I'm new here and just needing some advice =)

[medhoney]

I was just wondering what my chances are. I think I am at this point have absolutely zero chances of getting into medical school, but I'm hoping for DO schools at least.

I graduated from a UC about 2 years ago with very horrible results. I was a new immigrant at that time, first in my family to attend college here, among other things. Needless to say, I grad with a 2.7 UGgpa with 2.0 sGPA. I do have volunteer experience, research experience, ton of leadership roles and community activities. I was luckily admitted to a Master's program (MPH) in a very prestigious health care school here in california and just graduated yesterday with a cumGPA of around 3.5~3.6, and a research paper published with my name. My MCAT score is not very good too, which is now at 20Q.

I understand I have to retake the MCAT and some undergrad classes. Should I take them in a cal state or a CC? It seems that I have a lot of work ahead of me. Also, if I will be retaking classes, should I consider applying for next year's cycle or just wait for another year and apply for 2011? Thank you so much for any input.

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[Mobius1985]

If you don't have any clinical experience, like volunteering in a clinic or hospital setting, you should get started on that. Then figure which classes you would repeat to make the most impact on improving your GPAs. If you have already done the prerequisites, you should repeat classes where you had a C or lower, or any class you did not understand well enough to do well on the MCAT. Ideally you'd get your GPA over a 3.0 with only the repeat included in the calculation, but there are some DO schools that take a 2.75 if you have a great MCAT score. It is best you take the classes at a four year school, but many do fine going to a CC. It is most important that the prerequistes at least be taken at a four-year school so they will be sufficiently rigorous, if you can possibly manage it financially.

I've observed that the DO application service includes the grad school GPA in their calculation. You might ask if that final calculation is the number loked at, or if they primarily look at the undergrad GPA like AAMCAS schools do.

For more information see SDN's Pre-osteopathic Forum.

Here is a DO GPA calculator spreadsheet for you to test out how repeating classes will impact your application GPA: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=450050

Here is a booklet with all DO schools and their prerequisities: http://www.aacom.org/resources/bookstore/cib/Documents/cib2010/2010-CIB-complete.pdf

 

[medhoney]

I guess I would just primarily take classes at a university to be on the safe side. Given I retake all the required classes I need and do very well in them raising my GPA above a 3.0 and raise my MCAT score, do I honestly have any chance at all since my track record was not very good prior? If there is anything else I could do, can anyone suggest anything? I want to exhaust all my options. I don't want to give up on my dream just yet. Also, should I consider applying for the 2010 cycle or wait til the 2011??

Thank you for everyone's helP!!

 

[Stratego]

If you apply to osteopathic med schools with a GPA of 3.0, I suspect you'd need a much better MCAT score (at least a 30). Another thing you can do to make an acceptance more likely once you get your stats improved, is to do a Special Masters Program. This is a last resort to prove you can compete with med students and rise past a bad GPA. Learn about this option in SDN's Postbaccalaureate Forum. When you would apply again depends on how fast you can retake courses and get as close to straight As as possible.

Edit: Looking at your first post, I see you've already taken the MCAT three times. Have you considered Podiatric Medicine as a potential career. They use the MCAT also, but aren't as competitive.

 

[medhoney]

If you apply to osteopathic med schools with a GPA of 3.0, I suspect you'd need a much better MCAT score (at least a 30). Another thing you can do to make an acceptance more likely once you get your stats improved, is to do a Special Masters Program. This is a last resort to prove you can compete with med students and rise past a bad GPA. Learn about this option in SDN's Postbaccalaureate Forum. When you would apply again depends on how fast you can retake courses and get as close to straight As as possible.

Edit: Looking at your first post, I see you've already taken the MCAT three times. Have you considered Podiatric Medicine as a potential career. They use the MCAT also, but aren't as competitive.

oops. i may have made a mistake somewhere. i've only taken it twice. i guess i was rushing on things when i took them both because i didn't even study. stupid me. that was my fault. school + work + EC's are no excuse, i know so i'm putting in all the effort i can mass up this last time. hopefully everything pans out.

Thanks again for all those who replied! really appreciate all you guys' advice.

 

[DaTruMD]

You have a tough road ahead of you but I think you have a shot at a DO if you retake your classes since DO schools take the newest grades.

Good luck with everything.

 

[KG216]

Def retake the classes at a 4 year college/ university. I've seen it in several places (MSAR, specific school websites) that they PREFER courses to be from those places and not CC's.

Great job on the EC's, that will help alot. Study hard, rock the MCAT and raise those grades in the retakes. Being an immigrant could be an excellent basis for your personal statement as well, so maybe you could work on ideas early to make sure it is perfect.

If you feel up to it, I would say get those classes done next year if possible (not sure how many you have to retake and if the course availability at your school will allow for it). If you do well in them I would immediately get the transcripts out, and apply next year. Then again, it is entirely up to you- only you know if taking one year off or two from applying would be the best for you. Good luck, I'm sure you can do it!

