Medical Gap Year Inquiry, Am I Ready To Apply GPA wise?

[TheBoneDoctah]

Hello, I am a senior at a state school in Virginia and I am having difficulty trying to decide what I should do in my gap year(s). I will graduate in May with a cGPA 3.49-3.5 and a sGPA of ~3.2-3.3. I had a rough 2nd semester freshman year and sophomore year where I got Cs in gen chem 2, both orgos, physics 1 (calc based), calc 1, and had to retake calc 2 and got a C on my retake. For the past 3 semesters I have gotten all A's and 2 B's and will graduate with a ~3.5. I am having trouble deciding what to do next because I'm in an awkward in between of potentially being an SMP/post-bacc candidate or pursuing more clinical experience during a gap year and of course trying to do my best on the MCAT. I have also always been very interested in public health work and have thought about doing an MD/MPH or DO/MPH or an MPH before med school. Here is a summary of my stats:

Stats

• ORM (South Asian female), economically privileged (mother is a physician)
• BS Biology, minors in Chemistry and International Studies
  • cGPA 3.49-3.5, sGPA 3.2-3.3
• Clinical Volunteering[100hrs 2018-present]
  • free clinic volunteering and volunteer scribing
  • starting a volunteer screening position for COVID symptoms at a free clinic next week
  • 32 hrs on a medical service trip
• Nonclinical Volunteering[150 hrs 2018-present]
  • weekly mentoring for an elementary school student with an underserved population (stopped bc COVID)
  • food bank (2-3x a month)
  • assisted living home
• Research[~400hrs 2018-present]
  • 12 hrs per week at a cancer research lab doing cell culturing, data collection
  • public health lab (cancer risk in my city based on social, behavioral, environmental risks) research assistant --> projected co-author on a publication next semester
• Shadowing [300+ hours 2017-present]
  • 150 hrs at a family medicine practice shadowing a DO and MD
  • 150 hrs (hopefully can do more next semester) with a nephrologist
• Work & Leadership
  • Orientation Leader
  • Vice President of a medical club (medical service trips & local community service), VP of my sorority
  • paid Medical Scribe starting this winter

I am studying for the MCAT over my 2 month winter break and into next semester, and plan to take it April/May. But it's possible I will need more time to study and take it into my gap year. My ideas for next year (or more, I am open to 1-3 gap years so a combination of these options is very possible) are as follows.

1. Scribe job + nonclinical volunteering + retake MCAT if needed
2. Americorps position + clinical volunteering + retake MCAT if needed
   1. currently have a friend doing patient advocacy for uninsured patients with National Health Corps, and I am interested in doing this too
3. Post Bacc (or SMP but most likely not) Certificate or other program
   1. I think my grades are a little stronger than typical SMP candidate but I am open to anything.
4. MPH + clinical/nonclinical volunteering + retake MCAT if needed
   1. this doesn't seem like the best option to me

I am extremely interested in primary care and would be happy at an MD or DO.

Thank you very much in advance.

If you are open to DO, you may not need to take a gap year. Your sGPA is low, but with a solid MCAT, you may be able to be accepted anyways into DO.

If you want MD, you will need to do a post-bac to raise your GPA. You also need to increase your hours for both clinical/non-clinical volunteering...AND crush the MCAT. You have a long road ahead, but it can be done.

Your grades should be your first task though. If you don't get solid grades in a post-bac, it won't matter if you crush your MCAT.

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[AlteredScale]

Agree with @TheBoneDoctah . If you are MD bound, you need to take time to keep bumping up your GPA. Do well on the MCAT. I would say of the 4 options, you should focus on #3. All your other EC's are strong.

 

[AlteredScale]

Thank you TheBoneDoctah and AlteredScale both so much for your replies and all you do. As I am continuing to figure out my gap year plans, I wanted to hear your opinions on my current idea. Because my final upcoming semester in undergrad is pretty packed with a full load of classes, 20hrs of research a week, and volunteering, I don't think I can give the MCAT the time it needs to do my best by April. I am currently scoring ~500-502 on practice exams so definitely need more study time. My thought is to spend 2021-2022 continuing to gain clinical experience part-time and writing my MCAT, and apply mainly DO for the 2022 app cycle AS WELL as a few post-baccs. This way I am gaining more clinical experience, dedicating more time to the MCAT, and applying to both DO and post-baccs. I would happily do a post-bacc 2022-2023 if I don't get accepted in the 2022 cycle. How does this plan sound overall, and is applying to med school and post-baccs at the same time okay? Thank you very much in advance. This site is God-sent.

I think that sounds like a great idea. Best of luck and let us know if you have any further questions.