Point of MD/PhD with low GPA?

[medicalmnt]

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I realize MD/PhD's are the most competitive programs offered but I was wondering how big of a criteria GPA plays into this. I looked around and some schools show MD/PhD avg acceptances are around the same as their MD acceptances however the consensus here is 3.8+ minimum.

I spoke with my advisors and was told that my background suggests I love research much more than the physician/patient part (which I'm confused as to how that can even be assumed..)

I understand that is a reasonable assumption to make but how do I show schools that I appreciate the research part of science but MD much more?
I feel that I am stuck where I like research and have invested my time heavily into it, but doesn't mean anything because I'm not competitive (not near the 3.8+ GPA range) for MD/PhDs. Advisor told me considering where my GPA is and what schools I am moderately competitive for... I should have chosen traditional MD extracurricular over research.

I have a 3.5 GPA, no MCAT yet, 2years of summer research, 1-semester undergrad credit research, and recently accepted an NIH-IRTA position. Leader of two social advocate groups at school, working ~30hours/week, club sports for one year, ~50 hour shadowing MD, ~100 hospital volunteer.

I realize I could have done more to show I wanted the MD but research opportunities required full commitment and offered $tipends which made someone from my background easily choose that than shadowing. Should I even bring up why I chose research initially?

How do I address this disparency or should I even apply for MD/PhD's anyway and just go from there?
Any success/advice for ~3.5GPA applicants considering MD/PhD?
Current plan is part-time scribe while NIH-IRTA and shoot for near perfect MCAT score.

 

[membername24]

Why not just apply MD only and look for programs that allow you to apply into the PhD program later? Also many MD-only's do research and are even PI's, you'll find that out as an IRTA. Idk how you'll part time scribe on top of it, make sure you get settled before you do. Just because you have research oriented EC's you don't need to think you'll be at a disadvantage, just be clear in communicating your intentions

 

[Mansamusa]

I'm going MD and I have 5000+ research hours and 100 clinical volunteer hours (I was a work-study student and got a hourly salary for my research, which is similar to why you did it and got the volunteer hours in the 3 months before I applied).

You don't have to do a MD/PhD because you like research. Only do it if you want your career to be more research over clinical work (it is not clear from your post whether MD/PhD is what you want to do or if it is what you think you should apply to given your CV)

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

You sound like a perfect candidate for a md at a research geared med school. You should Check out Virginia tech, it's super research oriented and friendly to low GPA Applicants

 

[eteshoe]

I'm going MD and I have 5000+ research hours and 100 clinical volunteer hours (I was a work-study student and got a hourly salary for my research, which is similar to why you did it and got the volunteer hours in the 3 months before I applied).

You don't have to do a MD/PhD because you like research. Only do it if you want your career to be more research over clinical work (it is not clear from your post whether MD/PhD is what you want to do or if it is what you think you should apply to given your CV)

@Mansamusa you summed up my thoughts exactly. Also @medicalmnt, your GPA won't keep you out of every MD/PhD program (though it would for many of the MSTP ones). The most important thing you can do is score well on the MCAT. IMO I don't think you'll have enough sustained research experience until after your IRTA fellowship.