Help with school list (MD and DO)

[mafiacat8]

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[backside_attack]

Are you applying this cycle? You're already late for MD -- will be very late with a September MCAT -- and honestly you'll be screened out of all of them with a GPA below 3.0. I wouldn't waste your money on MD at all, let alone this late in the game.

Can't speak to DO as I never applied to AACOMAS.

Edited to add: I'm also no expert about what the SMP bump will be like for you, so perhaps take my advice with a grain of salt until some more seasoned people can chime in.

 

[mafiacat8]

Are you applying this cycle? You're already late for MD -- will be very late with a September MCAT -- and honestly you'll be screened out of all of them with a GPA below 3.0. I wouldn't waste your money on MD at all, let alone this late in the game.

Can't speak to DO as I never applied to AACOMAS.

Edited to add: I'm also no expert about what the SMP bump will be like for you, so perhaps take my advice with a grain of salt until some more seasoned people can chime in.

Sorry I didn't clarify. I already applied to those schools last week. I need help adding more. Yeah, I knew my undergraduate GPA was poor. But, I thought SMP's would compensate for that because I took only upper level science courses. But I will wait to see what other people say about this.

 

[bears1992]

You need to get above the screens. About half of DO schools have a 3.0 minimum and I imagine that is higher for MD. Unless you are a URM, stick with DO unless you have a killer 512+ MCAT then you might have a few state schools with huge instate bias show interest as they typically struggle with their matriculate MCAT numbers. The effect your SMP is going to have on schools is going to be hit or miss. I imagine a bunch won't be able to get past your overall GPA but some will probably weigh it more heavily than undergrad. No way to know which schools these are so you are really going to need to cast a wide net (20+ schools).

 

[mafiacat8]

You need to get above the screens. About half of DO schools have a 3.0 minimum and I imagine that is higher for MD. Unless you are a URM, stick with DO unless you have a killer 512+ MCAT then you might have a few state schools with huge instate bias show interest as they typically struggle with their matriculate MCAT numbers. The effect your SMP is going to have on schools is going to be hit or miss. I imagine a bunch won't be able to get past your overall GPA but some will probably weigh it more heavily than undergrad. No way to know which schools these are so you are really going to need to cast a wide net (20+ schools).

So my overall science gpa when combined is 3.3 in AACOMAS. But, I was thinking of applying to 5 MD schools and the rest would be DO. I was going to apply to my state schools and Tulane because I think I have a better shot there than any other MD schools.

But, how many MD schools do you suggest, how many DO schools?

 

[bears1992]

So my overall science gpa when combined is 3.3 in AACOMAS. But, I was thinking of applying to 5 MD schools and the rest would be DO. I was going to apply to my state schools and Tulane because I think I have a better shot there than any other MD schools.

But, how many MD schools do you suggest, how many DO schools?

A 3.3 with your upward trend should be enough for DO. I'd say apply to atleast 15 DO and then as many MD as you want. I have similar stats to yours and I applied to 24 DO schools. I got verified last week but feel free to message me for any updates.

 

[Nugester]

Hello everyone,

I am 26 years old and applying to med school. I have been trying to compile a school list for medical school and I am at a loss. I have an undergrad cgpa of 3.0 and sGPA of 2.77 (according to AMCAS and 3.0 in AACOMCAS-they counted my neuroscience courses toward the science gpa). I am planning on taking the MCAT on 9/2 (couldn't get a closer date for my area). I have completed a SMP and I received 3.78 gpa at Tulane.

Edit: My cumulative science gpa (when combined is 3.3).

EC's:

1 publication
Peace Corps
Currently teaching at a community college
2 years research experience

I have Louisiana state residence and I am Asian. I have a few schools but not sure what else to add.

I think I will receive at least a 508 on the mcat from the way my practice tests are going. I am also really interested in research and considering a MD/PhD but my med school advisor told me to try and get into med school first and then try to get into a MD/PhD program my second year of med school. I am interested in computational neuroscience.

Here is my school list so far


Allopathic:

Tulane
LSU-Shrevport
LSU-New Orleans
NYMC

Osteopathic:

PCOM-Philly
PCOM-Georgia
Touro-NY
Touro-California
Midwestern-Chicago
Midwestern-Arizona

Any recommendations?


