Help me decide if I am ready to apply to Med School

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xrta

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Hey all;

I have been lurking on SDN for many years but finally gathered the courage to make a post. Please bear with me as I am still not sure of where to post things yikes lol.

I have wanted to go to medical school my whole life. I just graduated from college at a midwestern university that is not at all an R1 or top tier school.

I double majored in biology and psychology and minored in chemistry. I did really bad my freshman and sophomore years honestly because my parents were sick and I had to pick up a lot of responsibilities. I have 3 siblings and I had to take care of them while my mom was going through treatments. I worked at least 2 jobs my whole college career. I never gave up and I kept at it even though I graduated a semester late. I worked in a research lab studying phylogenetics for 2 years. I am working on a manuscript right now for that research project. I volunteer at a hospital and was then hired as a sitter and am now applying to become a tech in a hospital. I ended college with a very strong increasing trend and ended with a 3.35 gpa.

I am now studying for my MCATs and am ready to do really well on them (please send me positive vibes - I need them!).

I wanted to ask you all what you think - do you think I am ready to apply or if I stand a chance in applying now? I know i am not at ALL top tier material but I want to apply close to home and not at the "bigger" schools. I was wondering if I should apply now or if I should just do a master's and apply later on?

I would really appreciate your help and advice because I have been really stressed out about this whole process and really need some help.

Please let me know what you all think. I am glad to provide more information if you all think it's necessary.

Thank you in advance for your help.

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With your GPA, I'd think very strongly about a postbac. This is not an insult at all; it's clear you've worked hard in life, but its just the reality that with a 3.35 GPA with a school that lacks a strong reputation, you'd really need to obliterate the MCAT to have a shot. Some of the postbac programs (e.g. Hopkins) are really quite strong and if you can get into them and do well in them they are virtually a pipeline to the top schools in the country. Id strongly consider doing a postbac - if you can get in, that can be your lifeline into medical school. Do well in a top postbac, and that will prep you well for applying to top med schools in the country. And then, all future career options are open. It's definitely not easy, but that would be my advice. I don't have a ton of experience though w/nontrad students (I was a trad myself), so I'd def reach out to other mentors you have for advice and some of the adcoms on this site like Goro.
 
With your GPA, I'd think very strongly about a postbac. This is not an insult at all; it's clear you've worked hard in life, but its just the reality that with a 3.35 GPA with a school that lacks a strong reputation, you'd really need to obliterate the MCAT to have a shot. Some of the postbac programs (e.g. Hopkins) are really quite strong and if you can get into them and do well in them they are virtually a pipeline to the top schools in the country. Id strongly consider doing a postbac - if you can get in, that can be your lifeline into medical school. Do well in a top postbac, and that will prep you well for applying to top med schools in the country. And then, all future career options are open. It's definitely not easy, but that would be my advice. I don't have a ton of experience though w/nontrad students (I was a trad myself), so I'd def reach out to other mentors you have for advice and some of the adcoms on this site like Goro.


Thank you so much for your reply - I am not insulted at all. I appreciate your honesty! What post bacc programs do you think I should apply to? I am not very familiar with many .. I know about PREP but I think that's mainly for PhD track and then a master's in biology? Are there any other post bacc programs you think I should look into?

Thank you again!
 
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I think you can look them up and find out the postbac programs that are solid. In general, I'd look at ones who have a strong history of placing students into top med schools. Examples that come to mind are johns hopkins, columbia, goucher, and bryn mawr. Keep in mind that getting into these programs can be difficult, so it's not necessarily easy to do (but you won't know if you don't try). I'd def look into the programs on your own and talk to a counselor at your school for advice on how to apply, etc.
 
Rising trends are good.

Also, what were your GPAs by year? Many med schools weigh the last few years/semesters/credits a lot.

Also, consider a post bacc. It’s just one extra year, I’m sure you’d be able to get a 3.9+ and you’d have an even better shot!
 
@Goro

Sorry I pretty much made points you would’ve made. But I’ve been on here long enough to know what you’d say! Your advice is the best
 
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Rising trends are good.

Also, what were your GPAs by year? Many med schools weigh the last few years/semesters/credits a lot.

Also, consider a post bacc. It’s just one extra year, I’m sure you’d be able to get a 3.9+ and you’d have an even better shot!


