Please help... What are my chances? Low GPA, death in family, other significant factors

[macncheese3]

Hi everyone,
I'm considering medical school and have been for quite some time. My biggest inspiration has been my sister because of her own medical issues. I've persevered through almost every obstacle that has come my way and haven't given up despite my low GPA, etc.
I would like to know if I even have a chance.
I am currently in my final semester of undergrad and will be graduating this December. I have a cumulative GPA of 2.9 -- there's a chance I can raise it by the end of the semester but it will quite difficult because I'm in all heavy sciences. After I graduate, the plan is to work in a clinical setting, volunteer, and study for the MCAT like my life depends on it.
I've worked part-time all 4 years of undergrad and financially responsible for almost everything so that has been a factor in some of my lower grades. I have 50+ hours of volunteering with various organizations, mostly with children who are differently abled, and triage at clinics. I shadowed some but not enough.
My mom was severely sick for a few years and depended on me to help her get dressed, etc. My sister was born with a rare disease, had 3 strokes, multiple surgeries, etc. While I was in undergrad she was hospitalized for 2 months in 2015 after an unexpected blood clot. Because I was so stressed out and preoccupied I missed an exam (could not make up) and ending up making a D in a biology class. Turns out I didn't even need the class because I took zoology which counted as a pre-req. In February of this year my little sister passed away suddenly and unexpectedly from a brain aneurysm. I didn't want to take a break from the semester so I returned after taking 2 weeks off. I finished the semester (capstone, physiology of microorganisms, sociology, and some other classes) with B's and A's. I have quite the personal experience and I've endured a lot these past few years. I think if I have a solid personal statement and do well on the MCAT I might have a chance at a DO school.
I would like to think that based on my personal experiences I have compassionate and empathy for others, and even with my broken heart I can help others heal as well.

If any of you have tips or words of advice I'd really appreciate it too. I'm a little discouraged and uncertain about my life. After going through so much I feel so defeated
Thank you.

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[Faha]

You need to take further undergraduate level courses to raise both your cGPA and sGPA to above 3.0. When you do so you would have a chance for interviews at some DO schools if you can score at least 500 on the MCAT. You also need 50 hours of physician shadowing (include a DO) and 200+ hours of clinical volunteering.

 

[candbgirl]

What is your sGPA? I wouldn’t take the MCAT just yet. If your sGPA is low you probably have some gaps in knowledge that could cause a low MCAT score. And that would be very bad. Work on raising your GPAs. When you get to 3.2-3.4 start worrying about the MCAT. Besides shadowing and clinical experience look for nonclinical volunteering too. Do something that will show your altruism. Good luck!

 

[macncheese3]

What is your sGPA? I wouldn’t take the MCAT just yet. If your sGPA is low you probably have some gaps in knowledge that could cause a low MCAT score. And that would be very bad. Work on raising your GPAs. When you get to 3.2-3.4 start worrying about the MCAT. Besides shadowing and clinical experience look for nonclinical volunteering too. Do something that will show your altruism. Good luck!

Hi, thank you. I really don't know what my sGPA is. I wanna say it's around a 2.5. I do understand that I may have some gaps in knowledge but that's particularly because of the outside stressors I've dealt with. I had to focus on my sister, mom, or plan a funeral, etc. I thought maybe after I graduate I could study for 3 months and focus on the specific subjects that I didn't do well in. I know what I know, it's just that I was heavily distracted with my own personal life that it was difficult to balance it all. I think if they were to look at my GPA I can justify it. But that's my own opinion.
Thank you for your advice! <3

 

[Walter Raleigh]

Put a year or two of DIY postbacc and a 513+, preferably 515+, MCAT score behind you and MD schools that reward reinvention would be glad to have you, especially with the personal-crisis story.

 

[deleted480308]

If you don’t get those gpas above 3.0 most schools will never even open the app to hear your story. It sucks but it’s just how things work. Keep at it

 

[Walter Raleigh]

If you don’t get those gpas above 3.0 most schools will never even open the app to hear your story. It sucks but it’s just how things work. Keep at it

Formal SMPs might take you with a year or two of 3.7+ DIY postbacc behind you. Once you're in one of those, do well and it's the backdoor to medical school.

 

[macncheese3]

Put a year or two of DIY postbacc and a 513+, preferably 515+, MCAT score behind you and MD schools that reward reinvention would be glad to have you, especially with the personal-crisis story.

Formal SMPs might take you with a year or two of 3.7+ DIY postbacc behind you. Once you're in one of those, do well and it's the backdoor to medical school.

Thank you so much! I appreciate your encouragement. What do you recommend in regards to a DIY postbacc? What is a formal SMP? I plan to study very hard and diligently to perform well on the MCAT. A lot of the issues I had in undergrad had to do with the fact that I had other life events that were distracting and I couldn't focus on school. Currently I'm working on grieving in the healthiest way. I can focus more on the MCAT once I graduate in December.

 

[Walter Raleigh]

Thank you so much! I appreciate your encouragement. What do you recommend in regards to a DIY postbacc? What is a formal SMP? I plan to study very hard and diligently to perform well on the MCAT. A lot of the issues I had in undergrad had to do with the fact that I had other life events that were distracting and I couldn't focus on school. Currently I'm working on grieving in the healthiest way. I can focus more on the MCAT once I graduate in December.

DIY postbacc: a year of upper-level science courses at a four-year school. Formal SMPs are held by medical schools, cost about $50,000 for tuition alone, generally don't accept people with GPAs below 3.0 (exceptions are sometimes made, especially for people with strong upward trends and good MCATs), and often provide a back door into medical school. They're very difficult, as you're often competing against first-year medical students and need to be in the top 20 percent to gain admission into their medical school. Many SMPs have guaranteed linkage programs, meaning that you're guaranteed a spot with a 3.6 or better. @Goro can give you more advice re. postbacc options - and whether any MD schools would take you with 2 years of 3.8+ DIY postbacc, a 516+ MCAT, and a sub-3.0 overall GPA. IIRC, there's an MD school in Louisiana that would; they consider the last 36 credits of postbacc work to be the student's GPA for admissions purposes.

 

[Goro]

Thank you so much! I appreciate your encouragement. What do you recommend in regards to a DIY postbacc? What is a formal SMP? I plan to study very hard and diligently to perform well on the MCAT. A lot of the issues I had in undergrad had to do with the fact that I had other life events that were distracting and I couldn't focus on school. Currently I'm working on grieving in the healthiest way. I can focus more on the MCAT once I graduate in December.

Read this:

• Goro's Advice for DO Applicants in Absence of Grade Replacement (2016-17 cycle)