School list thoughts?

[bassquiat]

non-URM, attending georgetown SMP in the fall

stats:
3.28 cGPA
3.15 sGPA

512 MCAT
-700+ clinical hours (working in a clinic)
-230 hours shadowing
~120 hours non-clinical volunteer (60 helping underserved)

current school list:
Midwestern schools (CCOM and AZCOM)
Western COMP
DMU
ATSU-Arizona
KCU-COM
Edward Via-Virginia
MSU-COM
PCOM (PA&GA)
Touro (CA and NV)
WVU

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[aladdin11]

youre good for any DO school in the country with that MCAT. GPA a bit low for MD schools but throw in a few applications to your state school and low tiers and you might get some luck

 

[bassquiat]

youre good for any DO school in the country with that MCAT. GPA a bit low for MD schools but throw in a few applications to your state school and low tiers and you might get some luck

Thanks, last year I applied in november for KCU-COM but was rejected pre-secondary (their website says minimum 3.25 sGPA, which I am under). Is this is a strict requirement, or more because I applied late? (@Goro )

 

[Goro]

Thanks, last year I applied in november for KCU-COM but was rejected pre-secondary (their website says minimum 3.25 sGPA, which I am under). Is this is a strict requirement, or more because I applied late? (@Goro )

Strict requirement

 

[bassquiat]

yikes okay thanks

@Goro are there any other school you'd recommend I apply to?

 

[DrStephenStrange]

Strict requirement

Thanks, last year I applied in november for KCU-COM but was rejected pre-secondary (their website says minimum 3.25 sGPA, which I am under). Is this is a strict requirement, or more because I applied late? (@Goro )

But their MCAT cutoff was also a 501, and my highest MCAT was a 500, and I still got interviewed and I'm on the waitlist right now. So...

Sent from my SM-G950U using SDN mobile

 

[Cath Up]

I (non-URM) received 7-8 interviews last cycle with stats worse than yours (3.2/3.1s) and a 509. Please consider the weight of your choice to attend an SMP. Yes, if you perform well you could stand a solid shot at MD (and all DO) but with your current stats (maybe with some DIY postbacc to increase chances) I think you have a decent shot at IIs at some of the schools on your list.

SMPs can take you out of the running and burden you with high debt. They are high-risk and high-reward- not always the right decision. As far as I can tell, I was in your shoes, tried to be as thoughtful as possible given the career I want (physician), and did not make the same decision.

I encourage you to think critically about the presentation of SMP outcomes. They are often worded in ambiguous ways ("90%+ went to health professions schools afterwards", etc) and programs currently appear to love using old data to spin their stats in a positive way. As far as I can tell, many SMPs in recent years are not as much of a feeder for med schools as they were maybe 15 years ago. This paragraph is more speculative than my other paragraphs in this response...

Regardless of your choice, best of luck.

 

[bassquiat]

I received 7-8 interviews last cycle with stats worse than yours (3.2/3.1s) and a 509. Please consider the weight of your choice to attend an SMP. Yes, if you perform well you could stand a solid shot at MD (and all DO) but with your current stats (maybe with some DIY postbacc to increase chances) I think you have a decent shot at IIs at some of the schools on your list.

SMPs can take you out of the running and burden you with high debt. They are high-risk and high-reward- not always the right decision. As far as I can tell, I was in your shoes, tried to be as thoughtful as possible given the career I want (physician), and did not make the same decision.

I encourage you to think critically about the presentation of SMP outcomes. They are often worded in ambiguous ways ("90%+ went to health professions schools afterwards", etc) and programs currently appear to love using old data when SMPs were more effective. As far as I can tell, many SMPs in recent years are not as much of a feeder for med schools as they were maybe 15 years ago. This paragraph is more speculative than my other paragraphs in this response...

Regardless of your choice, best of luck.

Thanks for the advice. I applied last cycle with basically the same stats, with the only difference being my nonclinical volunteer hours. I didn't get any II's, so I figured this would be a good option to improve my app (I've already taken some classes to boost my uGPA).

