Chances anywhere in the US?

[dmission]

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MCAT: 30
GPA: 3.2-3.3
Double major (Mech. Engineering + Bio)
California resident


220 Volunteering
60 hours at a clinic
20 hours shadowing


Appreciate any input, thanks

 

[coolingglasses]

DO, most certainly. MD... tougher sell with your GPA. URM? Anything else we should know about you?

 

[Ravizzle]

What state are you from? Some state MD schools may be an option depending where u are located.

Apply broadly to DO, you have good chances there. Also find out what ur GPA is exactly some schools have 3.2 or 3.25 cutoff so 3.3 makes a big dif vs a 3.2. Your MCAT score is above avg for most DO so that helps your chances.

Sent from my Galaxy S2 via tapatalk

 

[SixStringPsych]

OP is from California. Others can chime in on this because I don't know a lot about it, but apparently being from California somehow makes it tougher to get into schools out of state, as far as I know.

 

[dmission]

Thanks for the replies. Yeah, I'm from California and not URM or anything like that. So I'd probably be able to get into a DO somewhere and maybe a small chance of MD?

Would appreciate any more replies, thanks!

 

[maestrohuang]

Every school that I know of, at least from the Midwest, likes Cali residents.

 

[Catalystik]

MCAT: 30
GPA: 3.2-3.3
Double major (Mech. Engineering + Bio)
California resident


220 Volunteering
60 hours at a clinic
20 hours shadowing


Appreciate any input, thanks

Having only 20 shadowing hours is on the sparse side. If the 220 volunteer hours are all nonmedical community service, then you'd be on the low side with 60 hours in a clinic representing your "exploration of medicine as a career through direct patient interaction," and I think you'll have trouble getting into DO schools if you apply at this time.

GPA-wise it would help if you have a steep recent upward grade trend. If you don't have research, then a special engineering project might substitute. Teaching and leadership are also helpful to an application. So are interesting hobbies, avocations, and artistic endeavors.

 

[dmission]

Having only 20 shadowing hours is on the sparse side. If the 220 volunteer hours are all nonmedical community service, then you'd be on the low side with 60 hours in a clinic representing your "exploration of medicine as a career through direct patient interaction," and I think you'll have trouble getting into DO schools if you apply at this time.

GPA-wise it would help if you have a steep recent upward grade trend. If you don't have research, then a special engineering project might substitute. Teaching and leadership are also helpful to an application. So are interesting hobbies, avocations, and artistic endeavors.

What should I aim for shadowing? I have some more time before I apply. I'm not sure if the 220 count as medical or non-medical. 60 are at an emergency room, so that would. But 160 at a diagnostic lab (mostly blood tests) -- what do you think? What about my stats would give me trouble at DO schools?

(I very much have an upward GPA trend, was below 2.9 at one point) I should also add that the GPA is sGPA and cGPA.

Thanks for the replies

 

[Geebeejay]

I wonder how much ADCOMS consider that engineering classes are substantially more difficult than probably any others, making it much tougher to get a higher (3.8+) GPA. As someone who was an engineer at first, I know for sure my GPA would be way lower if I hadn't switched majors (Though that isn't the reason why I switched).

 

[Catalystik]

1) What should I aim for shadowing?

I have some more time before I apply. I'm not sure if the 220 count as medical or non-medical. 60 are at an emergency room, so that would. But 160 at a diagnostic lab (mostly blood tests) --
2) what do you think?
3) What about my stats would give me trouble at DO schools?

(I very much have an upward GPA trend, was below 2.9 at one point) I should also add that the GPA is sGPA and cGPA.

1) About 50 hours is the average listed, so it's a good goal. I personally consider 40 hours to be a minimum.

2) If you didn't interact with patients, I'd call it nonmedical community service. The average volunteer clinical experience listed is about 150 hours, gained over 1.5 years.

3) DO schools have similar expectations to MD schools in regards to testing medicine as a career through various experiences. Deficiencies in this area are more likely to be overlooked when numerical stats and other ECs are strong, but we see posts here from high stat folks who didn't get an acceptance regardless, due to this issue.

 

[Catalystik]

I wonder how much ADCOMS consider that engineering classes are substantially more difficult than probably any others, making it much tougher to get a higher (3.8+) GPA. As someone who was an engineer at first, I know for sure my GPA would be way lower if I hadn't switched majors (Though that isn't the reason why I switched).

You made a good call. An analysis of the stats of accepted Engineering majors shows that they got no consideration for their harder-earned grades.

 

[dmission]

1) About 50 hours is the average listed, so it's a good goal. I personally consider 40 hours to be a minimum.

2) If you didn't interact with patients, I'd call it nonmedical community service. The average volunteer clinical experience listed is about 150 hours, gained over 1.5 years.

3) DO schools have similar expectations to MD schools in regards to testing medicine as a career through various experiences. Deficiencies in this area are more likely to be overlooked when numerical stats and other ECs are strong, but we see posts here from high stat folks who didn't get an acceptance regardless, due to this issue.

Are the E.C.s the main reason you think I shouldn't apply this cycle to DO (aka, wouldn't have a great shot?)

I did interact with patients, but didn't do the bloodwork. How does that count?

Thanks for the replies!

 

[Catalystik]

1) Are the E.C.s the main reason you think I shouldn't apply this cycle to DO (aka, wouldn't have a great shot?)

