Is SMP right for me?

[upchurch]

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Hi guys,

First of all, I am not really sure if this is the right place to post so sorry in advance if it was.

I am currently a rising senior majoring in bioengineering. I am also dual enrolled in the masters program. My problem is that my GPA is very low. I have a 3.27 and a BCPM of 3.13. I can graduate next spring with my BSE and MSE but this won't allow me to take many science courses to raise my GPA. I will be able to take four more courses and if I get straight As, I will be able to raise my science GPA to 3.26. My normal GPA will probably be around 3.4. But if I take another semester, my science will probably end up in the 3.35-3.4 region and my normal will be around 3.4-3.5 region. Assuming that I get straight As again. My masters GPA is 3.7. I wanted to apply the next cycle for the Class of 2016.

So here are the two options that I see currently.

a) Stay an extra semester and raise my BCPM to 3.35-3.4 and normal to 3.4-3.5. Apply for class of 2016.

b) Graduate next spring and apply to medical school while enrolling in an SMP program. But this is quite expensive.

Another option is to delay applying another year. So, apply for the class of 2017. In the meanwhile, take science classes at a university (preferably my alma mater) to raise my GPA. This is going to be quite expensive again.

Here are my E/C:
I have a year worth of volunteering at a hospital. I have also shadowed a doctor for 40 hours and should be able to get a recommendation from her. I am also a EMT-B and a certified AHA CPR instructor.
I have worked extensively with non-profit organizations and have also done a lot of mentoring and teaching with at risk inner city youth. I have also done some clubs here and there but nothing really major or even worth mentioning.
I have also done a considerably amount of research. I have been working at the same lab for two years now and will start working on my masters thesis this summer.
I am also doing a study abroad program in Spain this summer and am proficient-fluent in Spanish. I am also fluent in two other languages than English.

My MCAT will probably be decent in the 35 range. I am going to make sure of this since I can't avoid anymore mess-ups. Also, not sure if it matters, but I go to a top undergrad (top 5) and am not URM. I am a PA state resident.

I really do want to be a doctor and will do anything to get in. And I don't really care about the ranking of the med school. Do you guys have any advice on how I should proceed?

Thanks a lot!

 

[Xcited392]

I'd definitely go for option 1 and take more classes. Remember, you do not have to postpone graduation to take those classes; you have the option of doing a post-bacc (formal or informal) to take classes. However, some just do the 5th year senior thing, since you'll have registration priority (which is not always guaranteed at certain post-baccs)--so, take that into consideration.

In the end, I'd just focus on raising that GPA (consider adding a minor to pad that gpa). I wouldn't do an SMP because you can really raise your GPA with the numerous BCPM courses available to you (since you are an engineering major).

 

[upchurch]

Thanks! I spoke with my prehealth advising department today and they also recommended taking for undergraduate classes rather than doing an SMP.

 

[klmnop]

figure out exactly with calculations what your gpa's will be after x number of credits with y grades. then do that many more credits of ugrad work, not an smp.
if you end up doing all this work and going down or staying the same in gpa for some reason, then you should look into an smp.

also, post-bacc students normally don't get priority registration over ugrad students