Question for a friend! What are his chances!

[deleted238468]

Hi!

I'm a pretty frequent visitor on SDN and have posted a couple of times (thanks to Catalystic for making me rethink my situation and getting my butt into gear!)

So I have a friend (we work together in lab)

He's graduated in 2009 (so last spring) and he's just recently decided to apply to medical school. He's currently studying for the MCAT.

Here are his stats:
His cGPA around a 3.2
His BCPM around a 3.5/3.6

He has an upward trend though. (turned it around the last 2 years)

Extracirrics
No clinical shadowing (but he will! I'm making him)
No volunteering
Research
1 year of Research (crazy intense! 2688 hours+ by my calculations)
he lives in lab
1 years of Paid Lab Technician / Staff Research Associate (2642+ hours)
Leadership/Teaching
Lab Mentor - trained and taught several research associates and undergrads

I'm sure there's more, just ask me and I'll ask him.

I think his best bet is a post-bacc or an SMP, but we want to know what his shots are for US med schools.
He's going to apply to both D.O and (maybe M.D.)

Thanks so much!

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[Catalystik]

He needs clinical experience working directly with sick people (average is 1.5 years for 150 hours) and shadowing (a good goal is 60-80 hours split among three-ish specialties). He needs nonmedical/noncampus community service. A year of that would be good.

For MD schools, an SMP is the best plan as a year of postbac would only raise his cGPA ~0.1. He'd need an MCAT of about 30ish to qualify for most of them.

For DO schools, he'd be fine if he repeats some of his lowest grades and invokes grade substitution to raise his GPA.

 

[deleted238468]

thanks!

but i think we was looking to apply this year. what are his chances at a do if doesn't do clinical volunteering and no grade substitution...


i know he has to shadow plus shadow a do doctor and get a LOR from them, so..

if he does all that but none of the above, what are his chances then?

 

[Catalystik]

His chances of getting past screening depend on his MCAT score. Is he a good standardized test taker?

Once he gets past screening, and they read his application, what is his basis for wanting to be a doctor? How has he tested his interest and tolerance of working with sick people? How has he shown that he has "the heart" for medicine? Shadowing is not enough.

Personally, I'd think his chances are pretty dismal. The less-selective DO schools that he'll maybe have a shot at are less likely to be impressed with his extensive research background. Of course, an amazing MCAT score could change the selectivity of the schools that will consider him, but I am unaware of any DO school that doesn't highly favor clinical experience.

But I am not an expert on DO application policies. I am not familiar with all the schools. If I were you, I'd post in the Pre-Med Osteo Forum and ask if there are any DO schools that don't care about clinical experience and community service (or do a Search). Perhaps my instincts are not correct.