2) I did interact with patients, but didn't do the bloodwork. How does that count?

1) Yes, assuming your upward grade trend includes some upper-level science coursework with decent grades and that all the prerequisites have grades of C or better (not C-).

2) Depends on how you describe it and if it's part of your duties. For example: Saying hi to folks passing down the hallway isn't going to cut it. If you escorted patients back the the phlebotomy area, seated them, oriented them, got them ready for the tech, then it would count.

 

[dmission]

1) Yes, assuming your upward grade trend includes some upper-level science coursework with decent grades and that all the prerequisites have grades of C or better (not C-).

2) Depends on how you describe it and if it's part of your duties. For example: Saying hi to folks passing down the hallway isn't going to cut it. If you escorted patients back the the phlebotomy area, seated them, oriented them, got them ready for the tech, then it would count.

Yeah they are all C's or better, I only got 4 C's and they were in my first two years. Since then it has been better, 3.5 or so average the last two years. I did explain the procedures to patients, seated them and other similar things. Assuming that counts as medical community service then, what would you say by chances are for DO and maybe low-tier MD?

I also forgot to mention I've been working part-time for the past three years too.

 

[Catalystik]

What percent of the 220 lab hours were spent interacting with patients? How long did you volunteer there?

What would you do about the sparse shadowing hours? How fast could you fix this?

Please give your last four term-by-term GPAs and the classes and grades earned in any upper-level Bio.

 

[dmission]

What percent of the 220 lab hours were spent interacting with patients? How long did you volunteer there?

What would you do about the sparse shadowing hours? How fast could you fix this?

Please give your last four term-by-term GPAs and the classes and grades earned in any upper-level Bio.

Sorry for the late reply:
-I'd say 50-60% patient interaction of those 220 hours, over about a year. I can fix the shadowing hours as I'm not applying for one year, so I can just shadow more when I don't have class.

Last 4 terms info:
3.7 (Upper bio: A-, two engineering upper-div classes)

3.5 (Upper bio: B+, two engineering upper-div classes)

2.8 (Three engineering upper-div classes)

3.3 (Upper bio: A, two engineering upper-div classes)

I also got an A in one other upper-div bio, but it was not in the last 4 terms.

Thank you for the help!

 

[Goro]

Not comepetive at MD schools, except, maybe your state schools (if any). OK for DO schools. How's your sGPA? ECs look fine.

MCAT: 30
GPA: 3.2-3.3
Double major (Mech. Engineering + Bio)
California resident


220 Volunteering
60 hours at a clinic
20 hours shadowing


Appreciate any input, thanks

 

[Catalystik]

what would you say by chances are for DO and maybe low-tier MD?

I'd say 50-60% patient interaction of those 220 hours, over about a year. I can fix the shadowing hours as I'm not applying for one year, so I can just shadow more when I don't have class.

Last 4 terms info:
3.7 (Upper bio: A-, two engineering upper-div classes)

3.5 (Upper bio: B+, two engineering upper-div classes)

2.8 (Three engineering upper-div classes)

3.3 (Upper bio: A, two engineering upper-div classes)

I also got an A in one other upper-div bio, but it was not in the last 4 terms.

EC-wise, I think you'll do for clinical experience, then.

If those GPAs are in chronological order, I think that your lack of a consistent recent steep upward grade trend will sink you for MD schools, unless you bring more to the table by the time you apply in a year.

 

[dmission]

Not comepetive at MD schools, except, maybe your state schools (if any). OK for DO schools. How's your sGPA? ECs look fine.

Doubt it for state schools -- I'm in CA. My sGPA=cGPA=3.2-3.3 range. Do you think I could manage a DO school, then?

EC-wise, I think you'll do for clinical experience, then.

If those GPAs are in chronological order, I think that your lack of a consistent recent steep upward grade trend will sink you for MD schools, unless you bring more to the table by the time you apply in a year.

I do have another year, so perhaps I can get an upward trend this year. In previous semesters though, I had gotten below 3.0 a few times in a row, so on a broader scale I think there may still be one. No chance for MD then? How do you think I look for DO schools?

 

[Catalystik]

How do you think I look for DO schools?

I think you'll get in somewhere, but if you want to go to a school you'd love to attend, a rising GPA trend and another A or two in upper-level Bio this next year would be helpful.

 

[dmission]

I think you'll get in somewhere, but if you want to go to a school you'd love to attend, a rising GPA trend and another A or two in upper-level Bio this next year would be helpful.

Thanks for the reply. I'll certainly try my best this year. As a non-URM, would it even be worth applying to MD schools?

 

[Catalystik]

If you can get a 3.7+ over the next 30 credit hours or so, Wayne, at least, will seriously consider you. It's possible that others may equally, narrowly focus on the last two terms prior to application, but I am not aware of which they are.

 

[purple pajamas]

Is your science gpa your bcpm? I'd imagine if not that your science gpa is low partly because it includes your mech e classes (and dont forget differential equations courses and advanced physics are also harder courses; I've "heard" schools recognize this and sometimes take it into consideration ). If that is the case . . It seems bcpm is more what you want to be above 3.3. . From your grade summary, I'm guessing engineering classes might be taking a toll on your gpa.

I've had similar issues (I.e. 3.0 in an e e course ) and my advisor seemed to think that my engineering course grades were not too worrisome for medical school . .

May you should talk to your advisor . . That always helps me.