Medical school acceptance

[mic127]

Academics:
I currently have a 3.2 GPA which is down from a 3.3. My last semester was rough: I withdrew from a class, received my first C (in my life) in anat/phys II. For this semester I will receive at least a 3.5 GPA which will only bring my GPA up to 3.25-3.28. I have 3 more semesters remaining with all my prereqs for medical school completed (with the exception of physics).

EC:
I have been a D1 athlete for Track and Field which has taken 20-30 hours a week from my studies. (40 hours during season, which is why there's decreased performance in classes during SPRING semesters). I am currently volunteering at a hospital in the outpatient rehab department (100+ hours), I also volunteer for organic chemistry research (100+ hours), I volunteered/shadowed a chiropractor over one of the summers (80+ hours). I also maintained a part time job(s) as a server/bartender at a country club and restaurant. I am also on a wait list for a medical scribing part time position at my university hospital.
It has definitely been a struggle to maintain grades, work, athletics/competition, volunteering so something had to give: grades

In short, I feel like I am more knowledgeable than my grades portray me as. I understand every concept covered in class and have missed As in courses by 0.1-0.2% for about a total of 20 credits now.

MCAT:
N/a

Questions:
Do I have a shot at a DO school? (since MD is highly unlikely given my GPA)

Should I do a post-bacc or masters to raise my GPA?

Should I just call it quits?

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[Mister Significant]

Academics:
I currently have a 3.2 GPA which is down from a 3.3. My last semester was rough: I withdrew from a class, received my first C (in my life) in anat/phys II. For this semester I will receive at least a 3.5 GPA which will only bring my GPA up to 3.25-3.28. I have 3 more semesters remaining with all my prereqs for medical school completed (with the exception of physics).

EC:
I have been a D1 athlete for Track and Field which has taken 20-30 hours a week from my studies. (40 hours during season, which is why there's decreased performance in classes during SPRING semesters). I am currently volunteering at a hospital in the outpatient rehab department (100+ hours), I also volunteer for organic chemistry research (100+ hours), I volunteered/shadowed a chiropractor over one of the summers (80+ hours). I also maintained a part time job(s) as a server/bartender at a country club and restaurant. I am also on a wait list for a medical scribing part time position at my university hospital.
It has definitely been a struggle to maintain grades, work, athletics/competition, volunteering so something had to give: grades

In short, I feel like I am more knowledgeable than my grades portray me as. I understand every concept covered in class and have missed As in courses by 0.1-0.2% for about a total of 20 credits now.

MCAT:
N/a

Questions:
Do I have a shot at a DO school? (since MD is highly unlikely given my GPA)

Should I do a post-bacc or masters to raise my GPA?

Should I just call it quits?

You are fine! The average GPA for DO schools is 3.55. With a standard deviation of .2 then a normal GPA getting admittance is 3.35-3.65. The rest is up to EC's and your MCAT score. Being in range of the standard deviation and your impressive Extra ciriculars, your going to definitely get some interviews, but then it's up to you. Hope that helps.

 

[Mister Significant]

Academics:
I currently have a 3.2 GPA which is down from a 3.3. My last semester was rough: I withdrew from a class, received my first C (in my life) in anat/phys II. For this semester I will receive at least a 3.5 GPA which will only bring my GPA up to 3.25-3.28. I have 3 more semesters remaining with all my prereqs for medical school completed (with the exception of physics).

EC:
I have been a D1 athlete for Track and Field which has taken 20-30 hours a week from my studies. (40 hours during season, which is why there's decreased performance in classes during SPRING semesters). I am currently volunteering at a hospital in the outpatient rehab department (100+ hours), I also volunteer for organic chemistry research (100+ hours), I volunteered/shadowed a chiropractor over one of the summers (80+ hours). I also maintained a part time job(s) as a server/bartender at a country club and restaurant. I am also on a wait list for a medical scribing part time position at my university hospital.
It has definitely been a struggle to maintain grades, work, athletics/competition, volunteering so something had to give: grades

In short, I feel like I am more knowledgeable than my grades portray me as. I understand every concept covered in class and have missed As in courses by 0.1-0.2% for about a total of 20 credits now.

MCAT:
N/a

Questions:
Do I have a shot at a DO school? (since MD is highly unlikely given my GPA)

Should I do a post-bacc or masters to raise my GPA?

Should I just call it quits?

Get that GPA up to a 3.4 and your golden. Also if your having trouble with your studies you might want to pause one or some of your EC's until you get caught up again.

