How important is SMP for me?

[etp123]

I graduated in 2014 with a 2.7 from a UC (eek, California, I know...) in a hard science. I volunteered for 2 years in undergrad at a homeless shelter/clinic, was vice president of an ethnic cultural club, and was part of our class council.

After graduating, I've been working since then full-time as a research technician with 1 publication, possibly another underway. I racked up 450+ hours of clinical experience doing a hands-on internship where I fed/bathe/changed patients and shadowed procedures/surgeries. I also started my DIY postbac at another UC (3 classes/quarter) and am doing very well (3.95). At the end of it I should have ~2 years of full-time credits racked up.

Originally I planned to take the MCAT in Jan 2017 and apply to SMPs, complete one, then apply to med schools after. Unfortunately something's come up that's going to take pretty much all of December away from me so I'm worried that will affect my ability to study for/perform well on the MCAT. So, I can delay the MCAT to April then try to apply for MD/DO schools in the summer, and an SMP later as a hopeful fall-back.

How necessary is an SMP for me before I apply? Perhaps a better way to phrase it is, have I done enough to warrant an attempt at applying next year, or should I definitely hold off and wait to have an SMP under my belt? I'd hate to have that year in between of not being in school, but if it has to be then it has to be.

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[Newtonian21]

I graduated in 2014 with a 2.7 from a UC (eek, California, I know...) in a hard science. I volunteered for 2 years in undergrad at a homeless shelter/clinic, was vice president of an ethnic cultural club, and was part of our class council.

After graduating, I've been working since then full-time as a research technician with 1 publication, possibly another underway. I racked up 450+ hours of clinical experience doing a hands-on internship where I fed/bathe/changed patients and shadowed procedures/surgeries. I also started my DIY postbac at another UC (3 classes/quarter) and am doing very well (3.95). At the end of it I should have ~2 years of full-time credits racked up.

Originally I planned to take the MCAT in Jan 2017 and apply to SMPs, complete one, then apply to med schools after. Unfortunately something's come up that's going to take pretty much all of December away from me so I'm worried that will affect my ability to study for/perform well on the MCAT. So, I can delay the MCAT to April then try to apply for MD/DO schools in the summer, and an SMP later as a hopeful fall-back.

How necessary is an SMP for me before I apply? Would it be reasonable to try applying this coming year? Assuming I do well on the MCAT and the rest of my postbac, of course. Perhaps a better way to phrase it is, have I done enough to warrant an attempt at applying next year, or should I definitely hold off and wait to have an SMP under my belt? I'd hate to have that year in between of not being in school, but if it has to be then it has to be.

I am confused. You've completed your prereqs, now planning to take MCAT and you want an SMP? Why?

 

[etp123]

I am confused. You've completed your prereqs, now planning to take MCAT and you want an SMP? Why?

Right, so my idea was to do the SMP to prove to adcoms that I could handle med school by actually doing "med school". I'm not talking about the kind of formal postbacs where you do your undergrad-level prereqs, but the graduate-level SMPs run by med schools where you're taking some classes alongside M1s. Even though I'm taking/retaking my prereqs now and performing well, I was thinking it might not be good enough because adcoms would perhaps say, "Oh, maybe this applicant is doing better because this 2nd institution is easier... still not sure how they'd handle our rigorous curriculum."

 

[Newtonian21]

Right, so my idea was to do the SMP to prove to adcoms that I could handle med school by actually doing "med school". I'm not talking about the kind of formal postbacs where you do your undergrad-level prereqs, but the graduate-level SMPs run by med schools where you're taking some classes alongside M1s. Even though I'm taking/retaking my prereqs now and performing well, I was thinking it might not be good enough because adcoms would perhaps say, "Oh, maybe this applicant is doing better because this 2nd institution is easier... still not sure how they'd handle our rigorous curriculum."

My friend no body cares. It's seems like you've got good stats so far. Just maintain it and apply. Your GPA and MCAT wins it all. That will land you an interview. No body will zoom through your transcript to see if you take chem 1 at university A or B or took advanced molecular biology. All that matters are your prereqs completed. If I were you I'll focus on working to save some money after MCAT and submitting your application. Believe me there's a lot ahead to learn in med school.

 

[etp123]

Thanks for the input! That gives me a little more confidence