Not accepted for 2015 MD. What now??

[KerriLynnDesigns]

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I've applied to 20-ish schools and have 4 that I'm still waiting for II from (Rosalind Franklin, CO, Geisel, Vermont). I'm not feelings very hopeful to say the least.

My original plan if I don't get in this year was to go back to my job I've had for the last 12 years as a Medical Device Specialist and then reapply this summer.

Then someone mentioned a program their friend did for a year at Tulane that applied to their future medical degree.
Does anyone know of such a program and if it is worth it? Or if there are other suggestions that would increase my chances for 2016.

Here are my stats:
Older student: 34 yrs
MCAT 30
Undergrad GPA: 2.1 (I was a stupid kid)
GPA from science classes over the past 2 years: 3.5

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

 

[MDporfavor8888]

i think your MCAT could improve, if you really want to have a much better shot at a future cycle.

even though it was a long time ago, your college GPA was very low which is something that cannot be overlooked and the fact that your recent GPA from sciences classes is only a 3.5 isn't very encouraging, assuming that they're college level courses.

if that program they did at Tulane is a SMP (special masters program), i highly suggest you look into it. a lot of those programs come with guaranteed interviews and such to their respective medical schools if you do well in them, but they will be first year medical school courses which means they'll be incomparably harder than college science courses. if you do wish to enter those programs, you have to really devote all your efforts into doing well and getting a 3.8 or higher. otherwise, i think you should look into DO schools. good luck!

 

[Grenerd]

Definitely seems like a post-bacc could be the way to go or you could continue to do science classes while you work. Its difficult to say without knowing your ECs, if your work in medical devices isn't direct clinical contact that may be in order as well. When I interviewed at CO they said their last interview day of the season is on Friday so unless they receive a last minute cancellation I think that one may be done unfortunately. Definitely don't give up you seem really dedicated. I don't know if I could switch gears after 12 years like you, really impressive, I certainly wish you the best of luck!

 

[KerriLynnDesigns]

Definitely seems like a post-bacc could be the way to go or you could continue to do science classes while you work. Its difficult to say without knowing your ECs, if your work in medical devices isn't direct clinical contact that may be in order as well. When I interviewed at CO they said their last interview day of the season is on Friday so unless they receive a last minute cancellation I think that one may be done unfortunately. Definitely don't give up you seem really dedicated. I don't know if I could switch gears after 12 years like you, really impressive, I certainly wish you the best of luck!

Thanks! My experience in devices is cardiac rhythm management which includes being in the operating room assisting the doctors with implantations of pacemakers and defibrillators. Additionally, I hold clinics to follow up with the patients that have the devices.

I definitely this I could up my ECs. I didn't have many since I have been doing school the last two years and working along with having a wife and children. I know those aren't excuses though.

 

[y123]

Are you fine with DO schools? Your GPA is too low for MD schools. Your recent GPA is not that great neither.

 

[xffan624]

Your application is what DO grade replacement was built for. Forget applying MD or doing an SMP. Go for DO.

 

[KerriLynnDesigns]

Your application is what DO grade replacement was built for. Forget applying MD or doing an SMP. Go for DO.

My concern with DO is that I want to specialize. Should this be a concern of mine? I would like to do interventional cardiology.

 

[ShabbaRanks]

The Tulane program your friend told you about is the Tulane ACP program. In order to apply for this you have to be on a waitlist at a medical school.

 

[tea guzzling traveler]

My concern with DO is that I want to specialize. Should this be a concern of mine? I would like to do interventional cardiology.

Not really, DO schools can lead to residencies in whatever field you want. Go DO would be my recommendation OP. Sadly for MD, the low GPA as an undergrad is a pretty big red flag, but some MD schools reward reinvention, and DO schools specifically allow reinvention through grade replacement.

 

[FutureOncologist]

My concern with DO is that I want to specialize. Should this be a concern of mine? I would like to do interventional cardiology.

No. You will go through IM training, which DO's have no problem getting into.

 

[Eppur Si Muove]

When you say "Science classes" that you took over the past two years, are you talking about the med school pre req's or general science classes? This seems kind of vague. How did you do in introductory science pre-req's? Regardless I believe you would have more success applying DO as well and you would not have a problem specializing. Also, what list of schools did you apply to and what state do you reside in? Answering all these questions will help us a little more.

 

[xffan624]

My concern with DO is that I want to specialize. Should this be a concern of mine? I would like to do interventional cardiology.

