Late in considering medical school

[csot]

Hi everyone,

So I kind of decided to go to med school later on in my college life when I finally realized my goals. Here are my stats: my overall GPA is a 3.1, majoring in biomedical engineering from USC. I did poorly for 2 years because I didn't know what I wanted to do with life which will be described in one of my rec letters. Then realized I wanted to go to med school and my last semesters went 3.0, 3.2, 3.3, and 3.7 (all upper level engineering courses). Anyways, I have about 2 years of research experience in engineering lab, 1 first author and 2 second author publications as well as poster publications and conferences. I have volunteer tutoring experience for 2 years for underserved areas in Los Angeles. I have also 1 and a half years of clinical shadowing experience (Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles), and a semester of volunteering in a pediatric clinic also in an underserved area.

My MCAT score is 36 but I have no idea where to apply with the 3.1 GPA. My "science" GPA is around a 3.2 (including just the pre-med math calculus 1...not sure if I should include all the other math)

Also I am a URM.

I have the GPA trend and ECs/shadowing, but is this enough? What do you guys think? What range of schools to apply to if I have a chance???

Thanks everyone in advance.

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[Catalystik]

AMCAS BCPM includes all math, but not most enginnering classes.

Stats tables from AMCAS suggest that you'd have a decent chance of an MD acceptance based on your cGPA and MCAT score alone, but a concern that I'd have would be that you only have one semester of excellent grades and none of them are in upper-level Bio (?or Biochem) to give adcomms a feel that you wouldn't have to struggle with med school level coursework (though I grant you that your classes are more difficult, in a different way). And your BCPM is on the low side. These factors will reduce your odds.

Does your advisor think you have a good chance regardless? Have you looked into the SMPs in California specifically designed to act as a low GPA booster for URMs? Have you considered, at a minimum, taking some additional upper-level Bio coursework on your own to raise your BCPM?

Other than the brevity of your hands-on clinical experience (which I hope is ongoing), your ECs look good. Did you maybe do any "helping" during the shadowing that made it other than a passive observership? If so, you might want to shift it into the clinical experience category if it wouldn't leave you with too little shadowing. Have you followed a variety of specialists?

Hopefully, you also have some hobbies, sports, and artistic endeavors to list on your application as well. Any leadership would be helpful as well. The tutoring and research are terrific, BTW.

 

[csot]

Thank you for the feedback. I am currently looking for more clinical opportunities where I can have more patient interaction and feel like I am actually helping! I am meeting with a pre-med counselor next week to see what he/she will think about masters programs and if I should go to increase my chances. I had an A- in molecular biology and a B+ in biochem...the place that really messed me up for the BCPM was physics (I took the calculus based which was in the engineering reqs and got a B and B-...it was definitely not my best subject!)

I've followed specialists in oncology (something I think I would like to practice) and cardiovascular surgery, which has been really amazing. I'm confused as to how to put everything on my application...I know there are separate categories for things, but would I list the two specialties as separate shadowing? Or on the same?

Also, how do I add things like mentoring other undergraduates with their research although it was something I did within my research lab it is a leadership role...is that supposed to go in a separate category?

One more question! What about things like poster presentations and the manuscripts? How do you work these in to the initial AMCAS application?

Thanks!

 

[Catalystik]

1) I'm confused as to how to put everything on my application...I know there are separate categories for things, but would I list the two specialties as separate shadowing? Or on the same?

2) Also, how do I add things like mentoring other undergraduates with their research although it was something I did within my research lab it is a leadership role...is that supposed to go in a separate category?

3) One more question! What about things like poster presentations and the manuscripts? How do you work these in to the initial AMCAS application?

The AMCAS application has a pull-down menu with many categories to choose from. Some entries qualify for more than one, so you get to choose the most appropriate.

1) Applicants would generally list all their shadowing in a single space called "Other." There you'd list each specialist, hours shadowed, contact info, and maybe very briefly, something special from the interaction. At the end of the free-text space, you'd give a grand total of shadowing hours.

2) Mentoring is often listed under the "Teaching" category. If it was really a supervisory role, then perhaps "Leadership" is more appropriate.

3) There are pre-selectable categories for "Posters/Presentations" and "Publications." A submitted but not-yet-accepted manuscript is mentioned at the end of a "Research" entry.

 

[csot]

Thank you again, right now I am looking at SMP programs and they really seem like the right thing to do if I can get a loan for the year.

Is it best to apply to the schools affiliated with medical schools? Or do your grades look just as good at an SMP not affiliated with a medical school?

 

[Catalystik]

Is it best to apply to the schools affiliated with medical schools? Or do your grades look just as good at an SMP not affiliated with a medical school?

This is a good question to ask in the Postbac Programs Forum for the most knowledgeable response.