Non-trad applicant

[ericl85]

Hi, I am looking to apply to medical school this coming year and was wondering what were my chances and what level of schools I should be looking into. Ideally, I want to get into a UC or UW, but I feel like those are out of my league.

Undergrad: Double major Finance and Entrepreneurship
cGPA: 3.6 sGPA: 3.8 (probably 3.9 by the time I'm done)
Master: Oriental Medicine/Acupuncture
GPA: 3.95
MCAT: haven't taken yet

Things of concern:
- I transferred from UC Berkeley to University of Washington, Seattle my junior year (for a girl). My Berkeley GPA was about a 3.9 but my UW GPA is about a 3.5 (I held 2-3 part time jobs simultaneously while attending UW while only 1 in Berkeley)
- Half pre-med courses done in Berkeley. Other at a CC (financial reasons)
- I jumped from pre-med to business, and now I'm back on the medicine course
- Got a D first time for Ochem 1 due to a misunderstanding in course dropping rules. Retook for an A.
- Work experience is mostly in business related fields. Ran my own store, did accounting jobs, alot of tutoring due to the pay rate. I did do some labwork, but that was during my fresh/soph year. No research or doctor shadowing. At my acupuncture school, I have treated my own patients as an intern(similar to a resident) where most of my inspiration to become a doctor comes from.
- I don't know if this matters, but I've taken up to 30 units at a time while working. When I took a normal amount of classes, I usually worked 2-3 jobs. Do they take this into account for my less-than-stellar grades?
-Overall I am worried about inconsistency. UCB to UW came with a change in major and a drop in grades, though I have raised it with my recent pre-med courses and Masters. But pre-med courses were taken at a CC and the Masters isn't recognized except within the acupuncture profession.

I appreciate any feedback!

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[J ROD]

Hi, I am looking to apply to medical school this coming year and was wondering what were my chances and what level of schools I should be looking into. Ideally, I want to get into a UC or UW, but I feel like those are out of my league.

Undergrad: Double major Finance and Entrepreneurship
cGPA: 3.6 sGPA: 3.8 (probably 3.9 by the time I'm done)
Master: Oriental Medicine/Acupuncture
GPA: 3.95
MCAT: haven't taken yet

Things of concern:
- I transferred from UC Berkeley to University of Washington, Seattle my junior year (for a girl). My Berkeley GPA was about a 3.9 but my UW GPA is about a 3.5 (I held 2-3 part time jobs simultaneously while attending UW while only 1 in Berkeley)
- Half pre-med courses done in Berkeley. Other at a CC (financial reasons)
- I jumped from pre-med to business, and now I'm back on the medicine course
- Got a D first time for Ochem 1 due to a misunderstanding in course dropping rules. Retook for an A.
- Work experience is mostly in business related fields. Ran my own store, did accounting jobs, alot of tutoring due to the pay rate. I did do some labwork, but that was during my fresh/soph year. No research or doctor shadowing. At my acupuncture school, I have treated my own patients as an intern(similar to a resident) where most of my inspiration to become a doctor comes from.
- I don't know if this matters, but I've taken up to 30 units at a time while working. When I took a normal amount of classes, I usually worked 2-3 jobs. Do they take this into account for my less-than-stellar grades?
-Overall I am worried about inconsistency. UCB to UW came with a change in major and a drop in grades, though I have raised it with my recent pre-med courses and Masters. But pre-med courses were taken at a CC and the Masters isn't recognized except within the acupuncture profession.

I appreciate any feedback!

I think getting into one of those schools is gonna be tough.

First, great GPA...will help. Need a strong MCAT still.

You have a huge lack of "normal" ECs.....you need to get clinical volunteering in with docs and begin to shadow them. Show interest.

The jumping around and C in ochem will not hurt you that much at most schools but where you listed it probably will.

I think you will have a good shot overall if you apply broadly after getting in better ECs. (MCAT depending of course)

 

[Catalystik]

Your masters GPA doesn't help you at all, but your undergrad GPA is close enough to the median for those accepted that you don't need to improve it and the BCPM GPA is great. Being certified in acupuncture will make you stand out. You will be expected to finish the program and provide a letter from your masters advisor, BTW. Since you've been a mind changer in the past, it is important for you to carry through on your current obligation to your masters program.

Through your current program you have gained clinical patient experience, but you do not have clinical environment experience. You also need community service, so why not combine the two, and do some hospital or free/family-planning/ low-income clinic volunteering. A typical applicant has about 1.5 years of this, but you could probably get by with a year. Don't forget to ask to shadow some of the docs you meet.

Research isn't essential, but would help your application. Surely there's some being done at your current school that you could be involved in. Clinical research would also count as clinical experience, BTW (but not as volunteerism).

Working heavy hours might excuse you from some of the expected ECs, but doesn't excuse a low GPA. If you ended your undergrad years with a decreasing GPA trend, you may need to moderate that impression with some upper-level science postbac classwork.

Have you considered applying to the two DO schools in California? They might really appreciate your expertise in a nontraditional medicine.

I'm curious to know if you're still with that girl.

 

[ericl85]

FYI, despite a 5 year run, things between me and the girl ended. Would it be a bad idea to be honest during an interview (if they ask why I transferred from Cal to UW Seattle)? I am not considering a DO, despite my alt medicine background. Also, what level of schools should I be looking into? Just 2-3 names would be a great start for me. And thanks!

 

[Catalystik]

UIllinois, Rosalind Franklin, MCW.