 

[medhoney]

Def retake the classes at a 4 year college/ university. I've seen it in several places (MSAR, specific school websites) that they PREFER courses to be from those places and not CC's.

Great job on the EC's, that will help alot. Study hard, rock the MCAT and raise those grades in the retakes. Being an immigrant could be an excellent basis for your personal statement as well, so maybe you could work on ideas early to make sure it is perfect.

If you feel up to it, I would say get those classes done next year if possible (not sure how many you have to retake and if the course availability at your school will allow for it). If you do well in them I would immediately get the transcripts out, and apply next year. Then again, it is entirely up to you- only you know if taking one year off or two from applying would be the best for you. Good luck, I'm sure you can do it!

Thanks KG216! Based from what many have told me, it is better to retake the classes at a 4-yr univ. But I'm really really low on the money part right now. I stopped working after i graduated from grad school and have basically been paying all of my bills from my savings. I don't plan on working for this coming year too because I wanted to focus on getting my grades up and studying for the MCAT. So basically, I don't really have a choice and I might be stuck retaking the classes at the CC close to where I live (plus all the other 4-yr univs are so far from me now since my parents decided to up and move).

In any case, thanks again for giving me added spirit! i know i have a tough rode ahead of me. I'll definitely do it or die trying.

 

[physicsnerd42]

Are you a US citizen or permanent resident? If not, you will have a much tougher time getting in (and you already have a very, very low chance).

Maybe I'm just a curmudgeon, but I feel like there is a bit (read: "a lot") too much optimism on the "What are my chances?" threads. If your sGPA is a 2.0 after 4 years (and cum is at about 2.7), you would need at least a couple of years of full-time school to pull that up above a 3.0. You don't qualify for a SMP because your GPA is way too low. Your MPH won't help you. DO schools allow you to substitute the higher grade if you retake a class, but there is a maximum on the number of classes you're allowed to do this for. You've taken the MCAT twice with a 20 as your highest score? To get into a DO school, even if you had a ~3.0 GPA, for a (slim) chance at getting in you would need a very good MCAT score (>10 in each section). Many med schools look at all your MCAT scores, so even if you did do very well on your third (last) try, you would probably still have a lot of trouble. There's no guarantee you would do better on your third try. With your current MCAT score, you'd need a very high (probably 3.7+) to even have a remote possibility of getting into a DO school (and even that is a stretch). DO schools are not as competitive as MD schools when it comes to admissions, but they're still very competitive.

I'm well aware that this sounds harsh, but someone needs to say it. Honestly, I think you should not waste years and lots of money trying to get into med school when your chances of getting in are so low (near 0). Even if you spent years bringing up your GPA and miraculously got a 35+ on the MCAT it's likely you still wouldn't get in. Even if you did, you would have spent lots of money (in both tuition and opportunity cost). It's just not worth the attempt. Stop now and find another career: there are plenty of other good and valuable jobs out there.

 

[medhoney]

Are you a US citizen or permanent resident? If not, you will have a much tougher time getting in (and you already have a very, very low chance).

Maybe I'm just a curmudgeon, but I feel like there is a bit (read: "a lot") too much optimism on the "What are my chances?" threads. If your sGPA is a 2.0 after 4 years (and cum is at about 2.7), you would need at least a couple of years of full-time school to pull that up above a 3.0. You don't qualify for a SMP because your GPA is way too low. Your MPH won't help you. DO schools allow you to substitute the higher grade if you retake a class, but there is a maximum on the number of classes you're allowed to do this for. You've taken the MCAT twice with a 20 as your highest score? To get into a DO school, even if you had a ~3.0 GPA, for a (slim) chance at getting in you would need a very good MCAT score (>10 in each section). Many med schools look at all your MCAT scores, so even if you did do very well on your third (last) try, you would probably still have a lot of trouble. There's no guarantee you would do better on your third try. With your current MCAT score, you'd need a very high (probably 3.7+) to even have a remote possibility of getting into a DO school (and even that is a stretch). DO schools are not as competitive as MD schools when it comes to admissions, but they're still very competitive.

I'm well aware that this sounds harsh, but someone needs to say it. Honestly, I think you should not waste years and lots of money trying to get into med school when your chances of getting in are so low (near 0). Even if you spent years bringing up your GPA and miraculously got a 35+ on the MCAT it's likely you still wouldn't get in. Even if you did, you would have spent lots of money (in both tuition and opportunity cost). It's just not worth the attempt. Stop now and find another career: there are plenty of other good and valuable jobs out there.

I understand what you're saying and I know the road before me is tough. But I'm optimistic. Many others that I know first hand who had it worst than I did ended up getting in. I just have to work as hard as they did or even harder. What you said, yea, is harsh, but I've heard it before and it's nothing new to me. But it doesn't kill my hope. I've seen it can be done. Like I said, I just have to work harder for it.