need advice - start SMP or apply for 2018 as planned

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mhtotte

Full Member
7+ Year Member
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Hi everyone!

I need some timely advice for what I should do this next year. I applied kind of on a whim to the Marian University Master of Biomedical Science program last month, not really expecting to get accepted this late in the cycle, but I just found out I was accepted and they need a decision from me by next week. I am retaking the MCAT on June 29 and then was planning to apply to a few MD schools but mostly DO for hopeful matriculation next fall. Now that I got this acceptance, I am not sure if I should take it, or if I should just apply MD/DO as I had planned to and continue with my original 2nd gap year plan: continue my ER scribe job/volunteering/taking a few bio classes/shadowing.

My stats:
IL resident
cGPA: 3.47
sGPA: 3.3
1st MCAT: 497 retaking 6/29
about 1500 ER Scribe hours so far
800 hours working for the business office of a doctor
40 hours MD pediatrician shadowing, 20 hours DO shadowing, LOR from both docs
15 hours Ortho MD shadowing
1 year research, no pubs
200 hours clinical volunteering, about 250 non-clinical
leadership: President of my sorority for 1 year

The perk of the Marian Master's program is an automatic interview to their med school if you get a 3.5 in it this first semester. I feel pretty confident I could work my butt off and get the 3.5, but there is still the risk that I wouldn't which could potentially hurt me. I just don't know if it is worth it financially, or if I would be fine just continuing with my original gap year plan (assuming I improve my MCAT score on 6/29!!)

Thanks for any advice you can give me!
 
I don't think you need the SMP. It could help, but i don't think it's mandatory in your case.

IMO, you should retake the MCAT and aim for a 507+. With this, I suspect several interviews if you apply broadly to all DO schools.

MCAT is the problem right now. Tackle this first. Your GPA is average.
 
Retake the MCAT - it's your biggest weakness.

Your GPA's are not the problem (for DO school that is.

The masters program wouldn't hurt your application, nor would it ~*substantially*~ help you.

You have a lot of great experience otherwise - if you think the masters program would yield you some great experience then sure do it. But if you need money then don't.