Masters degree or graduate level courses?

[anon2014_2014]

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I am hoping to get some feedback on a tough decision I am about to have to make...

I graduate this spring with a crappy GPA (~ 3.1 c/s for MD ~3.4 c/s for DO) MCAT= Jan 2017. I am hoping to do some type of GPA repair/make-up. I am debating on a hard masters degree (1 year) vs. just taking masters degree courses I am interested in (physio, biochem, gross anatomy, etc.) Common SDN knowledge is that masters degrees are fairly worthless in the eyes of med school ADCOMS, so this is why I am curious about taking this route instead.

*Oh, and if it matters, both the MS and the grad level courses are taught through an MD school, same professors.

I have excellent ECs (volunteering, shadowing and clinical experience). I am also hoping to get LORs from these grad school courses.

Thoughts?
Thanks everyone!

 

[anon2014_2014]

Bump... Anyone? 🙂

 

[moisne]

Uh...
I did a MS - but it was also funded for...

I don't know why on earth you would take grad classes and not get a degree out of it. It's 1 year - just get an extra degree...

 

[rilte4]

If it's your UG GPA you're trying to fix, registering as a non-degree UG student would be best.

 

[GreenDuck12]

For me, it would depend on cost. If the MS is inexpensive, it could add a little to an application but is unlikely to tip you into MD territory. Honestly, depending on MCAT, you're a good applicant for DO programs. Why not spend the money on MCAT prep and apply broadly with MD/DO schools?

 

[anon2014_2014]

Uh...
I did a MS - but it was also funded for...

I don't know why on earth you would take grad classes and not get a degree out of it. It's 1 year - just get an extra degree...

Thanks for your suggestion!
Love your avatar BTW 🙂

 

[anon2014_2014]

If it's your UG GPA you're trying to fix, registering as a non-degree UG student would be best.

It is my UG GPA that I am trying to fix. Would re-taking those courses really help for my MD chances though? I have nothing against DO, but I have 2 IS MD schools that heavily favor IS applicants, so I am thinking that those will be my best bet (correct me if I am wrong!)

 

[anon2014_2014]

My GPA is poor not due to a string of C's D's or F's... I have 2 C's, and have retaken those courses and gotten A's...
It is poor due to getting more B's than A's

 

[rilte4]

It is my UG GPA that I am trying to fix. Would re-taking those courses really help for my MD chances though? I have nothing against DO, but I have 2 IS MD schools that heavily favor IS applicants, so I am thinking that those will be my best bet (correct me if I am wrong!)

I wasn't suggesting that you retake anything? Just that you might benefit from making sure your student status is "undergraduate" rather than "graduate". That way, on your AMCAS, anything you take after graduating will be listed as "Postbaccalaureate", which gets factored into your cGPA. If your student status is "Graduate" (regardless of whether you're nondegree or Master-seeking), it won't get factored into your cGPA. This was the conventional wisdom shared with me when I went down the postbacc route.

If your plan is to take courses at a medical school where the "Graduate" student status is a must, I'd try to get in touch with Admissions at the in-state schools you're interested in to make sure they'll pay attention to the coursework you've done after graduating, even if it isn't factored into your cGPA.

 

[GreenDuck12]

It will depend on the stats of the schools/state, your MCAT score, and other factors (URM, low socioeconomic, etc but I wouldn't bank on those) Average GPA for MD schools is around a 3.6, which is significantly above a 3.1. To be honest, raising your GPA from a 3.1 to a 3.5 would require you to double your current credits while earning a 3.9 GPA in all new coursework, which is not practical. Best bet for MD to take some additional science classes to demonstrate your ability to handle the rigors of medical school. Try and see if you can get your GPA to a 3.3 or 3.4.

The other option is to take some classes, take the MCAT and the apply broadly to MD and DO programs with more applications going to DO schools. Your stats are reasonable for DO schools and an admission there isn't nearly as large a stretch.

My GPA is poor not due to a string of C's D's or F's... I have 2 C's, and have retaken those courses and gotten A's...
It is poor due to getting more B's than A's

 

[FutureOncologist]

Go the DO route. Will cost half as much (if you go as a non-degree seeking student) and apply MD and DO.

 

[anon2014_2014]

Thank you all for your feedback! I appreciate it.