Is my Post-Bacc enough?

[inscoai]

Hi Everyone!
I graduated in 2015 from a UC school with a degree in Anthropology, I had 140 Units Attempted under that Degree with a Graduating Cumulative GPA of a 2.45. During my tenure there I spun the roulette wheel repeatedly while deciding my major and generally put very little effort into my studies. I still had a lot of growing up to do.

After graduating I spent months trying to find jobs in different fields even going back to my old high school summer job assembling cabinets in a warehouse for a few months while I looked. Eventually I settled in at an unpaid intern/volunteer administrative position for a nonprofit/low-income health clinic for 6 months trying to move into a paid position there. I felt like I could do more and took night classes getting my EMT license during my evenings.

After I successfully obtained my EMT license I got a Job working in the Emergency room of a Level 1 Trauma Center, There I was trained in Phlebotomy as well; I’m still working there today. (I have 5000 hours at the moment and that will continue to grow until I apply)

After about 1 year of Full time work there I made the decision that I wanted to be better to improve and reinvent myself.

I cut my hours to Just under full time and enrolled at my local community college with the initial intent of getting my GPA to the 3.0 mark to apply for an ABSN program or a PA program as I was getting closer to hitting that mark (my GPA at my community college is a 3.879 currently) I realized that I was only an extra semester away from hitting all the prerequisites for something I had previously discounted as an impossibility, a DO/MD program

As of right now my projected finishing point will be with a 3.03 Cumulative GPA and a 3.65 science GPA and planning to take the MCat just after I finish my final semester of Organic chemistry and physics. My CC does not offer Biochemistry but I would like to find a way to take that before I apply as well.

I’ve been talking with my clinical educator at work about adding some additional volunteer hours. But with a Good MCat do I stand a chance for DO or MD?
What else can I do to improve myself and my chances?
Thanks for the read.

Edit: Additionally I could probably snag a pretty good letter of Recommendation from a very Important MD from my Job, But I know DO programs say they prefer DO LORs Should I pursue a DO LOR instead?

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[Moko]

This thread is perfect for your questions:

Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

So you want to be a doctor, but your GPA is terrible. Is that the end? Rule #1: Take a deep breath, and stop fussing. The sky is not falling. But you are going to need to reinvent yourself. This will take both time and money. And always remember that you’re in a marathon now, not a sprint...

forums.studentdoctor.net

You do stand a chance at MD/DOs if your MCAT and the rest of your application is competitive. Fortunately, the more recent grades are given more weight in the admissions process at many schools. Pursuing MD/DO would likely mean many more years of training though compared to other professions.

For non-trads, we generally see a letter from their current / most recent supervisor (or someone who can speak in-depth about their current performance). If this is the "very important MD", then a letter should be obtained from him/her regardless of whether you're applying MD or DO.

 

[inscoai]

Thank you for your reply Moko!
I had browsed Goro's Thread I agree it had lots of good advice. Also thanks for the vote of confidence.
Should I worry that many of my Prerequisites are at a CC as opposed to a 4 year institution?

I started this post-bacc journey somewhat on my own so I haven't really spoken to a supervisor at my CC since I originally enrolled there. I figured my other LORs would come from my professors.

If this is the "very important MD", then a letter should be obtained from him/her regardless of whether you're applying MD or DO.

To clarify I work with a large group of doctors one of whom has some significant seniority within the medical group at my hospital. I guess I just wanted to know if that letter would mean more at a DO school or a letter from a DO.

One of the DO schools I looked into indicated that DO LORs were strongly preferred.

 

[Moko]

Should I worry that many of my Prerequisites are at a CC as opposed to a 4 year institution?

To clarify I work with a large group of doctors one of whom has some significant seniority within the medical group at my hospital. I guess I just wanted to know if that letter would mean more at a DO school or a letter from a DO.

One of the DO schools I looked into indicated that DO LORs were strongly preferred.

Personally, I am biased towards the four-year institutions as I view them to be more academically rigorous; however, I also understand that finances often force applicants to pursue classes at community colleges.

I become the most skeptical when I see an applicant get poor grades at a four-year university, and then suddenly start getting good grades at a community college. Did their grades improve because of improved study habits? Or did they improve because the community college was easier? Things that help alleviate my concerns are when an applicant also has good grades at a 4 year university to allow for an 'apples-to-apples' comparison.

Seniority means very little for applications unless they are able to speak in-depth about your character and performance. For non-trads, particularly those who have been out of school for a long time, both MD and DO schools would want to see a letter from someone who currently supervises you, regardless of title (MD, DO, or neither). For the physician letter that most osteopathic medical schools require, most of them state that they either prefer or require a DO letter. I would take that at face value.

 

[inscoai]

If I took Biochemistry A la Carte at a 4 year, since it is not offered at my CC would that help alleviate some of those concerns?

Thanks for taking the time to write out an In-depth Response Moko.

Would the time I spent Interning be considered volunteer hours for the purposes of an application?

 

[Moko]

If I took Biochemistry A la Carte at a 4 year, since it is not offered at my CC would that help alleviate some of those concerns?

Thanks for taking the time to write out an In-depth Response Moko.

Would the time I spent Interning be considered volunteer hours for the purposes of an application?

