Job or SMP

[Ohio SMP]

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So I was wondering about this and I'm sure many of you are also thinking about it. If you're applying for entrance in 2010 and get accepted to your top choice SMP. Would you rather attend the SMP program or go and work at a $30,000 per year clinical research job? I'm thinking that you're a borderline stats candidate 3.3-3.5 GPA and a 30-33 MCAT, would you consider the SMP program even if you already have a year of clinical (work, volunteering, shadowing) experience?

 

[hung]

I think you are looking at it the wrong way. SMP isn't to augment your clinical experience. SMP is to augment weakness in your gpa.

 

[TheGoose]

those numbers aren't borderline

 

[Perrotfish]

3.3-3.5 and 30-33 is a pretty big range, actually. With a 3.3 and a 30 you probably need the SMP (or more undergrad) unless you're shooting for low tier DO schools. With a 3.5 and a 33 you can probably take the job unless you're a Cali resident, in which case it's more of a tossup. Also this depends on what your 'top choice' SMP is.

 

[doctorhoskinson]

So I was wondering about this and I'm sure many of you are also thinking about it. If you're applying for entrance in 2010 and get accepted to your top choice SMP. Would you rather attend the SMP program or go and work at a $30,000 per year clinical research job? I'm thinking that you're a borderline stats candidate 3.3-3.5 GPA and a 30-33 MCAT, would you consider the SMP program even if you already have a year of clinical (work, volunteering, shadowing) experience?

You have to give us real numbers if you expect an answer. With a 3.5 GPA and a 33 on the MCAT, I am more concerned with the clinical side of things. With a 3.3 and a 30, I'm thinking about an SMP.

 

[Ohio SMP]

I think you are looking at it the wrong way. SMP isn't to augment your clinical experience. SMP is to augment weakness in your gpa.

not augementing my clinical experience. I believe I already have enough clinical experience, I'm just doing it with the hope that it'll offset my less than stellar GPA.

 

[Ohio SMP]

those numbers aren't borderline

You'd be surprised at what some admissions folks consider borderline nowadays🙁

 

[doctorhoskinson]

You'd be surprised at what some admissions folks consider borderline nowadays🙁

Buy a copy of the MSAR. Most schools admit candidates with GPAs hovering around 3.5-3.8. As long as you are within about 0.2 of that range you have a shot with consideration to the other components of your application. That said, obviously try to get a high GPA.

 

[Ohio SMP]

bouya!

 

[Ohio SMP]

Buy a copy of the MSAR. Most schools admit candidates with GPAs hovering around 3.5-3.8. As long as you are within about 0.2 of that range you have a shot with consideration to the other components of your application. That said, obviously try to get a high GPA.

Amen... good point. I'll think about that.

 

[doctorhoskinson]

Let's say a 3.5 GPA and an unbalanced 31. Science GPA might be much lower (3.3?). Personally I'm biased towards an SMP because of my lower science GPA and the linkage that these programs have with their medical schools, but I have until July to decide on this so I have a couple of weeks to think this through 🙂

I'd apply for an SMP while enrolling in an MCAT study course. Your GPA is pretty good, but an SMP would correct the lower science side. The primary focus should be on balancing the MCAT at this point and getting some of that volunteer/clinical stuff out of the way.

I'd try for University of Cincinnati's SMP if their still admitting people for 2009/2010. Good luck

 

[stud247]

It's not like anybody is offering me a job at $30k/yr... I would have to apply for a job and submit references. Ask for references from the same people that I asked for recommendations for medical school last year and for smp 2months ago and for my summer gig now. And if miraculously I do get hired somewhere, I will have to work full-time instead of preparing for med school. I got injured recently. But now I am very determined to submit all my applications and when I start smp I'll just read those textbooks for 3months and work out (rollerblading) until december. Then I quit and go to Europe. If I get rejected so be it. I am still going to Europe. I should have been in Europe right now. But I don't have it too bad now. Off to the beach.