Help me choose my path!

[Nontradlooking4advice]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hey everyone, first time poster here.

I was wondering if someone could help point me in the right direction. Here is my background and stats:

Career changer from life science to medicine. BS in 2019, MS in 2020 (Immunology) working in biotech cancer therapeutics research for about 5 years wanting to switch to medicine. I am interested in specializing in either immunology or oncology, but am totally open to other specialties. I have all of my prereqs done, but they will be 7-10 years old by the time I apply.

- cGPA and sGPA both around 3.36. Very strong upward trend.
- Roughly 10k research hours, albeit mostly in industry, not academia.
- ~100 hours academic research with one poster and abstract
- About 100 hours ED volunteering during undergrad and just started volunteering again in the ICU. Plan to have 2-300 total by spring 2026
- 9 months part time scribe in ED
- D1 athlete in undergrad
- No shadowing yet, but hope to get some physicians contact info through volunteering in the ICU.
- 1 semester immunology lab TA

I am working full time and intend on maintaining full time employment to pay the bills, but am also considering an SMP, in which case I would quit my job to focus on the full time program. I am in the process of taking DIY post bacc courses at UCSD. Plan to complete about 9-12 credits by the end of the year. I have not taken the MCAT.

I want to be cognizant of time and money, but don't mind taking a hit financially if it guarantees admission (ie. linkage programs). I would like to start med school sooner than later given my age and school prestige doesn't matter to me as long as its accredited in the US.

Option 1: Apply to a formal post bacc or SMP early 2026 with an MCAT prep course then apply to med schools for the 2027/2028 cycle.

Option 2: Take the MCAT spring 2026 and apply to an SMP with direct linkage (requires ~495 MCAT). Assuming roughly 4 months part time MCAT prep.

Option 3: Continue my DIY post bacc for an additional year and apply for the 2027/2028 cycle. This would also allow me a few extra months of part time MCAT study.

Option 4: Take the MCAT next spring (~4 months part time study) and apply directly to DO and pray someone lets me in with moderately low stats.

All options I plan on continuing volunteering and gaining clinical experience as I know those are weak points of my application. Which option would you choose?

 

[Wamuu]

Option 3 sounds better. All you are missing, beyond the in-progress classes, are shadowing hours and the MCAT. I don't really see the point to a third degree if you already have some pretty good stats and some nice "buzzwords" in there like an athlete background and an upward trend in grades.

Just keep working, accrue shadowing hours on weekends or wherever they fit, and apply when you're all set.

 

[Nontradlooking4advice]

Option 3 sounds better. All you are missing, beyond the in-progress classes, are shadowing hours and the MCAT. I don't really see the point to a third degree if you already have some pretty good stats and some nice "buzzwords" in there like an athlete background and an upward trend in grades.

Just keep working, accrue shadowing hours on weekends or wherever they fit, and apply when you're all set.

I think I’m most concerned with getting a recent LOR. If I do option 3, I will most likely continue online coursework (UCSD Extension) and I can’t imagine getting a decent LOR from an online professor. Ideas?

 

[Crayola227]

The SMP sounds like overkill, even with linkage, especially if you also plan to apply DO as well as MD.

Any chance you could do some in person classes to get a more recent LOR?

I think really strong recent grades and a good letter from a physician you develop a really good relationship and letter could be enough, I'd let others chime in on that though.

 

[Nontradlooking4advice]

The SMP sounds like overkill, even with linkage, especially if you also plan to apply DO as well as MD.

Any chance you could do some in person classes to get a more recent LOR?

I think really strong recent grades and a good letter from a physician you develop a really good relationship and letter could be enough, I'd let others chime in on that though.

Thanks for the response! I guess I am just concerned about my low GPA and hoped a formal postbacc or SMP would really demonstrate academic improvement or moreso guarantee acceptance via a linkage agreement

 

[Wamuu]

I think I’m most concerned with getting a recent LOR. If I do option 3, I will most likely continue online coursework (UCSD Extension) and I can’t imagine getting a decent LOR from an online professor. Ideas?

I see. Well, Crayola has a good idea with respect to getting a LOR from a doctor or doctors. Being a non-trad student has some benefits such as being "exempt" from being required to get LORs from professors and instead are usually directed to get one from direct supervisors or other docs you've interacted with.

I had one professor offer to write one because he knew why I was taking his class in the first place and because literally one school I really wanted to apply to needed it. As for the rest, they were fine with having multiple doctors and my boss.