Help me conquer my weak points, please!

BU Medical Sciences
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Right now your chances are somewhere in the low double digits, care of that sGPA. If you get a strong upward trend going and have a couple semesters of nothing but A/A- grades with a sGPA over 3.0, you might boost your chances at a broad DO app up around 40-45%. Those are just numbers I pulled out of my ass, and are not meant to mean anything. The point is, your chances as it stands are very not good, and your chances if you do very well are still not great, but doable.
 
Don't retake any classes unless they are pre-reqs and you have lower than a C. At this point you need to focus everything you can into acing the SMP. With that sGPA it is probably your only shot. Applying with your current numbers is a waste of money.
 
I would strongly look into post-bacc programs affiliated with certain medical schools, if I were you. Many post-bacc programs are designed to help out students with similar circumstances like yourself... and they provide a lot of support! 🙂

However, if you are adamant about doing a DIY post-bacc (I have several friends who did this route since it was cheaper and they only wanted to re-take certain classes), then it is important that you do better academically. If you retook classes and did not do as well, that would be a big red flag to medical schools. For most/many (if not all) medical schools, they do not consider your graduate GPA when applying, just so you know. Plus, you have to consider whether or not you can balance doing a DIY post-bacc and a 1-year Master's program at the same time (option 2). I'm doing a 1-year Master's program right now, without retaking classes, and I find myself swamp with a lot of homework. Some food for thought. 🙂
 
The Wayne SMP is a great masters program that I was considering. You will basically need to focus your entire being into that SMP and ace it (3.8+). Once you do that, your chances of getting into a med school will significantly increase. Your MCAT score is good for DO programs but lacking for MD. If you want to retake it, shoot for 508+ but it is not necessary for DO. Make sure you shadow a DO doc and continue to shadow/volunteer over the next 2 years.

Best of luck to you 🙂
 
I can't recommend applying to any med school unless you have a serious upward grade trend, and even then, aceing a post-bac or SMP will probably be in order. Once done' try for your state MD schools, but with an MCAT that weak, other MD schools will be a no-go.


foreverblue28 said:
Hi all
I will be graduating soon from a public ivy and I was planning on taking 2 years off before hopefully starting medical school. Since I will have 2 whole years, I want to make the most of it. I'm looking for constructive critiques of how I can improve my application. As of now I know I need to work on my grades. (cGPA 3.19 sGPA 2.88). MCAT seems to be okay from what I gathered (506: 129/124/127/126). In order to address the grades: I will be retaking all C-/D+ and taking few classes during the summer to hopefully bring my sGPA to a 3.0. I have applied to an SMP type program at Wayne State; all the classes seem really great for med school. I've heard great things about the program and it seems to really focus on my strengths (physiology/biochem etc).

Planning on applying to in-state MD, lots of DO, and any other MD's I should look into.

Here's a breakdown of EC's:

Research Assistant (Family Med)- patient interviewing/data analysis: 6hr/week (2015-present)
Tutor: Kumon 2 summers 6hr/week
Office Assistant (summer before undergrad)- 8hr/week
President of a cultural org on campus + board position before (2015- present)
Created a clinical volunteer org on campus this year (3hr/week)
Director of Marketing for volunteer based club + volunteering reading/projects at a disadvantaged school (3hr/week)
Student Peer Mentor (2 years)
Research Assistant - Neurology **patient interaction 8-10 hr/week for 2 years
Clinic Volunteering: high school+ 2 summers in undergrad hr/week
Shadowing: so far 50 MD hours - neurology, neonatal, peds. Working to find a DO to shadow- once I'm home for the summer.
During the summer I plan on volunteering at the local children's hospital weekly.

Please help me address my weaknesses! I'd really like to have input on where I can improve.
Click to expand...
 
foreverblue28 said:
@Goro Even after my smp at Wayne State, I'm primarily looking at DO schools. Although I don't think I'll get into any Michigan MD schools, I'll give it a shot. Can you please direct me in what I should do for DO schools?

@Fluffy123 Why did you not choose the BMS at Wayne? What did you end up doing?

@luckyely91 I am considering applying to programs like Lake Erie but the problem is my retakes won't be finished until the end of this summer. I won't have those grades until August, so I'm not sure what programs would even take me. Could you perhaps suggest some schools I could look into. I'd really appreciate it.

Outside of grades, are my EC's considered average or below average? I'm trying to figure out what I should be doing during my gap years in terms of EC (along with my masters)
Click to expand...

If you ace the SMP you will be good for almost all DO schools that won't screen you out (only a handful) based on uGPA
 
foreverblue28 said:
@Fluffy123 Why did you not choose the BMS at Wayne? What did you end up doing?

Outside of grades, are my EC's considered average or below average? I'm trying to figure out what I should be doing during my gap years in terms of EC (along with my masters)
Click to expand...
my GPA was a c3.4 and s3.2 with a 510 MCAT and good upward trend so I took a shot and received 7 II (1 MD, 6DO) and was accepted to 2 so far (waiting on 1).

