Medical Low MCAT and mainly no responses from schools. Where do I go from here?

[Goro]

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I applied broadly to MD schools this cycle (first-time applicant) and am drawing blanks (2 Rs from VCU and EVMS, radio silence from the remaining 30+). Looking at my third gap year and dreading the reapplication process, looking for advice on what I can do next round.

MCAT 499 (first attempt 495), GPA 3.97/3.98, 100-150 hours of shadowing physicians and another 50-100 shadowing other health care providers, 3 years of volunteer EMT experience with 1500+ hours providing and 500+ hours driving, experience assistant-teaching (2 years), tutoring (2 years) and volunteer lab assistant (8 months), stellar recommendations from physicians I've shadowed, EMT supervisor, instructors, and a letter from my pre-med committee.

I feel so misled by my undergraduate premed committee, who told me that a sub-500 MCAT still gave me a shot, but everything I've read here is making me think it's hopeless without a retake. Wish I had logged on here sooner, because if I had I would've applied DO, but thinking it's too late in the cycle. Terrified to retake the MCAT because it would be my third attempt, and I studied full-time plus a Kaplan course before my last retake with little improvement.

I was planning (based on advising from my premed committee) to apply broadly DO-only next cycle, but I'm wary of anything they say now. Money is not an issue for me, fortunately, and I'm willing to put the work into making it happen, but I don't know where to start. I'm also learning about pre-med postbacc and masters programs, but I don't know much about them and I'm not sure that they would accept me or help me with my low MCAT and high uGPA. Do I have a good shot at DO if I apply broadly next round? Is an MCAT retake inevitable, and if so how do I improve? Do I need to improve my application in other ways? Should I look at graduate programs?

Thank you.

You have to retake the mCAT and score > 500. You're in the risk zone for failing out of med school and or failing Boards. Your current scores are lethal for MD and for most DO schools (auto-reject at my school, alas.)

Most pre-med advisors are *****s. Yours are yet more data points, sadly.

Find a DO to shadow and get LOR from same. If there's a DO school in driving distance, go visit them and chat up the DO faculty.

IF can can score > 510 on a retake, then also target your state schools.

 

[MusicDOc124]

^ Agreed, although with the 499, you have a shot without a retake for SOME DO schools. If you're legit afraid of taking it again at risk of getting the same or lower score, or getting minimally higher, then you can apply next cycle early with what you have, but keep in mind that the sub-500 is still closing some doors in the DO side.

If you wait until next cycle anyway, you have plenty of time to study for a retake.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Some prehealth advisors drink the AAMC MCAT Kool-Aid without really knowing the schools' perspectives. If you were applying DO, yes, their advice might be more appropriate than MD programs, and some papers have been published that back up our impressions (much to the chagrin of many on the AAMC committees looking at the MCAT). Yes, you need to retake to get at least above 510 overall for a fair shot at MD programs, but networking is also very important. Your GPA is fine and you should NOT need to take more courses if you're a biomedical science major. I always recommend networking with current students or recent alumni from medical schools of interest whenever you can, and get networked with local chapters of your American Medical Association or National Medical Association.