How Much Would I Benefit from an SMP program?

[GSPhamily]

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Hello everybody!

I only recently discovered SDN and I've spent hours looking through pages and comparing my statistics to other users and I'm hoping to get some feedback. I'm going to apologize in advance for the long post.

I guess I'll start off by saying that I've applied twice to medical school. The first time I submitted my application late and got rejected from everywhere. This application cycle, I submitted my application in July, and I was offered 1 interview (which ended with a rejection). I am currently waiting for responses from the rest of the schools I applied to, but due to the the lack of responses at this point in the application cycle, my hopes for any more interviews aren't that high.

I graduated from my undergrad in 2011. Admittedly, I didn't work as hard as I should have during my freshman and sophomore years, which I have found is not uncommon. This, however, severely hurt my GPA as well as my chances of going to medical school.

I took the MCAT in 2011 and I scored a 33R (11,11,11). I plan on retaking the MCAT this coming spring, and I believe that I can improve on my MCAT score by 1-4 points. Since graduating, I took part time classes at my local community college. I retook Orgo I + II, Physics I + II, and took Statistics. My current cumulative GPA is 3.36 and my science GPA is 3.24.

I work full time as a CNA at my local community hospital. I was a TA for a freshman orgo lab during my undergraduate years, I've volunteered extensively at hospitals, my church, and my local homeless shelter, I spent time working with adults with disabilities, and I completed an independent group research project as part of my microbiology lab while an undergrad. I also took part in athletic clubs during my undergraduate years.

However, I very strongly believe that I have the ability, drive, and ambition to succeed in medical school. My problem is proving that to admissions committees, which is why I am strongly considering doing an SMP. I recognize that doing poorly in an SMP would kill any chance that I have of going to medical school, but I also believe that if I am unable to do well in an SMP, I would have no hope of doing well in medical school. Currently, I am looking at applying to EVMS, Cincinnati, Boston, and Tufts. I believe that my application would be very competitive for these SMP programs, and I'm just asking for feedback on whether you guys think it would be a good idea for me to do one. Thanks for all of the advice and sorry for the wall of text.

 

[DrMidlife]

An SMP would be ideal for you. Get your apps done now.

 

[WorldChanger36]

Hello everybody!

I only recently discovered SDN and I've spent hours looking through pages and comparing my statistics to other users and I'm hoping to get some feedback. I'm going to apologize in advance for the long post.

I guess I'll start off by saying that I've applied twice to medical school. The first time I submitted my application late and got rejected from everywhere. This application cycle, I submitted my application in July, and I was offered 1 interview (which ended with a rejection). I am currently waiting for responses from the rest of the schools I applied to, but due to the the lack of responses at this point in the application cycle, my hopes for any more interviews aren't that high.

I graduated from my undergrad in 2011. Admittedly, I didn't work as hard as I should have during my freshman and sophomore years, which I have found is not uncommon. This, however, severely hurt my GPA as well as my chances of going to medical school.

I took the MCAT in 2011 and I scored a 33R (11,11,11). I plan on retaking the MCAT this coming spring, and I believe that I can improve on my MCAT score by 1-4 points. Since graduating, I took part time classes at my local community college. I retook Orgo I + II, Physics I + II, and took Statistics. My current cumulative GPA is 3.36 and my science GPA is 3.24.

I work full time as a CNA at my local community hospital. I was a TA for a freshman orgo lab during my undergraduate years, I've volunteered extensively at hospitals, my church, and my local homeless shelter, I spent time working with adults with disabilities, and I completed an independent group research project as part of my microbiology lab while an undergrad. I also took part in athletic clubs during my undergraduate years.

However, I very strongly believe that I have the ability, drive, and ambition to succeed in medical school. My problem is proving that to admissions committees, which is why I am strongly considering doing an SMP. I recognize that doing poorly in an SMP would kill any chance that I have of going to medical school, but I also believe that if I am unable to do well in an SMP, I would have no hope of doing well in medical school. Currently, I am looking at applying to EVMS, Cincinnati, Boston, and Tufts. I believe that my application would be very competitive for these SMP programs, and I'm just asking for feedback on whether you guys think it would be a good idea for me to do one. Thanks for all of the advice and sorry for the wall of text.

The benefits to you would be good if you can hold at least a 3.6 in the program. All of the programs you listed are great. However do you have any physicians shadowing? You really need a letter of recommendation from a physician you shadowed otherwise you may have trouble with EVMS. They are big on that kind of stuff.

 

[DrMidlife]

The benefits to you would be good if you can hold at least a 3.6 in the program. All of the programs you listed are great. However do you have any physicians shadowing? You really need a letter of recommendation from a physician you shadowed otherwise you may have trouble with EVMS. They are big on that kind of stuff.

