I'm in a rough situation. Need Advice

[lostsoul24]

---

Members do not see this ad.

So I recently completed an SMP with a GPA of 3.0. My stats in undergrad were a 3.53 with an MCAT of 510. I am wondering if my low SMP GPA will severely hinder my chances. I was having personal issues during my SMP, but they are not issues I wish to bring up during an interview or in a personal statement, mainly due to a PTSD diagnosis I received.

I am wondering if it is worth it to apply this year? Is it time for me to give up on medicine? What options are there for me? I have tried reaching out to advisors, but the advice I received has been a mixed bag. My goal is to move forward.

 

[The Lovely Maverick]

Hey.

Graduate schools are known to be MUCH harder than undergraduate school and a 3.0 still makes you a good student. Medical schools really just appreciate you getting through the workload. A 510 is a competitive MCAT score and it is early on in the application cycle... you should totally take advantage of the head start.

DO NOT GIVE UP if medicine is what you want to do. Do not give up if you don't see yourself doing anything else.

 

[LUCPM]

Deleted for inaccuracy.

Sent from my SM-G935R4 using Tapatalk

 

[Coltuna]

Just out of curiosity, why did you do an SMP with those stats?

 

[Alienman52]

Hey.

Graduate schools are known to be MUCH harder than undergraduate school and a 3.0 still makes you a good student. Medical schools really just appreciate you getting through the workload. A 510 is a competitive MCAT score and it is early on in the application cycle... you should totally take advantage of the head start.

DO NOT GIVE UP if medicine is what you want to do. Do not give up if you don't see yourself doing anything else.

Graduate schools are not always known to be harder. Some (most PhD programs) are actually on par if not easier.
The OP isn't out of luck, but the SMP GPA will probably keep OP out of top programs.
OP's best course of action would be to apply as early as possible with a broad app to many schools.
That MCAT and undergrad GPA will certainly help.

Good luck to you OP.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Mo'MedMules]

I think you will be fine. My MCAT is a 503 and I was accepted (2 off the WL) to all 3 of the schools I interviewed at (only applied to 4 DO schools, didn't go to the other interview.)

A 510 is awesome. Seriously apply.

 

[leturbinator]

Hm, it may kind of look discouraging. See, an SMP is all hard sciences, so if you do bad (>3.0), that would tell a lot of medical schools that science isn't really your forte. However, you really killed it with a competitive MCAT score, so I think that it balances it out. Don't give up, apply early and complete your secondaries within 1-2 weeks of receipt. Good luck!

 

[workaholic181]

I think if you apply broadly you will most likely get into medical school this cycle. If I were you I'd definitely go for it.

 

[Goro]

So I recently completed an SMP with a GPA of 3.0. My stats in undergrad were a 3.53 with an MCAT of 510. I am wondering if my low SMP GPA will severely hinder my chances. I was having personal issues during my SMP, but they are not issues I wish to bring up during an interview or in a personal statement, mainly due to a PTSD diagnosis I received.

I am wondering if it is worth it to apply this year? Is it time for me to give up on medicine? What options are there for me? I have tried reaching out to advisors, but the advice I received has been a mixed bag. My goal is to move forward.

It's time for Plan B. You have shown that med school would kill you. You'd be rejected at my school.

Wow! A lot of bad advice in this thread! SMPs are meant to be auditions for med school.

Frankly, a 3.0 GPA in an SMP is a disaster. For a UG student, it's lethal for MD and circling the drain from most DO schools. Auto-reject at mine and lots of others too.

A decent MCAT does NOT balance out a poor GPA.

I can't sugar coat this. Your UG stats were fine for many MD schools and all DO. Taking the SMP while you were impaired brings up judgement issues.

 

[bigindian4891]

Wait what?! OP got a lower GPA in a last chance pathway that is supposed to show that you can excel in hard science courses, to show that one can excel in med school. Poor performance in an SMP is a big red flag. How is this situation just fine? Lots of misinformation here.

OP would have been fine applying with his stats. Now it is very dubious. A tale of caution to anyone thinking of doing an SMP.

 

[Shotapp]

OP you might have a decent chance at a brand new fresh out the oven DO school or branch school. I hope you are able to get the help you need with your PTSD.

 

[Coltuna]

It isn't like Goro to straight up tell someone they're doomed, so I would seriously caution OP to consider not wasting money on applying.

