MD Mid-college switch: how to strengthen application?

[intellectualedema]

So I switched majors and decided to go to medical school after two years in Mechanical Engineering.

Switched to Biomedical Engineering, pre-med. I was only an OK student before, had about a 3.4 going into junior year before I decided to switch. This past year with anatomy, Orgo 1+2, genetics, orgo lab, plus engineering classes I got a 3.83 and am now up to 3.53 cum. Does this number hurt my chances? I know I can tell the story in the rest of my application, but I'm wondering if theres anything I can do to avoid being cut by GPA alone. Graduating 5 yrs in 2017, applying in 2016.

EC's include a couple hundred hours in the lab, starting this summer (25 hrs/week, unpaid) and continuing this year, probably going to get my name on a paper or two. PI seems to like me. Working on getting volunteering/shadowing going; again, I'm late to the game.

What's the most important thing for me to do between now and the spring?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Do well this year also. a) Upward trends matter alot when your GPA is a little on the low side b) medical schools will put more weight in grades in anatomy, ochem and genetics than some required programming or circuits class you had to take as a BioE, especially when the med school pre-req classes occured more recently than those BioE engineering required classes.

Your fine. Focus on doing well this year which should bring your GPA to around 3.6. Your numbers won't keep you out of med school if you do that and have an MCAT score which is within the range of MD matriculants.

 

[gothicfoxes]

You're not late to the game. Different people decide to go to medical school at different points in their life. This isn't a race.

Continue with what you mentioned in your post. High GPA, MCAT, shadowing, volunteering. Sounds like you have a good plan. x