PLEASE chance me! Major headache over what parts of app to work on

[zk5034]

Hello all..

I will be applying Summer 2011 App Cycle...I am currently a junior and just took MCAT at start of my jr year....PS/VR/BS=11/10/10 R = 31R

Here are the rest of my stats

3.59 cGPA
3.14 sGPA (orgo=C's...)

100+ Hours in hospital on call bell
20+ Hours shadowing trauma surgeon + radiologist
Medical Mission trip to south america
Assistant teacher for local sunday school
Organized $3000 "adopt a day" fundraising for local soup kitchen and volunteered for that day


I know thing's are looking pretty rough for me. I got about a semester and a half to improve things before I apply next summer. I'm still working on volunteer + shadowing, and desperately trying to get some sort of research position. What do you guys think? DO??!! Can I atleast get into some of the lowest-end med schools in the US?

Also, I'm thinking about retaking that MCAT. I'm pretty sure that I can get atleast a 33-34 if I retake, but I will be sacrificing time that I can use towards making GPA better. What should I do?

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[TriagePreMed]

Definitely a good shot at DO, but the bad part is that you're weakest in science. I think the 31 MCAT will definitely get you past that problem for DO school. US MD? Possibly at the lower tier schools. The Orgo C's is a problem. Was that for labs too? I don't see enough EC or any research. Lacking on leadership too. Do you have any hobbies you've done for long?

Do NOT re-take the MCAT. It's easy to think you can crack a 34, but you could realistically land lower than a 31. They are very balanced too which will get you far.

 

[cliffhuxtableDO]

agreed, don't retake the mcat. take classes to boost that BCMP. apply to both MD and DO schools. something will workout if you keep an open mind and apply broadly. good luck!

 

[Catalystik]

Your MCAT of 31 is fine. If you're in a hurry, you have a good chance at some DO schools, despite the low BCPM/sGPA. But if MD is important to you, I suggest you consider waiting another year before applying so as to get your BCPM into a more competitive range. Some As in upper-level Bio (and ideally in Biochem as well, to redeem the Cs in OChem) could do wonders for you. Another year would give you more time to get in a research experience, too, besides adding other missing EC-areas (leadership/weekly nonmedical community service).

 

[zk5034]

...to get your BCPM into a more competitive range.

Waittt....BCMP = bio chem math physics?

Does this mean that math classes are counted in science GPA calculation? I am in engineering with about 16 credits worth of calculus A's (more on the way) that I didn't include to calculate that 3.14..

Do med schools include all math classes to calculate sGPA, or only some or none?

 

[Catalystik]

AMCAS (MD) schools use the BCPM GPA which includes all math, but not a lot of engineering classes.

It's AACOMAS, the DO application service, that does not include math in their science GPA.

AMCAS BCPM GPA and AACOMAS sGPA includes: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=552026

 

[image187]

Don't take your MCAT again... and apply to DO schools too