Planning to Reapply: Post-Bacc or SMP to Improve Application?

[kenykj49]

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2021-2022 Cycle Results to Date: 2 MD II, 1 DO II --> 3 WL

A quick rundown of stats:

ORM, Male, NY Resident
School List: 30 "low/mid tier" MD, 10 "top" DO.

cGPA: 3.28 (last 90 credits @ 3.94)
sGPA: 3.06 (3.4 for AACOMAS)
MCAT: 514 (129/126/128/131)
LOR: Pre-med committee and MD (one interviewer told me they were "really good")
Clinical Experience:

• ED Technician (3200 hours)
• Red Cross Disaster Health Service Provider - EMT (80 hours, volunteer)
• Oncology/Hematology Scribe (60 hours)
• Chief Medical Scribe, ED (576 hours, leadership)
• ED Scribe (750 hours)
• Patient Advocate with NGO (50 hours, volunteer)

Non-Clinical Experience:

• Crisis Text Line (200 hours, volunteer)
• Organic Chemistry Supplemental Instruction Leader (50 hours)
• EMT Teaching Assistant (50 hours)
• Teaching English in Indonesia (120 hours)
• IRONMAN participant

If I have to reapply, I will take the next year to improve my application. Am I correct in thinking that I need to attend a post-bacc or SMP? Ideally, I would like to attend one with linkage and support for finding research opportunities and improving interview skills. Some people have also recommended the NIH post-bacc. Thoughts?

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

I could be wrong but wouldn’t you have to wait until two cycles from now in order for the SMP/post bacc to pay dividends in terms of results (since you would just be starting when the next cycle began)

School list may also be helpful if you’re comfortable listing. Some “low tier” med schools are actually extremely low yield.

 

[Dobermann]

Given that you had 3 IIs this cycle, I would think that the best thing to do is improve your interview skills. Your stats were clearly good enough to get you in the door at schools.

 

[siloaddict]

2021-2022 Cycle Results to Date: 2 MD II, 1 DO II --> 3 WL

A quick rundown of stats:

ORM, Male, NY Resident
School List: 30 "low/mid tier" MD, 10 "top" DO.

cGPA: 3.28 (last 90 credits @ 3.94)
sGPA: 3.06 (3.4 for AACOMAS)
MCAT: 514 (129/126/128/131)
LOR: Pre-med committee and MD (one interviewer told me they were "really good")
Clinical Experience:

• ED Technician (3200 hours)
• Red Cross Disaster Health Service Provider - EMT (80 hours, volunteer)
• Oncology/Hematology Scribe (60 hours)
• Chief Medical Scribe, ED (576 hours, leadership)
• ED Scribe (750 hours)
• Patient Advocate with NGO (50 hours, volunteer)

Non-Clinical Experience:

• Crisis Text Line (200 hours, volunteer)
• Organic Chemistry Supplemental Instruction Leader (50 hours)
• EMT Teaching Assistant (50 hours)
• Teaching English in Indonesia (120 hours)
• IRONMAN participant

If I have to reapply, I will take the next year to improve my application. Am I correct in thinking that I need to attend a post-bacc or SMP? Ideally, I would like to attend one with linkage and support for finding research opportunities and improving interview skills. Some people have also recommended the NIH post-bacc. Thoughts?

I don't see anything special that screams "kenyjk49" It seems like everything is science-related and it feels pretty cookie-cutter...

But then again, you have 3 interviews and they didn't turn out the way you would have liked. I suspect that you might be a bad interviewee.

