Non-Trad, Low cGPA Seeking SMP Advice

[boogiechilling]

Hi All

I'm a non trad student with a low undergrad GPA. I've been steadily working on bringing it up to apply to medical school through a DIY post-bacc. I've decided to apply to an SMP and am seeking information on a few specific programs. My stats are:

BA - Photography
cGPA: 2.81 (brought up from 2.10 with over 100 credits after college)
AMCAS sGPA: 3.38 (3.53 post-bac)
AACOMAS sGPA: 3.64 (3.73 post-bac)
post-bacc GPA: 3.78 at my current school, but a few classes I took at community college years ago dropped that to a 3.63
graduate GPA: 3.62
GRE - unofficial score of 308 combined

I'm also a licensed EMT and wilderness first responder with over 100 hours of clinical volunteer experience, about 8 hours of physician shadowing, and over 600 hours of non-clinical volunteer experience. I'm interested in rural and low income palliative care, and my clinical experience is primarily low income and community health based (COVID vaccinator/responder). I may also join my local search and rescue team this year (waiting to see if i'll be accepted, fingers crossed) which should boost my clinical hours.

I'm hoping to do an SMP to help demonstrate academic competence because of my abysmal undergrad GPA. My front runners are Colorado State University, Rocky Vista University, and Pacific Northwest University.

Does anyone have any experience with these schools? Any general good advice on SMP's other than not to flunk out of them? Any general advice on DO/MD prospects would appreciated as well. I don't have an advisor so I've been wading through a lot of this stuff on my own hoping that I'm going in the right direction. Sorry for the long post.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Goro]

Any general good advice on SMP's other than not to flunk out of them?

Pick the one with the cheapest tuition, that is given by a host medical school, and has good linkage.

Do not work during the special master's program, and do not take the MCAT during the program.

Any general advice on DO/MD prospects would appreciated as well.

All I could say is that there are many MD schools that reward reinvention, as well as all DO.

 

[boogiechilling]

Pick the one with the cheapest tuition, that is given by a host medical school, and has good linkage.

Do not work during the special master's program, and do not take the MCAT during the program.


All I could say is that there are many MD schools that reward reinvention, as well as all DO.

Thank you! I appreciate your feedback!