DO - Low GPA; Recommendations for preperation

[Poisson]

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Profile
Education:
BS engr
MS engr
Osteopathic GPA (BS and MS (4.0) avg.)
-Cum GPA - 3.125
-Sci GPA - 2.999
Research:
-3 years - medical
-Publication - 1, 1st author, medical device
-Theses - 2 medical theses, MDs on committee
Side projects:
-Medical device
Organizations:
-Golden Key
-AED
-Tau Beta Pi
Doctor Shadowing:
-University heads
Other:
-Medical school lecture series - Top 4 school
Volunteering:
-Non-medically related

GPA disclaimer: I have minimal undergraduate biological science courses. I am going to add courses for my personal benefit and to raise my GPA. I have courses with cell biology / cell mechanics / pathophysiology in them at the graduate level.
MCAT: I am currently studying a few packages I downloaded (Kaplan, etc.), but have not taken the exam.

My career goal is to become a doctor and also invent devices to improve procedures. I have met many inspiring people that are successful in practice and research. I believe the best devices come from the practicing doctor, and I have seen engineers-turned-doctors do some amazing things.

 

[StoicJosher]

1. I didn't see any clinically related work on your profile. Try to get some clinical experience where you have patient contact.

2. It is a good idea to take science classes and also try and retake classes you failed in or have C's in from UG. DO's grade replacement policy will help bring up your GPA.

3. Score 30+ on the MCAT.

 

[Goro]

You will need to get your GPA >3.3 to be compettive, and just as importantly, start doing some patient contact ECs to show us AdCom members you really want to be around sick people. Showing off your altruism and leadership skills is STRONGLY recommended.

Profile
Education:
BS engr
MS engr
Osteopathic GPA (BS and MS (4.0) avg.)
-Cum GPA - 3.125
-Sci GPA - 2.999
Research:
-3 years - medical
-Publication - 1, 1st author, medical device
-Theses - 2 medical theses, MDs on committee
Side projects:
-Medical device
Organizations:
-Golden Key
-AED
-Tau Beta Pi
Doctor Shadowing:
-University heads
Other:
-Medical school lecture series - Top 4 school
Volunteering:
-Non-medically related

GPA disclaimer: I have minimal undergraduate biological science courses. I am going to add courses for my personal benefit and to raise my GPA. I have courses with cell biology / cell mechanics / pathophysiology in them at the graduate level.
MCAT: I am currently studying a few packages I downloaded (Kaplan, etc.), but have not taken the exam.

My career goal is to become a doctor and also invent devices to improve procedures. I have met many inspiring people that are successful in practice and research. I believe the best devices come from the practicing doctor, and I have seen engineers-turned-doctors do some amazing things.

 

[Poisson]

Is shadowing in the clinic when patients are examined post-op considered patient contact? When I did this I truly knew medicine was right for me.

You will need to get your GPA >3.3 to be compettive, and just as importantly, start doing some patient contact ECs to show us AdCom members you really want to be around sick people. Showing off your altruism and leadership skills is STRONGLY recommended.

 

[Catalystik]

Generally, shadowing is a passive observership where you are not interacting with the patient, but rather observing what the physician does.

Did your three years of medical research involve working directly with patients? If so, in what way?

 

[Poisson]

Generally, shadowing is a passive observership where you are not interacting with the patient, but rather observing what the physician does.

Did your three years of medical research involve working directly with patients? If so, in what way?

I felt touched when I entered the exam rooms with patients. This being a holy place...smiling, listening, and speaking when spoken to is what I felt I should be doing. Being able to shadow with the residents was pretty special. My research has not been directly working with patients.

 

[V5RED]

I felt touched when I entered the exam rooms with patients. This being a holy place...smiling, listening, and speaking when spoken to is what I felt I should be doing. Being able to shadow with the residents was pretty special. My research has not been directly working with patients.

You might want to tone down how you describe your experiences when you are on interviews. This quote makes you sound like a crazy person.

 

[gmcguitar4]

You might want to tone down how you describe your experiences when you are on interviews. This quote makes you sound like a crazy person.

👍👍

 

[JTwizzle]

I didn't want to start a new thread, as this one addresses my concerns:

I'm a bit older than most applying to medical schools. I'm finishing my sophmore year, and I have some worries. When I was younger (about 10 years ago), I didn't take college as seriously as I am now, so my GPA from back then was horrendous, however since I've returned back to school, it's around a 3.6-3.8 (I haven't recalculated since my Intersession course).


