chance me in the face

[mylittlebuttercup]

Hi! I work full-time as a web developer code monkey and am 28 years old and female. I graduated with a BA in Philosophy and a minor in Psychology in 2009 with a 2.9 GPA. I started my own web development business after undergrad and it was very successful. We have since been bought out.

I started my prerequisite courses last year 2-3 (6 credit hours/12 credit hours) courses at a time working full-time and have a 4.0 in all my science classes and math classes. I have calculated my current overall GPA including prereq's to be about a 3.35.

I teach nutrition classes at a local community center once a month (volunteer) and teach yoga classes on the weekends. I have studied herbal medicine and yoga for 12+ years and have experience in a clinical setting in that sense.

I just scheduled my MCAT for May 20th and will enroll in a MCAT prep course starting in January.

What are my chances? What do I have to get on the MCAT to even be a contender? Should I do more volunteer work? Get "for real" clinical experience?

TL;DR
Science GPA: 4.00
overall GPA: 3.35
Techie girl yoga teacher nutrition expert health nut



Thank you kindly!

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[NonTrad16]

-Your chances are much better with a 3.4 than a 2.9, but you should look at how AMCAS and AACOMAS classify coursework and calculate your GPA in those terms (for both cumulative and science GPA's).
-With average matriculation GPA's around/above 3.6 for MD school, your GPA will hang a bit low at the moment. For DO schools you're not in a bad spot. Higher will help you, and for DO you can look into grade replacement for any old F's or D's (if there are any) which can make for a nice, quick boost.
-MCAT is a HUGE factor -- do well and it can help make up for some deficits, do poorly and it can sink you (until you retake, but only as needed). It's nearly impossible to chance without an MCAT.
-When it comes time, state of residence/ties matter. Some states are more friendly than others, with CA basically as the toughest for in-state residence (ignoring those states with no school at all!).
-I'd find some additional clinical volunteering and shadow. I'm not sure how people will read the 'herbal medicine' work... Some are more accepting than others. I think it would be in your best interest to beef it up with something at a hospital/hospice/etc.

Generally speaking, I'd look up information about DO's, find some more clinical volunteering/shadowing (for DO programs they like a letter from a DO physician), and very importantly: focus on the MCAT. Do what you have to (cut back on other commitments as needed), since the MCAT can easily break a good application. With a GPA below the matriculation average, it's in your best interest to do as well as possible. For example, I'm sitting at ~3.4-3.5 GPA, 513 MCAT (89%ile) and I don't have a huge slew of rejections but no interviews yet, so I'm not anyone's first pick...

 

[ChrisMack390]

I think with all of your recent classes and all of your science classes being A's, your lowish GPA will be easily forgiven. Don't forget that "upward trend" is ranked just as highly on the list of selection factors as GPA and MCAT themselves.

You should really focus on the MCAT, do as well as you possibly can, and come back. Shoot for 512+ and you are golden for MD schools.

And yes, you should absolutely get some more directly clinical volunteering.

 

[rilte4]

Some adcoms may bristle at seeing your volunteer/work experience listed as 'clinical', so I'd get a few opinions on how to classify it. They might wonder if you carry a romanticized version of medicine in your mind, simply because you haven't had any exposure to its challenges. Any shadowing/clinical volunteer work you pursue should be aimed at dispelling that notion.

I live by yoga, and an herbalist was able to do for me what conventional medicine could not. However, one of my earlier shadowing experiences was the dose of reality I couldn't have gotten elsewhere. The physician I shadowed couldn't spend more than 15 min with each patient, which bothered him immensely. He'd scarf down his lunch in five minutes so that he could get through mountains of paperwork without having to stay too late. There were a few bureaucracy-related curveballs thrown his way while I was there as well. This stuff was important to see. Otherwise, with your real world experience and recent academic performance, you have the makings of a great app.

 

[Goro]

Herbal medicine and yoga have nothing to do with anything "clinical".

You need to be around real patients. Not all volunteering has to be in a hospital. Think clinics, Planned Parenthood, nursing homes, hospice, or crisis hotlines. You to show us your altruism and that you know what you're getting into. And shadow doctors as well.

I teach nutrition classes at a local community center once a month (volunteer) and teach yoga classes on the weekends. I have studied herbal medicine and yoga for 12+ years and have experience in a clinical setting in that sense.

I just scheduled my MCAT for May 20th and will enroll in a MCAT prep course starting in January.

What are my chances? What do I have to get on the MCAT to even be a contender? Should I do more volunteer work? Get "for real" clinical experience?

TL;DR
Science GPA: 4.00
overall GPA: 3.35
Techie girl yoga teacher nutrition expert health nut



Thank you kindly!

 

[GreenDuck12]

Do you have evidence to support the claim that an upward trend is ranked as highly as GPA and MCAT?

Don't forget that "upward trend" is ranked just as highly on the list of selection factors as GPA and MCAT themselves.

 

[GreenDuck12]

This post sums it all up nicely. With a competitive MCAT, you have a good chance at DO schools (seriously look into grade replacement for all F/D/C-/C grades). With a below average GPA, you have to prove you can handle the rigors of med school. Your best chance is the MCAT (aim for an above average matriculant score for schools you're interested in applying to TRY to offset a low GPA). And Yes, you ABSOLUTELY need real clinical experience (pay attention to Goro's post).

-Your chances are much better with a 3.4 than a 2.9, but you should look at how AMCAS and AACOMAS classify coursework and calculate your GPA in those terms (for both cumulative and science GPA's).
-With average matriculation GPA's around/above 3.6 for MD school, your GPA will hang a bit low at the moment. For DO schools you're not in a bad spot. Higher will help you, and for DO you can look into grade replacement for any old F's or D's (if there are any) which can make for a nice, quick boost.
-MCAT is a HUGE factor -- do well and it can help make up for some deficits, do poorly and it can sink you (until you retake, but only as needed). It's nearly impossible to chance without an MCAT.
-When it comes time, state of residence/ties matter. Some states are more friendly than others, with CA basically as the toughest for in-state residence (ignoring those states with no school at all!).
-I'd find some additional clinical volunteering and shadow. I'm not sure how people will read the 'herbal medicine' work... Some are more accepting than others. I think it would be in your best interest to beef it up with something at a hospital/hospice/etc.

Generally speaking, I'd look up information about DO's, find some more clinical volunteering/shadowing (for DO programs they like a letter from a DO physician), and very importantly: focus on the MCAT. Do what you have to (cut back on other commitments as needed), since the MCAT can easily break a good application. With a GPA below the matriculation average, it's in your best interest to do as well as possible. For example, I'm sitting at ~3.4-3.5 GPA, 513 MCAT (89%ile) and I don't have a huge slew of rejections but no interviews yet, so I'm not anyone's first pick...

 

[ChrisMack390]

Do you have evidence to support the claim that an upward trend is ranked as highly as GPA and MCAT?

It comes directly from the AAMC. They posted a chart of the various selection criteria and how important they are by tier.

I am trying to find it again but I am struggling. Does anyone else know what I'm talking about?

 

[EverStriving]

It comes directly from the AAMC. They posted a chart of the various selection criteria and how important they are by tier.

I am trying to find it again but I am struggling. Does anyone else know what I'm talking about?

AAMC's "Using MCAT Data in Medical Student Selection"
https://aamc-orange.global.ssl.fast...ad-36e735b5844a/mcatstudentselectionguide.pdf

Page 7 (12 of PDF)