Need Advice please

[qwerty4550]

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I have been looking around this website for some time now and have found great information on various programs. I am currently playing the waiting game in hearing back from MD and DO schools (15 in total). Honestly, I wish I would have found this site before I applied because it would have made me rethink applying for this application cycle. I know that I should not give up on a school giving me a shot, but I also do not want to sit here twirling my thumbs and not have backup plans. Well embarrassingly here are my statistics:

My AMCAS undergrad sGPA is a 3.06 with an upward trend, and an overall ugrad GPA of 3.17 with upward trend. My GPA is poor due to a couple factors, but it is only my fault for not doing better. I took the MCAT in July and got a score of 23L 😳. I did not study very seriously for the MCAT and thought that I could do well by going through one set of exam prep materials. I really regret not doing so well the first time around, but I am not going to get anywhere by feeling sorry for myself.

I am currently in a third world country, Paraguay, doing medical volunteering in hospitals. No matter what path I take, I will retake the MCAT before applying to medical and osteopathic schools again.

What do you think I should do? I have been researching SMPs, Grade-enhancer Post Bacc programs, as well as traditional Master's programs. From what I have read, SMPs are for individuals who have a poor GPA but good MCAT (not my case). I am a CA resident. Can anyone recommend any programs to me? Preferably in-state, but I know how hard it is to get into programs in CA.

 

[DrMidlife]

My AMCAS undergrad sGPA is a 3.06 with an upward trend, and an overall ugrad GPA of 3.17 with upward trend. My GPA is poor due to a couple factors, but it is only my fault for not doing better. I took the MCAT in July and got a score of 23L 😳. I did not study very seriously for the MCAT and thought that I could do well by going through one set of exam prep materials. I really regret not doing so well the first time around, but I am not going to get anywhere by feeling sorry for myself.

You should not have applied with a 23L. Waste of time, waste of energy, waste of money. Lesson learned, right?

I am currently in a third world country, Paraguay, doing medical volunteering in hospitals. No matter what path I take, I will retake the MCAT before applying to medical and osteopathic schools again.

Good. ISL?

Any interest in doing Peace Corps work? That's #1 on my list of things I wish I'd done before trying to get into med school on a GPA comeback.

What do you think I should do? I have been researching SMPs, Grade-enhancer Post Bacc programs, as well as traditional Master's programs. From what I have read, SMPs are for individuals who have a poor GPA but good MCAT (not my case). I am a CA resident. Can anyone recommend any programs to me? Preferably in-state, but I know how hard it is to get into programs in CA.

Apply to all the UC postbacs and cross your fingers. If you're not URM or disadvantaged, there's a very low chance you can get in, but these programs are your best hope for CA.

If you didn't do well enough in the prereqs to be ready for the MCAT content, then you should consider going back to undergrad and doing more and/or repeated coursework. MCAT prep has nothing to do with learning the content.

Regardless, you're looking at multiple years before you'll have a competitive med school app. You have to raise your MCAT by about 10 points for MD or about 5 points for DO, which is likely going to take you several months of full time effort. You need a competitive MCAT score to get into an SMP. Your GPA is low for DO, so I think you have to attend to it regardless.

From my perspective, you have to make some bets.
1. Do you or don't you need to take more undergrad science to be ready to do well on the MCAT?
2. Do you want to take more undergrad (such as a 2nd bachelors in a hard science, do or die to improve your GPA) or do you want to do an SMP (also do or die)?
3. Do you or don't you want to risk the app fees to take a long shot at the UC postbacs?

After you decide those questions, start raising the cash to take a serious, no foolin' MCAT prep course and go after score improvement like your career depends on it...which it does.

Note that for SMP apps, you want your MCAT score in hand by the end of the year. Such as taking the MCAT September 2011 to apply in December/January to SMPs that start August 2012.

Best of luck to you.

 

[qwerty4550]

Thank you for the advice. Sorry it has taken me a while to respond, but I do not have much time on my hands as I am volunteering as much as possible during my stay in Paraguay.

Update: I have recently applied to SFSU, CSU East Bay, and CSU Los Angeles post-baccalaureate programs. I am currently editing my essay for the UC Post-baccalaureate consortium application and hope to turn it in by the end of the week.

Do you think it is in my best interest to go to a post-baccalaureate and improve my ugrad GPA or should I also apply to Master's programs that do not require a GRE? Basically, would it help me more to improve my ugrad GPA or do well in graduate school? Do you know what holds more weight with admissions officers? One real benefit I see in applying to graduate programs is the research experience gained. I am lacking in that department.

I am very hesitant about applying to SMP's because I feel they are too risky for me at this point in my life. I am 23 and want to do things right this time around. I do not mind taking post-baccalaureate for a couple years, or true Master's, and applying after my first year into the respective program. Obviously with an improved MCAT score.

Does this sound like a "safer" bet than going into an SMP that could potentially ruin my chances forever? Enrolling in a SMP is my last resort.

 

[DrMidlife]

Do you think it is in my best interest to go to a post-baccalaureate and improve my ugrad GPA or should I also apply to Master's programs that do not require a GRE? Basically, would it help me more to improve my ugrad GPA or do well in graduate school? Do you know what holds more weight with admissions officers?

Definitely you need to work on undergrad GPA. Grad school GPA is completely separate and does nothing to offset a low undergrad GPA.

One real benefit I see in applying to graduate programs is the research experience gained. I am lacking in that department.

Research experience is low priority compared with your numbers, in my opinion. You don't have to have research experience, but you do have to have competitive numbers.

Enrolling in a SMP is my last resort.

Correct.