Not sure where you got the idea that the EVMS med masters program wants a letter from a physician you shadowed, because that kind of letter isn't worth much. A physician on average can't, won't and isn't going to form an opinion of your academic or professional capabilities by being shadowed. So their recommendation is fluff, unless you shadowed for 40+ hours and asked lots of intelligent questions and the physician took the time to review your CV and interview you.

When EVMS reviews med masters apps, they're looking to see that the only thing wrong with the applicant is sub-par GPA. In all other aspects, the applicant needs to be ready for med school. So the med masters letters are reviewed as if they're med school letters, which mean faculty, PI's, employers etc.

Most DO schools require a letter from a shadowed DO. That's completely different.

Best of luck to you.

 

[WorldChanger36]

Not sure where you got the idea that the EVMS med masters program wants a letter from a physician you shadowed, because that kind of letter isn't worth much. A physician on average can't, won't and isn't going to form an opinion of your academic or professional capabilities by being shadowed. So their recommendation is fluff, unless you shadowed for 40+ hours and asked lots of intelligent questions and the physician took the time to review your CV and interview you.

When EVMS reviews med masters apps, they're looking to see that the only thing wrong with the applicant is sub-par GPA. In all other aspects, the applicant needs to be ready for med school. So the med masters letters are reviewed as if they're med school letters, which mean faculty, PI's, employers etc.

Most DO schools require a letter from a shadowed DO. That's completely different.

Best of luck to you.

Perhaps you may want to tell Leah that. She is under the impression that shadowing with out a letter is weak. I made sure she got everything she asked for.

 

[deleted248403]

Perhaps you may want to tell Leah that. She is under the impression that shadowing with out a letter is weak. I made sure she got everything she asked for.

I never got a letter from the people I shadowed - and it never came up on a single medical school interview (DO or MD).... YMMV tho I guess...

 

[DrMidlife]

Perhaps you may want to tell Leah that. She is under the impression that shadowing with out a letter is weak. I made sure she got everything she asked for.

Hopefully you'll get to meet the people you talk to on the phone. Leah is wonderful. She makes the paperwork go smoothly. She is not part of admissions decisions [edit: unless you treat her poorly, then it's over.]

Edit #2: Ah, I get it. Leah will offer tips to make your app as good as it can be, given what you have to work with. Her advice to you doesn't necessarily apply to all students.

 

[WorldChanger36]

Hopefully you'll get to meet the people you talk to on the phone. Leah is wonderful. She makes the paperwork go smoothly. She is not part of admissions decisions [edit: unless you treat her poorly, then it's over.]

Edit #2: Ah, I get it. Leah will offer tips to make your app as good as it can be, given what you have to work with. Her advice to you doesn't necessarily apply to all students.

Yeah all true. All advice I give is processed through my experience.

 

[rafterman]

I applied to EVMS med masters. I can corroborate about the helpfulness of Leah, she called me and instructed me as to what would make my app better. Got an acceptance email today.

 

[Tadaaa]

You seem like the perfect SMP candidate. Depending on where you want to go, you might not even need to retake your MCAT. Getting a good GPA above 3.6/3.7 will do wonders for you. I'm sure you'll get several good interviews/acceptances.

I had an undergrad GPA of 3.05, science GPA 2.90, and a 30 MCAT. I completed the SMP in 2010 and received a 3.7, then I did research for 1 year and I am applying to medical schools right now (2012-2013). I received 9 MD/MD-PhD interview invites: Ohio State, Albert Einstein, University of Illinois, University of Miami, EVMS, UMDNJ, Indiana University, Michigan State University, and Commonwealth Medical College.

So far I have received 1 rejection (UMDNJ), 0 waitlists, 2 acceptances (MSU/TCMC)... just waiting for the rest of them to let me know my status, but I do know I will be a doctor!

There is no doubt that the reason I was able to interview at so many places as well as the 2 acceptances I have so far have been due to the fact that I was able to prove to the admissions committee through my SMP that I could do the work and I could do it well. There is very little information available as to whether medical schools are fond of taking SMP students after a low GPA such as mine so I applied broadly. I was praying for 1 interview and 1 acceptance. I had a far better turnout that I ever thought I would. I applied to 40 medical schools and I am waiting (with very little hope) on 10 more schools to reply for an interview. I felt it was almost a miracle that I was accepted into 1, let alone 2 programs. I don't want to be greedy, but I look forward to hearing back from the rest and making my decision before May 15 so I can finally move on with my life LOL

If you plan it well and work hard in your SMP you are very likely to get into medical school.

I must also add that I am a FL resident and therefore did my SMP at USF. As far as the program I would say it got the job done, but some of the SMP programs you have listed here are probably better. I just had in-state tuition so I chose to go there. Plus the SMP was set up to be 1.5 yrs long and I did it all in 2 semesters (33 credits of graduate science coursework) so I could finish and move back home to save money.



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