Gap Year Decisions?

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Hello! I'm currently trying to figure out what to do for my gap year. I've heard a lot of mixed opinions and I'm unsure what the best path is?

I'm a senior who is graduating in May. I've managed to get a decent amount of extracurriculars, shadowing, clinical experience, non-clinical volunteering. I have a strong interest in psychology of child development and really like pediatrics. I'm planning to take the MCAT in the May and apply this upcoming cycle. My only fear is that I have a low GPA. My cGPA is almost 3.2 and my sGPA is around 3.0. I'm hoping this semester and next semester will help, but my GPA still won't rise too much even if I do well.

I've heard mixed help from my advisor and friends also in the medicine track. One idea was for me to pursue a Child Development Psychology master's, as it is something I enjoy and hopefully can take science classes with and then apply for med school afterwards. Another idea is to go toward postbacc programs that will help me take more rigorous science courses, improve my GPA, and help with linkages between postbaccs and medical school. Then afterwards, apply to medical school. Or should I try to apply broadly with MD and DO school this cycle and hope for the best, and then apply for postbacc programs if that doesn't work out?

I'm not quite sure what is the best with my stats, and feel already quite late in making these decisions. :/

Thanks for all your help!

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If it were me, I would try to do something to boost my GPA before applying--at least if I were hoping for an MD acceptance. Your chances for DO might be somewhat better (I'm less familiar with DO since I didn't apply) than MD but I still think it's worth it to wait and apply with the highest GPA you can get. Have you already taken all of the prereqs? Why do you think your GPA is so low? Honest question. Have you been struggling in school? Is there personal stuff going on? Do you think you need to spend some time improving your study skills? I think it's worth asking yourself some questions about what you can do to improve because, of course, a postbacc or master's program won't help unless you get better grades than you've been getting.
 
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If it were me, I would try to do something to boost my GPA before applying--at least if I were hoping for an MD acceptance. Your chances for DO might be somewhat better (I'm less familiar with DO since I didn't apply) than MD but I still think it's worth it to wait and apply with the highest GPA you can get. Have you already taken all of the prereqs? Why do you think your GPA is so low? Honest question. Have you been struggling in school? Is there personal stuff going on? Do you think you need to spend some time improving your study skills? I think it's worth asking yourself some questions about what you can do to improve because, of course, a postbacc or master's program won't help unless you get better grades than you've been getting.

Thanks for the reply! I will be completing all my prereqs by next semester. I definitely think I didn't realize how to study nor put time in beginning of undergrad. I had bad study habits from high school. Now I know how to study, but I balanced my schedule wrong and started working more since my dad lost his job and I've been trying to cover necessary expenses. I think I've realized I really need to focus on school more and dedicate time to get the grades I need. I just don't know whether a post-bacc or master's would be better for me. I'm definitely interested in the Child Development Master's and it relates to how I want to work in pediatrics, but afraid it won't give me the leeway in science courses to help supplement my science GPA.
 
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If your goal is MD/DO, the Child Development Master won't be of much help. DO does look at graduate GPA, but like you said, you might not get in many science classes.

For now, I'd say focus on the MCAT and your next semester. If possible, give up your work hours. Otherwise, I'd predict more of the same GPA with mediocre MCAT realistically.
(big) IF you manage to get 3.7+ next semester with a 512+ on the MCAT, then apply to DO broadly + your in-state MDs if favorable. If your next semester GPA is more of the same, it still shows lack of academic progress, and postbacc/master won't just magically raise your GPA.
 
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I don't have much of a sense of how adcoms would feel about a Masters in Child Development. I suppose if you did well, it probably wouldn't hurt you. But I think what you really need is to increase your sGPA - so I would probably choose a postbacc. DO grade replacement may also be helpful to you, if you can retake some of the science classes you did poorly in in undergrad and get better grades. If you need to work while taking classes, just make sure you take it slow and don't choose a heavy courseload. It's better to take more than one gap year than to try to cram it all in and have your grades suffer.
 
Thanks for the reply! I will be completing all my prereqs by next semester. I definitely think I didn't realize how to study nor put time in beginning of undergrad. I had bad study habits from high school. Now I know how to study, but I balanced my schedule wrong and started working more since my dad lost his job and I've been trying to cover necessary expenses. I think I've realized I really need to focus on school more and dedicate time to get the grades I need. I just don't know whether a post-bacc or master's would be better for me. I'm definitely interested in the Child Development Master's and it relates to how I want to work in pediatrics, but afraid it won't give me the leeway in science courses to help supplement my science GPA.

Your sGPA is only influenced by undergraduate science courses, so graduate science courses from a master's program won't help you. Taking upper-level science courses as a post-bacc would be your best bet.

Also, be absolutely certain that you can ace these science courses because not doing well in them makes repairing that sGPA more difficult. Talk to counselors and attend workshops about developing proper study habits if you need to.
 
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