Should I apply at all?

[flimsyegg]

URM(Hispanic) NJ with low stats

Undergrad at a top tier school, cGPA: 3.14 sGPA: 3.09
Doing a master's program in Biomedical Sciences, cGPA: 3.35 sGPA: 3.27
(I just found out I am missing 3 credits so this could go up slightly after I take another class)
MCAT (1) : 497 - did not study at all
Retaking the MCAT in June after it getting cancelled twice, most recent FL was 512

Clinical Volunteering: 615 hours, currently volunteering as a Case Manager working with a medical team and have unofficial shadowing during my time at another clinic
Research: 250 hours last three semesters of undergrad
Extracurriculars: 4 years with a dance team (+leadership), 1.5 years with a cultural sorority (+leadership), spent a year mentoring freshman first-gen & underrepresented students, member of Latino Pre-Health Honor society
Was working all throughout undergrad on campus and in retail the first semester of my graduate program.

From what I've been told, my ECs are strong but my gpa is too low (assuming the MCAT goes as well as the practice tests have been). I've been told to apply to an SMP/do another master's to bring that up. Do I have a chance with MD or DO schools or do I need that second program?

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[Icebird]

Come back when you get your MCAT score to get a better idea of whether you need a SMP or not.

Usually don’t advise to do masters as they are not weighed as heavily; any benefit that comes with them involves getting approximately a 4.0 and seeing as you did not it seems to be more of a red flag on your app than a positive.

 

[Onedayonegoal]

Crush the MCATs and sell yourself (but be sincere). You might get a couple of replies here that will demotivate you and give you anxiety, just don’t forget your calling if being a physician is what you truly seek.

 

[Faha]

You could receive DO interviews if you increase your MCAT to 500. If over 508 you could receive MD interiews. Post your score here in the future and we can suggest schools to apply to.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Good luck on the MCAT, and let us know how you scored. Additionally, make some connections with current students who are part of AMSA, SNMA, and LMSA. Ultimately you need to know which schools support you in times of difficulty which you will encounter as a medical student.

 

[LunaOri]

URM(Hispanic) NJ with low stats

Undergrad at a top tier school, cGPA: 3.14 sGPA: 3.09
Doing a master's program in Biomedical Sciences, cGPA: 3.35 sGPA: 3.27
(I just found out I am missing 3 credits so this could go up slightly after I take another class)
MCAT (1) : 497 - did not study at all
Retaking the MCAT in June after it getting cancelled twice, most recent FL was 512

Clinical Volunteering: 615 hours, currently volunteering as a Case Manager working with a medical team and have unofficial shadowing during my time at another clinic
Research: 250 hours last three semesters of undergrad
Extracurriculars: 4 years with a dance team (+leadership), 1.5 years with a cultural sorority (+leadership), spent a year mentoring freshman first-gen & underrepresented students, member of Latino Pre-Health Honor society
Was working all throughout undergrad on campus and in retail the first semester of my graduate program.

From what I've been told, my ECs are strong but my gpa is too low (assuming the MCAT goes as well as the practice tests have been). I've been told to apply to an SMP/do another master's to bring that up. Do I have a chance with MD or DO schools or do I need that second program?

Are you willing to consider a Caribbean medical school?

 

[Icebird]

Are you willing to consider a Caribbean medical school?

I would not suggest a Carribean school to OP unless they have already attempted two cycles (with appropriate DO and MD list) and time spent working on app between each cycle

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

In fact, it's often better not to go to medical school at all than to go Caribbean. How do you like a 50-50 shot that you'll be 300 grand in debt with no residency and little chance of practicing medicine in America?

 

[flimsyegg]

Good luck on the MCAT, and let us know how you scored. Additionally, make some connections with current students who are part of AMSA, SNMA, and LMSA. Ultimately you need to know which schools support you in times of difficulty which you will encounter as a medical student.

Thank you! I'll reach out to students in those groups. I will update everyone here once I have my official score

 

[LunaOri]

In fact, it's often better not to go to medical school at all than to go Caribbean. How do you like a 50-50 shot that you'll be 300 grand in debt with no residency and little chance of practicing medicine in America?

Where's your evidence for that, BlackMathMajor?! The Caribbean students who rotate through my department match into decent residencies.

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

This link, plus everything @Goro said about Caribbean schools. About 60 percent of US IMGs match. These might not all be Caribbean, granted, but there's also a decent amount of academic attrition at these schools as well. It's a crapshoot, not to say that the guys and gals rotating through your department aren't up to snuff. They obviously are. But I think they're doing better than a good chunk of their peers.

 

[LunaOri]

This link, plus everything @Goro said about Caribbean schools. About 60 percent of US IMGs match. These might not all be Caribbean, granted, but there's also a decent amount of academic attrition at these schools as well. It's a crapshoot, not to say that the guys and gals rotating through your department aren't up to snuff. They obviously are. But I think they're doing better than a good chunk of their peers.

You are probably correct...I may be seeing the cream of the crop!