 

[LindaAccepted]

2021-2022 Cycle Results to Date: 2 MD II, 1 DO II --> 3 WL

A quick rundown of stats:

ORM, Male, NY Resident
School List: 30 "low/mid tier" MD, 10 "top" DO.

cGPA: 3.28 (last 90 credits @ 3.94)
sGPA: 3.06 (3.4 for AACOMAS)
MCAT: 514 (129/126/128/131)
LOR: Pre-med committee and MD (one interviewer told me they were "really good")
Clinical Experience:

• ED Technician (3200 hours)
• Red Cross Disaster Health Service Provider - EMT (80 hours, volunteer)
• Oncology/Hematology Scribe (60 hours)
• Chief Medical Scribe, ED (576 hours, leadership)
• ED Scribe (750 hours)
• Patient Advocate with NGO (50 hours, volunteer)

Non-Clinical Experience:

• Crisis Text Line (200 hours, volunteer)
• Organic Chemistry Supplemental Instruction Leader (50 hours)
• EMT Teaching Assistant (50 hours)
• Teaching English in Indonesia (120 hours)
• IRONMAN participant

If I have to reapply, I will take the next year to improve my application. Am I correct in thinking that I need to attend a post-bacc or SMP? Ideally, I would like to attend one with linkage and support for finding research opportunities and improving interview skills. Some people have also recommended the NIH post-bacc. Thoughts?

Do the WLing schools accept updates? Have you sent them?

Did you provide context (if appropriate) for your initial low grades?

I agree that working on interview skills is a good idea. However, if you don't get in, I would both consider a post-bac program and get interview prep to be ready for your interviews and address possible problems.

 

[M3_SixSpeed]

Tbh your stats aren't bad. That last 90 credit hr speaks more than the cGPA. And good mcat score. When did you submit your app? Idk how patient you are but my buddy got the acceptance for DO school in September. He applied legit the Day cycle opened. He didn't get any Acceptances the previous cycle so he had all his school secondaries filled in advance and revamped his personal statement and got in. And you have better stats than he did. Just saying if you are trying to not spend 30-60k reapplying really early def works.

I met people in my SMP program who finished undergrad then went straight to the smp program and now we are in the same med school together. Pretty good linkage

 

[kenykj49]

Tbh your stats aren't bad. That last 90 credit hr speaks more than the cGPA. And good mcat score. When did you submit your app? Idk how patient you are but my buddy got the acceptance for DO school in September. He applied legit the Day cycle opened. He didn't get any Acceptances the previous cycle so he had all his school secondaries filled in advance and revamped his personal statement and got in. And you have better stats than he did. Just saying if you are trying to not spend 30-60k reapplying really early def works.

I met people in my SMP program who finished undergrad then went straight to the smp program and now we are in the same med school together. Pretty good linkage

I applied first day cycle opened and had all secondaries submitted within three days.

 

[kenykj49]

Do the WLing schools accept updates? Have you sent them?

Did you provide context (if appropriate) for your initial low grades?

I agree that working on interview skills is a good idea. However, if you don't get in, I would both consider a post-bac program and get interview prep to be ready for your interviews and address possible problems.

2/3 of the schools didn’t ask in secondaries and interviews were blind to GPA/MCAT, so I did not provide any context for initial low GPA (nothing impressive anyways, I was simply just a late-bloomer academically). The third school, I provided a paragraph explaining in the secondary.

I don’t have anything to update with, I started working in the ED as a tech at the beginning of the cycle and have been doing that for the last year. I plan on sending one letter of intent and a letter of interest.

Thanks for your response.

 

[cincincyreds]

2021-2022 Cycle Results to Date: 2 MD II, 1 DO II --> 3 WL

A quick rundown of stats:

ORM, Male, NY Resident
School List: 30 "low/mid tier" MD, 10 "top" DO.

cGPA: 3.28 (last 90 credits @ 3.94)
sGPA: 3.06 (3.4 for AACOMAS)
MCAT: 514 (129/126/128/131)
LOR: Pre-med committee and MD (one interviewer told me they were "really good")
Clinical Experience:

• ED Technician (3200 hours)
• Red Cross Disaster Health Service Provider - EMT (80 hours, volunteer)
• Oncology/Hematology Scribe (60 hours)
• Chief Medical Scribe, ED (576 hours, leadership)
• ED Scribe (750 hours)
• Patient Advocate with NGO (50 hours, volunteer)

Non-Clinical Experience:

• Crisis Text Line (200 hours, volunteer)
• Organic Chemistry Supplemental Instruction Leader (50 hours)
• EMT Teaching Assistant (50 hours)
• Teaching English in Indonesia (120 hours)
• IRONMAN participant

If I have to reapply, I will take the next year to improve my application. Am I correct in thinking that I need to attend a post-bacc or SMP? Ideally, I would like to attend one with linkage and support for finding research opportunities and improving interview skills. Some people have also recommended the NIH post-bacc. Thoughts?

