Gpa too low? Also summer options?

[bobthesun]

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So I am average about a 3.1-3.3 in my semesters...if I can keep this up will I stand a chance at getting into an osteopathic school. I am from california so I think MD is out of the questions. I want to take a year off then apply. Is that smart? I do not want to take a masters program. Will that be necessary?
I go to a top ranked liberal arts college. Econ Major, Chem minor(likely mbe bio as well).

Anyways, regarding my summer options. I am a sophmore and I want to find a research position. Do you know where i should look? Having a rough time looking around the web. Kinda daunting? I don't think my school will give it to students lower than junior....

thanks!!

 

[bobthesun]

anybody want to help me out?

 

[TriagePreMed]

If your plan is to keep a 3.2 GPA, you probably won't get into Osteopathic schools. Osteopathic schools have an average GPA of 3.58 w/ 27 MCAT now. Although Osteopathic does accept a number of students with lower GPA's, it seems that these students typically come as non-traditional students with upward trends in the sciences. Also, you must factor in that you'll be applying 3 years from now when the stats will likely be higher, so you should be aiming at a 3.4/26 minimum.

 

[omgyou8myrice]

If the rest of your application is stellar, a 3.2 MD acceptance is certainly possible. If it's not "stellar", the DO route is definitely feasible.

 

[Catalystik]

Osteopathic schools have an average GPA of 3.58 w/ 27 MCAT now.

The most recent CIB from AACOMAS that I could find publishes this data on page 12 at http://www.aacom.org/resources/bookstore/cib/Documents/2011cib/2011cib-whole.pdf :

Grade Point Averages for
Entering Students
Group GPA
2007 2008 2009
Science 3.35 3.39 3.35
Non-
Science 3.55 3.58 3.58
Mean GPA 3.45 3.48 3.48​

​

​

Average (Mean) Medical College
Admission Test (MCAT ) Scores for
Entering Students
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.
Source: American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic
Medicine
Mean
MCAT 2007 2008 2009
Biological
Science 8.82 9.13 9.22
Physical
Science 8.18 8.40 8.38
Verbal
Reasoning 8.52 8.59 8.59​

If there is more recent data from the 2010 entering class, please tell us where to find it.​

 

[TriagePreMed]

Seems I used the non-science (3.58) than the overall (3.48) GPA. That's a good catch. Thank you.

 

[bobthesun]

i know i had two unrelated questions but does anyone have any summer options for me? I have already volunteered in an Emergency room and a hospital. And shadowed an emergentologist, pathologist, (internal medicine in scheduled), and (cardiac surgeon is scheduled). (all this is about 200 or 300 hrs...)

so what summer options do i have. I kinda want to do something different.

 

[TriagePreMed]

i know i had two unrelated questions but does anyone have any summer options for me? I have already volunteered in an Emergency room and a hospital. And shadowed an emergentologist, pathologist, (internal medicine in scheduled), and (cardiac surgeon is scheduled). (all this is about 200 or 300 hrs...)

so what summer options do i have. I kinda want to do something different.

You can volunteer or look for research positions. It doesn't need to be ER/Medical.