Re-applying this summer, what do do during gap year

[Ktbro323]

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Hey guys, I'm graduating this June with a BS in psychology. While I am hopeful for the waitlist for University of Cincinnati, I'm trying to figure out a backup plan for next year. I have brought up my GPA from last year's application from a 3.36 to a 3.53 now. My science GPA is 3.3. I have an upward trend on all my grades since my sophomore year. I have good EC's: I've worked at the medical center in the financial assistance department for over 2 years now, have a year of psychobiology research, a few clubs, red cross volunteer. My MCAT was a 28R, which was a lot lower than what I was doing on my practice tests (31-33ish). I got 9's in each section. I'm very confused as to what to do next year. I have my application for the one year Masters in Physiology program completed at UC if thats a good option. I'm not sure if I would be better suited taking post-bacc classes. And what post-bacc classes should be recommended? What about working or clinical experience? I hear of people becoming pheblotomists for a year but I'm not sure how medical school admissions look on that. Also, to retake the MCAT? I took it last August and I have signed up for the July one already if I need it. I just don't want to do not as well as last time as I'm going to be rushed for studying after graduation. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!🙂

 

[Blade28]

A Master's program (except for SMPs) won't help your app anywhere as much as bringing up your GPA via post-bac classes will. How have you been doing in your recent practice MCAT tests (any improvement from previous tests?)?

Besides your aforementioned extra-curriculars, do you have shadowing experience?

 

[Pedsbro]

A Master's program (except for SMPs) won't help your app anywhere as much as bringing up your GPA via post-bac classes will. How have you been doing in your recent practice MCAT tests (any improvement from previous tests?)?

Besides your aforementioned extra-curriculars, do you have shadowing experience?

Uh...the MS in Physiology program at UC IS an SMP...I would know seeing how I'm in this year's class😀

To the OP, your GPA is borderline...what i mean by that is you're on the border of whether an SMP would help or not. I think your biggest weakness is your MCAT, in which case an SMP would be useless. You need to retake the MCAT...study your heart out, take a Kaplan or PR class, whatever. At the very least do that... Post-bacc might help...but you'd have to take a structured one. I've been told by several admissions officers that taking post-bacc classes a-la carte is not helpful...they want a structured, intense program with multiple upper division science courses each semester/quarter for a year, which is usually the duration of post-bacs. Also, some post-baccs have MCAT prep courses tied to them. An SMP can also raise the GPA, but unless it happens to have MCAT prep also (UC's does not), then you're spending a lot for something that may not need fixing, while your MCAT does.

The other thing that was pointed out was shadowing...you have research and volunteering, but those don't count as clinical experience and that's huge with med schools these days...they want to know you know what you're getting yourself into. It can be paid or unpaid (volunteer or shadowing), but you need to find a doc to shadow in his office or clinic, or go work/volunteer at a hospital in a position where you will interact with patients and doctors. You're in Cincy, so i can tell you Children's has a volunteer program. I'm currently shadowing a doc there...all I did was look on their website and emailed a few docs about shadowing them, and many were more than willing. So that's an easy fix to your app as well. Forget phlebotomy...

 

[Blade28]

Uh...the MS in Physiology program at UC IS an SMP...I would know seeing how I'm in this year's class😀

Ah, gotcha! I stand corrected. 🙂

I actually don't know the names of ANY SMPs. 🙂 I wasn't even aware of their existence when I was a pre-med.

 

[Pedsbro]

Ah, gotcha! I stand corrected. 🙂

I actually don't know the names of ANY SMPs. 🙂 I wasn't even aware of their existence when I was a pre-med.

🙂No worries...actually, as far as I know, the only program that is actually listed as SMP - Special Masters Program - is Georgetown. That's the most well known one, so all simiilar programs are now referred to as SMPs. But in actuality, it's usually an MS in Physiology or Biophysics or Medical Sciences, etc.

 

[Blade28]

🙂No worries...actually, as far as I know, the only program that is actually listed as SMP - Special Masters Program - is Georgetown. That's the most well known one, so all simiilar programs are now referred to as SMPs. But in actuality, it's usually an MS in Physiology or Biophysics or Medical Sciences, etc.

Ah, yes, I do recall Georgetown's name most commonly being used in the same sentence as "SMP."

 

[Ktbro323]

Thanks for all your help. I met with Dr. Manuel, and he advised me similarly as you all did not to do the masters in physiology program. He suggested to retake the MCAT and to take some masters level classes such as anatomy, physiology while doing some clinical research over at children's hospital. Thanks for all your help; being on the waitlist is stressful when you don't have a good backup plan!

 

[Ktbro323]

Yeah I do have shadowing experience. I have shadowed pediatricians a few times as well as a dermatologist. I'm actually trying to shadow a cardiac surgeon in my chance to see open-heart surgery.

 

[Blade28]

He suggested to retake the MCAT and to take some masters level classes such as anatomy, physiology while doing some clinical research over at children's hospital.

Out of curiosity, why take Master's-level classes when you could be taking post-bac classes to improve your GPA?

 

[miniwangja]

take GRE asap and apply to grad school? GRE will be very easy compare to mcat.

 

[tbo]

Thanks for all your help. I met with Dr. Manuel, and he advised me similarly as you all did not to do the masters in physiology program. He suggested to retake the MCAT and to take some masters level classes such as anatomy, physiology while doing some clinical research over at children's hospital. Thanks for all your help; being on the waitlist is stressful when you don't have a good backup plan!

Sounds like a solid plan, and I would listen to the Assoc Dean of Admissions if that's the school you're pining for. Also if you're in the Cincinnati area, you're in a fantastic spot with the children's hospital there. There's some phenomenal stuff going on there, along with the opportunities to shadow and volunteer.

Also, you can still take master's classes and have them count on a post-bacc basis. So long as the grad courses aren't being counted towards a formal graduate degree, this will add to your UG GPA.

 

[Ktbro323]

wooo no back up plan!! 🙂 I just got in yesterday to the waitlist!! Thanks for all of your advice I appreciate it!!!