MD & DO Chances and help with decisions?

[elizabeth_r]

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Hey, I've been thinking about doing a post about this for a while now, I just need some advice from an outside point of view that can genuinely help me decide my odds. My GPA is seriously weighing me down and I'm worried that applying might not even be worth it given my stats. I expect to do well on the MCAT, which is obviously something that will help me decide, but I'm hoping to figure some of this out before May (when I will get my scores).

Please just comment your thoughts on my list with ideas for additions/if you think applying next cycle is a waste. Thank you!

Year/Degree A little bit complicated - I'm graduating early in Spring 2017 after 3 years (I took an overload of classes every semester + summer and I'm already done with major reqs by now). B.S. in Biochemistry and B.A. in Global Health, at a very large public university.

State of residence Massachusetts

Schools to which I am planning on applying Boston U., Brown, George Washington, Georgetown, Northwestern, Philadelphia COM (DO), Rocky Vista (DO), Touro (DO), Tufts, UMass, U. of Southern California, U. of Washington (+ possibly Loyola-Strich Chicago, Loma Linda, Drexel, Tulane?)

cGPA 3.55, looking at graduating with about a 3.60

sGPA 3.21, I had one very rough semester early on that resulted in 2 very bad grades (one math, one hard science)... Significant upward trend since then, but still haven't recovered fully

Edit: sGPA for DO apps about 3.48, same upward trend with grade replacement

MCAT None yet - planning on taking it April 22, 2017 and am currently studying

Research Global health research lab doing chemical tasks - started December 2015, will continue until graduation, I'm currently one of three undergraduates in the lab working alongside graduate and PhD students

Clinical volunteering I spent this past summer working in a clinic in Honduras (May) and a public hospital in Ghana doing surgical ward rotations along with the licensed nurses (end of May - July), will also be spending next May in Honduras and Nicaragua doing a rural medicine clinic, will also be doing weekly volunteering at an urban Children's Hospital in the U.S. starting in November going until next year

Physician shadowing Currently working as a scribe in an outpatient pediatric facility (connected to a major hospital) that provides care to mostly urban low-income kids without insurance - multi-specialty (including ortho, neuro, cardio, etc.) - probably about 400+ hours by application time

Non-clinical volunteering Many volunteer events here and there

Extracurricular activities Various pre-medical (AED, AMSA) and global health student associations, currently on the exec board for Global Medical Brigades at my school, intramural sports, chairman for multiple committees in my sorority

Graduate degrees I'm planning on applying to USC's Global Medicine M.S. program for Fall 2017 to complete before starting med school in 2018

P.S. I am a caucasian female, currently 20 y/o

 

[candbgirl]

It's hard to give good advice without the MCAT score. Do you have the MSAR? If not buy it and use it to work on your list! Some of your state schools are not OOS friendly so it wouldn't be wise to apply to them and for some your stats aren't realistic. I think your sGPA is awfully low for MD but you are probably okay for DO. I wouldn't firm up your list until you have your MCAT and you might want to think about a Gap year in case your MCAT isn't where it should be.


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[elizabeth_r]

Yeah I've been looking at the MSAR a lot, I'll definitely think about taking off the state schools and putting in more private! I am already planning on taking a gap year, I'm applying right now to do a Masters during that time.

 

[Goro]

Your mission trips will be most likely viewed as "medical tourism". Upward GPA trends are always viewed favorably.