I think a post-bacc is more for people who never did pre-medical education. Your MCAT score is great. I would recommend a SMP to raise your GPA. I believe you could definitely get into a DO school. Nice job improving your application.

 

[M3_SixSpeed]

I applied first day cycle opened and had all secondaries submitted within three days.

I think you're in the running. It's December. I didn't have interviews until February. And I received my acceptances to 2 MD programs in Mid May. Don't lose hope. Your mcat score is great and your GPA for DO school is fair. An SMP would get you into MD but does it really matter MD vs DO? Be patient don't stress. And I wish you luck.
And Merry Christmas 🎅🎄

 

[Dumplingz]

I could be wrong but wouldn’t you have to wait until two cycles from now in order for the SMP/post bacc to pay dividends in terms of results (since you would just be starting when the next cycle began)

School list may also be helpful if you’re comfortable listing. Some “low tier” med schools are actually extremely low yield.

I have this exact question too. I’m applying in the upcoming cycle and looking to do something in my gap year. I’m looking into doing either National Health Corp/Americorp or an NIH IRTA Postbacc program, but in either case, I would start around the same time primaries are submitted. I guess I could include projected hours in my activities section on my primary and talk a little about them in secondaries, but would that even help all that much? I feel like the main benefit to starting a postbacc at the start of a cycle is that you can have a lot to add in the interviews, but I’m not sure if moving across the country to pursue a postbacc is worth the trouble if adcoms don’t see any significant difference between that and simply continuing the activities that I’m already doing during my gap year. Any thoughts?

 

[KnightDoc]

I have this exact question too. I’m applying in the upcoming cycle and looking to do something in my gap year. I’m looking into doing either National Health Corp/Americorp or an NIH IRTA Postbacc program, but in either case, I would start around the same time primaries are submitted. I guess I could include projected hours in my activities section on my primary and talk a little about them in secondaries, but would that even help all that much? I feel like the main benefit to starting a postbacc at the start of a cycle is that you can have a lot to add in the interviews, but I’m not sure if moving across the country to pursue a postbacc is worth the trouble if adcoms don’t see any significant difference between that and simply continuing the activities that I’m already doing during my gap year. Any thoughts?

You're right. People are notorious for dropping projected activities midstream as life gets in the way, especially after they receive an A. As a result, projected activities and hours don't have nearly the weight of those that are completed.

Doing something at any time is better than not, but, if you are only doing something to enhance an application, you will receive a far bigger benefit from having participated for at least a year prior to applying. Activities like Americorps or NIH, that require a commitment, might be exceptions to the general rule, but I think you'll still do much better if you have completed the activity and can discuss it at length rather than only being able to speak superficially a few months after you begin. JMHO.

 

[MDMechEngr]

If you do not succeed this cycle, get interview feedback from the schools. for the MD schools, i am willing to bet your gpa is holding you back from getting that A if it wasnt your interview skills. I would look at the previous blogs for the schools that you were WL on to see if there are any WL movement as PTE and CTE dates approach. you may get off the WL yet b/c it is still early. GL.

 

[MawbleIM]

So what I’m seeing isn’t a lack of stats, but ECs that don’t help you stand out given your gpa situation.

The last 90 credits @3.94 is absolutely stellar and you have a great mcat score. To me you don’t stand out with your ECs. Correct me if I’m wrong but I didn’t see any shadowing or research?

But as someone who’s gpa is low (at first glance) I feel like you need to have everything else in your app be strong af, so adcoms get more curious about you and maybe they can dive more into the gpa. See the trend, see what potentially happened and how you made the adjustments and learned from your mistakes.

That’s my 2 cents and I am in now way qualified so take with a grain of salt!!