Low GPA + MPH - advice?

[crabzyo]

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Hi everyone, I’m looking for advice on next steps for applying to medical school.

I graduated in 2024 with a BS in Biology. My cumulative GPA is a 3.45, and my science GPA is ~3.04. I mostly earned B’s in bio/physics and struggled more in chemistry (several C’s).

After undergrad, I pursued an MPH and will be graduating this May. My MPH GPA is much stronger (4.2), but most of my coursework is not hard science, aside from 1–2 epidemiology classes. I know med schools value upward trends, but I’m unsure how much weight they’ll give a non-science graduate degree.

Outside of academics, I’ve had research experience, leadership roles, and volunteering. I’m getting my EMT certification next semester and plan to build more clinical hours over the next year. I’m also planning to take the MCAT (currently aiming for either January or August 2026) and apply in June 2027.

My main concern is my science GPA. I’m unsure what the best way to address it is:

• A 1-year academic-enhancer post-bacc?

• A DIY post-bacc?

• An SMP (though I’m hesitant since I already completed an MPH and it was expensive)?

I’ve read mixed things online about whether post-baccs meaningfully move the needle on GPA, and I’m trying to avoid making an expensive or unnecessary decision.

I’m also trying to be realistic about MD vs DO — I know a lot will depend on my MCAT score, but based on my academic history, should I be primarily targeting DO programs, or is an MD application still reasonable with the right GPA repair and MCAT?

Given my stats and timeline, do you think applying in June 2027 is feasible? What would you recommend as the best course of action to strengthen my application, especially regarding my science GPA?

Any honest advice would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

With a BS in biology, your science GPA is low enough that an SMP is going to be your fastest route to medical school. Any other route will put a ceiling on how high your sGPA/BCP GPA can go, even with an "upward trend." The MPH doesn't help your sGPA.

We don't know your clinical experience or community service, but if you have zero, your earliest option will be June 2027 (as you know).

 

[A224B]

You should be primarily targeting DO programs, even with a 526. That doesn't mean you can't throw some MDs in there but don't set your heart on them: all MD schools are reaches for you.

Apply 35 DOs + all your state MDs

 

[crabzyo]

You should be primarily targeting DO programs, even with a 526. That doesn't mean you can't throw some MDs in there but don't set your heart on them: all MD schools are reaches for you.

Apply 35 DOs + all your state MDs

Thanks for the advice! Do you think that would be the case even if I upper level science courses and do well on them? Or only if I decide to apply with my current gpa?

 

[crabzyo]

With a BS in biology, your science GPA is low enough that an SMP is going to be your fastest route to medical school. Any other route will put a ceiling on how high your sGPA/BCP GPA can go, even with an "upward trend." The MPH doesn't help your sGPA.

We don't know your clinical experience or community service, but if you have zero, your earliest option will be June 2027 (as you know).

Thanks for the advice! If I decide not to pursue an SMP and instead take upper-level science courses through a DIY post-bacc, do med schools tend to weigh recent coursework and upward trends in a meaningful way, or is the science/BCPM GPA still mostly evaluated as a single cumulative number? I’m mainly trying to understand whether a DIY post-bacc is actually a safe/effective option, or if strong recent performance won’t help much and if I should pursue an SMP

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thanks for the advice! If I decide not to pursue an SMP and instead take upper-level science courses through a DIY post-bacc, do med schools tend to weigh recent coursework and upward trends in a meaningful way, or is the science/BCPM GPA still mostly evaluated as a single cumulative number? I’m mainly trying to understand whether a DIY post-bacc is actually a safe/effective option, or if strong recent performance won’t help much and if I should pursue an SMP

Here's where a peek at your transcript would confirm my impressions based on other comps. Always ask the admissions recruiters and even SMP directors; give them your transcripts.

It always depends on what courses you have taken. If you crushed upper-division biomedical courses like immunology, pharmacology, virology, histology, and advanced cell/molecular biology, it may help offset ONE bad intro bio course or year. The BCPM directs me to look at your grades in a specific way, but I'm always drawn to the concept of "momentum". A string of A's in upper-level courses gives me more confidence, provided your semesters show you challenged yourself with a full-time schedule, taking 2-3 science courses at a time. With a DIY postbac, you SHOULD do better if you take 1-2 courses instead of 2-3 or more. You need to excel in roughly 30 credit hours of such courses.

If your academic history involves more than just one bad course or semester/term, and you have taken all the aforesaid advanced courses with a few B's sprinkled in, the SMP is going to be your best shot. No place to hide; your course schedule will be a 3-5 course schedule of science classes at the graduate/professional school level, so they will be tougher both in content and in time/exam management. That's why an SMP is high-risk, high-reward; if you show a group of professors who teach professional students you can excel in a similar schedule, with the help of specialized resources meant for you as they would during medical school, the track record is more persuasive.

 

[crabzyo]

Here's where a peek at your transcript would confirm my impressions based on other comps. Always ask the admissions recruiters and even SMP directors; give them your transcripts.

It always depends on what courses you have taken. If you crushed upper-division biomedical courses like immunology, pharmacology, virology, histology, and advanced cell/molecular biology, it may help offset ONE bad intro bio course or year. The BCPM directs me to look at your grades in a specific way, but I'm always drawn to the concept of "momentum". A string of A's in upper-level courses gives me more confidence, provided your semesters show you challenged yourself with a full-time schedule, taking 2-3 science courses at a time. With a DIY postbac, you SHOULD do better if you take 1-2 courses instead of 2-3 or more. You need to excel in roughly 30 credit hours of such courses.

If your academic history involves more than just one bad course or semester/term, and you have taken all the aforesaid advanced courses with a few B's sprinkled in, the SMP is going to be your best shot. No place to hide; your course schedule will be a 3-5 course schedule of science classes at the graduate/professional school level, so they will be tougher both in content and in time/exam management. That's why an SMP is high-risk, high-reward; if you show a group of professors who teach professional students you can excel in a similar schedule, with the help of specialized resources meant for you as they would during medical school, the track record is more persuasive.

That makes sense, thank you for explaining! Would it be okay if I PM you more details on my transcript to get more specific feedback on my case? I totally understand if not - your feedback has already been very helpful!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

That makes sense, thank you for explaining! Would it be okay if I PM you more details on my transcript to get more specific feedback on my case? I totally understand if not - your feedback has already been very helpful!

I think if you are already spying a postbac program or an SMP, ask the program director first. I don't want to mislead you, and those folks get paid to advise you (and persuade you). That said, be realistic; you must include DO programs and any MD schools that the programs have a good track record with.

 

[A224B]

The newer DO schools like KansasCOM and BUCOM interview about 5-12% of the applicants. Their published GPA and MCAT values for matriculants is usually around 3.5/low 500s, and yet they could probably fill the class with (neurotic) applicants with 3.8/510 stats who Just Want To Get In Somewhere or are fishing for 6-7 acceptances to impress the fam. They use yield protection to ensure that the people they accept matriculate to them, because the 3.8/510 student is going to go to a $200k State U MD over a $500k new private DO. What this means is that if you can get into that 3.5/500 range, you can become a physician without a SMP with a well-tailored app to those programs.

You certainly COULD do a SMP, but if you're at their medians with good ECs, it would save time and money to apply.

 

[Goro]

Thanks for the advice! Do you think that would be the case even if I upper level science courses and do well on them? Or only if I decide to apply with my current gpa?

Like it or not, reinventors have to have do schools on the list. Beggars can't be choosy.

 

[doctorendgame]

What was your motivation for pursuing an MPH?