How does this affect me, other than the fact that I can try to explain myself a bit in the application process? My Pre-Med Advisor says that he doesn't really see it being too much of a problem, since it's been such a long time, and I've achieved a significant amount of life experience since then, as well as maintained decent grades. Would LORs also help facilitate a better understanding for my position? I understand this is sort of a blanket-assessment, as each school gauges their applicants different. Just wanted an idea, for my own edification.


Thanks!


JT

 

[Catalystik]

@JTwizzle: Please start your own thread. It's free. You don't give nearly enough detail, and it's not fair to the original Poster to hijack this thread to answer your question.

 

[dreamweaver1988]

I felttouched when I entered the exam rooms with patients. This being aholy place...smiling, listening, and speaking when spoken to is what I felt I should be doing. Being able to shadow with the residents was pretty special. My research has not been directly working with patients.

Whatttt

 

[Goro]

Not good enough. You need to show that you actually LIKE being around sick people. So, scrub some bedpans, stock some supply cabinets, takes some BPs and temps, hold an HIV+ baby, read to the elderly or the mentally challenged.

DO something, as opposed to watching something.

I felt touched when I entered the exam rooms with patients. This being a holy place...smiling, listening, and speaking when spoken to is what I felt I should be doing. Being able to shadow with the residents was pretty special. My research has not been directly working with patients.

 

[Poisson]

@JTwizzle: Please start your own thread. It's free. You don't give nearly enough detail, and it's not fair to the original Poster to hijack this thread to answer your question.

Do you recommend more clinical experience?

 

[Catalystik]

Do you recommend more clinical experience?

Oh, yes. Shadowing does not constitute clinical experience. So get that started. The average applicant has about 1.5 years listed at 3-4 hours per week. Average shadowing listed is 50 hours, split among a few types of doc. You can volunteer in a hospital, skilled-level nursing home (not a retirement center), hospice, clinic, rehab center, among others. Call around and see what is available nearby. You could also get a job in such a place, but fewer do it that way.

 

[Poisson]

Oh, yes. Shadowing does not constitute clinical experience. So get that started. The average applicant has about 1.5 years listed at 3-4 hours per week. Average shadowing listed is 50 hours, split among a few types of doc. You can volunteer in a hospital, skilled-level nursing home (not a retirement center), hospice, clinic, rehab center, among others. Call around and see what is available nearby. You could also get a job in such a place, but fewer do it that way.

Thank you.

 

[Poisson]

Oh, yes. Shadowing does not constitute clinical experience. So get that started. The average applicant has about 1.5 years listed at 3-4 hours per week. Average shadowing listed is 50 hours, split among a few types of doc. You can volunteer in a hospital, skilled-level nursing home (not a retirement center), hospice, clinic, rehab center, among others. Call around and see what is available nearby. You could also get a job in such a place, but fewer do it that way.

Does the medical school lecture program that I did at the top medical school hold any weight? People at this school where noting that a lot of people that went to this program got into medical school, and that they noted the dedication of long distance traveling to attend. I drove 2 hours there and 2 hours back with a pre-med friend for 8 weeks. These people are all senior doctors there, and they thought it was good. I have a friend who did this program, but she had good stats, and got into all of the medical schools she applied to.

 

[V5RED]

Does the medical school lecture program that I did at the top medical school hold any weight? People at this school where noting that a lot of people that went to this program got into medical school, and that they noted the dedication of long distance traveling to attend. I drove 2 hours there and 2 hours back with a pre-med friend for 8 weeks. These people are all senior doctors there, and they thought it was good. I have a friend who did this program, but she had good stats, and got into all of the medical schools she applied to.

Are you asking if watching people talk counts as clinical experience because you had a long commute? Based on your description of the series, it sounds like it is designed to benefit you educationally as opposed to being something to boost your resume.

I am asking that because you quoted Catalystik telling you that you need clinical experience when you wrote the above post.

On a side note, with regard to your listing of organizations, I would not suggest listing membership in Golden Key as an honor. Tau beta pi is cool, but Golden Key is just silly.They will let anyone in who wants to pay their $80 fee. They claim it is only the top 15% of a school, but based on people my friends have known that got in, that is a lie. Even after I told them directly I had no interest, they kept spamming me for those $80. My friends and I have joked that membership in that society should be something to let you know not to hire someone.

