Low GPA. SMP, Postbacc, or Caribbean?

[ddawk_]

Hello everyone! I'm not sure if I should enroll in a postbacc, SMP, or apply abroad (Caribbean/Ireland/Australia) for medical programs. What do you recommend?

1. 3.1 cGPA and 2.6 sGPA as calculated by AMCAS or AACOMA due to terrible grades during dual enrollment and Academic probation freshman year
2. No MCAT
3. Florida
4. URM: AA male
5. I received my associates at a community college through dual enrollment, and I'm now a senior at the University of Miami
6. Non-Clinical: Currently 60 hours working as a receptionist on campus
7. Clinical:
   1. 500 hours of volunteering in Peru, Nicaragua, etc. through a church
   2. 50 hours at a local church clinic
   3. 800 paid hours working as a receptionist for my parents in their medical office (I'm not sure if this can also count towards shadowing, but I did observe other physicians)
8. No research
9. Shadowing experience and specialties represented: 8 hours ENT, more than 80 in family practice
10. Non-clinical volunteering: I'm in a jazz combo that plays at nursing homes and churches, I'm planning on applying for Americorps next year
11. Other extracurricular activities: Philanthropy chair for my fraternity
12. Relevant honors or awards: Deans list Fall 2020

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[Faha]

You could do a DIY postbacc at a local college. You need to take enough undergraduate level science courses to raise your sGPA to 3.0 . That may take up to 2 years depending on your course load and grades. You will also need a MCAT score of 500 to receive interviews at DO schools and 505 for MD schools.

 

[ddawk_]

You could do a DIY postbacc at a local college. You need to take enough undergraduate level science courses to raise your sGPA to 3.0 . That may take up to 2 years depending on your course load and grades. You will also need a MCAT score of 500 to receive interviews at DO schools and 505 for MD schools.

Thank you so much Faha! Should I be worried about not having any research experience?

 

[Faha]

Thank you so much Faha! Should I be worried about not having any research experience?

Research will not matter for the schools you will be applying to. You could add another 150+hours of clinical volunteering with patient contact in this country.

 

[deleted314957]

I think you need to think real, real hard about how much you want to be a physician. Your parents are and you’ve probably had a comfy life. You have also gotten ~half D’s and half C’s in your science courses. You should be a really excellent science student and enjoy the field. Do you want to do EVERYTHING you will have to do ( successfully) over MANY years to become a doc OR do you want to be a doctor because your folks are? I am NOT trying to be Debbie downer here. It is just something that does not “click” about your journey toward medicine and you had better be brutally honest with yourself. And, in my opinion, even though it should not be a financial problem with dual physician parents, you will very, very likely waste large amounts of their money for nada. With the residency situation, the Caribbean option has become even more of a waste.
In my experience, folks thinking about the Caribbean should be thinking about careers other than medicine. Too much heartache in that fiasco.

 

[ddawk_]

I think you need to think real, real hard about how much you want to be a physician. Your parents are and you’ve probably had a comfy life. You have also gotten ~half D’s and half C’s in your science courses. You should be a really excellent science student and enjoy the field. Do you want to do EVERYTHING you will have to do ( successfully) over MANY years to become a doc OR do you want to be a doctor because your folks are? I am NOT trying to be Debbie downer here. It is just something that does not “click” about your journey toward medicine and you had better be brutally honest with yourself. And, in my opinion, even though it should not be a financial problem with dual physician parents, you will very, very likely waste large amounts of their money for nada. With the residency situation, the Caribbean option has become even more of a waste.
In my experience, folks thinking about the Caribbean should be thinking about careers other than medicine. Too much heartache in that fiasco.

I agree; the Caribbean isn't a smart option. My biggest mistake was doing dual enrollment classes while not being mature enough to handle them, so my GPA reflects that. I have thought about it, and I'll do a DIY postbacc at a CC or state university to raise it. Thank you.