I’ve been a long-time lurker, now I am seeking advice from the collective wisdom and experience here at SDN as I seek to craft the best plan and fine-tune my approach to medical school applications.
I am currently deployed right now. Once I return from a deployment next spring/summer, I will study for and take the MCAT. I will likely apply in the 22-23 Cycle, so I am trying to get everything in a row before that time approaches and also not rush a 21-22 cycle application. I know that this will also be dependent on what score I can obtain on the MCAT.
Here’s a summary of where I currently stand; thank you for your advice and input.
Work Experience:
-8.5 years as a Naval Officer, first 7.5 on Active Duty. Completed the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program training pipeline and was a nuclear engineering officer on an aircraft carrier. Supervised groups of 100 Sailors.
-3 deployments.
Education:
Undergrad: BS in Chemistry at a Service Academy, 2.96 GPA/2.59 AMCAS SGPA/2.89 AACOMAS SGPA. Significant upward trend my Senior year after a lot of self-reflection and refinement of previously nonexistent study techniques. AMCAS/AACOMAS disparity is due to several school-required engineering courses which I took after I had developed better study skills (they count for science courses in AACOMAS course distribution but not as BCPM courses as categorized by AMCAS).
DIY- Post Bacc: 27 credits, 4.0 CGPA/SGPA. All from 4-year schools, some were scattered, one complete semester.
Currently, CGPA is 3.14 overall, with AMCAS SGPA of 2.91 and AACOMAS SGPA of 3.15.
I also earned a Master’s Degree while ashore and considering staying active duty (ticket-punching for advancement, degree is science related, non-SMP) - GPA 3.90.
-No Ds, Fs, etc. Two Ws during postbacc that were not protective and were due to work requirements changing once I had enrolled into the class.
Research:
2 published scientific research articles in a minor journal, one first author.
Clinical Exposure:
6,000 hours as an EMT and Advanced EMT (paid and volunteer), including time in both traditional ambulance settings in addition to work directly for a physician at a Scout camp. I was in the process of setting up shadowing opportunities when the COVID-19 pandemic emerged.
Questions:
1. Is 27 post-bacc credits enough to show reinvention? Should I do another full semester of post-bacc work?
2. Is having an AMCAS SGPA of under 3.0 something worth correcting via additional post-bacc work , or should I just develop a school list which takes this into consideration (keeping in mind that I can’t develop that until I have a MCAT score in hand)?
3. Any other recommendations/suggestions?
I am currently deployed right now. Once I return from a deployment next spring/summer, I will study for and take the MCAT. I will likely apply in the 22-23 Cycle, so I am trying to get everything in a row before that time approaches and also not rush a 21-22 cycle application. I know that this will also be dependent on what score I can obtain on the MCAT.
Here’s a summary of where I currently stand; thank you for your advice and input.
Work Experience:
-8.5 years as a Naval Officer, first 7.5 on Active Duty. Completed the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program training pipeline and was a nuclear engineering officer on an aircraft carrier. Supervised groups of 100 Sailors.
-3 deployments.
Education:
Undergrad: BS in Chemistry at a Service Academy, 2.96 GPA/2.59 AMCAS SGPA/2.89 AACOMAS SGPA. Significant upward trend my Senior year after a lot of self-reflection and refinement of previously nonexistent study techniques. AMCAS/AACOMAS disparity is due to several school-required engineering courses which I took after I had developed better study skills (they count for science courses in AACOMAS course distribution but not as BCPM courses as categorized by AMCAS).
DIY- Post Bacc: 27 credits, 4.0 CGPA/SGPA. All from 4-year schools, some were scattered, one complete semester.
Currently, CGPA is 3.14 overall, with AMCAS SGPA of 2.91 and AACOMAS SGPA of 3.15.
I also earned a Master’s Degree while ashore and considering staying active duty (ticket-punching for advancement, degree is science related, non-SMP) - GPA 3.90.
-No Ds, Fs, etc. Two Ws during postbacc that were not protective and were due to work requirements changing once I had enrolled into the class.
Research:
2 published scientific research articles in a minor journal, one first author.
Clinical Exposure:
6,000 hours as an EMT and Advanced EMT (paid and volunteer), including time in both traditional ambulance settings in addition to work directly for a physician at a Scout camp. I was in the process of setting up shadowing opportunities when the COVID-19 pandemic emerged.
Questions:
1. Is 27 post-bacc credits enough to show reinvention? Should I do another full semester of post-bacc work?
2. Is having an AMCAS SGPA of under 3.0 something worth correcting via additional post-bacc work , or should I just develop a school list which takes this into consideration (keeping in mind that I can’t develop that until I have a MCAT score in hand)?
3. Any other recommendations/suggestions?
Last edited:
