Short Story:
Nontraditional applicant
2.91 B.S. Biomedical Engineering GPA
3.9 M.S Statistics GPA
Significant shadowing/volunteer experience in undergrad but that was 5+ years ago.
No recent volunteer or shadowing experience.
Extensive Research Background - several conference abstracts, two pending papers, one to be submitted to NEJM in a few months.
Strong LOR
515 (94 percentile) MCAT
Unsure if I should apply this cycle or do post-bacc work for the next year. Fine with DO route.
What are my chances/what should I do to strengthen my application?
Long story:
I graduated in 2013 with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering at a top 10 university. My GPA was 2.91 and my science GPA is 2.87. My first few semesters of undergrad were really strong, academically. I volunteered regularly, did volunteer research for 10 hours a week, and did an MD shadowing program. Then due to a combination of financial, family and maturity problems my grades tanked and at one point I withdrew from classes for a semester. When I went back my grades gradually increased to the 3.3 GPA level. I did research for several years and presented a few posters at conferences.
When I graduated I went to work for a medical device company as a clinical data analyst for 4 years. I worked on a major clinical trial and had some minor shadowing experiences with surgeons. I co-authored a few conference abstracts and podium presentations, including some that won awards. I also coauthored two papers that are under review right now at mid-tier journals and they will most likely be accepted and e-published by summer. The surgeons I worked with are very highly renown professors within their field and a couple of them would write me LORs.
While continuing to work full-time I was admitted and enrolled in a M.S. Statistics program at top 20 university. I took 6-8 hours of graduate classes each semester for 2 years and graduated with a 3.9. I did a research based thesis as well but nothing was published. My advisor told me he would write me a stunning LOR.
I've been working at non-profit research institute for the past year as a statistician. I'm a statistician for several clinical trials for HIV and TB vaccines. I'm working on a paper right now that should be submitted in a few months to New England Journal of Medicine with a high probability of acceptance (a companion study was published in NEJM last last year), though acceptance likely won't happen until the end of the year. One of the faculty I work with is professor and would most likely write me a LOR.
I scored a 515 (94 percentile) on my MCAT.
I initially wanted to apply this application cycle, but I'm hesitant due to my undergrad record. I am perfectly fine doing the DO route. I am considering taking upper division classes in the biological sciences at the local university to boost my GPA past the 3.0 mark, but I unsure as to how much this would benefit me. I would most likely have to drop to part-time work and cost of classes is nontrivial. Additionally, it means postponing my application for at least one more year.
Nontraditional applicant
2.91 B.S. Biomedical Engineering GPA
3.9 M.S Statistics GPA
Significant shadowing/volunteer experience in undergrad but that was 5+ years ago.
No recent volunteer or shadowing experience.
Extensive Research Background - several conference abstracts, two pending papers, one to be submitted to NEJM in a few months.
Strong LOR
515 (94 percentile) MCAT
Unsure if I should apply this cycle or do post-bacc work for the next year. Fine with DO route.
What are my chances/what should I do to strengthen my application?
Long story:
I graduated in 2013 with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering at a top 10 university. My GPA was 2.91 and my science GPA is 2.87. My first few semesters of undergrad were really strong, academically. I volunteered regularly, did volunteer research for 10 hours a week, and did an MD shadowing program. Then due to a combination of financial, family and maturity problems my grades tanked and at one point I withdrew from classes for a semester. When I went back my grades gradually increased to the 3.3 GPA level. I did research for several years and presented a few posters at conferences.
When I graduated I went to work for a medical device company as a clinical data analyst for 4 years. I worked on a major clinical trial and had some minor shadowing experiences with surgeons. I co-authored a few conference abstracts and podium presentations, including some that won awards. I also coauthored two papers that are under review right now at mid-tier journals and they will most likely be accepted and e-published by summer. The surgeons I worked with are very highly renown professors within their field and a couple of them would write me LORs.
While continuing to work full-time I was admitted and enrolled in a M.S. Statistics program at top 20 university. I took 6-8 hours of graduate classes each semester for 2 years and graduated with a 3.9. I did a research based thesis as well but nothing was published. My advisor told me he would write me a stunning LOR.
I've been working at non-profit research institute for the past year as a statistician. I'm a statistician for several clinical trials for HIV and TB vaccines. I'm working on a paper right now that should be submitted in a few months to New England Journal of Medicine with a high probability of acceptance (a companion study was published in NEJM last last year), though acceptance likely won't happen until the end of the year. One of the faculty I work with is professor and would most likely write me a LOR.
I scored a 515 (94 percentile) on my MCAT.
I initially wanted to apply this application cycle, but I'm hesitant due to my undergrad record. I am perfectly fine doing the DO route. I am considering taking upper division classes in the biological sciences at the local university to boost my GPA past the 3.0 mark, but I unsure as to how much this would benefit me. I would most likely have to drop to part-time work and cost of classes is nontrivial. Additionally, it means postponing my application for at least one more year.