 

[lostsoul24]

Thanks for the advice. For some clarity, I was advised that SMP would help my chances by a lot of people so I decided to take the dive. I actually did pretty well up until the second semester when I was witness to a murder-suicide of two family members. So I wanted to note I didn't go into the SMP with baggage. I've already done my therapy and such so I'm better now. Though based on the responses, I've decided its best to look into other areas and my plan B. Thanks for the advice

 

[Shotapp]

Thanks for the advice. For some clarity, I was advised that SMP would help my chances by a lot of people so I decided to take the dive. I actually did pretty well up until the second semester when I was witness to a murder-suicide of two family members. So I wanted to note I didn't go into the SMP with baggage. I've already done my therapy and such so I'm better now. Though based on the responses, I've decided its best to look into other areas and my plan B. Thanks for the advice

Take a chance though. You never know what the result will be if you never try. Apply OP to mostly DO schools. Just try to wait and see the outcome. Don't give up because of what a few of us have said. The journey will end here if you just quit.

 

[zukunft195]

OP, you should have asked for advice on here a year or two ago, so that someone could have told you not to enroll in an SMP program. A 3.53 GPA and 510 MCAT would have given you an extremely strong chance at any DO school.

You wasted your time and money on an SMP that you didn't need at all, and you have somehow managed to drastically lower your chances at getting into med school. Good job.

Apply very broadly to DO schools -- especially the newer ones.

 

[Coltuna]

OP, you should have asked for advice on here a year or two ago, so that someone could have told you not to enroll in an SMP program. A 3.53 GPA and 510 MCAT would have given you an extremely strong chance at any DO school.

You wasted your time and money on an SMP that you didn't need at all, and you have somehow managed to drastically lower your chances at getting into med school. Good job.

Apply very broadly to DO schools -- especially the newer ones.

I think he gets it lol

 

[GypsyHummus]

Holy misstep batman.

Yeah, unless your SMP was at LECOM with their program, 3.0 is a death blow for medical school. The worst part is that you prolly could have gotten into MD schools beforehand.

Op, only the newest of DO schools might take a chance on you and the school you did the SMP at. Even then, new schools are getting super picky. They consistently tell me it's a no go unless u got a 3.3gpa and 495mcat minimum.

I also recommend, if you can swallow your pride, applying to podiatry programs. That GPA is boarderline for pod school (tho they do accept people with 3.0s) but that MCAT is something they would salivate over. PM me if you would like some details.

 

[lostsoul24]

OP, you should have asked for advice on here a year or two ago, so that someone could have told you not to enroll in an SMP program. A 3.53 GPA and 510 MCAT would have given you an extremely strong chance at any DO school.

You wasted your time and money on an SMP that you didn't need at all, and you have somehow managed to drastically lower your chances at getting into med school. Good job.

Apply very broadly to DO schools -- especially the newer ones.

While I don't appreciate the aggressive tone, I do appreciate you mentioning the need to address these issues early. Hopefully someone can benefit in the future

 

[lostsoul24]

Holy misstep batman.

Yeah, unless your SMP was at LECOM with their program, 3.0 is a death blow for medical school. The worst part is that you prolly could have gotten into MD schools beforehand.

Op, only the newest of DO schools might take a chance on you and the school you did the SMP at. Even then, new schools are getting super picky. They consistently tell me it's a no go unless u got a 3.3gpa and 495mcat minimum.

I also recommend, if you can swallow your pride, applying to podiatry programs. That GPA is boarderline for pod school (tho they do accept people with 3.0s) but that MCAT is something they would salivate over. PM me if you would like some details.

It wasn't at LECOM. I appreciate the advice. I have considered podiatry, but I am a bit worried about the field. Its not so much pride or even working for 80K starting but rather having a job. I don't want to be unemployed and in debt. Also I have no podiatry shadowing, and my application would blatently look like I moved from medicine to podiatry since I couldn't cut it. Plus I'd hate to take a spot from a passionate applicant.

 

[GypsyHummus]

A vast majority of the podiatry offers coming through are not for 80k jobs, more around the 150k+ mark especially in the hospitals or orth practices. There are offers that come in around the 60k mark, but most people don't take those.

There are also a lot of pods making 220k working in the hospital, especially if they have lots of ankle reconstruction experience. The podiatrists of today are not the same as they were 10 years ago.

