Here is my application..Do I stand a chance? Or should I just go to St. George's?

[JohnnieWalkerMD]

Hey guys,
I'm 22 years old and am applying to medical school. Here are my stats....

Total Cumulative Ungergrad (CUG) GPA:
2.97

Science CUG: 2.93
Non sci CUG: 3.06

Obtained a BS degree in biology at a University of California school.

Then I did a postbacc and Masters at a Cal State School:

Postbacc GPA: 3.73 (have 28 units of anatomy, immunology, medical micro etc...only took medical science relatied courses)

Graduate GPA: 3.81 (19 units of seminars and crappy grad classes that you need to take).

I am currently writing my thesis on cancer cells (wont go into details). I will receive my Masters degree by the end of the year.

I have published in Acta Histochemica as 2nd author, Molecular Biology of the Cell, Faseb Journal and have presented in countless poster presentations at scientific conferences.

I havent done ANY volunteer work.

Here are my mcat scores.... 8V,8P,Q,10B and 6V,12P,Q,9B 30 if you take highest from both sections.

I applied to Albany, Chicago Med (finch), Drexel, GWU, Jefferson, USC, Loma Linda, Medical College of Wisconsin, Meharry, Michigan State, NYMC, St. Louis Univ, Temple, Univ of Vermont, Tulane, Uniformed Services, UC Davis, UC Irvine, Wake Forrest, Wright State, and a couple of hick schools for gambling sake.

Do I stand a chance? Could I actually pull an interview? I want to get started already, but I wonder if its worth it to keep applying if I dont get in this time around. I am contemplating attending St Georges in the carribean asap. I wouldnt want to not get in anywhere in the next couple of years only to have to resort to SGU, when I can start at SGU right now.

any advice is appreciated,

Johnnie Walker M.D.

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[BushBaby]

Adcoms look for a variety of things when interviewing applicants. If I was on the adcom of any of the schools you applied, I would view your application like this :

Your undergrad stats are weak. Your post bac and grad school gpa's are good (assuming the classes here were tougher than your undergrad classes). Your mcat is sorta average. You have publications, so that's good.

If I cared about you been well rounded-I would be looking for some sort of extracurricular in there though. I mean you seem to be working hard to improve yourself but what have you outside academics?


If I don't really care about EC's- I might want to invite you for an interview to see where you head is really at. In this case, the interview will make/break your application.

I hope you have good LORs.

This is just what I would say if I were on the adcom seat.

 

[SMW]

It's a long shot (assuming you're not URM), a very long shot! Your MCAT will be looked at as a 26 that improved to a 28, not a 30. I don't know how much your post-bac GPA will compensate for the undergard -- others on this board can advise you better on that score. Lack of volunteering will hurt. You don't mention any clinical either -- that might be the kiss of death. You don't seem to have considered all the options. You could retake the MCAT again and improve your application in other respects before reapplying, if you don't get in this time. Whether you get interviews probably depends on the quality of your ECs, LORs and essays this time around. Good luck with your application!

 

[lola]

i don't want to be mean, but i don't think it's all that likely you will get in to a u.s. school since you're a ca resident. it's definitely not impossible, but the odds are against you. that's not to say i don't think it's worth a shot. i think it's always worth trying since going in the u.s. is a much easier route than going to st. george's.

your grad school and post bacc courses will definitely help you. if adcoms can briefly look past your undergrad gpa (some with cutoffs will not), then they might be willing to give you a chance. was there a reason for your low gpa or did you just not have your head screwed on tight? the fact that you were able to improve in post bacc & grad courses looks very good. however, i'm a little concerned that you have no volunteer work. do you have any clinical work that's not volunteer?

congrats on raising your physical sciences score 4 points!!!

in your case, i think a good personal statement and lor's are VERY important.

anyway, i guess what i'm trying to say is that you never know. i don't think you're completely doomed, but i wouldn't get my hopes up if i were you.

 

[DW]

dont rule out DO programs before applying to the carribean. i wouldn't worry about the UC schools, they're all effectively top tier schools, but those lower tier schools are your best bet. if you end up applyig next year:

get some clinical/volunteer expoosure, and LOTS of it, between now and then

make sure you have great LORs

retake the MCAT, shoot for a >29

if not a lower tier med school, this could make you competitive at a solid DO program

good luck

 

[Veilside]

Originally posted by SMW
Your MCAT will be looked at as a 26 that improved to a 28,

actually to a 27

 

[BushBaby]

Originally posted by Veilside
actually to a 27

Doctora Foxy got in with a 27....remember? Everyone is different.
You can apply to a few (4-5) schools and see what happens.

