One interview so far, might re-app. Need advice!

[SciMal]

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So I graduated in May and applied for 2013 (thanks to some funky planning from the adviser and switching Majors).

I applied for about 14 schools overall, a mix of D.O. and M.D. including my University's med school (University of Utah).

However, even though I applied early I've only received an invitation for one interview at LECOM - and because I don't have a LoR from a D.O. specifically (M.D. yes), they won't make a final decision until I have one.

I'm currently shadowing a D.O. at the Orthopaedic Center where I'm volunteering, but I don't know when he'll feel comfortable enough to provide one. Since it's so late into the cycle, I'm wondering if it's not just worth planning to re-app.

I still plan to shadow the D.O. and have the free time to do as much extracurricular as needed.

I was rejected from my state's med school because the University of Utah has additional extracurricular requirements no other school I know does (minimums for Volunteer, Leadership, Research, and Patience Contact hours - all separate categories, and you can't double up). By the end of this year I will have met those requirements, but obviously it's too late.

Here are my other relevant stats:

GPA: 3.2*
MCAT: 28**
EC: ~360 Volunteer Hours, 36 Research Hours in my local E.D., and roughly 24 Leadership Hours.

*My mother was struck with Glioblastoma Multiforme during my switch from English to Biology, and my grades suffered for about 2 years as I struggled with the loss. I had to re-take O-chem and Gen-chem, and my scores early on aren't that great. However, my GPA did trend up and my last semester it was 3.68 with full science courses.

** 7 Physical Sciences, 10 Biological Sciences, 11 Verbal

I'm confident I could get a higher MCAT score, and with the additional hours I can easily satisfy the requirements for my state's school. However, I'm wondering if I shouldn't look for another D.O. to shadow and get the LoR quicker in order to be considered for LECOM, or if I should call the last cycle a wash and prep for the next one?




Thanks in advance!

P.S. - Man do I feel like an old bugger doing this at 28! 🙂

 

[darklabel]

Get that letter ASAP! Don't have any shame and talk to the DO you're shadowing. Don't call it a wash. Do you really want to go through this again? (and not have a guarantee?)

Also you said that you applied to a mix of DO and MD, the fact only one DO got back is a little troubling, what's your sciGPA like?

28 isn't too young so if I were you, I'd do everything in my power to get into LECOM.

 

[SciMal]

Get that letter ASAP! Don't have any shame and talk to the DO you're shadowing. Don't call it a wash. Do you really want to go through this again? (and not have a guarantee?)

I sent him an e-mail, and he seems pretty reluctant to the idea. I don't think he believes it's just a check-box sort of thing and I'm trying to get in, shadow, and get out without real commitment. Maybe I'll just search for another D.O. and keep shadowing him as well.

Also you said that you applied to a mix of DO and MD, the fact only one DO got back is a little troubling, what's your sciGPA like?

About 2.8. My cumGPA was about 3.2. I have at least one F that was retaken to a C+ and one D retaken to a B, but I was recovering from my mother's death during most of my Chem courses (where the bulk of my low grades sit). I'm not sure how much they account for that, but I didn't really feel able and capable until almost 2 years afterwards, when I was pretty much done with the basics.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[bollywoodlover]

Ya might be best to find another doc. Most the docs I shadowed would have done anything to get me in.

 

[hallowmann]

Ya might be best to find another doc. Most the docs I shadowed would have done anything to get me in.

I second that. Granted I'm not an authority, but all of the DOs I've interacted with know that a DO letter is required/recommended, and they are usually happy to write a good letter and be advocates for you. It kind of surprises me that your experience is so different than that, but there are a lot of different people out there.