The same could be said for any field of medicine or dentistry. I'm sure there are starting salaries in the 70ks for dentists, doesn't mean people take them. In reality, I have yet to meet a dentist who doesn't bring home 120k/year. Same with a podiatrist.

There are plenty of applicants like you who used podiatry as a backup and ended up quite happy in the end with podiatry. Shadow one and see if it is something you can enjoy for 40+ years of your life. I came into podiatry with no intention of ever doing it. Then I shadowed a pod and it's something I could see myself doing.

It wasn't at LECOM. I appreciate the advice. I have considered podiatry, but I am a bit worried about the field. Its not so much pride or even working for 80K starting but rather having a job. I don't want to be unemployed and in debt. Also I have no podiatry shadowing, and my application would blatently look like I moved from medicine to podiatry since I couldn't cut it. Plus I'd hate to take a spot from a passionate applicant.

 

[lostsoul24]

A vast majority of the podiatry offers coming through are not for 80k jobs, more around the 150k+ mark especially in the hospitals or orth practices. There are offers that come in around the 60k mark, but most people don't take those.

There are also a lot of pods making 220k working in the hospital, especially if they have lots of ankle reconstruction experience. The podiatrists of today are not the same as they were 10 years ago.

The same could be said for any field of medicine or dentistry. I'm sure there are starting salaries in the 70ks for dentists, doesn't mean people take them. In reality, I have yet to meet a dentist who doesn't bring home 120k/year. Same with a podiatrist.

There are plenty of applicants like you who used podiatry as a backup and ended up quite happy in the end with podiatry. Shadow one and see if it is something you can enjoy for 40+ years of your life. I came into podiatry with no intention of ever doing it. Then I shadowed a pod and it's something I could see myself doing.[/QUOTTH

THanks! I'll definitely look into it.

 

[workaholic181]

It wasn't at LECOM. I appreciate the advice. I have considered podiatry, but I am a bit worried about the field. Its not so much pride or even working for 80K starting but rather having a job. I don't want to be unemployed and in debt. Also I have no podiatry shadowing, and my application would blatently look like I moved from medicine to podiatry since I couldn't cut it. Plus I'd hate to take a spot from a passionate applicant.

Is there anyway you could retroactively withdraw? Your circumstances were so significant it seems to me like that could be an avenue worth pursuing. Like get a medical withdrawal? Something along those lines.

Either way, I feel for you OP and I wish you luck moving forward.

 

[ATM92]

I honestly don't know what is up with people on this thread, how demoralizing!!! Lostsoul24, I just recently completed an SMP at Touro, where we took the exact same classes as the first year DO students with the exception of PD and OMM. So during the first semester, we took anatomy, biochemistry, medical physiology, histology and medical law and ethics and during the second semester, we took anatomy, neuroanatomy, physiology, genetics, health and human behavior microbiology and immunology. The school provided provisional acceptance to those who maintain a 3.5 or above by the end of the year and only 26 people made the gpa in my class out of 69 students, myself included. From among my friends who didn't make it, one person particularly finished with a 3.0. He had applied to other medical schools while in the program, and his undergrad gpa and MCAT score, was 3.4 and 500. Just a few months ago, he got accepted to 4 DO schools out of the 6 he applied to. Our SMP program director, who also happens to be the preclinical dean, reiterated, that anyone who graduates with a 3.0 or above, will be a successful medical student. A 3.0 gpa at Touro is considered an honors gpa! I'm not sure if the SMP which you did is anything similar to Touro's SMP, however if your program is anything like it, you should be more than fine for DO schools! On the other hand, I'm not sure about the circumstances for MD schools. If you have a particular MD school you want to attend, call them personally and address your issue. If anything, don't mention you even did an SMP on your AMCAS application, and you should get accepted to a few MD schools in the midwest with your undergrad gpa and MCAT score. Don't get discouraged and apply!

 

[ATM92]

Lostsoul24 to add on to my previous post, there was another SDN user who completed an SMP, two years ago, with a slightly higher gpa than yours, 3.34, and from his latest posts, its seems like he's an MS2 student at an MD school! This was his post back then Not doing very well in my SMP, help?. He also had a lower sgpa and overall gpa, so again, please do not despair, and don't listen to anyone who tells you to switch careers, you got this! Best of luck, and I hope you're doing great coping with your PTSD!