 

[angelic02]

Here is my question:

What is the facination with St. George's? Over the last 2 months I have seen the name of that medical school more than I have of any other? Can somebody plug me in the details? PM me, because I don't want the SDN to email me everytime a new post arrives.

 

[lola]

do a search in the international forum. there is quite a bit of info there -- even some st george's students.

 

[Dr Chooch]

Originally posted by BushBaby
Doctora Foxy got in with a 27....remember?

She did have a 27, but she also had a lot of volunteer and medicine related activities that boosted her application. I think everyone has good points, but overall you need to show them why you want to be a doctor. Push the unique aspects of your personally and use your medically related experiences to really show them who you are and why you are doing this. Remember, a lot of applying to med school appears to be a crap shoot to some degree (at least in the eyes of us premeds), so nobody can predict what will happen. If for some reason it doesn't work out this year, follow DW's advice. Good luck!

 

[JohnnieWalkerMD]

For some reason I'm too superficial to get a DO. I mean, youre a DO for life. I think that a DO has more explaining to do than an FMG. Both essentially didnt get into a US allopathic. Thats my personal opinion. I know, im ignorant.

I know how a DO has an easier time landing residency etc. But wanting to market myself to my ethnic community later on down the road as a DO may prove to hold many challenges.

I started college at age 16 and was totally immature. Thats why my undergrad sucked.

I never got involved with volunteer work since I come from a family of physicians...so i felt like I already knew what i was going into. yeah, i know i have to show that I care for people, but my struggle has been my grades and my "numbers." so thats what I have been focusing on.


St. Georges seems to be a viable option. A lot of their students get residencies at University based programs. Good residencies. Granted, they dont get orthopedics and dermatology, but they get anesthesiology, surgery, Emergency Med, Radiology, obgyn, internal med, peds etc at good places.

They also rotate in the US alongside american allopathic students.

I know it holds a stigma, but it will get me where I want to go. Id rather save time and start doing what I want to do than worry about how people perceive me. Med school is tough wherever you go. Maybe I'm naive but thats how I see it. Plus, over a 3rd of all practicing MDs in the states are FMGs.

It will also give me an opportunity to travel and explore other cultures vs staying in one location for 4 years.

Call me crazy. I appreciate everyones honesty. Any additional comments are appreciated.

J.W. MD

 

[THE instiGATOR]

What's a "hick school"?

At which school(s) do you have legacy status? That'll help, I think (didn't have that benefit).

Gluck Haben!

 

[ucdbiochem]

you gotta have some sort of health care experience, like volunteering at hospital or clinic. plus, you need some community service.
i think you should do all these before you apply.
coz the adcom people also look into these areas to see if you know what you're getting into.
it's good that you have extensive research experience, but that doesn't help that much.
hope it helps.

 

[Nirvana]

You never know. You may luck out and get some adcoms that see how much you've improved. If there were any way to get some volunteering experience at a nearby hospital, I'd work on that also. Best of luck!

 

[Random Access]

Anyone else wondering...what's an FMG?

 

[Centrum]

Originally posted by Random Access
Anyone else wondering...what's an FMG?

Foreign Medical Graduate?

 

[Fenrezz]

Originally posted by JohnnieWalkerMD
For some reason I'm too superficial to get a DO. I mean, youre a DO for life. I think that a DO has more explaining to do than an FMG. Both essentially didnt get into a US allopathic. Thats my personal opinion. I know, im ignorant.

Well, I for one appreciate your honesty. With that said, I can tell you obviously haven't done your homework.

You've made the same mistake I did as a pre-med. You heard what people said (probably MD's) about what DO's are and what you're career will be like as a DO and took it as gospel.

If I were you, I'd go talk to a DO. I think you might be surprised.

However, that's not to say that going to St. George's is a bad choice, or that going to a DO school is better than going to a foreign medical school. You have to do what you feel is right for you. If getting an MD degree is more important, then by all means, I say go for it.

The problem is, you dont sound like you've done much research into the process. I'm assuming this because of your lack of volunteer hours. In your position you should be breaking records with the amount of volunteer time in your application. If you're making decisions on your future career without looking at all the options closely, then you're only shooting yourself in the foot.

If I were you, I'd talk to a few DO's, and a few students (or graduates) from St. George's. Take what they have to say, and not what you've heard from other pre-meds, into consideration.

Good luck!