MD/PhD Chances

[myijc]

Hi everyone. I'll be applying broadly to only MD/PhD programs (~70) this upcoming cycle and wanted to get everyone's thoughts on my chances/ any advice. Your help would be greatly appreciated

Top 30 undergrad
cGPA: 3.2 BCPM GPA: 3.0 URM
Neurobiology major
Upward trend while taking progressively harder classes each semester
HHMI Fellowship for 2 summers at UPenn
4 different research leadership/mentoring positions
Over 2200 hours research
Some clinical experience at 3 different hospitals
Presented 9 Posters, 1 oral presentation (couple of travel grants, 2 presentation awards)
4 strong LORs (1 MSTP director (PI), letter from lab at Upenn, 1 professor I've know for 3 years, 1 from undergraduate research program director at my institution)
Taking MCAT in April and planning on at least 512

I have a specific plan for myself in the future with an MD/PhD and really want to do MD/PhD, but am afraid my GPA will be my ultimate downfall.

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[Fencer]

Take some postbac courses - they count toward your undergraduate cGPA even if they are taken at community college.

 

[Maebea]

That GPA may be tough to overcome. The upward trend is good; how did you do with the core stuff (Orgo, Physics, etc.)? It would be nice to push the MCAT to 515 to help offset the concerns about the lower GPA. The letter from the MSTP director will be helpful, and the research side looks strong. I would not apply to 70 programs; besides the cost, completing all those secondaries will eat you alive. Cut your list to 20-25 schools that are strong in your area of interest. You can have some top-10 schools (Penn would be an obvious choice, given your connection and the large size of the program), but make sure you have some safety schools.

 

[myijc]

That GPA may be tough to overcome. The upward trend is good; how did you do with the core stuff (Orgo, Physics, etc.)? It would be nice to push the MCAT to 515 to help offset the concerns about the lower GPA. The letter from the MSTP director will be helpful, and the research side looks strong. I would not apply to 70 programs; besides the cost, completing all those secondaries will eat you alive. Cut your list to 20-25 schools that are strong in your area of interest. You can have some top-10 schools (Penn would be an obvious choice, given your connection and the large size of the program), but make sure you have some safety schools.

Thanks for your advice, I'll cut down the list. Most of my core science classes were B's, with Orgo being my lowest grade (C), no D's or F's or dropped classes. I would attribute my low GPA to coming into college underprepared (small rural school with just a couple AP classes), family issues during one year, and one semester that really killed my GPA (3-4 Cs) because I took on the max credit amount while becoming involved in a lot more ECs. I'm trying to frame and explain my low GPA without assigning blame and instead use it to show what I've learned.