 

[stickgirl390]

Two things:
-I don’t think shadowing a chriopractor will count for DO requirements. You have to shadow a DO or MD.
-Do you plan on continuing athletics in medical school? That could be a very large challenge for you.

 

[jtd2081]

Kill the MCAT. Perhaps take a gap year to study? Getting a great score on the MCAT will really make your app better, obviously. Try to raise the GPA as much as possible but towards the end of school it is quite hard to do this. DEFINITELY do not call it quits.

 

[Goro]

Academics:
I currently have a 3.2 GPA which is down from a 3.3. My last semester was rough: I withdrew from a class, received my first C (in my life) in anat/phys II. For this semester I will receive at least a 3.5 GPA which will only bring my GPA up to 3.25-3.28. I have 3 more semesters remaining with all my prereqs for medical school completed (with the exception of physics).

EC:
I have been a D1 athlete for Track and Field which has taken 20-30 hours a week from my studies. (40 hours during season, which is why there's decreased performance in classes during SPRING semesters). I am currently volunteering at a hospital in the outpatient rehab department (100+ hours), I also volunteer for organic chemistry research (100+ hours), I volunteered/shadowed a chiropractor over one of the summers (80+ hours). I also maintained a part time job(s) as a server/bartender at a country club and restaurant. I am also on a wait list for a medical scribing part time position at my university hospital.
It has definitely been a struggle to maintain grades, work, athletics/competition, volunteering so something had to give: grades

In short, I feel like I am more knowledgeable than my grades portray me as. I understand every concept covered in class and have missed As in courses by 0.1-0.2% for about a total of 20 credits now.

MCAT:
N/a

Questions:
Do I have a shot at a DO school? (since MD is highly unlikely given my GPA)

Should I do a post-bacc or masters to raise my GPA?

Should I just call it quits?

Agree with all the sage advice you've been given so far. I especially want to reiterate that shadowing a chiropractor will get you rejected, and strongly suggest that you do not even mention this on your app. I should not have to even explain why.

Shadow PHYSICIANS.

 

[Doc_Ock]

Academics:
I currently have a 3.2 GPA which is down from a 3.3. My last semester was rough: I withdrew from a class, received my first C (in my life) in anat/phys II. For this semester I will receive at least a 3.5 GPA which will only bring my GPA up to 3.25-3.28. I have 3 more semesters remaining with all my prereqs for medical school completed (with the exception of physics).

EC:
I have been a D1 athlete for Track and Field which has taken 20-30 hours a week from my studies. (40 hours during season, which is why there's decreased performance in classes during SPRING semesters). I am currently volunteering at a hospital in the outpatient rehab department (100+ hours), I also volunteer for organic chemistry research (100+ hours), I volunteered/shadowed a chiropractor over one of the summers (80+ hours). I also maintained a part time job(s) as a server/bartender at a country club and restaurant. I am also on a wait list for a medical scribing part time position at my university hospital.
It has definitely been a struggle to maintain grades, work, athletics/competition, volunteering so something had to give: grades

In short, I feel like I am more knowledgeable than my grades portray me as. I understand every concept covered in class and have missed As in courses by 0.1-0.2% for about a total of 20 credits now.

MCAT:
N/a

Questions:
Do I have a shot at a DO school? (since MD is highly unlikely given my GPA)

Should I do a post-bacc or masters to raise my GPA?

Should I just call it quits?

Is this your cumulative or science gpa?


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[AnxietyNation]

Might as well try. If you do all the stuff everyone has said above and then apply I think it is better to take the chance then wonder "what if?".

 

[TheWolfOfMainStreet]

I got 2 acceptances this cycle with similar-ish GPAs. You can definitely do it!

Just have to do strongly on the MCAT and apply early + broadly!

 

[stickgirl390]

Agree with all the sage advice you've been given so far. I especially want to reiterate that shadowing a chiropractor will get you rejected, and strongly suggest that you do not even mention this on your app. I should not have to even explain why.

Shadow PHYSICIANS.

Curious why you said to not even mention it on the app. What if OP does a lot of DO/MD shadowing as well, should they still not mention the chiropractor experience?

 

[__AVI8R__]

Maybe it might give adcoms the impression that the OP equates chiropractors with OMM?

 

[Goro]

Curious why you said to not even mention it on the app. What if OP does a lot of DO/MD shadowing as well, should they still not mention the chiropractor experience?

See below, and also the risk is that Adcoms will wonder what the applicant's career goals are.

Maybe it might give adcoms the impression that the OP equates chiropractors with OMM?

THIS!!!!!

