Chances with MPH?

[guydudcl371]

I will have an MPH by the time I matriculate into medical school, yet my undergraduate GPAs are far from ideal.
Science GPA: 2.94
Overall Undergraduate GPA: 3.4
Graduate GPA: 3.5ish
I am retaking three science classes currently that I did not do well in which should help (and I am on track to get A's in all of them). I was wondering what people's thoughts were on my chances of MD schools and DO schools? I have over 5 years of experience with direct patient care (surgical assistant and EMT-B) and was student body president of my undergraduate university. Any thoughts would be helpful (MCATS are in a few days, hence why those stats are not posted yet, I'm guessing based on practice tests I will get a high twenty to a low thirty). Thanks again.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Catalystik]

If you get As in those three class retakes, the DO application service, AACOMAS, will only include the new grades in the application GPA calculation. What do you project your sGPA (no math) will be after that?

AMCAS will average in the new grades just as if they were not retakes. What impact does that have on your BCPM GPA (with math)?

Some DO schools include look at the overall GPAs, including graduate level work, and some don't. The AACOMAS application does merge uGPA and gGPA.

Few AMCAS schools give consideration to graduate work, and usually that is only if the masters is in a hard science. ANMPH does potentially offer research and teaching opportunities that would strengthen the med school application though.

I'd anticipate that with your answers, you'd probably be a decent candidate for DO schools, but not for MD without more uGPA repair work.

Your clinical experience and leadership sound ideal. Do you have some community service, physician shadowing, research, or teaching? Any or all of them would strengthen your application.

 

[guydudcl371]

The 2.9 is with the grades being replaced (it is what AACOMAS calculated, so I'm assuming this calculation includes the replacement). I'm guessing that once the math classes are added for the AMCAS application that the sGPA would be pretty close to 2.9, maybe a little higher.

I also have about a year's worth of laboratory research and over three years of experience with social science research (more qualitative methods).

I have a teaching position which I have had for a year (teaching a women's health class, I want to go into OB), and next year I am the head instructor for the course.

I have physician shadowing experience as well (significant shadowing of OB/GYNs) as well as a lot of community service work.

 

[Catalystik]

If you haven't earned the replacement grades yet, perhaps they are not included in the 2.94. Why not calculate it yourself with this DO GPA calculation spreadsheet: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=450050 to be sure where you stand?

Your sGPA will be displayed year-by-year on the transcript that schools receive. After the Fr, SO, JR, Sr years is total, then Postbac, then cum. undergrad, then grad, then Overall. It will help a lot if your low science grades were long ago. See an example at http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=9258384&highlight=entails#post9258384 . Will you show a rising grade trend?

Your ECs look great. Do you have a DO LOR yet?

 

[guydudcl371]

There was a drastic increase from freshman-junior year, then senior year dropped a little from junior year in cGPA. Graduate School is higher than all of the others as far as cGPA goes (science from graduate school consisted of two classes and was 2.7).

I do not have a LOR from a DO, but have one from a CNM (was also my professor/boss) and an MD who i've worked with for over 4 years. I was told it's better to have letters from people who genuinely know you that to surf around for a DO you barely know.

In case this is confusing final break down is this:
Undergrad:
sGPA: 2.85
cGPA: 3.16
Graduate:
sGPA: 2.7
cGPA: 3.4
With three regrades taken into account:
cGPA: 3.24
sGPA: 2.95

 

[Catalystik]

Your overall undergrad GPA was 3.4 in the original post. Is there a typo above in the last post? If the 3.24 is correct, then you'll need a correspondingly higher MCAT score to make up for it, like a 28+ or so for DO schools.

Are you getting the MCAT score back in a few days, or are you taking the test in a few days?

Some DO schools want a DO LOR, some want a letter from any physician, and others don't care if you have either.

 

[guydudcl371]

Sorry I typed the wrong value the original post is not correct, the most recent numbers provided are correct. I take the MCAT in a few days. I will look into the letter component.

So basically, I have no shot at MD schools, and only a decent MCAT score will allow me to be competitive with DO schools?

 

[Catalystik]

So basically, I have no shot at MD schools, and only a decent MCAT score will allow me to be competitive with DO schools?

I'd say that's a good summation.

 

[Garmin]

Hello,
The information of MAT is proper which you have given. It is really good and awesome information which you have shared. The value which you presented that is available any where. The discussion of MAT is good going, further if you receive any information on this then you can shared with us.