Future MD applicant, non-trad

[NEduder80]

1. 3.23 cGPA, 3.4 sGPA

2. 511 MCAT

3. NE

4. 34 years old, white male

5. UG at Indiana University (non-science). MA from Norwich University (non-science). Post-bacc., pre-req. courses at a University of Nebraska campus (40 credits)

6. None

7. None published. MA thesis

8. 40 hours, orthopedics

9. None significant

10. - 4 years active duty USMC infantry- in charge of 6-25 marines during combat operations in Iraq (two deployments). I also served as an instructor of infantry tactics and taught pre-deployment classes to marine infantry and special operations units- class size ranged from 5-40. I am also a disabled veteran.

- Law enforcement, 5 years. Patrol (5 years) and SWAT (3 years).

11. -Dean’s List, Indiana University (Twice)

-Lifesaving Award (from current employer, a mid-size law enforcement agency. I was first to arrive on scene at a shooting and applied a tourniquet to a victim who ended up surviving)



My hope is that admissions personnel will be pleased by my service-related employment history. My obvious area of concern is the low GPA. My GPA was atrocious during my first two years of college due to immaturity and apathy. I then enlisted, did four years, and returned to school. Throughout the remainder of undergrad and my MA my GPA ranged from 3.3 to 3.85. I started pre-requisites one course at a time during the evening, while also working full-time as a cop, about three years ago. I’ve had a 4.0 over 40 credits during post-bacc.

I intend to apply very broadly to MD schools next year. I have a parent that attended a TX medical school and will apply there. I also intend to apply to IU (my undergraduate school) and a variety of out-of-state schools of all tiers.

I have been told that I interview well and have been offered positions (or advanced in the hiring process) after each interview I have participated in. I like to think that I have a relatively unique and compelling personal statement and story that I hope any adcom willing to look past my low GPA will appreciate.

Some questions:

• The bulk of my LORs will primarily come from military and law enforcement supervisors. I could get LORs from friends that are physicians. Will non-education, non-medical LORs harm my application?
  
  
• Considering that the majority of my professional life has been spent in service of my community and/or country, will the lack of volunteering be a problem for adcoms? I am not sure how they will view this aspect of my application. Will the lack of any science-related employment be an issue?
  
  
• Any recommendations as far as what to do until the next application cycle?
  
  
  

I would appreciate your thoughts and am grateful for any feedback and/or advice regarding my questions or in general. Good luck to all of you. Please forgive any formatting issues- I am writing this on my phone.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[piii]

I think you'll have luck regardless of the low GPAs due to your service history. I think your glaring red flag is a lack of clinical experience, honestly. Before the next application cycle, I would put in another 50 hours of shadowing and try to get 100+ hours 0f clinical/hospital volunteering. Like in the ER or at a free clinic. You can continue to do these activities in your application cycle and list future hours on AMCAS to show further commitment.

Do not use friends for physician LORs. If you improve your clinical experience, you can get a letter from a physician you volunteer for. You want a physician that can vouch for you in a work related way and preferably better than shadowing. Did you work with any military docs while on service, who perhaps could write you one?

Your other work related letters will be great but my main concern is if you will meet the LOR requirements for most schools which require a few letters from science teachers. If you can get a premed committee letter from your post bacc or undergrad school, you can bypass these requirements and submit your own letters to the committee, which they'll forward to AMCAS.

Anyway, to wrap it up: get on attaining clinical experience ASAP, even just a few hours a week in the hospital for the next 6 months would really help you. Make sure you apply to a broad list of schools. Get MSAR. Avoid most OOS public schools that don't admit many OOS students. Due to your stats, you will have the best chance at low to mid tier schools.

Apply very early, get your letters and personal statement figured out early spring. Submit AMCAS early June. Submit Secondaries by end of July. Good luck and thanks for your service.

 

[NEduder80]

Piii,
Thanks for your response and encouragement. Take care.

 

[GrapesofRath]

I wouldn't worry about the GPA as much in your situation as much as getting more clinical exposure. You aced your pre-reqs and have an upward trend amongst other things. But particularly at an older age, you really have to make a demonstration as a career changer that you know what you are getting into.

Volunteering is all well and good but its importance is as a proxy for what it tells about an applicant; ie that they are willing to serve others and make a sacrifice to others. Nobody is going to question your commitment to do that given your 6 years of service. Volunteering in a hospital or hospice would help your cause. As could a job like being a nursing assistant.

You want professors in your LORs who can vouch for your academic abilities and potential, particularly when your GPA is on the low end. Military LORs have their purpose but certainly you need/should desire LORs from people who can vouch for your academic abilities in a classroom and potential as a student.

You are rather fortunate to have a leinant state school. 90% of successful applicants from Nebraska end up going to U of Nebraska for med school; your odds for success could very well come down to whether or not you get in there(although there are many OOS schools who will be interested in a military vet with a 32 MCAT score). 285 IS applicants compete for 120 spots at that school. Let's say they need to accept about 140 IS to fill those 120 IS spots. Basically half of applicants are admitted. While your GPA is low you have alot of characteristics that could make you in that top half of the applicant pool from NE that is admitted. Just work on fine tuning your app, getting clinical exposure to know what you are getting into and being able to express your self cogently in your app and portraying a central theme.

 

[NEduder80]

Grapes, thank you for posting.