 

[Mister Significant]

I got 2 acceptances this cycle with similar-ish GPAs. You can definitely do it!

Just have to do strongly on the MCAT and apply early + broadly!

Which schools? My GPA is slightly higher but my EC's are lacking.

 

[workaholic181]

Absolutely do NOT shadow a chiropractor if you want to pursue medical school. No disrespect for chiros, I have family members who are in that field, but it is NOT medicine and NOT OMM. I have bene told by several DOs how frustrating it is to them when OMM is conflated with chiropractic or even sometime massage techniques. I've seen other people on here float the idea of shadowing a chiro or even getting massage certified to impress adcoms - you're far more likely to do the opposite if you take this route.

OMM is a tool in a DOs repertoire, and hopefully you will be able to shadow a DO who uses it in his practice so that you are exposed to it. But fundamentally DOs are medical doctors who head the traditional healthcare team and deal with very ill patients, try to find this enviromnent for your shadowing.

 

[TheWolfOfMainStreet]

Which schools? My GPA is slightly higher but my EC's are lacking.

ACOM, BCOM, and I still have several “on hold” pre-interview so hopefully more!

 

[__AVI8R__]

ACOM, BCOM, and I still have several “on hold” pre-interview so hopefully more!

Congrats! What is your secret?

 

[TheWolfOfMainStreet]

Congrats! What is your secret?

Thanks! No secret. Did well on the MCAT to somewhat balance out that low GPA and just applied broadly and early.

 

[__AVI8R__]

Thanks! No secret. Did well on the MCAT to somewhat balance out that low GPA and just applied broadly and early.

I hear the advice to "apply broadly" frequently here. I wonder how many people fail to get into medical school because they aimed too high.

 

[jg250453]

I hear the advice to "apply broadly" frequently here. I wonder how many people fail to get into medical school because they aimed too high.

Lots. The, “I’m too good for this kind of school” has resulted in 0-for application cycles too many times over. It’s all about perspective. To me, it’s about getting in somewhere (if it’s not your first choice). Being choosy doesn’t work too well unless you have the application stats/EC’s to do so.

 

[__AVI8R__]

Lots. The, “I’m too good for this kind of school” has resulted in 0-for application cycles too many times over. It’s all about perspective. To me, it’s about getting in somewhere (if it’s not your first choice). Being choosy doesn’t work too well unless you have the application stats/EC’s to do so.

If you look at AMCAS statistics on applicants, you'll see people with 3.7-4.0 GPAs and the highest percentiles of MCAT scores who don't get accepted. I'd wager some of these are people that applied only to the likes of Harvard Medical School. I'd really like to hear their reasons...

 

[JDogtor]

Aim for an MCAT score of 500+, and you have a good chance for DO. Some DO schools (like VCOM) place more emphasis on who you are as a person and background. No worries mate you'll make it.

 

[stickgirl390]

If you look at AMCAS statistics on applicants, you'll see people with 3.7-4.0 GPAs and the highest percentiles of MCAT scores who don't get accepted. I'd wager some of these are people that applied only to the likes of Harvard Medical School. I'd really like to hear their reasons...

I didn’t get in anywhere last cycle with a 3.8 GPA. (4.0 science GPA if they didn’t include Astronomy in the calculation.) I didn’t apply top heavy, I applied OOS heavy. I also was on the low end with shadowing and volunteer hours.

Edit: Oops, I don’t have that high percentile MCAT tho, so I don’t think my answer is what you’re looking for lol

 

[__AVI8R__]

I didn’t get in anywhere last cycle with a 3.8 GPA. (4.0 science GPA if they didn’t include Astronomy in the calculation.) I didn’t apply top heavy, I applied OOS heavy. I also was on the low end with shadowing and volunteer hours.

Edit: Oops, I don’t have that high percentile MCAT tho, so I don’t think my answer is what you’re looking for lol

Either way, congrats on those acceptances. What did you do differently the second time around?

Here is my source for my previous statement:
https://www.aamc.org/download/321508/data/factstablea23.pdf
Applicants with a GPA above 3.79 and MCAT above 517 had an 87.5% acceptance rate.

Oh and sorry for hijacking this thread. I'll be leaving now.

 

[stickgirl390]

Either way, congrats on those acceptances. What did you do differently the second time around?

Here is my source for my previous statement:
https://www.aamc.org/download/321508/data/factstablea23.pdf
Applicants with a GPA above 3.79 and MCAT above 517 had an 87.5% acceptance rate.

Oh and sorry for hijacking this thread. I'll be leaving now.