 

[Catalystik]

Does the medical school lecture program that I did at the top medical school hold any weight? People at this school where noting that a lot of people that went to this program got into medical school, and that they noted the dedication of long distance traveling to attend. I drove 2 hours there and 2 hours back with a pre-med friend for 8 weeks. These people are all senior doctors there, and they thought it was good. I have a friend who did this program, but she had good stats, and got into all of the medical schools she applied to.

What were the lectures about?

 

[Poisson]

Are you asking if watching people talk counts as clinical experience because you had a long commute? Based on your description of the series, it sounds like it is designed to benefit you educationally as opposed to being something to boost your resume.

I am asking that because you quoted Catalystik telling you that you need clinical experience when you wrote the above post.

On a side note, with regard to your listing of organizations, I would not suggest listing membership in Golden Key as an honor. Tau beta pi is cool, but Golden Key is just silly.They will let anyone in who wants to pay their $80 fee. They claim it is only the top 15% of a school, but based on people my friends have known that got in, that is a lie. Even after I told them directly I had no interest, they kept spamming me for those $80. My friends and I have joked that membership in that society should be something to let you know not to hire someone.

I have met some amazing people in Golden Key. Everyone in Golden Key is highly motivated at my school. Its what you get out of it and the school I suppose. My chapter leader is from Harvard and is a really great mentor. I suppose it would not be honorable since I was admitted from my GRAD GPA. Tau Beta Pi is a much better organized society, and Alpha Epsilon Delta at my school has awesome people in it. At my school TBP and AED >> GK.

"Are you asking if watching people talk counts as clinical experience because you had a long commute?" - NO
"I would not suggest listing membership in Golden Key as an honor" - Was planning on listing it as an organization

I guess I don't think of these groups as honors, I think of them as organizations to be involved in that have good activities.

What do you suggest for my DO application?

 

[Poisson]

What were the lectures about?

The lectures were mainly about global health concerns and the latest medical research. We also got some hands on experience. The faculty represented there was amazing. I don't know if the program is considered good, but I know people that listed it on their profiles and were asked about it who were successful.

Do I pose a chance for DO interviews after taking the MCAT and adding clinical experience?

What DO schools have the highest research emphasis?

What do you suggest for my application?

 

[Poisson]

I might add that I have been taking class in both the school of medicine and veterinary. The Vet classes are cross listed with the professional program. The med classes are medical research basic science classes. All these classes I have taken have students with human medical degrees in them, or in progress veterinary students.

 

[Catalystik]

1) Does the medical school lecture program that I did at the top medical school hold any weight?

The lectures were mainly about global health concerns and the latest medical research.

2) Do I pose a chance for DO interviews after taking the MCAT and adding clinical experience?

3) What DO schools have the highest research emphasis?

1) The knowledge gained will help with your interviews.

2) I would suggest you add further GPA improvement to your to-do list. Hopefully, you are acing all these "grad-level" courses you're taking. Otherwise, having them on your transcript isn't helping you much.

3) I have no idea, but I'd start by looking at the ones with the DO/PhD option.

 

[Poisson]

1) The knowledge gained will help with your interviews.

2) I would suggest you add further GPA improvement to your to-do list. Hopefully, you are acing all these "grad-level" courses you're taking. Otherwise, having them on your transcript isn't helping you much.

3) I have no idea, but I'd start by looking at the ones with the DO/PhD option.

Thank you for checking back and helping. I have a plan for the summer, and have several options of courses (these are professional level courses I can take, graduate, or undergraduate). Well my gpa has been all As to A+s in the graduate program. I also am maintaining As this semester. The gross anatomy course I may take in the summer is taught by the same instructors for the MD program and grad level. There are also a few bio courses they offer in the summer and medical level science classes which I believe As are possible. Also I thought everyone got good grades in the courses I have been taking, but after asking around and checking grade distributions, yes they do give Cs and Ds in grad school. I think it has to do with the fact that a lot of these courses are cross listed with the professional course listings, which is not on the same listing as grad or undergrad. I'm working pretty hard right now, and I want to stay focused for at least a year of more volunteering and some courses before I send out any applications. Also I am going to keep practicing MCAT questions over the weekends and studying this for a long time. I feel I need at least a 30+. I guess I am pretty much at the point where I need to add stuff to my profile, apply when I am ready, and see what happens. I hope to be able to one day help a lot of pre-medical students on this website.