Facing a difficult crossroad

[medicineisalongjourney]

To sum it up as briefly as possible, I'm about to graduate with a ~3.37 science and cumulative GPA (with an upward trend) this upcoming June. I regrettably wasted my free time in the first 3 years of college and have only been truly exploring medicine and the science field in general for the past year. With the extra curriculars I have and my MCAT score based on practice tests (taking in May but scored AAMC 514), I'm somewhat confident I can begin my path to medicine through DO school if I were to apply this summer, but not confident at all that I'd be admitted to a MD program.

For me to be more competitive for MD schools, I know I need to work on my GPA and extra curriculars and I think it's worth the extra gap year since I'm interested in a competitive specialty. With my late planning, my options to apply for post-bacc and SMP programs are limited. I currently have a job offer from the lab I work at which is an amazing opportunity as I have my own project and believe I will be able to be first author on a paper. While working, I thought I may able to do a DIY postbacc and take some classes at a community college, but working full time at the lab, I figure I'd only be able to take 2 classes a semester and raise my GPA to a ~3.43 assuming I got As.

My main questions are: would doing this DIY postbacc while working at the lab and on my ECs even make a difference to my chances? Is there a better form of GPA repair that is available to me despite not having taken the MCAT yet? Would my chances of an MD acceptance still be low / am I better off just applying this cycle and hoping for a DO acceptance?

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[LoveBeingHuman:)]

Ok first of all... that's not brief as possible. Posts that are short, sweet, and to the point tend to get much more and better replies

Second of all, I highly doubt that that minuscule of a GPA increase will affect your chances at an MD school, unless your sGPA gets significantly higher. However, many DO applicants are in that range so it might increase your DO chances.

Third, I highly recommend getting a DO letter if you want to pursue being DO medical student

@Goro is the person you want to reach out to for DO questions

 

[candbgirl]

What makes you think you need better ECs for MD? I never knew DO let you skimp on ECs. Interesting,


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[Goro]

You're fine right now for DO.

IF you're boning for MD schools, aceing a DIY post-bac or SMP is required, along with a strong MCAT (513+).

I suggest that you work for a few years, save up some money, and then go for the post-bac or SMP.

To sum it up as briefly as possible, I'm about to graduate with a ~3.37 science and cumulative GPA (with an upward trend) this upcoming June. I regrettably wasted my free time in the first 3 years of college and have only been truly exploring medicine and the science field in general for the past year. With the extra curriculars I have and my MCAT score based on practice tests (taking in May but scored AAMC 514), I'm somewhat confident I can begin my path to medicine through DO school if I were to apply this summer, but not confident at all that I'd be admitted to a MD program.

For me to be more competitive for MD schools, I know I need to work on my GPA and extra curriculars and I think it's worth the extra gap year since I'm interested in a competitive specialty. With my late planning, my options to apply for post-bacc and SMP programs are limited. I currently have a job offer from the lab I work at which is an amazing opportunity as I have my own project and believe I will be able to be first author on a paper. While working, I thought I may able to do a DIY postbacc and take some classes at a community college, but working full time at the lab, I figure I'd only be able to take 2 classes a semester and raise my GPA to a ~3.43 assuming I got As.

My main questions are: would doing this DIY postbacc while working at the lab and on my ECs even make a difference to my chances? Is there a better form of GPA repair that is available to me despite not having taken the MCAT yet? Would my chances of an MD acceptance still be low / am I better off just applying this cycle and hoping for a DO acceptance?

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

@candbgirl

I think you twisted OP's words. Obviously, getting into Harvard requires much better EC's than, say, Drexel or NYMC. That doesn't mean that Drexel lets you "skimp" out on EC's. As the competition gets more tough, EC's are the way to distinguish yourself. And MD tends to be more competitive than DO. Doesn't mean that MD schools are better or make better doctors. Heck, I've seen DO doctors way smarter than MD's.

 

[candbgirl]

I know all that and maybe I did misunderstand what OP meant but he clearly states that he was fairly confident he would be accepted to DO with his current application but if he wants MD he'd need to work on his GPA and his extra curricular during a gap year.

To sum it up as briefly as possible, I'm about to graduate with a ~3.37 science and cumulative GPA (with an upward trend) this upcoming June. I regrettably wasted my free time in the first 3 years of college and have only been truly exploring medicine and the science field in general for the past year. With the extra curriculars I have and my MCAT score based on practice tests (taking in May but scored AAMC 514), I'm somewhat confident I can begin my path to medicine through DO school if I were to apply this summer, but not confident at all that I'd be admitted to a MD program.

For me to be more competitive for MD schools, I know I need to work on my GPA and extra curriculars and I think it's worth the extra gap year since I'm interested in a competitive specialty. With my late planning, my options to apply for post-bacc and SMP programs are limited. I currently have a job offer from the lab I work at which is an amazing opportunity as I have my own project and believe I will be able to be first author on a paper. While working, I thought I may able to do a DIY postbacc and take some classes at a community college, but working full time at the lab, I figure I'd only be able to take 2 classes a semester and raise my GPA to a ~3.43 assuming I got As.

My main questions are: would doing this DIY postbacc while working at the lab and on my ECs even make a difference to my chances? Is there a better form of GPA repair that is available to me despite not having taken the MCAT yet? Would my chances of an MD acceptance still be low / am I better off just applying this cycle and hoping for a DO acceptance?

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[jcorpsmanMD]

What makes you think you need better ECs for MD? I never knew DO let you skimp on ECs. Interesting,


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DO schools are easier to get into.

 

[Goro]

DO schools are easier to get into.

With academics, yes. But one still needs the ECs. I've seen my students eat people alive who had with little or no volunteering.