Low GPA, getting ready to apply

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In Podiatry or MD/DO?

In Podiatry, if you are not a good surgeon, there is still a ton of stuff you can do: wound care, injections, ingrown toenails, lumps and bumps, corns and calluses, physical medicine, etc. There is a separate primary care pod board and a surgical one.

For MD/DO: you could always do wound care, open up a medical spa, weight loss clinic, sleep clinics, do injections, cash services, etc. I don’t know if there are boards associated with cash services.

There is a story on the forums floating around of a DO doing vitamin IV drips to rich people.

Plus... What if you get there and find out you suck at surgery? (I realize OBGYN is a little more surgical than most people think, just tossing it out.)

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So, getting ready to take the MCAT soon in a few weeks, probably will be around 504ish hopefully higher, but my undergrad GPA is only 2.87 (Mom of 3, and GPA dropped while husband decided to go to grad school).
I have great letters, great PS, working toward a Master's (with thesis component) with a 3.35 GPA at a DO school, taking half of my credits with medical students with success. My thesis is being conducted in a biochemistry lab with the chair of the department as my PI and I have a DO letter as well. I have teaching experience, tons of hospital experience, research and so on. The ONLY thing that I view as being "bad" on my application is my GPA which is too low, and whatever my MCAT will be (hopefully I do better than I think I will).
Here's my DO school list that I'm going to apply to:
DMU
ATSU-KCOM
CCOM/MWU
RVUCOM
LUM-DCOM
MSUCOM
UP-KYCOM
MU-COM

And my in state MD school, which tends to be a little less in-state bias that some.
Is there any point to applying to other MD schools, should I add other DO schools?

Even though your MCAT and GPA are lower, you have more "real world" experience than individuals taking no gap years. Nontraditional students typically do better applying to DO schools, especially with a lower GPA and MCAT. If you have a lot of DO shadowing experience or clinical experience you might have a fair shot.
Possibly consider retaking the MCAT?

If not then maybe apply all DO?

Regardless, GOOD LUCK! 🙂
 
Something really bothers me about that population who just wants to cut.

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-sweats nervously- Ok I don't just want to cut, but watching surgery and the possibility of practicing it appeals to me because I like working with my hands and tools. I also like the quick, tangible results when damages to the body get repaired. As an artist, I can't help seeing it as an art and craft filled with techniques and requiring finesse and dexterity. Not that I'm gunning for surgery (not even in med school yet and trying to keep my mind and options open!), but it's one of the many fields that intrigues me.
 
-sweats nervously- Ok I don't just want to cut, but watching surgery and the possibility of practicing it appeals to me because I like working with my hands and tools. I also like the quick, tangible results when damages to the body get repaired. As an artist, I can't help seeing it as an art and craft filled with techniques and requiring finesse and dexterity. Not that I'm gunning for surgery (not even in med school yet and trying to keep my mind and options open!), but it's one of the many fields that intrigues me.
Do like me and become an osteopathic gen surg
That's the dream
 
While I have attention on my thread, I just thought I'd let you all know that I accidentally applied to Feinberg (money isn't too much of an issue) lol. I got a secondary and realized that they send them to everyone. I assume it would be silly to waste the $95 completing the secondary. I can't imagine anyone with a sub 3.0 GPA in undergrad has ever gotten in. I doubt the 505 MCAT, breadth of leadership, teaching, and research experience will make up for it lol.
 
While I have attention on my thread, I just thought I'd let you all know that I accidentally applied to Feinberg (money isn't too much of an issue) lol. I got a secondary and realized that they send them to everyone. I assume it would be silly to waste the $95 completing the secondary. I can't imagine anyone with a sub 3.0 GPA in undergrad has ever gotten in. I doubt the 505 MCAT, breadth of leadership, teaching, and research experience will make up for it lol.
Put in an application to Touro NY
 
With a 3.3 grad GPA and a 505 mcat, I could see you getting interviews. Hopefully they count the grad GPA as an SMP. 3.3 isn’t bad, and hopefully they take it into more consideration than the undergrad.

I’d apply to as many DO schools as you can. I think unfourtunantly, the MD ship has sailed, unless you live in a lucky state with a MD school that favors in state applicants.

If not, maybe look into SMPs? Your MCAT would be good enough for most places. VCOM and LECOM spring to mind as places that have an acceptance linkage.
 
DMU has an average cGPA of 3.61 and an average 507 MCAT. So yes, your stats are a little low. Your GPA won't give you an automatic II through the Master's program (I believe it's 3.3 undergrad GPA, >500 MCAT, and 3.0 Master's GPA). However, I think DMU will look favorably on you because you're doing just fine in the Master's program (I know it's a challenge trying to balance the research commitment and DO coursework, and on top of that, you're a mom of 3) and your MCAT score isn't far off from the average.

Also, Matt and Anna in admissions are the best, so I'm sure if you have any questions or concerns they would be more than happy to help!
 
DMU has an average cGPA of 3.61 and an average 507 MCAT. So yes, your stats are a little low. Your GPA won't give you an automatic II through the Master's program (I believe it's 3.3 undergrad GPA, >500 MCAT, and 3.0 Master's GPA). However, I think DMU will look favorably on you because you're doing just fine in the Master's program (I know it's a challenge trying to balance the research commitment and DO coursework, and on top of that, you're a mom of 3) and your MCAT score isn't far off from the average.

Also, Matt and Anna in admissions are the best, so I'm sure if you have any questions or concerns they would be more than happy to help!
Thanks! I met with Anna last week and she was very encouraging! It sounded like there was no undergrad GPA requirement for that automatic II


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So far one II at my current graduate school. My top choice though! Still have 12 silent secondaries out.

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Awesome good luck! I am in a similar position but have about 30 credit hours left of my undergrad to show reinvention.
 
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