I'm totally new and non-trad ... what do I do?

[CheMedicine]

Hi all.

Long story short: I'm in the beginning of my engineering PhD in a bio/chem type of research. I've got it in my head that I want to go to med school after PhD and I can't stop thinking about it.

Undergrad GPA was very low (for top-school standards): 3.74 overall, 3.62 in major. Adcoms won't tell me if this is irredeemable with a ~4.0 graduate GPA, a high MCAT, and surfeiting publications, or not. After much self-reflection I have determined I am thoroughly unprepared for the MCAT and my dream of getting an over-40 will take much, much, much studying, starting like NOW.

It's hard to straight-up ask, "what are my chances of getting into a top 5/10 school?" But basically, that's it, and also what I can do to get there. I'm willing to do anything. Legit advice only please. Be mean and yell at me if you want, too. Just don't tell me it's impossible because I know it isn't. Thanks guys.

Sincerely,
A Fruzzle-doodled Graduate Student

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[eteshoe]

Hi all.

Long story short: I'm in the beginning of my engineering PhD in a bio/chem type of research. I've got it in my head that I want to go to med school after PhD and I can't stop thinking about it.

Undergrad GPA was very low (for top-school standards): 3.74 overall, 3.62 in major. Adcoms won't tell me if this is irredeemable with a ~4.0 graduate GPA, a high MCAT, and surfeiting publications, or not. After much self-reflection I have determined I am thoroughly unprepared for the MCAT and my dream of getting an over-40 will take much, much, much studying, starting like NOW.

It's hard to straight-up ask, "what are my chances of getting into a top 5/10 school?" But basically, that's it, and also what I can do to get there. I'm willing to do anything. Legit advice only please. Be mean and yell at me if you want, too. Just don't tell me it's impossible because I know it isn't. Thanks guys.

Sincerely,
A Fruzzle-doodled Graduate Student

Are you kidding me? A 3.7+ UG GPA is not very low (by those standards anything short of a 3.99 is too low lol). I was a ChemE/Biochem w/ ~3.85 GPA and it didn't stop me from getting into almost all the programs I applied to (top heavy to upper mid tier)

With a high MCAT, you'll have a chance. The grad GPA won't be evaluated w/ the UG one due to the high variability of graduate school curriculums. Publications are always a plus. If you perform well during your PhD, it'll be viewed as a great EC (at many research heavy med schools). Just be sure to explain your motivation for wanting to do medicine afterwards.

You said you're near the beginning of your PhD (not sure how far along), but you best chance is to finish off your degree, get a couple of first author publications, rock the MCAT, make sure all your pre-reqs are in order, get some clinical exposure (volunteering/shadowing) during your PhD, and apply early.

 

[CheMedicine]

Thanks. I actually calculated my BCPM GPA (not including all the engineering classes) and it was around or a bit higher than my cumulative. Now it's just a matter of making up prerequisites while in graduate school. Thanks for the advice.