MCAT and applying this cycle

[bklassy]

Hi everyone,

So I just kinda want to throw this post out here to see what I get back.
I'm a non-trad student (28 yrs old- graduated with a BS in Chemistry in 2016- was a horse trainer before I decided to go back to school). I did undergrad research for 2 years in organic chemistry, and worked as a manufacturing chemist for a while. The 2 year gap is due to trying to figure out what I wanted to proceed onto for my graduate studies- finally settled on med school about a year ago.

GPA is not the best- 3.0 science, 3.2 overall (low GPA due to low grades on tests- I get A's on all classwork, homework...etc- tests are killer for me, I don't know what happens!)
I just received by MCAT score (487....yikes!)
I had all my sections completed (great personal essay, supplemental essays, strong LOR...etc) for this application cycle and was waiting for my MCAT score to send everything in. I had lower GPA/MCAT MD schools (around 14 of them), 21 DO schools, and 2 Caribbean schools on my application to send out- so it's all sitting there, but i'm thinking that I should just wait until next year for a better score.

So now that I received my MCAT score, its definitely far too low to be accepted ANYWHERE, especially with a low GPA.

So my plan B is to take the MCAT again in January 2019 and apply for the 2020 cycle.

In the mean time, I'm wondering if I should take physiology and anatomy for fall and spring semester (withdrew from the classes due to life issues in 2017 and never took them again) or if I should look into a post bacc (I just don't want do 2 years to become more in debt and work full time on top of it) or look into a MPH accelerated program (again money and work...).

Right now, I work as a pharmacy technician in the Emergency Department, volunteer at a hospital doing CNA work and volunteer with my therapy dog. I shadow doctor's in my free time.

Anyways....thoughts? Suggestions?

Thank You!

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[Prestige88]

Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention
Caribbean MD schools

A couple useful links for you from people that are wiser than me!

 

[Dr. Meliodas]

Your GPA is still on the lower side and it would be helpful to improve that this year since you not be applying.

You do not need to do 2 years of post back (for DO schools). A solid year of around 30 credits from upper level science courses would be best. There are plenty of post bacc opportunity - the AAMC has a good database on many post bacc programs (Postbaccalaureate - AAMC). However, which ever post bacc program you do make sure your courses count as undergrad/ or postbacc courses meaning that when you apply to medical school they are in the Postbacc category. Graduate school courses are not looked on as highly as post bacc courses.

You also do not need to do a formal postbacc you can do a 1-year DIY postbacc were you take additional undergrad courses at your nearest university as a non-degree seeking student.

Take the courses after your first semester of course work then start prepping for MCAT retake preferably sometime late Spring.

Make sure to keep up clinical volunteering, non-clinical volunteering, and shadowing - maybe some research if you can fit it in but for DO schools and most MD school having no research is not a big problem.