Need help with my decison

[thisisapickle]

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Well I am having some trouble with my decison, even after talking with some MD and friends I am equally confused, so let me lay it out....

GPA 2.9/2.9 sci allo for AACOM 3.21/3.17sci
MCAT 22 -- found a spot 6 days before the Test and took the test with no
Studying no prep at all only so I could Apply to SMP's not that upset since I have been out of school two years

EC: some volunteer lots of shadowing... Research - 10 papers 3 first authors in medium to high impact journals and presented my work at some of Cancer Research's most prestigious meetings

So I got into American University of the Caribbean (AUC) for May 09...Also I have been accepted into some DO SMP's (arizona and Nova Southeastern) no ALLO SMP's.

I want to eventually return to career that allows me to do research (translational and basic science).

What would you do? Which would be the best for me or does it matter? I am 25 so if I do a DO SMP I loss a year also spend more money.

Thanks to anyone willing to give there 2 cents!
😀

 

[RussianJoo]

what's SMP?

 

[thisisapickle]

(S)pecial (M)asters (P)rogrms - programs which allow a student to improve their low scores by taking medical school or medical school like classes. AKA Post Bacc

 

[Guinea]

Well I am having some trouble with my decison, even after talking with some MD and friends I am equally confused, so let me lay it out....

GPA 2.9/2.9 sci allo for AACOM 3.21/3.17sci
MCAT 22 -- found a spot 6 days before the Test and took the test with no
Studying no prep at all only so I could Apply to SMP's not that upset since I have been out of school two years

EC: some volunteer lots of shadowing... Research - 10 papers 3 first authors in medium to high impact journals and presented my work at some of Cancer Research's most prestigious meetings

So I got into American University of the Caribbean (AUC) for May 09...Also I have been accepted into some DO SMP's (arizona and Nova Southeastern) no ALLO SMP's.

I want to eventually return to career that allows me to do research (translational and basic science).

What would you do? Which would be the best for me or does it matter? I am 25 so if I do a DO SMP I loss a year also spend more money.

Thanks to anyone willing to give there 2 cents!
😀

You are going to have a hard time getting into a DO with a 22.

 

[RussianJoo]

ohh ok thanks. I personally don't like post baccs especially when both your gpa and mcat are so low. go to AUC it's a good school kind of surprised you were excepted there.

 

[Handy388]

I heard that caribean make academic medicine extremely diffcult to go into, but so is DO.

I suggest you get a Ph.D and stay in basic science research.

 

[Boges]

go to AUC it's a good school kind of surprised you were excepted there.

I think the bar lowers for the May class since it's not a typical/traditional start time. But still, I'm a little surprised too.

 

[ChairmanMao]

I think the bar lowers for the May class since it's not a typical/traditional start time. But still, I'm a little surprised too.

It must have been those publications and ECs that tipped the scales in his favor. The other posters are correct in their assessment that his MCAT and GPA are too low for the other popular Carribbean schools (I'm thinking of SGU and Ross).

Realistically, I don't think the OP has a chance at an American MD school even if he gets straight A's doing his SMP (that would drag his GPA up to a 3.1 at most). DO schools - maybe if he retakes the MCAT and scores a 30+ and gets 3.5+ in his SMP program - DO schools tends to be more forgiving with regards to GPA.

But really, if the OP wants to do an SMP and wait out another year, he should definitely retake the MCAT and try to score a 30 or a high 20s. That would give him a real shot at a DO school and stay in the US.

On the other hand, if the OP feels that he absolutely cannot wait another year, or that he won't be able to improve when retaking the MCAT, or if he doesn't like the DO philosphy, then he should just enroll at AUC and get good board scores and try to get into a good residency.

 

[dragonfly99]

I agree with chairmanmao,
although I would like to hear more from the OP about the reasons for wanting to go to med school. It sounds like he/she is already successful in research. If a research career is desired, I'm not sure a Caribbean med school or even most DO degrees would do much to further that. A PhD or MPH might be a better bet, if a research-type academic career is what is desired.