I would also like to be competitive for MD, but of course would gladly take a DO acceptance

 

[DrStephenStrange]

Thanks for the advice. I applied last cycle with basically the same stats, with the only difference being my nonclinical volunteer hours. I didn't get any II's, so I figured this would be a good option to improve my app (I've already taken some classes to boost my uGPA).

I would also like to be competitive for MD, but of course would gladly take a DO acceptance

How many DO schools did you apply to? And did you have DO experience/shadowing and a DO letter?

Edit: your current school list seems pretty short as well.

Sent from my SM-G950U using SDN mobile

 

[bassquiat]

How many DO schools did you apply to? And did you have DO experience/shadowing and a DO letter?

Sent from my SM-G950U using SDN mobile

Yes, I had about 20hrs DO shadowing and a DO letter. I submitted secondaries to CCOM, AZCOM, COMP, LECOM, and TOURO-NV

 

[DrStephenStrange]

Yes, I had about 20hrs DO shadowing and a DO letter. I submitted secondaries to CCOM, AZCOM, COMP, LECOM, and TOURO-NV

Yeah you need to cast a wider net. That's why you weren't successful last year. With a 3.7+ sGPA and cGPA and a 500 MCAT. I applied to 26 DOs, got 12 Interview invites (including some of the top DO schools), only went to 4, and got 2 acceptances. So I do believe if you apply to more schools, you'll have better chances.

Sent from my SM-G950U using SDN mobile

 

[bassquiat]

Yeah you need to cast a wider net. That's why you weren't successful last year. With a 3.7+ sGPA and cGPA and a 500 MCAT. I applied to 26 DOs, got 12 Interview invites (including some of the top DO schools), only went to 4, and got 2 acceptances. So I do believe if you apply to more school, you'll have better chances.

Yeah, last cycle I didn't really know what I was doing (lol), so this cycle I'll definitely apply to more schools.
I was looking to apply to about 15-20 DO schools, in addition to some MD schools that my SMP suggested

 

[Goro]

But their MCAT cutoff was also a 501, and my highest MCAT was a 500, and I still got interviewed and I'm on the waitlist right now. So...

Sent from my SM-G950U using SDN mobile

Interesting...Just surmising that a 1 point difference in MCAT is less lethal than the OP's difference in sGPA.

 

[arc5005]

I (non-URM) received 7-8 interviews last cycle with stats worse than yours (3.2/3.1s) and a 509. Please consider the weight of your choice to attend an SMP. Yes, if you perform well you could stand a solid shot at MD (and all DO) but with your current stats (maybe with some DIY postbacc to increase chances) I think you have a decent shot at IIs at some of the schools on your list.

SMPs can take you out of the running and burden you with high debt. They are high-risk and high-reward- not always the right decision. As far as I can tell, I was in your shoes, tried to be as thoughtful as possible given the career I want (physician), and did not make the same decision.

I encourage you to think critically about the presentation of SMP outcomes. They are often worded in ambiguous ways ("90%+ went to health professions schools afterwards", etc) and programs currently appear to love using old data to spin their stats in a positive way. As far as I can tell, many SMPs in recent years are not as much of a feeder for med schools as they were maybe 15 years ago. This paragraph is more speculative than my other paragraphs in this response...

Regardless of your choice, best of luck.

i'm in a similar boat...and debating if I should do a SMP too or not. hmmm

 

[arc5005]

Thanks for the advice. I applied last cycle with basically the same stats, with the only difference being my nonclinical volunteer hours. I didn't get any II's, so I figured this would be a good option to improve my app (I've already taken some classes to boost my uGPA).

I would also like to be competitive for MD, but of course would gladly take a DO acceptance

did you apply DO last cycle with DO shadowing/LOR?

 

[DrStephenStrange]

How many DO schools did you apply to? And did you have DO experience/shadowing and a DO letter?

Edit: your current school list seems pretty short as well.

Sent from my SM-G950U using SDN mobile

Yes, I had about 20hrs DO shadowing and a DO letter. I submitted secondaries to CCOM, AZCOM, COMP, LECOM, and TOURO-NV

did you apply DO last cycle with DO shadowing/LOR?

See OP's answers above.

Sent from my SM-G950U using SDN mobile