Yes, the more classes at a 4 year university, the more reassurance we get. Just make sure that you're in tip-top shape when you're taking classes at the university, as poor grades there essentially reinforce any negative preconceived notions that adcoms may have.

Yes, your unpaid internship would count as volunteering (clinical if you had direct contact with patients, non-clinical otherwise).

 

[Osminog]

Aim for a 505+ MCAT. Write great essays that tell impactful stories from your time as an EMT or phlebotomist. Get that DO letter and try to gain some exposure to OMM so that you can write and talk about it. Apply early in the cycle and very broadly to DO programs.

Try to take biochemistry before taking the MCAT. The new MCAT is very, very biochemistry-heavy.

Most importantly, make sure that this is truly what you want to do. There wouldn’t be any shame in returning back to your original plan of becoming an NP or a PA. These fields require much less of sacrifice than medicine, and they’re stable and rewarding.

If you have any follow-up questions, PM me. Good luck!

 

[bluerock]

Hi Everyone!
I graduated in 2015 from a UC school with a degree in Anthropology, I had 140 Units Attempted under that Degree with a Graduating Cumulative GPA of a 2.45. During my tenure there I spun the roulette wheel repeatedly while deciding my major and generally put very little effort into my studies. I still had a lot of growing up to do.

After graduating I spent months trying to find jobs in different fields even going back to my old high school summer job assembling cabinets in a warehouse for a few months while I looked. Eventually I settled in at an unpaid intern/volunteer administrative position for a nonprofit/low-income health clinic for 6 months trying to move into a paid position there. I felt like I could do more and took night classes getting my EMT license during my evenings.

After I successfully obtained my EMT license I got a Job working in the Emergency room of a Level 1 Trauma Center, There I was trained in Phlebotomy as well; I’m still working there today. (I have 5000 hours at the moment and that will continue to grow until I apply)

After about 1 year of Full time work there I made the decision that I wanted to be better to improve and reinvent myself.

I cut my hours to Just under full time and enrolled at my local community college with the initial intent of getting my GPA to the 3.0 mark to apply for an ABSN program or a PA program as I was getting closer to hitting that mark (my GPA at my community college is a 3.879 currently) I realized that I was only an extra semester away from hitting all the prerequisites for something I had previously discounted as an impossibility, a DO/MD program

As of right now my projected finishing point will be with a 3.03 Cumulative GPA and a 3.65 science GPA and planning to take the MCat just after I finish my final semester of Organic chemistry and physics. My CC does not offer Biochemistry but I would like to find a way to take that before I apply as well.

I’ve been talking with my clinical educator at work about adding some additional volunteer hours. But with a Good MCat do I stand a chance for DO or MD?
What else can I do to improve myself and my chances?
Thanks for the read.

Edit: Additionally I could probably snag a pretty good letter of Recommendation from a very Important MD from my Job, But I know DO programs say they prefer DO LORs Should I pursue a DO LOR instead?

If you're 2.45 GPA is 8-10 years old, they're going to look at it like it's 8-10 years old. I wouldn't rule you out of MD, particularly at your state schools, but you'd need a pretty high MCAT. On the other hand, your chances at a DO school are pretty good. Just make sure you shadow a DO for a good amount of time first.

 

[Goro]

Hi Everyone!
I graduated in 2015 from a UC school with a degree in Anthropology, I had 140 Units Attempted under that Degree with a Graduating Cumulative GPA of a 2.45. During my tenure there I spun the roulette wheel repeatedly while deciding my major and generally put very little effort into my studies. I still had a lot of growing up to do.

After graduating I spent months trying to find jobs in different fields even going back to my old high school summer job assembling cabinets in a warehouse for a few months while I looked. Eventually I settled in at an unpaid intern/volunteer administrative position for a nonprofit/low-income health clinic for 6 months trying to move into a paid position there. I felt like I could do more and took night classes getting my EMT license during my evenings.

After I successfully obtained my EMT license I got a Job working in the Emergency room of a Level 1 Trauma Center, There I was trained in Phlebotomy as well; I’m still working there today. (I have 5000 hours at the moment and that will continue to grow until I apply)

After about 1 year of Full time work there I made the decision that I wanted to be better to improve and reinvent myself.

I cut my hours to Just under full time and enrolled at my local community college with the initial intent of getting my GPA to the 3.0 mark to apply for an ABSN program or a PA program as I was getting closer to hitting that mark (my GPA at my community college is a 3.879 currently) I realized that I was only an extra semester away from hitting all the prerequisites for something I had previously discounted as an impossibility, a DO/MD program

As of right now my projected finishing point will be with a 3.03 Cumulative GPA and a 3.65 science GPA and planning to take the MCat just after I finish my final semester of Organic chemistry and physics. My CC does not offer Biochemistry but I would like to find a way to take that before I apply as well.

I’ve been talking with my clinical educator at work about adding some additional volunteer hours. But with a Good MCat do I stand a chance for DO or MD?
What else can I do to improve myself and my chances?
Thanks for the read.

Edit: Additionally I could probably snag a pretty good letter of Recommendation from a very Important MD from my Job, But I know DO programs say they prefer DO LORs Should I pursue a DO LOR instead?

Read this:

1. • Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention
2. Most DO schools are Ok with an MD LOR, but having a DO lOR will help you more.