Dilemma

[MarkusAurelius]

I'm wondering if someone can give me some advice. I'm a non-trad student finishing up a post-bacc program. I was an accountant/ fin. analyst for 6 yrs before deciding to pursue my all time dream of becoming a physician. My undergrad GPA is around 2.7 and my current science GPA is maybe around 3.1. My ultimate goal is to get into an MD program, but I feel that my grades and my MCAT are going to keep me from attaining. My huge dilemma is that I'm dyslexic and I dont do too well on exams. I've taken an MCAT review course and my practice results are very low. Has anyone been in my shoes and got accepted into an MD school?

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[premed]

What do you mean by very very low MCAT? Unless you are a URM, I don't think you can get into a US MD program with lower than a 27 MCAT score (this number probably applies to someone who has a near 4.0 GPA or has some crazy experience ie. olympic gold medalist). For someone with your GPA numbers, you will need to go back to school and get that GPA up, especially the science. You also need to score above 30 on the MCATs. You may want to look into DO or caribbean schools, as well. Good luck.

 

[MarkusAurelius]

My MCAT diags have been low and I've also requested for accomodations on the MCAT for my dyslexia. Today I learn that I've been denied extra time on the exam. So that puts me in a boat where I'm more then likely not to score too high for I'm a slow reader. I'm wrapping up my last semester of prereqs. and I've applied for grad classes in health adm. and also to assist the professors as a TA. I hope this helps in raising my GPA as well as getting accepted somewhere. As for DO schools, I've been told by physicians that getting a residency is hard that MDs get first picks. I believe his words were that they will find Jimmy Hoffa first before you get into a good residency program as a DO. Carribean schools have been discussed especially Ross. Whats your knowledge on the Ross program? Im new to the forum, but whats URM?

 

[premed]

Yea, I'm sorry to hear you weren't given extra time for the MCAT. But the truth is, medical schools could care less about your dyslexia. They can always find an applicant that has everything you do and is not dyslexic. So you need to up your GPA and get a high MCAT. If not, you're gonna be headed to the carribeans. If you're not ready for the MCAT, i think you should postpone it (if going to a US allopathic medical school means that much to you). Take some speed reading classes or something to help you read faster. But no matter what you want to do, you will need to raise your GPA. Don't take my advice to seriously, ask around. This is all just my opinion based on my own experiences as a premed. Good luck!

URM = underrepresented minority = black, mexican, native american, etc...

 

[AliZ]

hey there markusarelius,

Adcoms are pretty unpredictable but here's a great site where you can compare your stats to others and see how you measure up. Not the most accurate way to figure what you should do but it might give you a better idea of where you stand as an applicant.

www.MDapplicants.com

 

[efex101]

First of all you need to consider what is going to happen later on during medical school where you will be taking many standardized exams..this may pose a problem for you in the future if you are having a tough time with the MCAT. There are folks that do get into medical school with less than 27 and no they are not URM (underrepresented minorities) *but* these folks are far and few in btw. I am sorry to hear that you were not offered more time for the McAT ..I would suggest possibly taking one more year to take more classes and take more mock exams. DO's do get into MD residencies I know many of them and they are physicians just like MD's but I would not take this path "just because" I would fully investigate it and see if it is something that you would be fullfilled with.

 

[roja]

Make sure you apply with plenty oftime for the MCAT extra time. The requirements necessary are very stringent. (ie you can't all of a sudden tell them you are dyslexic. they require quite a bit of documentation). Apply for the time.

 

[Anasazi23]

I believe his words were that they will find Jimmy Hoffa first before you get into a good residency program as a DO.

Tell that to my friends and me who this July are starting residencies at Mt. Sinai, Brown University, Johns Hopkins, Yale, Harvard, NYU, Columbia, Cleveland Clinic, University of Miami/Pennslyvania, UConn, etc, etc, etc