From public health instructor to medical student?

[eped]

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Hi all,

Great forum, thanks for all the advice I've been soaking up. I'd appreciate any insight you all might have for me, as well. Here's my story:

Graduated from UVA in 2006, double major in biology (science GPA 2.9) and history (overall undergraduate GPA 3.1). I have a ton of extracurricular volunteer experience from undergrad, including winning the community service award for my graduating class. I went straight to graduate school for an MPH at Virginia Commonwealth (finished 2007, GPA 4.0). I am a certified EMT-B, though without any time on trucks because I moved out to the Pacific shortly after finishing the course.

I've been living in the Pacific, teaching public health at a community college in a developing country for two years now.

I'd never really considered medical school until coming out here and really wanting to be more involved in infectious disease surveillance and treatment.

I want to go to medical school now, but I don't know what my chances look like. I'm considering a post-bacc to bring my science GPA up, or a one-year Masters program in biology to prove my science ability. I've already done grad school for the MPH, but it wasn't a hard science subject.

I've never taken the MCAT. Planning on studying a good while and taking it spring 2011.

What do you think is the best option for someone in my situation? I'm going to take the GRE again when I'm in the US over Christmas break, would like to start school somewhere fall 2011.

Thanks so much everyone.
Happy Thanksgiving!

 

[denco88]

Hi all,

Great forum, thanks for all the advice I've been soaking up. I'd appreciate any insight you all might have for me, as well. Here's my story:

Graduated from UVA in 2006, double major in biology (science GPA 2.9) and history (overall undergraduate GPA 3.1). I have a ton of extracurricular volunteer experience from undergrad, including winning the community service award for my graduating class. I went straight to graduate school for an MPH at Virginia Commonwealth (finished 2007, GPA 4.0).

I've been living in the Pacific, teaching public health at a community college in a developing country for two years now.

I'd never really considered medical school until coming out here and really wanting to be more involved in infectious disease surveillance and treatment.

I want to go to medical school now, but I don't know what my chances look like. I'm considering a post-bacc to bring my science GPA up, or a one-year Masters program in biology to prove my science ability. I've already done grad school for the MPH, but it wasn't a hard science subject.

I've never taken the MCAT. Planning on studying a good while and taking it spring 2011.

What do you think is the best option for someone in my situation? I'm going to take the GRE again when I'm in the US over Christmas break, would like to start school somewhere fall 2011.

Thanks so much everyone.
Happy Thanksgiving!

I would say take some of your science classes over and boost that GPA... Study hard and do well on the MCAT... and apply DO

edit: Or you could do well on the MCAT and apply Caribbean. I know a lot of people talk down on it a lot, but since you are already living out of the US, it may be a very good option for you!

 

[eped]

I'm unclear about what it means to retake science courses. Does that mean enrolling at a community college to actually take the same courses over again and get a better grade, or to apply at a post-bacc that offers similar but different courses?

 

[denco88]

I'm unclear about what it means to retake science courses. Does that mean enrolling at a community college to actually take the same courses over again and get a better grade, or to apply at a post-bacc that offers similar but different courses?

Well, it could be either way. DO schools do grade forgiveness, so say you got a C in intro to biology, if you take a similar course that is also an introductory biology course and get an A, it will actually replace that grade. Some people do that at a formal post-bacc, but a lot of people do it informally as you suggested. AMCAS will average the two grades instead of replacing them.

 

[eped]

Ah,thanks. Thats good information regarding DO grade forgiveness and AMCAS averaging.

It's true I don't mind living outside the US, especially since my long-term career goals are in global health, but I'm really hoping to go the traditional MD route in a US school.

 

[denco88]

Ah,thanks. Thats good information regarding DO grade forgiveness and AMCAS averaging.

It's true I don't mind living outside the US, especially since my long-term career goals are in global health, but I'm really hoping to go the traditional MD route in a US school.

Then I would suggest that you study extremely hard for your mcat and score very high. Then apply to an SMP program. It will most likely end up costing you a ton of money, but it will prove to medical schools that you can do the work. They usually take people who have high mcats but not the gpa for med school. Some schools even have linkage programs that if you maintain a certain gpa in their SMP you can get into their med school or any of the affiliated med schools.

 

[Catalystik]

Here are some possible pathways to becoming a physician.

1) Plan to apply to DO med schools. Repeat the classes where you did the worst and use AACOMAS policy that includes only the most recent retake when calculating the application GPA. If you have some Ds and Fs, this is the fastest way to fix your low GPA if you can get As the second time (note: the repeated class must have the same number or greater in credit hours). Get straight As in the rest of your prerequisites due to your new work ethic. Get a good MCAT score to prove you understood the material. Shadow a DO and get a letter of recommendation. Educate yourself on this option in SDN's PreMed Osteopathic Forum.

2) With a 3.0 cGPA, you not only exceed the cut offs for most DO schools, you would also qualify for a lot of SMPs (Special Masters Programs), though they will want to see some recent strong science grades which you can acquire with some unofficial postbac classes. This is a 1-2 year paid (expensive) audition to med school, which can overrride a low uGPA. You'd need an MCAT typically 30+ depending on the program requirements. If you perform well in the SMP, where you compete with first year med students at their linked med school and get a high GPA, typically 3.5 or better, you have a chance of an acceptance at an MD med school. This outcome is not guaranteed, though, but DO schools still remain an option. Read more on this option in the Postbaccalaureate Programs Forum of SDN.

3) Take two more years of full-time coursework, getting straight As. This would raise your GPA to 3.4. With an MCAT score of 34+, you might get into an allopathic med school due to the steep upward trend and excellent MCAT.

All these options assume optimal ECs and strong LORs, good Personal Statement and excellent interview skills.

Some, but not the majority of allopathic med schools, will consider the BCPM of a hard-science masters degree. Many osteopathic med schools will take it into consideration, though.

 

[eped]

Great advice, I'll have to look into those programs. I'd been planning to wait to take the MCAT until after a post-bacc, but it looks like I need to re-think some things. Thankfully I don't have any Ds or Fs in undergrad, just far too many B- and C's.

Thanks so much for all your great advice, denco88 and Catalystik!

 

[king leo]

I am a physiotherapy student and now iam planning my msc in health management and i have got admission in msc health sciences can you please advise can it be considered as health management or not, if no pleasee advise me about this course and what are future options and can i do phd in public health with thie particular course please help me i need your valuble suggestion. plz follow the link for course

http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/?view=CourseDetail&code=DTFHSM6&page=modules

thank you in advance

 

[Catalystik]

king leo, this forum is primarily for applicants to US medical schools. A rare Canadian may visit as well. You are unlikely to get a knowledgeable response to your question in this location.

 

[hopefuldoc97239]

I've never taken the MCAT. Planning on studying a good while and taking it spring 2011.

What do you think is the best option for someone in my situation? I'm going to take the GRE again when I'm in the US over Christmas break, would like to start school somewhere fall 2011.

If you haven't taken the MCAT as of November 2010 I don't see how you could start school Fall 2011. You aim to start in 2012.