MD & DO MCAT 30 GPAs 3.08 GPAc 3.11 non-trad & re-app

[hschemteacher]

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MN resident, current HS Chemistry teacher, father of 2.
BS in Chemistry (minor in BioChem) from U of Minnesota
Masters of Education from U of Minnesota
Applied in 2012. Changes since that application marked with *

*MCAT 30 8/13/9
Previous scores: 27m and 26l (both in 2011)

*GPAs 3.08 (was 2.98) undergrad, 4.0 graduate
GPAc 3.11 undergrad, 3.56 graduate

EC's:
*50hrs overseas medical service trip
*150hrs hospital volunteering (adult ED)
*20hrs volunteering memory loss assisted living center (still doing this)
*Research Experience for Teachers -- starts in June and will be 320+hrs. Can I put this on the app? I would start just prior to sending in the app
*130hrs MD shadowing
14,800+hrs HS Chem Teacher (8yrs, includes after school tutoring, AP certification, and more)
550+hrs Department Curricular Leader - Leadership
300 hrs Department Operational Leader -- Leadership
975 hrs Track Coach
1600 hrs Undergraduate Chemistry TA (includes TA of the year award)
60hrs directed undergraduate chem research
140 hrs research/independent study graduate educational psychology
Deans List both semesters my senior year undergrad (thinking I should list this since my GPA is weak)

Should I list teaching for a month in Thailand and/or being a father as activities?

LOR's: 2 from MD's and 1 from an undergrad chem professor. Should I also get one relevant to teaching?

I have not shadowed a DO yet, but I'm planning to soon. I'm not sure which DO schools really want that experience.

Do I have enough changes and do I stand a chance?

Here are my schools (preference to MD at Minnesota). Any tips on which schools to add?
MD schools:
1. University of Minnesota
2. University of Wisconsin
3. Medical College of Wisconsin

DO Schools:
1. DMU-COM
2. RVUCOM

Thank you!

 

[Goro]

yes

Should I list teaching for a month in Thailand

No. I'm a dad too, but saying you're a parent as an activity is like listing "breathing" as an activity.

and/or being a father as activities?

No
LOR's: 2 from MD's and 1 from an undergrad chem professor. Should I also get one relevant to teaching?

Some of them, like LECOM, require a DO LOR. ALL of them will appreciate it, ans it shows you're doing your homework.

I have not shadowed a DO yet, but I'm planning to soon. I'm not sure which DO schools really want that experience.

While I have a soft spot for teachers, the MS in education really doesn't help your app at all. You need to demonstrate that you can handle medical school, not teaching. The multiple MCATs and an imbalanced score are also problematic, but not lethally so for DO schools.

Do I have enough changes and do I stand a chance?

Just shoot for U MN. I feel your numbers are not competitve for MD schools, except maybe the newest ones. Apply broadly to DO schools. definitely add CCOM and MUCOM to the list.

 

[Catalystik]

*Research Experience for Teachers -- starts in June and will be 320+hrs. Can I put this on the app? I would start just prior to sending in the app

For AMCAS you can include future hours.

Did you calculate your GPAs by AMCAS rules or for AACOMAS? Do you understand the difference in what's included in BCPM GPA vs sGPA? Did you account for AACOMAS grade forgiveness? How many postbac science credit hours have you taken which did not fulfill a masters degree requirement?

 

[hschemteacher]

I might have been using the wrong acronyms. 3.08 is my BCPM GPA through AMCAS. I took 3 upper level bio classes one summer to get my BCPM GPA over 3.0. I already had my calculated GPA's from my 2012 AMCAS app, and then recalculated with the 3 new classes.
Haven't figured out the AACOMAS GPA's yet.

 

[Catalystik]

There is no math in the AACOMAS sGPA. And they don't count the first grade if you retook a class, provided the course credit is the same or greater, and the course description substantially the same. Retakes need not be at the same school. I believe there is a minimum grade for prerequisites, probably a C or C+. Perhaps @Goro can specify.

DO GPA calculation spreadsheet: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=450050
Newer modified version: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=839864

Unlike AMCAS, AACOMAS displays not just a line with all undergrad GPAs and another with grad GPAs, they also calculate a merged overall GPA that includes both. It's my understanding that not all DO schools look at the merged GPA and grad GPA.

 

[Goro]

This might be school specific; At our school, a minimum grade of C is required, but nearly 100% of successful applicants have B or better in the pre-reqs.

I believe there is a minimum grade for prerequisites, probably a C or C+. Perhaps @Goro can specify.

 

[hschemteacher]

Thank you! This is all great advice. I sure wish I would have found this website 3 years ago when I first start this process.

 

[GypsyHummus]

This might be school specific; At our school, a minimum grade of C is required, but nearly 100% of successful applicants have B or better in the pre-reqs.

I believe there is a minimum grade for prerequisites, probably a C or C+. Perhaps @Goro can specify.

If someone get a C in a pre rec, say Organic chem, would an ADCOM mention/ draw attention to that grade?

 

[gyngyn]

No. I'm a dad too, but saying you're a parent as an activity is like listing "breathing" as an activity.
and/or being a father as activities?

This is my favorite!

 

[Goro]

The Interview Feedback section of SDN is filled with reports of people hearing "So what about that C in organic Chemistry?" and the like. It seems that the higher the caliber of the school, the more it gets asked.

If it's the only poor grade in an exceptional transcript, it's gets noticed, like a black spot on a white canvas.

If someone get a C in a pre rec, say Organic chem, would an ADCOM mention/ draw attention to that grade?