My biggest change was applying more broadly (I know, shocker). I also added on about 50 more volunteer hours and took Biochem over the summer.

 

[mic127]

Two things:
-I don’t think shadowing a chriopractor will count for DO requirements. You have to shadow a DO or MD.
-Do you plan on continuing athletics in medical school? That could be a very large challenge for you.

I figured I'd add everything (including working two jobs while being a student-athlete) because it shows that I was looking around at healthcare professions. I wasn't sure I wanted to do med school until last year which ironically was my worst year. I suppose I'll take your word for it.

No I don't plan on continuing athletics in medical school. This year is my last year for athletics (since you only get 4 years to compete-5 if you redshirt). I'm assuming when youre not a student athlete school is so much easier.

 

[mic127]

Kill the MCAT. Perhaps take a gap year to study? Getting a great score on the MCAT will really make your app better, obviously. Try to raise the GPA as much as possible but towards the end of school it is quite hard to do this. DEFINITELY do not call it quits.

I think I can raise my GPA up to a 3.36-3.40 if not more. My current university doesn't calculate A- or A+ It's strictly on a A, B, C, D, F system which kills my GPA considering I have about 20 credits worth of B+s

 

[mic127]

Is this your cumulative or science gpa?


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That is my cumulative.
My science is ~3.1

 

[Robin-jay]

Agree with all the sage advice you've been given so far. I especially want to reiterate that shadowing a chiropractor will get you rejected, and strongly suggest that you do not even mention this on your app. I should not have to even explain why.

Shadow PHYSICIANS.

What do you think about adding podiatrists on the list of physicians shadowed for MD or DO schools?

 

[Doc_Ock]

What do you think about adding podiatrists on the list of physicians shadowed for MD or DO schools?

Worthless.


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[tealeafexplorer]

Edit

 

[Goro]

What do you think about adding podiatrists on the list of physicians shadowed for MD or DO schools?

Foolish. Does one want to be a DO or MD, or a pod?
It's too specialized

 

[Robin-jay]

Foolish. Does one want to be a DO or MD, or a pod?
It's too specialized

Would it have the same negative impacts as say, a chiropractor?

 

[Goro]

Would it have the same negative impacts as say, a chiropractor?

Not as bad, but temper what the wise @gonnif likes to point out, that you want to reduce risk in this process.

 

[khnz786]

Curious why you said to not even mention it on the app. What if OP does a lot of DO/MD shadowing as well, should they still not mention the chiropractor experience?

Yes if you study the history of osteopathic medicine (which you will in DO School) you’ll learn that chiropractics is a field that was hijacked from the DOs. Chiropractics is frowned upon especially in the DO circles. Mentioning chiropractics in DO application would suggest that the applicant thinks that DOs are glorified chiropractors. I wouldn’t mention it on a DO application at all. MDs probably wouldn’t care.


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[Cath Up]

Yes if you study the history of osteopathic medicine (which you will in DO School) you’ll learn that chiropractics is a field that was hijacked from the DOs. Chiropractics is frowned upon especially in the DO circles. Mentioning chiropractics in DO application would suggest that the applicant thinks that DOs are glorified chiropractors. I wouldn’t mention it on a DO application at all. MDs probably wouldn’t care.


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Also recommend checking out the 2017-2018 osteopathic underdogs thread to see a list of people who applied with low stats. Similar to someone else in this thread, I have a low GPA (lower than yours) with a decent MCAT (509) good ECs and received >5 interviews, multiple acceptances so far. It can be done.

When you do apply, please be wary of the newer DO schools. I am telling you this pseudo-off topic advice because as someone else with low stats, I didn't fully realize the importance of this. Really take time evaluating whether or not it is worth it to you to attend an unproven, new program that is not contributing to GME and may or may not want you to pursue primary care. You probably want as many doors open as possible because partway through medical school, students change their minds all the time about specialties.

I applied to some schools this cycle that I regretted spending the money on because as I learned more about them (post-applying to them) I found that it would be better to wait another year, even as a person who wants nothing more than to get on a career track in this dream profession, than to attend certain programs. It is an unfavorable position to be in to hold an acceptance to a program then decide you do not want to attend. Some people think schools will take note of whether or not you have turned down an acceptance in a previous cycle (at the very least the program you rejected will know for the following cycle) and this would make it harder to gain an acceptance in an additional cycle. While I find it extremely unlikely that schools share this blacklist of information in any sort of meaningful way, do avoid putting yourself in that position. In short, prepare your school list carefully.