Make a run for it this year or wait?

[engineeredout]

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I'm trying to decide if it is worth making an attempt to apply this year or wait until next year like I originally planned.

My AACOMAS GPA is a 3.47 overall, 3.46s, 3.47NS.

I've started doing some hospital volunteer, some research this summer, a few ECs blah blah blah. I haven't shadowed yet but I've been talking with a DO radiologist that I might follow around for a little while.

I've yet to take the mcat.

Originally I had planned to do the full application both MD & DO to about 30 schools for the next session (C/O 2014). I'm going to be entering senior year now, so this would mean a gap year between college and med school (hopefully).

I was also debating applying for this session right now, just for DO. I know that I would be a stronger applicant during the next session, but I figure it would be worth the shot for the maybe 7-10 osteopathic schools I would apply to.

Is this worth doing just for the chance of skipping the gap year, or would it be a waste of time/money/effort? I'd need to decide soon because I'd have to submit the forms to get my school's premed committee off their asses and finish collecting my LORs.



So whats the call? Worth the shot to skip the gap year, or wait until next year and not rush into it?

 

[Chuckwalla]

You are more than competitive for DO with that GPA, you even have a chance at MD with a good MCAT. Go for DO this year, if you want to go MD take the MCAT quick.

 

[JWE27]

Hard to say without an MCAT; but, if you think you'll do at least somewhat well (25+), then I would apply this time around...

 

[TexasTriathlete]

Can't say until you've got an MCAT score, but the general rule is: get this show on the road.

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[fireflygirl]

I think it's always wiser to be the strongest applicant you can be. In addition, I think having more time outside of school before you start medical school is really important. I spent more than 5 years out of school before I am going back and I have learned so much and gained so much medical and non-medical wisdom that I wouldnt' have had otherwise.

Also, if you haven't taken the mcat yet and by chance, you don't do as well asyou would hope, you would be wasting a lot of time, money, and effort on the application process. One more year isn't going to hurt you and in fact could make you a much stronger applicant. Take the time!

 

[engineeredout]

I'm going to take another AAMC practice in the next week to gauge myself, but I'm confident on my ability to score over a 25 on the real mcat.

The more time I spend volunteering in the ER, the more I want to be, well, less useless, sooner.

BAhhhhhhhh still gotta think about it.

4V4. Thanks! 👍

 

[Chocolate Bear]

You're looking at a little over $1000 in apps. Interviews will cost more, but if you get invites, you're on the right track and money takes a backseat to gaining an acceptance. So if $1000 isn't an overwhelming obstacle, I'd say to figure out how long you need to get a 26-30, line up some shadowing experience quickly, and get AACOMAS submitted yesterday. 👍

 

[engineeredout]

If I were to do this, the holdup would be the premed committee. They want to have an interview with me before sending out the letter, and they want me to get them my three LORs before they will even schedual me for an interview.

Now in the interests of expedition, I don't think I'll be in a position where I have enough time with a DO that I could ask for a LOR. So far I have two LORs lined up from two professors. Should I wait for the LOR from the DO, or maybe get my boss from the engineering firm I work at to write the third LOR (non medical related) so I can get this premed committee crap moving?

Would I be able to send along a DO letter with secondary applications?

 

[engineeredout]

Would signing up for the August 26th mcat be too late?

 

[a817]

Would signing up for the August 26th mcat be too late?

for DO no, but for MD it might cause a problem

 

[engineeredout]

for DO no, but for MD it might cause a problem

I think I'm just going to apply for DO this session so thats good to hear.

 

[a817]

I think I'm just going to apply for DO this session so thats good to hear.

well i took the January, and still got in. Taking the august mcat will put you in a better position than me😛

 

[engineeredout]

well i took the January, and still got in. Taking the august mcat will put you in a better position than me😛

Also good to hear 👍😀