Need help deciding go to AUC/SGU or try again

[karcrash]

Hello. I am a non-traditional applicant. My overall GPA was 3.3 and a 2.9 in sciences. My MCAT score was 510.

I am currently a high school chemistry and physics teacher. I applied to the US MD and DO schools last year. I didn't submit my DO application until December, though. I wasn't offered an interview anywhere. I applied to Saint George and AUC in the Caribbeans and got accepted easily. I am trying to decide if I should go to AUC or SGU or re-apply to the US DO and MD schools in early June. I will still be teaching next year if I decide to re-apply.

My biggest concern is I feel my GPA is too low. I have experience shadowing both MD and DO doctors. Any input would be appreciated.

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[karcrash]

My MCAT by section:
Phys/Chem - 127
Bio - 128
Cars - 127
Psych - 128

I took the MCAT in February of 2016

 

[Perd ulv]

carib used to be viable, now with so many new us schools its not viable
go ahead and read- Million $ Mistake

 

[wagonwheel23]

Do not go to the Caribbean. Slam the brakes. Do not proceed.

For us to better help you, please give us a more comprehensive view of your application (When did you graduate? What are you honors/awards/ECs? State of residence?). Your GPA is on the lower side of things, but with a strong application you should be able to go DO.

 

[karcrash]

I graduated in 2015. I received honors for a 4 quarters. In college I was part of the community emergency response team. I am from California. I've studied abroad in the UK. I have volunteered abroad in Peru. I have worked as Chemistry and Physics teacher for over a year in the poorest school district in California. I have shadowed a few MD doctors (one of which is family) in the Operating room and and a clinical office. I have also just recently began shadowing 2 DO physicians and volunteer at a needle exchange program for drug addicts with one DO. I have done research (though not published) on the subject of school bullying for Madera County Behavioral Health. I have no physical science research, but my neuroanatomy professor says I can help in the summer time during summer break.

 

[karcrash]

For more volunteer, I am part of Kiwanis (a volunteer organization) and volunteered to coach science olympiad for my school, in which we one first place in a couple of events and placed in a couple more.

 

[femmegoblue]

Your GPA is very obviously the problem. Not sure who advised you to apply this cycle w/o GPA repair.

All you need to do is an informal post-bacc to raise your science GPA. Take a year and do 20 credits of upper level science work. There's zero reason someone with a 510 MCAT needs to go Carib (or any person). Browse the DO underdogs threads, there's dozens of people with lower GPA's than you who made it happen.

Extra year of work > instant gratification and 500K in debt with nothing to show for it

 

[SunnyDO]

Your GPA is very obviously the problem. Not sure who advised you to apply this cycle w/o GPA repair.

All you need to do is an informal post-bacc to raise your science GPA. Take a year and do 20 credits of upper level science work. There's zero reason someone with a 510 MCAT needs to go Carib (or any person). Browse the DO underdogs threads, there's dozens of people with lower GPA's than you who made it happen.

Extra year of work > instant gratification and 500K in debt with nothing to show for it

I second this advice.

 

[karcrash]

I have done 8 credits of post bacc work in upper div biology (2 classes with labs) and received an A in both. That is not part of my 2.9 science gpa. Since I want to apply in early Summer, I think I'll try to enroll in 8 more units for the first part of Summer. I can't take classes during the normal school year since I am a full time teacher.

 

[femmegoblue]

I have done 8 credits of post bacc work in upper div biology (2 classes with labs) and received an A in both. That is not part of my 2.9 science gpa. Since I want to apply in early Summer, I think I'll try to enroll in 8 more units for the first part of Summer. I can't take classes during the normal school year since I am a full time teacher.

Well what is your sGPA with those two courses added in?

 

[karcrash]

The post-bacc was on a semester system. My undergrad school was on a quarter system. When I convert them to quarter units it is 10 credits. It puts my science GPA to 3.1.

 

[karcrash]

*when I convert the units its 12 quarter units actually. Still 3.1

 

[Faha]

With your current stats you should receive several interviews from DO schools. Apply in June and submit all your secondaries by July and include all these schools:
ACOM
ARCOM
BCOM
WCU-COM
LMU-DCOM
UP-KYCOM
WVSOM
UIWSOM
VCOM (all 3 schools)
NYIT-Arkansas
RVU-Utah
ATSU-SOMA
any new schools that open in 2018.
If you want to take summer courses to increase your sGPA that will help. If you do so then submit your application in August when your grades are available.

 

[Goro]

Do not even think about Carib diploma mills unless you like the idea of being deeply in debt and unemployed except at Walmart or Uber.

Your GPA IS too low. You need to demonstrate that you can handle med school, so ace either a DIY post-bac or a SMP.

In addition, have you done patient contact volunteering? Non-clinical volunteering?

Hello. I am a non-traditional applicant. My overall GPA was 3.3 and a 2.9 in sciences. My MCAT score was 510.

I am currently a high school chemistry and physics teacher. I applied to the US MD and DO schools last year. I didn't submit my DO application until December, though. I wasn't offered an interview anywhere. I applied to Saint George and AUC in the Caribbeans and got accepted easily. I am trying to decide if I should go to AUC or SGU or re-apply to the US DO and MD schools in early June. I will still be teaching next year if I decide to re-apply.

My biggest concern is I feel my GPA is too low. I have experience shadowing both MD and DO doctors. Any input would be appreciated.