Thanks guys!

Here's my two cents for MD/PhD. My exceptional wife is in the MD/PhD program at Tulane. When she applied, her GPA was slightly lower than yours and your MCAT score is comparable to what she got on the old format. Differences I can see are: she had a lot of volunteering exp, had ~5 years research exp, and had two papers in high impact journals (Plos and Nature, these I believe pushed her in). She also had a really great personal statement. She got interviews/acceptances at these three schools so the admissions directors are certainly sympathetic to lower stats.

Tulane
Hofstra
Urbana-Champaign

 

[tryptamine]

had two papers in high impact journals (Plos and Nature, these I believe pushed her in).

Just for perspective, this is in the league of saying "A 526+ on the MCAT could nose you over the line," to be fair. None of my friends who are tenure-track professors at respected institutions have a Nature publication yet, and not for lack of trying.

 

[Goro]

Hello everyone,

I am 26 years old and applying to med school. I have been trying to compile a school list for medical school and I am at a loss. I have an undergrad cgpa of 3.0 and sGPA of 2.77 (according to AMCAS and 3.0 in AACOMCAS-they counted my neuroscience courses toward the science gpa). I am planning on taking the MCAT on 9/2 (couldn't get a closer date for my area). I have completed a SMP and I received 3.78 gpa at Tulane.

Edit: My cumulative science gpa (when combined is 3.3).

EC's:

1 publication
Peace Corps
Currently teaching at a community college
2 years research experience

I have Louisiana state residence and I am Asian. I have a few schools but not sure what else to add.

I think I will receive at least a 508 on the mcat from the way my practice tests are going. I am also really interested in research and considering a MD/PhD but my med school advisor told me to try and get into med school first and then try to get into a MD/PhD program my second year of med school. I am interested in computational neuroscience.

Here is my school list so far


Allopathic:

Tulane
LSU-Shrevport
LSU-New Orleans
NYMC

Osteopathic:

PCOM-Philly
PCOM-Georgia
Touro-NY
Touro-California
Midwestern-Chicago
Midwestern-Arizona

Any recommendations?


Thanks guys!

Hard to advise without an MCAT score, but your list is good. Suggest adding Albany, Rosy F, the Philly Triplets, Wake, EVMS, and Loyola. You should be fine for any DO school

 

[Nugester]

Just for perspective, this is in the league of saying "A 526+ on the MCAT could nose you over the line," to be fair. None of my friends who are tenure-track professors at respected institutions have a Nature publication yet, and not for lack of trying.

That may be so but like I said her gpa and mcat weren't outstanding so you really need something that can make you stand out. Applying specifically to MD/PhD was an advantage as opposed to MD only as she didn't get any interviews to MD only; only one wait list for an interview. If OP has a strong research background and is interested in continuing research this might a good path to pursue.

 

[mafiacat8]

That may be so but like I said her gpa and mcat weren't outstanding so you really need something that can make you stand out. Applying specifically to MD/PhD was an advantage as opposed to MD only as she didn't get any interviews to MD only; only one wait list for an interview. If OP has a strong research background and is interested in continuing research this might a good path to pursue.

Do you think any of my EC's stand out really strongly that I would have a chance like this?

 

[mafiacat8]

Hard to advise without an MCAT score, but your list is good. Suggest adding Albany, Rosy F, the Philly Triplets, Wake, EVMS, and Loyola. You should be fine for any DO school

Ok thanks, I will check them out.

 

[Faha]

You would have a chance for an interview at any of these DO schools as long as your MCAT is above 500:

ACOM

ARCOM

BCOM

WCU-COM

LMU-DCOM

UP-KYCOM

WVSOM

UIWSOM

VCOM (all 3 schools)

NYIT-Arkansas

RVU-Utah

Idaho (new school)

LUCOM

LECOM

 

[Nugester]

Do you think any of my EC's stand out really strongly that I would have a chance like this?

Hard to say because like another poster mentioned, she did have publications in high ranking journals. I will say however: You need to be sure you want to do this route; it is a minimum 7 year program. You can continue to do research if you did MD only during/after residency; is the extra 3-4 years for a PhD worth it?