Looking for advice as a hopeful D.O.

[TeryxFoo]

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I've read a number of articles on the SDN for a good year now but decided to finally build a profile. With that said, I wanted to post my grades and hopefully get some focused feedback on what I can do to still become a D.O.

My grades so far;

B- bio I
B bio II
A- Human Embryology
B- Pre-Calc
B Bio-statistics
A Sociology
A- Psychology
C- Gen Chem I (retaken later as B-) (and so far the only class I've retaken)
F Genetics (For sure going to be retaken in the future)

My current GPA right now is 3.220​

Hopefully when I retake genetics it will bring it up a little bit.
Without that F in genetics, my lowest grade is a B-.

Right now I am in Gen chem II & Physics I. I am also a junior and planning on taking the MCAT after I graduate in biology with an emphasis in Humans.

A List of stuff I have been doing to
I worked at a retirement home as a caregiver for about 2 years while living year round in this college town. About the time I quit I had tracked about 2500 hours of work.
I've also been working as a communications TA helping teach in the classroom and grade papers. I've almost got a cluster in communications. I've been doing that for the last 6 months of school.

And I'm not sure If I'll be able to use this for getting into D.O. school, but I also work under the table for a PT helping his family member re-cooperate after a hip surgery (he lives a few states over). I also work for someone in town helping them re-cooperate after they had a stroke.
I've got 7 hours a week with the 1st for the last 8-9 months and at least 80-90 hours working with the 2nd. But that is again, if I can use that information. (please suggestions on that)

I also served a proselytizing mission for my church two years ago where I had plenty of opportunities to serve.
I've also served in various leadership responsibilities within my church amounting in around 200 hours of various tasks like working with leaders to help support people or planning and caring out activities or visiting people.
I've volunteered on my campus helping incoming freshmen for 50 hours.
I shadowed a surgeon for 44 hours in his clinic and 51 in his OR.
I have plans to shadow a Urologist, an ENT and an ER doc I know.

Please give me any suggestions that you have. And like I hope to have illustrated above, I'm trying to become a D.O. and I would really appreciate any advice I can get. Thank you in advance. Cause honestly, I've been pretty nervous as of late thinking about if I can do this or not.
-TeryxFoo

 

[treatem-and-streetem]

You can do this! Buckle down and pound out higher grades. Focus on your GPA, its almost impossible to remedy a bad GPA but you can always retake a bad MCAT.

 

[TeryxFoo]

Thanks! Do you have any advice regarding the other stuff I listed?

 

[treatem-and-streetem]

Just do well on your MCAT (i.e take a LOT of practice tests and do a lot of problems), your EC's are pretty good. I think if you just get more clinical experience now you should be fine. The main thing really is your GPA. I think you are on the right track for a good DO application. What is your state of residence?

 

[TeryxFoo]

Idaho!
Would you happen to know if it's better to have a very wide amount of shadowing experience with short hours, or should I continue on the path I'm on and shadow only a couple of doctors for lots of hours. (30-90)
Also, do you know if my PT type work is good for anything? I guess, is it something I can put on D.O. applications?

 

[treatem-and-streetem]

I would absolutely put your PT type work on your application, it can only help you by adding it. I put every leadership, volunteer(regardless of what it was), and clinical experience I had in college and post-college on my application. Honestly I would shadow a couple docs for a lot of hours and get exemplary letters of recommendation from them.

 

[TeryxFoo]

Thank you very much for your insights! Just out of curiosity, why did you ask where my residence is? And I do hope if you have anything else to add you will.

 

[treatem-and-streetem]

Having multiple state schools is beneficial because they are state funded meaning they are required to accept a certain number of in-state students. I believe Idaho just opened up a DO school. Most DO schools are private though so state of residence doesn't matter as much.