 

[karcrash]

Do not even think about Carib diploma mills unless you like the idea of being deeply in debt and unemployed except at Walmart or Uber.

Your GPA IS too low. You need to demonstrate that you can handle med school, so ace either a DIY post-bac or a SMP.

In addition, have you done patient contact volunteering? Non-clinical volunteering?

I've shadowed MD and DO. I volunteer at a needle exchange clinic where I live. When someone needs to see the doctor, I ask the patients questions on why they need to see doctor, how long the symptoms have occurred, etc, etc and fill in the report for the doctor. I also hand out prescriptions for Narcan in case of heroin/opiod overrode and a card that protects them from possession of heroin/meth paraphernalia from the Doctor. I've only done this for total of 20 hours but plan on continuing for 3-4 hours every Saturday.
I have also volunteered in a medical clinic and teen-mom orphanage in Peru.

I have also done miscellaneous volunteering through Kiwanis and through the school I work for.

I professor from a local university (not my undergrad university) says I can help him with research in the Summer.

SO based on what others have said, I plan on submitting my applications in early June and filling out secondary applications in the Summer. I will try to enroll in 10 more credits over the summer and send updated transcripts to the schools that give me a secondary application since AACOM and AMCAS won't let you alter your grades once submitted.

 

[Goro]

You're good to go!

I've shadowed MD and DO. I volunteer at a needle exchange clinic where I live. When someone needs to see the doctor, I ask the patients questions on why they need to see doctor, how long the symptoms have occurred, etc, etc and fill in the report for the doctor. I also hand out prescriptions for Narcan in case of heroin/opiod overrode and a card that protects them from possession of heroin/meth paraphernalia from the Doctor. I've only done this for total of 20 hours but plan on continuing for 3-4 hours every Saturday.
I have also volunteered in a medical clinic and teen-mom orphanage in Peru.

I have also done miscellaneous volunteering through Kiwanis and through the school I work for.

I professor from a local university (not my undergrad university) says I can help him with research in the Summer.

SO based on what others have said, I plan on submitting my applications in early June and filling out secondary applications in the Summer. I will try to enroll in 10 more credits over the summer and send updated transcripts to the schools that give me a secondary application since AACOM and AMCAS won't let you alter your grades once submitted.

 

[vitamin H]

Hello. I am a non-traditional applicant. My overall GPA was 3.3 and a 2.9 in sciences. My MCAT score was 510.

I am currently a high school chemistry and physics teacher. I applied to the US MD and DO schools last year. I didn't submit my DO application until December, though. I wasn't offered an interview anywhere. I applied to Saint George and AUC in the Caribbeans and got accepted easily. I am trying to decide if I should go to AUC or SGU or re-apply to the US DO and MD schools in early June. I will still be teaching next year if I decide to re-apply.

My biggest concern is I feel my GPA is too low. I have experience shadowing both MD and DO doctors. Any input would be appreciated.

Honestly, just looking at your GPA I'd say getting in and excelling in medical school is going to be an uphill battle. People who excel in pre-med courses (the first time around) usually have an easier time getting into medical school and will usually perform well once they get into medical school and will actually enjoy the process to a certain extent. Yes there are exceptions. But if your performance suffered this early in the game and the door to the next step is not opening easily take it as a sign and consider if medicine is really for you. Try going through a door that is open to you as opposed to forcing one open for yourself.

I started pursing medicine at age 18 and am now going to start residency at age 29 with six figures of debt. Looking back on it, the whole process was exhausting. I'm grateful that I made it this far and I'm excited about being a doctor. But in retrospect, I wish I had paid more attention to my own performance in pre-med coursework and maybe even cut my losses back then. But I pushed, and struggled and forced my way through and now I wonder if it was really worth it in the end.

If I were in your position, I would probably try PA/NP or Masters in Clinical Social Work. Actually I would probably stay in teaching if I were in your position. I would only consider PA/NP or Masters if I wasn't happy teaching and I was looking for a change. Teaching is a great profession, flexible/rewarding and offers a good salary. Strongly recommend against the Caribbean/DO route. Both are only feasible if you can really knock your medical school performance out of the park. Caribbean being far less secure then DO.

 

[GypsyHummus]

Go to Pharmacy, Optometry, or Podiatry school before ever thinking about stepping foot into the carribean.

 

[ES671]

I was in your boat, 3.1 GPA undergrad and a 505 MCAT score. I did a 1-year Biomedical Science Masters and was accepted for this coming year. It seems your MCAT score is pretty good so you might have a chance at interviewing and getting into a DO school, though I feel you would be waitlisted and play the whole waiting game. I would try to find a one-year masters program near you that guarantees an interview if you meet their conditions. Not only will this help you with your GPA, but you'll be taking courses that you will see in med school, making you even more prepared. I doubt you wouldn't get in if you performed well!

Do not go to the Caribean. Far too much of a risk. One more year of waiting is much better than a lifetime of regret.

 

[Isoval]

The only type of person I’d recommend go to the Caribbean is a 3.9/514 applicant who can’t get in because their letter writers lit them on fire, interview like a dead rat, and wrote that they’re god’s gift to medicine in their personal statement.

Caribbean is too high risk with too little reward to be considered by someone who has even a slight amount of academic questionability, which is almost everyone who considers the Caribbean.

I second some of the other posters here that you should strongly consider an SMP next cycle to bring that GPA out of question.