Need advice for gap years (low GPA and No clinical experience)

[reinventing]

I have found myself to be not adequate candidate for medical school after finishing my degree as I ended up with cGPA of 3.0 and sGPA of 2.94. Right now I'm looking to be a better candidate as I want to elevate my stats. Right now, I have a lack of clinical experience, volunteering which is around 40 hours and very low GPA. Things that I'm actively doing are doing getting a CNA from a local CC, finding volunteer positions in clinical areas, applying to post-baccs that I have found (although I'm questioning them). So, as I have been looking for information I have the following questions:

• SMP or Postbacc or Masters?
  • Which one will be more beneficial?
  • Financially better?
• What's a DIY Postbacc?
  • Could I take classes in a CC? Or a 4 year college?
  • How to craft one?
• How to get clinical experience while working full-time?
• How to get advice from an advisor? - my advisor from my ug was not the greatest when it came to advising an URM who was navigating college for the first time

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Goro]

I have found myself to be not adequate candidate for medical school after finishing my degree as I ended up with cGPA of 3.0 and sGPA of 2.94. Right now I'm looking to be a better candidate as I want to elevate my stats. Right now, I have a lack of clinical experience, volunteering which is around 40 hours and very low GPA. Things that I'm actively doing are doing getting a CNA from a local CC, finding volunteer positions in clinical areas, applying to post-baccs that I have found (although I'm questioning them). So, as I have been looking for information I have the following questions:

• SMP or Postbacc or Masters?
  • Which one will be more beneficial?
  • Financially better?

SMP will be more expensive thatn a postbac, especially a DIY one. A research MS or MPH will not help you app for MD schools due to the grade inflation inherent in these types of programs. It will help for DO schools, though.

I lean to SMPs as they're the backdoor to med school. Higher risk, but higher reward

• What's a DIY Postbacc?
  • Could I take classes in a CC? Or a 4 year college?

A DIY post-bac is exactly that. You go back to college and take upper level science courses, and do well in them to show that you can handle med school

4 year college would be better

• How to get clinical experience while working full-time?

Simply put, you make time

• How to get advice from an advisor? - my advisor from my ug was not the greatest when it came to advising an URM who was navigating college for the first time

You can get very good advice here on SDN, provided you ignore the angst and neuroticism

Read this:
Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention