My Chances

Started by jcwonder610
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jcwonder610

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So I have a 3.05 cGPA and a 2.95 sGPA and wondering if I still have a shot for medical school. Of course I plan to do a Special Master's Program and do well in it. Do you guys think I will still have a chance to be accepted? I plan on doing well on the MCATs as well 32+. Please let me know!
 
DO is doable with grade replacement. Saying you "plan on 32+" is meaningless though. What year are yoy
 
I graduated this past May and working now full time in research. It is a 2 year commitment so I was planning on taking MCATs and applying summer of 2015.
 
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How do you "plan to get 32+"?

Your chances are pretty much shot at MD schools. DO schools could be possible.
 
So even with a good SMP gpa and MCAT score, research experience, good ECs/volunteering, I won't have a shot with that undergraduate GPA?
 
jcwonder610 said:
So even with a good SMP gpa and MCAT score, research experience, good ECs/volunteering, I won't have a shot with that undergraduate GPA?
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If you get into a SMP and do really well ( > 3.9 GPA), and also get a very good MCAT score ( >34 with your GPA), you might have a chance at some MD schools, but you are definitely looking down the barrel of a loaded gun at this point.
 
No one can say for sure that you have no chance at all, but from the general consensus on SDN (at least, from what I've read), that GPA would raise some flags as to whether you can keep up with the pace of medical school. I think that if you can demonstrate a good performance in an SMP and do well on the MCAT, you could show admissions committees otherwise, but what some of the previous posters are saying is that just "planning on a 32+ MCAT" is trivializing how difficult that is to achieve.
 
jcwonder610 said:
So I have a 3.05 cGPA and a 2.95 sGPA and wondering if I still have a shot for medical school. Of course I plan to do a Special Master's Program and do well in it. Do you guys think I will still have a chance to be accepted? I plan on doing well on the MCATs as well 32+. Please let me know!
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No, sorry... currently no chance for MD. I had similar AMCAS numbers and a 36. I did get a few interviews but am pretty sure my GPA numbers killed me in the end. With a good SMP you should have much better chances... or do a few retakes and go DO.
 
jcwonder610 said:
So even with a good SMP gpa and MCAT score, research experience, good ECs/volunteering, I won't have a shot with that undergraduate GPA?
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I suppose it's possible (if I say it's impossible people on here will freak out), but very unlikely. Your GPA is extremely low for MD schools, regardless of an SMP or not. Still, if you can do an SMP (and do very well in it) you should at least have a shot at DO schools.

Honestly, a lot of people think that an SMP is some sort of miracle cure... it's not. First off, you need to do really well in it (and most people who don't do well in undergraduate school can't instantly do much better in the masters). Secondly, SMPs usually help only if you have mediocre grades in terms of medical school admissions (3.2-3.4 area). Honestly, at the risk of angering some people on here, I think you should focus on osteopathic (DO) schools. Allopathic (MD) schools will have trouble looking past your undergrad GPA.

Now, with that in mind, it's not the end of the world. Osteopathic medicine is essentially the exact same thing as allopathic these days. Both can do surgery, prescribe drugs, etc. Osteopathic schools just teach an additional branch of medicine called osteopathic manipulation.
 
ems2doc said:
I suppose it's possible (if I say it's impossible people on here will freak out), but very unlikely. Your GPA is extremely low for MD schools, regardless of an SMP or not. Still, if you can do an SMP (and do very well in it) you should at least have a shot at DO schools.

Honestly, a lot of people think that an SMP is some sort of miracle cure... it's not. First off, you need to do really well in it (and most people who don't do well in undergraduate school can't instantly do much better in the masters). Secondly, SMPs usually help only if you have mediocre grades in terms of medical school admissions (3.2-3.4 area). Honestly, at the risk of angering some people on here, I think you should focus on osteopathic (DO) schools. Allopathic (MD) schools will have trouble looking past your undergrad GPA.

Now, with that in mind, it's not the end of the world. Osteopathic medicine is essentially the exact same thing as allopathic these days. Both can do surgery, prescribe drugs, etc. Osteopathic schools just teach an additional branch of medicine called osteopathic manipulation.
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But I heard DO's aren't given the same amount of respect as MD's....ugh...
 
jcwonder610 said:
But I heard DO's aren't given the same amount of respect as MD's....ugh...
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Only by SDN noobs. I go to an allopathic (MD) medical school and we have osteopathic (DO) researchers, faculty members, and clinicians. They are all equally regarded. It would be considered unprofessional to degrade a colleague with the same amount of education and practice rights.
 
My situation was very similar to yours. Similar undergrad gpa with an upward trend. I recently finished an Smp with a 3.85 and have a 38 on the mcat. Applied to 40 schools and have received only one interview so far, the school I did my SMP at. Will be writing up an mdapps at the end of the cycle that should give you a decent idea of what to expect with that kind of gpa. I will say that I'm not too hopeful about my chances at other md schools so far...
 
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jcwonder610 said:
So I have a 3.05 cGPA and a 2.95 sGPA and wondering if I still have a shot for medical school. Of course I plan to do a Special Master's Program and do well in it. Do you guys think I will still have a chance to be accepted? I plan on doing well on the MCATs as well 32+. Please let me know!
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If you do incredibly well on the SMP, then you have a shot at MD. I will caution that if you haven't demonstrated that you can handle intense and rigorous course work, then an SMP will be a HUGE risk for you. Do badly (or even just mediocre) and that can kill your chances at medical school, in general.

Also, don't make any assumptions with the MCAT. Study as hard as you can. A 32 is a lot more difficult to get than you realize...

Dr Turkelton said:
My situation was very similar to yours. Similar undergrad gpa with an upward trend. I recently finished an Smp with a 3.85 and have a 38 on the mcat. Applied to 40 schools and have received only one interview so far, the school I did my SMP at. Will be writing up an mdapps at the end of the cycle that should give you a decent idea of what to expect with that kind of gpa. I will say that I'm not too hopeful about my chances at other md schools so far...
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The cycle just started. Many don't have any interviews yet. It's too early to tell.
 
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