You can't even become a physician if you can't get into medical school. A uGPA of 2.1 is pretty much a non-starter at 95% of MD schools as evidenced by your current cycle (let's be clear here. Did you get ANY II's this cycle?) Do you really want to spend years and thousands of dollars of tuition on for a chance to get into the 5% of MD schools that might consider you? This is all for a notional selection of specialty before you've even entered medical school. Unfortunately, you gave up your chance to be picky about medical school when you tanked your uGPA.

 

[Omppu27]

Although it may be more of a challenge to get into the very competitive specialties (plastics, neuro, etc.) as a DO, wanting to specialize is no reason not to consider the DO route.

And, @FutureOncologist, interventional cards is Internal medicine followed by a cards fellowship followed by an additional fellowship in interventional cards (I think that's another year).

 

[NYCdude]

You essentially wasted a whole year applying to MD schools with a GPA that probably got you screened out from every school you applied to.

Apply D.O., match into an IM residency, do the requisite fellowships to go into interventional cardiology.

 

[Doug Underhill]

Beggars can't be choosers, and when your allegedly upward trend is only a 3.5, you are very, very much a beggar, particularly with a below-average MCAT.

I don't mean to be cruel, but you can't be picky about the medical schools that accept you. If you really want to be a doctor, osteopathic medical schools will give you that opportunity. Why do the letters after your name matter?

 

[deleted480308]

You don't really get to be an MD...that's passed in all likelihood. Do retakes until your gpa is 3.4ish and then apply DO

 

[Goro]

1) Get into medical school before worrying about specialties.
2) DOs can do cardiology.
3) MD schools exist that reward reinvention, but you have to ace MCAT (like 34+), along with the post-bac courses.
4) If you're boning for the MD, then ace the MCAT AND excel in a SMP.

My concern with DO is that I want to specialize. Should this be a concern of mine? I would like to do interventional cardiology.

 

[DokterMom]

Once you get into, then through medical school, I would suspect your professional work would be helpful in landing an eventual cardiology spot. But as everyone else has noted, it's the next step - getting into medical school, that's got you stumped.

You need to NAIL some upper division science courses and prove that your 20 year old self is not who you are now. And yeah, DO is the most realistic --

 

[Law2Doc]

1) Get into medical school before worrying about specialties.
2) DOs can do cardiology.
3) MD schools exist that reward reinvention, but you have to ace MCAT (like 34+), along with the post-bac courses.
4) If you're boning for the MD, then ace the MCAT AND excel in a SMP.

I basically agree with this, although "ace MCAT" tends to be very easy advice to give but not likely to lead to much -- the general advice is not to retake a 30 unless that was substantially lower than you were scoring in full length practice tests -- right now the 30 is kind of the evidence we have to rely on.

I also would suggest not applying to med school if you have your heart set on a single specialty. You have too many hurdles ahead of you to do that. Even if you get into an MD school, you might not score well on Step 1 and might not get into a good IM program. And from there you might not get cards. And even if you get to train in interventional cards, job opportunities in the subspecialty might be lacking -- I have some friends in this boat now. So basically be ready to be happy however this plays out, or don't play.

 

[Goro]

Based upon posts and PMs from successful reinventers, the commonality is that they all do very well on MCAT (33+). Thus, if one wants to go to an MD school, they indeed have to ace MCAT .

With a 30, perhaps aim for the lowest of the low tiers, newest schools, and state schools.

I basically agree with this, although "ace MCAT" tends to be very easy advice to give but not likely to lead to much -- the general advice is not to retake a 30 unless that was substantially lower than you were scoring in full length practice tests -- right now the 30 is kind of the evidence we have to rely on.

I also would suggest not applying to med school if you have your heart set on a single specialty. You have too many hurdles ahead of you to do that. Even if you get into an MD school, you might not score well on Step 1 and might not get into a good IM program. And from there you might not get cards. And even if you get to train in interventional cards, job opportunities in the subspecialty might be lacking -- I have some friends in this boat now. So basically be ready to be happy however this plays out, or don't play.

 

[Psai]

Retake mcat, if no significant improvement then apply do. No Caribbean

 

[Serous Demilune]

No. You will go through GS training, which DO's have no problem getting into.

IM training. Interventional cards is a cardiology sub-subspecialty.

 

[FutureOncologist]

IM training. Interventional cards is a cardiology sub-subspecialty.

And, @FutureOncologist, interventional cards is Internal medicine followed by a cards fellowship followed by an additional fellowship in interventional cards (I think that's another year).

That was my bad. Got confused about surgical options.