I think your EC arent that bad. You definitely need shadowing a DO if you plan on applying DO (and get a LOR). I say to continue volunteering and shadowing throughout your gap years because med schools want to see that continued. try to broaden the types because you need to fill 13-15 experiences.

Volunteering and helping out less fortunate in Detroit will land you points with Wayne (look at HUDA clinic). Volunteering in rural areas will get you points with Central. If you want to spend some time in Kalamazoo, you will get points with Western.

If you want to be competitive for MD schools, research is great and a publication is an additional bonus.
 
Matthew9Thirtyfive said:
I'd think filling it with fluff would look worse than not filling it completely but having all solid entries.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Some of the most successful applicants I know only had like 4, maybe 5 things but over 500 hours in all of them but shadowing. Some even had a couple thousand in some categories.
 
If you can get it > 3.0, you might get in luck at one of the newer DO schools, but even then it's sketchy chances. If you can get to the sGPA 3.3 range without an SMP, I would go that route since it's safer and most cost efficient.
 
@luckyely91 I am considering applying to programs like Lake Erie but the problem is my retakes won't be finished until the end of this summer. I won't have those grades until August, so I'm not sure what programs would even take me. Could you perhaps suggest some schools I could look into. I'd really appreciate it.

Are you talking about which SMP programs will take you? Unfortunately I don't know of any specific ones that you may take you. From what I understand (I have several friends in the post-bacc route), post-bacc programs of many schools are more accepting if you had difficult circumstances and can talk about them. However, should you decide to do a post-bacc program or SMP, I strongly recommend you attend one that is also affiliated with the medical school you're interested in! That way, after completion of the program, you can get your foot in the door for the respective medical school. Look at this PDF:

http://www.aacom.org/docs/default-source/cib/cib_web_full-publication.pdf?sfvrsn=38

Hopefully that should provide more information about the osteopathic medical schools and post-bacc programs/SMP available. 🙂
 
Thank you all so much for your input. I really appreciate it.

@Fluffy123/@femmegoblue: Do you know what scores you points at MSUCOM? If I do well at Wayne, will I have a shot there? It's my top choice!
Also during my gap years, I was considering volunteering at Children's Hospital and a free health clinic in Detroit as well as research with child development (psych). How would psych research look for med school? I'll also be shadowing pediatric DO's/MDs. Would that be enough clinical exposure, or should I get a certificate in phlebotomy? I'm just worried that if I become a phlebotomist then I'll be working part time, 20hr/week, (instead of research) and that may be too much with the Masters program.
 
foreverblue28 said:
Thank you all so much for your input. I really appreciate it.

@Fluffy123/@femmegoblue: Do you know what scores you points at MSUCOM? If I do well at Wayne, will I have a shot there? It's my top choice!
Also during my gap years, I was considering volunteering at Children's Hospital and a free health clinic in Detroit as well as research with child development (psych). How would psych research look for med school? I'll also be shadowing pediatric DO's/MDs. Would that be enough clinical exposure, or should I get a certificate in phlebotomy? I'm just worried that if I become a phlebotomist then I'll be working part time, 20hr/week, (instead of research) and that may be too much with the Masters program.
Click to expand...
We have very similar stats going into the Wayne BMS. I think if you can knock out a 3.8+, make admissions appointments at MSUCOM/go on a tour/attend their webinar you can include that on your secondary and it will score points with them. I think a phleb cert. with direct patient care with some free clinic volunteering would be more valuable than research for MSUCOM. I would caution you against trying to jam too much into your BMS first year, because getting the 3.8+ should be your #1 priority. It was only in my second year in BMS that I was comfortable with having a job. The only thing I did during first year was shadow at DMC and school was my full-time job. I also got my phleb. cert and found it to be a great way to make 15+ an hour during my glide year.

I got a 3.9 in the BMS and am sitting on 4 DO II's and 2 MD II's with a lower MCAT than you. I wouldn't recommend retaking the MCAT if you're cool with Michigan medical schools.
 
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I think that I will definitely hold on getting the phleb cert. until after I have a semester or two done. I'm really passionate about the research but I'll try to keep it at a minimum until I get some footing down. I really don't want to overwhelm myself. Thank you @femmegoblue! Your success gives me hope 🙂 Hope you enjoy whatever med school you end up at in the fall!
 
foreverblue28 said:
@Goro Even after my smp at Wayne State, I'm primarily looking at DO schools. Although I don't think I'll get into any Michigan MD schools, I'll give it a shot. Can you please direct me in what I should do for DO schools?

@Fluffy123 Why did you not choose the BMS at Wayne? What did you end up doing?

@luckyely91 I am considering applying to programs like Lake Erie but the problem is my retakes won't be finished until the end of this summer. I won't have those grades until August, so I'm not sure what programs would even take me. Could you perhaps suggest some schools I could look into. I'd really appreciate it.

Outside of grades, are my EC's considered average or below average? I'm trying to figure out what I should be doing during my gap years in terms of EC (along with my masters)
Click to expand...

WMed is forgiving.
 
@JB50 But I'm from SE Michigan, with no ties to Kalamazoo. Doesn't WMed take students primarily from the KZoo area?
 
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