you Adventist?

Nope and it's off the list then!

Delete:
CUNY (another new one) Take a look at their mission statement.

From what I've found, it's primary practice focused, which is what I'd love to go into.

Delete:
I like MCW, SLU, Creighton and both AZ schools for you as well.

Will add those to the list! Thank you!

 

[putmynameinbold]

If you're not a GA resident, scratch Mercer
Not from MI, scratch MSU

Scratched off. Being from CA sure does have its setbacks. Any other school recommendations? I'm really interested in primary care, I'm trying to find more schools that are catered to that (I have UCR so far!). Thank you, Goro!

 

[gyngyn]

Do you not recommend as a safety-type school either? I was looking at last year's matriculants, and there was overwhelming 2:1 male to female ratio, thought that could potentially be to my advantage


Nope and it's off the list then!


From what I've found, it's primary practice focused, which is what I'd love to go into.


Will add those to the list! Thank you!

Northstate is the first on shore MD for-profit school. It has distinguished itself by not allowing it's students to be eligible for federally insured students loans among other unsavory institutional behaviors. It is the opposite of safety.
CUNY is the school developed for the Sophie Davis kids.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Netter UIC VCU EVMS Oakland and maybe Vermont are worth consideration. You might even throw Va Tech into the discussion here if you really want.

Im normally not a big fan of including the 12+k app low yield NYMC, GWs, RFUs and Drexels of the world but when your stats are <avg and you dont have state schools, you have to consider including almost any OOS friendly MD school your stats are within the range of what they accept, which is true for those NYMC type schools.

 

[putmynameinbold]

Northstate is the first on shore MD for-profit school. It has distinguished itself by not allowing it's students to be eligible for federally insured students loans among other unsavory institutional behaviors. It is the opposite of safety.
CUNY is the school developed for the Sophie Davis kids.

That makes sense. I believe I misread about CUNY. And wow, I was under the impression that Northstate was just awaiting their first graduating class before they could have students apply for federal loans based on an article I read a while back, must have been rumors 😕

Netter UIC VCU EVMS Oakland and maybe Vermont are worth consideration. You might even throw Va Tech into the discussion here if you really want.

Im normally not a big fan of including the 12+k app low yield NYMC, GWs, RFUs and Drexels of the world but when your stats are <avg and you dont have state schools, you have to consider including almost any OOS friendly MD school your stats are within the range of what they accept, which is true for those NYMC type schools.

GrapesofRath, I was reading up on those schools on MSAR, and schools like UIC have a heavy in-state bias? Doesn't that make my chances even lower? I mean, I know my stats aren't great, but I don't think being an OOS applicant could help at all...but I get what you mean about the NYMC heavy applicant load. I just want something to work out. I've never regretted being from CA so much

Thank you all for the advice! I really do appreciate it!

 

[GrapesofRath]

That makes sense. I believe I misread about CUNY. And wow, I was under the impression that Northstate was just awaiting their first graduating class before they could have students apply for federal loans based on an article I read a while back, must have been rumors 😕

GrapesofRath, I was reading up on those schools on MSAR, and schools like UIC have a heavy in-state bias? Doesn't that make my chances even lower? I mean, I know my stats aren't great, but I don't think being an OOS applicant could help at all...but I get what you mean about the NYMC heavy applicant load. I just want something to work out. I've never regretted being from CA so much

Thank you all for the advice! I really do appreciate it!

Certain OOS schools take boatloads of CA applicants a year. Gyngyn listed a bunch and UIC falls into that category despite being a state school. I agree with your stats it's not the best option nor should it be at the top of your list, but any school you might have a shot at is worth considering.

Youll be fine for DO schools. If you are content with that apply broadly to MD schools in addition to DOs. Historically about 35% of such applicants with your stats get into an MD school. Being from CA wont help those odds and if you dont have a good grade trend that probably number inflates your odds a little. But a good school list and a well written app certainly has the potential to yield an MD II or two. And from the interview, you just never know what might happen.

If MD is your true end goal like I said above you are a good SMP candidate. Doing well in an SMP would change your potential outlook considerably. If you really are interested in the MD route and are willing to be a little bold/aggressive and dont mind spending a couple years, moving to a very favorable state for MD schools like LA or WV and doing some DIY PB work to get your sGPA as close to 3.5 as possible might also be worth some consideration.

 

[gyngyn]

And wow, I was under the impression that Northstate was just awaiting their first graduating class before they could have students apply for federal loans based on an article I read a while back, must have been rumors 😕

Because they had been operating the Pharmacy school long enough, their entering medical school class would have been eligible for federally insured loans. They chose not to allow it. Amazing.

 

[putmynameinbold]

Certain OOS schools take boatloads of CA applicants a year. Gyngyn listed a bunch and UIC falls into that category despite being a state school. I agree with your stats it's not the best option nor should it be at the top of your list, but any school you might have a shot at is worth considering.

Youll be fine for DO schools. If you are content with that apply broadly to MD schools in addition to DOs. Historically about 35% of such applicants with your stats get into an MD school. Being from CA wont help those odds and if you dont have a good grade trend that probably number inflates your odds a little. But a good school list and a well written app certainly has the potential to yield an MD II or two. And from the interview, you just never know what might happen.

If MD is your true end goal like I said above you are a good SMP candidate. Doing well in an SMP would change your potential outlook considerably. If you really are interested in the MD route and are willing to be a little bold/aggressive and dont mind spending a couple years, moving to a very favorable state for MD schools like LA or WV and doing some DIY PB work to get your sGPA as close to 3.5 as possible might also be worth some consideration.

I guess my real question was which MD schools would even be a possibility with my stats, because I couldn't find enough to feel that I was applying broadly. But thankfully, I got a lot of great suggestions here, and am now at around 20 MDs, 15 DOs, which is broad enough to get an acceptance, I hope!

Because they had been operating the Pharmacy school long enough, their entering medical school class would have been eligible for federally insured loans. They chose not to allow it. Amazing.

Ooof, well unless I happen to win the jackpot between now and June, it's off my list. Thanks, gyngyn!