 

[On_The_Way_Up]

I think you should give it a chance. Apply one cycle and see what happens. Apply to as many DO schools that you are financially able to. Yeah the SMP didn't do you any favors but a 3.5+ and a 510 is good for DO. In your application talk about your PTSD and how it effected your performance in the SMP. Sorry you had to witness that with your family. I've had a family member drug addiction. This person almost took their own life but we were able to get them help and they're doing good now. I myself grew up with mental illness. Im sure if you explain in your primaries/secondaries some schools may understand. And maybe you can give your time to those with similar struggles. I'm doing research with kids that have mental illness. It's great to help those that have similar struggles and it can be something that schools could look at and see you as a good candidate.

 

[femmegoblue]

This was probably the advice of some bonehead pre-med advisor at your undergrad, or worse from a friend/family member who knows nothing about the game. I agree with everyone above, apply to the newest and least-established DO schools with maybe a few reaches, but prepare yourself to do a lot of explaining for why you made a poor choice to do an SMP in the first place.

Also, are we talking a real SMP here or a medical masters?

 

[member212121]

If anything, don't mention you even did an SMP on your AMCAS application, and you should get accepted to a few MD schools in the midwest with your undergrad gpa and MCAT score. Don't get discouraged and apply!

No. You can't leave out any coursework on your application--there is a national transcript database they check and you'd be lying by omission.

 

[lostsoul24]

Hey, good news update. Was taken off a waitlist. So things worked out

 

[Shotapp]

Hey, good news update. Was taken off a waitlist. So things worked out

Congrats!
You got into the medical school that you did your smp?

 

[IslandStyle808]

LOL Wut

OP would definitely not crash and burn in medical school. A 3.0 is a B and around less than half of a medical school class get this grade or higher (I have a 3.0 or a B and only half my class gets a 2.7 or B- and above). People would probably say "well this is not a full load." The funny part is that OMM and clinical skill would actually RAISE his grade. Even if it does take away from study time in other subjects, the gains in OMM and clinical skills would be greater than in his/her normal course work.

I knew two people in a similar situation long ago from my state school's post-bacc. They both didn't pass and decided to withdraw. One increased his grades and got into an even better school than the one with the linked post-bacc. The other did another post-bacc and got into the other school directly. Both MD schools!

I'm glad things worked out for your overall. Please give this thread an update next year and show us that this post-bacc was nothing more than a set back.

EDIT made to GPA --> sorry misinterpreted breakdown

 

[ATM92]

Hey, good news update. Was taken off a waitlist. So things worked out

Many congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Another reason why one should always take any 'advice' given on this thread with a grain of salt.

 

[bengirlxD]

This thread really has me saddened. A lot of people here have been relentlessly attacking OP. OP is a victim to a horrific incident that happened and psychologically affected him and hurt his grades. He could not have predicted that this would happen to him during the SMP. And yes it was a poor decision to do the SMP but maybe OP may have had better chances at higher ranked MD schools if they did not have to recover from their ordeal that they did not cause. I'm saddened to see how ruthless people can be to someone who not only witnessed a horrific trauma but saw their family die in front of their eyes.

 

[On_The_Way_Up]

Congrats!!

 

[IdealNFP]

Congratulations! This thread was pretty morbid to read, but ended up having a happy ending. Best of luck in med school! I guess it goes to show you that it's not over until it's over. Better times are ahead of you OP, you deserved that spot 100% and I wish you nothing but the best.

 

[lostsoul24]

Hey thanks, everyone. Just some info. I didn't get accepted to the program attached to the SMP. I did call the school and let them know my situation and they were fine since I told them what's up. Yeah, some people were harsh in this thread but I understand where it comes from. The application process is brutal and making me feel better doesn't help me reach my goals. I am also glad that more people were supportive and encouraging. I wish everyone the best of luck! For future readers, get help sooner rather than later. As Billy Joel said "You can get what you want or just get old"

 

[bengirlxD]

Hey thanks, everyone. Just some info. I didn't get accepted to the program attached to the SMP. I did call the school and let them know my situation and they were fine since I told them what's up. Yeah, some people were harsh in this thread but I understand where it comes from. The application process is brutal and making me feel better doesn't help me reach my goals. I am also glad that more people were supportive and encouraging. I wish everyone the best of luck! For future readers, get help sooner rather than later. As Billy Joel said "You can get what you want or just get old"

Such genuineness. There needs to be more people out there like you!