Do I need an SMP??

[mspickle]

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I am not sure what to do next....

I graduated from a top 20 university 5 years ago with a 3.43 overall, 3.04 sci gpa. Last year, I started an informal postbacc at a local university, taking upper level undergrad science courses. If things go well over the next few months (hopefully!), by May 2008, my overall gpa will be 3.52 will be and my science will be 3.35. I took the mcat last summer and got a 30R (10/10/10).

I will be applying to med school in June of next year....in the meantime, should I try to get into a SMP for the in-between year? or retake the MCAT? or should I just continue taking undergraduate courses? Any advice would be appreciated -- I am not sure which direction to go!

 

[Perrotfish]

a 3.5 and a 30 is on the low end of what usually gets into medical school, so you should be fine if you apply broadly. If you don't have anything else in particular to do and are pretty sure you can pull it off adding 3 or 4 points to your MCAT would clinch an acceptance for you, but there's no actual need for you to retake.

An SMP is for those up us with terrible unsalvagable GPAs. They're expensive, they do nothing for your resume, and they're a desperation tactic: if you screw up in an SMP it pretty much negates any positives on your application and assures you won't ever get into any medical school anywhere EVER. No you shouldn't do it with your stats. If you really have nothing else to do use the year to pick up a useful degree like a 1 year MPH, which might help your application a little, might help your career a little, and is guarenteed not to hurt either unless you actually fail out.

 

[Lokhtar]

Right, if you do badly at SMP, you won't get into any allopathic, osteopathic, and even some Caribbean schools. With a 2.8 in medical school, you can still be a doctor. If you get a 2.8 in SMP, you won't ever be a doctor. Don't take that chance.