Freshman - 3.18, 3.84
Sophmore - 3.14, 3.50
Summer - 2.00 (grandmother got sick so I had to fly out the country)
Junior - 3.25, 2.57 (retook these classes later)
Summer: 4.0
Senior: 3.08, 3.77
Summer 4.0
Last semester: 3.8

Reviewing this makes me kinda depressed ... I think I should do a post bacc definitely
 
Hey all;

I have been lurking on SDN for many years but finally gathered the courage to make a post. Please bear with me as I am still not sure of where to post things yikes lol.

I have wanted to go to medical school my whole life. I just graduated from college at a midwestern university that is not at all an R1 or top tier school.

I double majored in biology and psychology and minored in chemistry. I did really bad my freshman and sophomore years honestly because my parents were sick and I had to pick up a lot of responsibilities. I have 3 siblings and I had to take care of them while my mom was going through treatments. I worked at least 2 jobs my whole college career. I never gave up and I kept at it even though I graduated a semester late. I worked in a research lab studying phylogenetics for 2 years. I am working on a manuscript right now for that research project. I volunteer at a hospital and was then hired as a sitter and am now applying to become a tech in a hospital. I ended college with a very strong increasing trend and ended with a 3.35 gpa.

I am now studying for my MCATs and am ready to do really well on them (please send me positive vibes - I need them!).

I wanted to ask you all what you think - do you think I am ready to apply or if I stand a chance in applying now? I know i am not at ALL top tier material but I want to apply close to home and not at the "bigger" schools. I was wondering if I should apply now or if I should just do a master's and apply later on?

I would really appreciate your help and advice because I have been really stressed out about this whole process and really need some help.

Please let me know what you all think. I am glad to provide more information if you all think it's necessary.

Thank you in advance for your help.

What state are you a resident of?
 
Kill MCAT and apply DO (unless you get 515+) or post bacc and md
 
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Freshman - 3.18, 3.84
Sophmore - 3.14, 3.50
Summer - 2.00 (grandmother got sick so I had to fly out the country)
Junior - 3.25, 2.57 (retook these classes later)
Summer: 4.0
Senior: 3.08, 3.77
Summer 4.0
Last semester: 3.8

Reviewing this makes me kinda depressed ... I think I should do a post bacc definitely


What are you doing for work? What is your level of undergraduate debt?

I ask this because your grades are very poor, and your posts don't suggest anything exceptional about your extra-curricular activities ( the non-academic portion of your application).

Of course med school is possible, but at this point, fairly improbable even with quality post-bac work.

Consider training in a field that will make you employable instead.
 
Where do you live? Are you URM? Does your stated cGPA include ALl classes you have ever taken, including retake So? There is no grade replacement when figuring GPAs for MD or DO. What is your sGPA? You really don’t have a steady upward trend. Your grades are really low the first semester of each academic year and then you seem to rebound.
You really aren’t ready to apply. Your GPA is low for MD but might be okay for DO. Are you considering DO? Much will depend on your MCAT score. Your ECs are very lack luster and combined with your GPA you probably need to wait. You only want to apply one time with the best possible application. A masters won’t help with your GPA for MD but DO schools do consider it.
 
Where do you live? Are you URM? Does your stated cGPA include ALl classes you have ever taken, including retake So? There is no grade replacement when figuring GPAs for MD or DO. What is your sGPA? You really don’t have a steady upward trend. Your grades are really low the first semester of each academic year and then you seem to rebound.
You really aren’t ready to apply. Your GPA is low for MD but might be okay for DO. Are you considering DO? Much will depend on your MCAT score. Your ECs are very lack luster and combined with your GPA you probably need to wait. You only want to apply one time with the best possible application. A masters won’t help with your GPA for MD but DO schools do consider it.

Not an URM. I'm asian (pakistan/india). I live in Michigan. I figured about the trend after typing it up tbh ...

ECSs: Supplemental instructor 2 years, Pre-dental president 1 year, psychology club 4 yrs, psychology honors student, won 2 research awards and was a new student orientation leader, was a volunteer for 70 hrs at a home for underprivileged kids, was a psychology advisor, one year research on autism and social cognition.

Yeah I understand I will work hard for the MCAT.

I am only considering DO I don't think I am competitive at all for MD.
 
What are you doing for work? What is your level of undergraduate debt?

I ask this because your grades are very poor, and your posts don't suggest anything exceptional about your extra-curricular activities ( the non-academic portion of your application).

Of course med school is possible, but at this point, fairly improbable even with quality post-bac work.

Consider training in a field that will make you employable instead.

I worked previously as a supplemental instructor and a sitter but as school just ended I need a job again so I am apllying for tech jobs and working as a sitter rn. No undergrad debt.
 
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