Re-applicant advice - job, MCAT, etc.

[kwalsh91]

*3.42 undergraduate GPA (upward trend, 3.88 senior year), BS degree in Microbiology; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology minors
*3.62 graduate GPA, MS degree in Cell & Molecular Biology

*25 (8P/9B/8V) MCAT August 2013, retake from 25Q (10P/10B/5V) in August 2012.

- Arkansas resident
- 5 years research experience (presented at 10 poster symposiums and have won 4 awards, invited to present at 2 conferences)
- 1 primary and 1 co-authored publications (2 more primary authored manuscripts in press this fall)
- 200 hours physical therapy internship; ~100 hours volunteering in ER and urgent care at various hospitals and Planned Parenthood clinic
- semester internship for US Congressman (directed a round-table with physicians about ACA implementation), plus other ECs.

I have applied for various jobs in hospitals/neuroscience institutes to reflect a more concentrated effort in primary healthcare - feedback on my application indicated that I might be "too focused" on research. No problems with my PS or LoR upon feedback. Is it worth re-taking the MCAT a 3rd time if I can't afford to drop everything else while I study? I plan on re-applying to MD and applying 1st time to DO. Any other advice?

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[TheProcess]

Your research background is beyond impressive. The obvious problem is the low(ish) GPA and low MCAT. I would bet that will continue to be burden for you this year. There is not much more you can do about your GPA but I would absolutely re-take the MCAT and invest your time in studying for that. Your 10B/10P is solid so if you could get your Verbal Reasoning up to even a 8, that would really help you out.

 

[AliciaAccepted]

*3.42 undergraduate GPA (upward trend, 3.88 senior year), BS degree in Microbiology; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology minors
*3.62 graduate GPA, MS degree in Cell & Molecular Biology

*25 (8P/9B/8V) MCAT August 2013, retake from 25Q (10P/10B/5V) in August 2012.

- Arkansas resident
- 5 years research experience (presented at 10 poster symposiums and have won 4 awards, invited to present at 2 conferences)
- 1 primary and 1 co-authored publications (2 more primary authored manuscripts in press this fall)
- 200 hours physical therapy internship; ~100 hours volunteering in ER and urgent care at various hospitals and Planned Parenthood clinic
- semester internship for US Congressman (directed a round-table with physicians about ACA implementation), plus other ECs.

I have applied for various jobs in hospitals/neuroscience institutes to reflect a more concentrated effort in primary healthcare - feedback on my application indicated that I might be "too focused" on research. No problems with my PS or LoR upon feedback. Is it worth re-taking the MCAT a 3rd time if I can't afford to drop everything else while I study? I plan on re-applying to MD and applying 1st time to DO. Any other advice?

You do have impressive activities! The decreasing trend in your MCAT scores probably had the greatest impact. Retaking the MCAT for a higher score will help. Since you are reapplying to medical school, I recommend that you rewrite your application essays, focusing on:

1. What you have done to improve your application since the last time you applied
2. Reframing your research experience to highlight how and why a medical education would benefit you and your future patients
3. Making it clear why medicine is the only career for you (and not research)

You may also want to consider a PhD/MD Program based on your background. It's a great idea to apply to DO schools the second time around. When retaking the MCAT, wait until you get your score before you submit your AMCAS application! This is very important because it is such an expensive and time consuming process to apply that you don't want to be surprised by your scores.

For more information about how to improve your application essays, I am attaching an article I've written here. Good luck!

 

[Plecopotamus]

When retaking the MCAT, wait until you get your score before you submit your AMCAS application! This is very important because it is such an expensive and time consuming process to apply that you don't want to be surprised by your scores.

Are you telling the OP to submit a late application or take a gap year?
A late AMCAS with those GPAs is pointless.

 

[kwalsh91]

Are you telling the OP to submit a late application or take a gap year?
A late AMCAS with those GPAs is pointless.

I plan on submitting my app June 1 but declaring an MCAT re-take date (late August).

 

[Plecopotamus]

I plan on submitting my app June 1 but declaring an MCAT re-take date (late August).

That's fine. But I think the pre-med adviser who wrote the above should really think about what she wrote. Advising a low-ish GPA applicant to *not submit AMCAS* until receiving back MCAT scores from an unknown date (apparently Aug, which would not be back until Sept) is questionable at best.

 

[AliciaAccepted]

Are you telling the OP to submit a late application or take a gap year?
A late AMCAS with those GPAs is pointless.

I'm not recommending that the applicant apply late in the cycle. It all depends on when the student is planning on taking the MCAT. Applying early the next cycle with competitive scores is better than applying late in the current cycle. It's a risk to submit the application before receiving the MCAT scores and far more stressful. Good luck!