Lost and Confused: WAMC

[MedSchoolHopeful56]

Hi, I'm really sorry if this is redundant. I tried looking for similar questions but didn't see any. I am crazy worried because I've been told there's no hope for me going to med school and I wanted opinions. I wanted to apply med school this year but now am debating between post-bacc and SMPs. Any and all advice is truly appreciated. I have had absolutely no guidance so everything I've learned is from Reddit and SDN.

My stats:
Michigan resident but fiancé lives in TX (saying this to show TX ties)
506 MCAT
3.05 cGPA per transcript
Calculated from an AMCAS calculator, my stats are:
137 total hours, AMCAS GPA: 2.96
56 BCPM hours, BCMP GPA: 3.10

Clinical Experience:
ED Scribe for 1 year (~1200 hours)
6-9 months experience working in the admitting department at a hospital (~500 hours) where we had to register patients and also go to the floors weekly and talk to patients
1 year currently of CNA/PCT experience in the med/surg unit at a hospital (~1300 hours so far)

Shadowing:
Virtually because of covid (probably like 10-20 hours so far?)
In person started last week (7 hours so far but continuing this as well)

Volunteering:
Hard because of covid but started doing text/chat help at a crisis line (20 hours so far but again continuing into the future)
Volunteered at a Men's Health event for Detroit (5-6 hours)

Leadership Experience:
President of a university organization for 1 year
Executive board member of 2 orgs for 3 years
Honors mentor for 2 years

Non-clinical Work Experience:
3 years tutoring (kids to masters students)

Research:
2 years (made platinum-based cancer drugs and then tested them on cancer cells). I don't have any publications but I presented twice at my university symposium

The reason my GPA is so low is because since I'm the only child of my older-than-average parents, I have had to spend time at home with them instead of attending classes. My dad had a stroke in the middle of my college so I had to spend time taking care of him instead of studying. Later, my friend (international student) lost his sister back home so I had to spend significant time consoling him, which made my mental health pretty bad.

I'm Indian so not URM but I'm the first college graduate in my family and I'm female. My parents and I are immigrants, but have naturalized and become citizens. I didn't have any help paying my way through college (I worked full time while taking my classes), which adcoms probably won't care about.

My question is do I have a chance of applying to any medical school this year? If yes, then which ones? If not, (which unfortunately is my guess) should I do a DIY post-bacc or SMP? Which are the most affordable SMPs/Post-Bacc options?

Thank you all for reading this. I really have had no guidance in terms of college or premed so I've had to figure out everything by myself. I really wish there was someone to guide me but we have to makedo with the cards we are dealt :/

@Goro @Faha

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[MedSchoolHopeful56]

Also, forgot to add, I read Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention which is why I'm pretty sure I will need a post-bacc or SMP. I don't know which one would be better in my case and money is a huge factor. Would a DIY post-bacc at a university help me get into medical school? And would 30 hours (1 year) be enough? Thank you!

 

[Faha]

A DIY post bacc at a local college would be your best option. Take enough undergraduate level science courses in the coming year to raise your sGPA above 3.1 . With your MCAT of 506 and a higher GPA you could receive interviews at some DO schools.

 

[MedSchoolHopeful56]

Thank you for replying! I have a question though. Wouldn't getting it to above a 3.1 would be very hard considering the amount of hours already in my undergrad? Would the schools look at post-bacc separately?

A DIY post bacc at a local college would be your best option. Take enough undergraduate level science courses in the coming year to raise your sGPA above 3.1 . With your MCAT of 506 and a higher GPA you could receive interviews at some DO schools.

 

[Faha]

Thank you for replying! I have a question though. Wouldn't getting it to above a 3.1 would be very hard considering the amount of hours already in my undergrad? Would the schools look at post-bacc separately?

Yes, it could be difficult to raise your GPA. If you do well in a post bacc (>3.5 GPA) schools will take that into account.

 

[MedSchoolHopeful56]

Sorry to bug you, I was debating between staying in MI for the DIY Post-bacc or moving to TX. Reason being that moving to TX would allow for residency status before I apply to med school, giving me a better chance at TX schools. I would still have strong ties to MI since that's why my undergrad and high school were. Is this recommended? Also, if I do move to TX, would UTA (Univ of Texas-Arlington) be okay?

 

[Faha]

Sorry to bug you, I was debating between staying in MI for the DIY Post-bacc or moving to TX. Reason being that moving to TX would allow for residency status before I apply to med school, giving me a better chance at TX schools. I would still have strong ties to MI since that's why my undergrad and high school were. Is this recommended? Also, if I do move to TX, would UTA (Univ of Texas-Arlington) be okay?

Texas schools like high GPAs and your GPA is nowhere near competitive for any Texas school (except the DO school UIWSOM ).

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I'll also say that switching state residency means you don't want to be as competitive for Michigan schools unless they are private. Many of the newer schools probably want to be sure you are committed to non-populous Michigan patient areas.

 

[MedSchoolHopeful56]

I would love to move out of Michigan and live somewhere warmer as this was one of my long-term goals. My fiancé and I would love to settle in Texas and that's where we bought a house as well. If I could get a 3.9+ post bacc gpa and increase my ugpa and sgpa to 3.1, would doing a postbacc in TX (establishing residency there) be a good idea or still no? @wysdoc

 

[wysdoc]

I would love to move out of Michigan and live somewhere warmer as this was one of my long-term goals. My fiancé and I would love to settle in Texas and that's where we bought a house as well. If I could get a 3.9+ post bacc gpa and increase my ugpa and sgpa to 3.1, would doing a postbacc in TX (establishing residency there) be a good idea or still no? @wysdoc

If you move to Texas primarily for the purposes of attending school, it would not make you a Texas resident, unfortunately.
Living and working there for a year before applying to medical school would, probably.

The rules are different for med school application than for income tax purposes or drivers license purposes.
You can see the post I made about it a couple of years back, Texas Residency Status: How Does TMDSAS determine it?

and/or write to [email protected] to ask more.
wysdoc

 

[MedSchoolHopeful56]

If you move to Texas primarily for the purposes of attending school, it would not make you a Texas resident, unfortunately.
Living and working there for a year before applying to medical school would, probably.

The rules are different for med school application than for income tax purposes or drivers license purposes.
You can see the post I made about it a couple of years back, Texas Residency Status: How Does TMDSAS determine it?

and/or write to [email protected] to ask more.
wysdoc

Yes I talked to the admissions person. I'll be working there and having a utility bill in my name so I will be TX status by the time I apply. But is this a good move? I really want to study in TX and be in a warmer state but I also want to go to a good med school. Will getting a good postbacc grade be enough for TX or would I have better chances staying in MI? If I switch to TX and don't have a decent chance at med school even with a high post bacc goa than it makes more sense to stay in MI.

 

[candbgirl]

No matter where you are living you will have to apply wisely to mainly DO schools. Your GPAs are very low for any MD school. Your current stats might get you excluded from consideration if auto screening is used at schools. Do you have access to the MSAR? If so do a search based on 10-90%tile using your GPA of 2.96 and see what MD schools fit your metrics. Particularly look at Texas and Michigan schools . And then start thinking realistically about what you should do.

 

[wysdoc]

No matter where you are living you will have to apply wisely to mainly DO schools. Your GPAs are very low for any MD school. Your current stats might get you excluded from consideration if auto screening is used at schools. Do you have access to the MSAR? If so do a search based on 10-90%tile using your GPA of 2.96 and see what MD schools fit your metrics. Particularly look at Texas and Michigan schools . And then start thinking realistically about what you should do.

I agree, work to get your GPA over 3.0 and apply to DO schools as well.