Should I apply to post bacc programs?

[kbr115]

I am currently looking into several post bacc programs to apply to for next fall. I am trying to decide if it is worth it or not.

Overall GPA: 3.506
Science GPA: 3.08
MCAT: 31
Clinical Experience:
Because of my major I have worked in x-ray 40 hours/ week for 22 weeks and MRI 20 hours/week for 13 weeks.
Volunteer/Community Serivce:
4 hours during the NC primary election in 2012
4.5 hours at Carolina Tiger Rescue
8 hours of Habitat for Humanity
3 hours/week at church since July
Extracurriculars:
Fundraising committee for a club that sends medical supplies to Ghana (started this year)
Rural health activism committee for a club that aids a medical clinic in Kenya (started this year)

My science GPA and community service are my main concerns. My pre-med advisor said I can either apply to formal programs or get a job while taking higher level science courses and do volunteer work. I'm not sure which will be more helpful to get into medical school. Any advice?

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[deleted248403]

I am currently looking into several post bacc programs to apply to for next fall. I am trying to decide if it is worth it or not.

Overall GPA: 3.506
Science GPA: 3.08
MCAT: 31
Clinical Experience:
Because of my major I have worked in x-ray 40 hours/ week for 22 weeks and MRI 20 hours/week for 13 weeks.
Volunteer/Community Serivce:
4 hours during the NC primary election in 2012
4.5 hours at Carolina Tiger Rescue
8 hours of Habitat for Humanity
3 hours/week at church since July
Extracurriculars:
Fundraising committee for a club that sends medical supplies to Ghana (started this year)
Rural health activism committee for a club that aids a medical clinic in Kenya (started this year)

My science GPA and community service are my main concerns. My pre-med advisor said I can either apply to formal programs or get a job while taking higher level science courses and do volunteer work. I'm not sure which will be more helpful to get into medical school. Any advice?

Your community service and volunteer stuff is very weak and very limited. You've essentially given up 2 days of volunteer work (tigers, H4H, elections) and 3 hours a week for 3 months - none of this is exciting or impressive. I had 1500+ hours of volunteer work when I applied as a comparison. My point is, you can count your as being lacking in that catagory.

Is your major X-ray tech?

I agree your sGPA and comm service are weak - You need better grades and better application fluff. Research? Medical exposure other than your X-ray tech major? Team work things?

Spend a brief minute in WAMC and see what you are up against for med school applicants. Now, there are some crazies in there that think you need to be 4.0 and 45 MCAT to get into med school, but you should read it and get a general sense of what you are up against. Right now, you are a long way behind the curve in terms of CV and grades

 

[kbr115]

Your community service and volunteer stuff is very weak and very limited. You've essentially given up 2 days of volunteer work (tigers, H4H, elections) and 3 hours a week for 3 months - none of this is exciting or impressive. I had 1500+ hours of volunteer work when I applied as a comparison. My point is, you can count your as being lacking in that catagory.

Is your major X-ray tech?

I agree your sGPA and comm service are weak - You need better grades and better application fluff. Research? Medical exposure other than your X-ray tech major? Team work things?

Spend a brief minute in WAMC and see what you are up against for med school applicants. Now, there are some crazies in there that think you need to be 4.0 and 45 MCAT to get into med school, but you should read it and get a general sense of what you are up against. Right now, you are a long way behind the curve in terms of CV and grades

Yes, my major is radiologic science which allows me to be an x-ray tech when I graduate. Through my program I am currently working on research papers that I would like to get published. I have shadowed a radiologist for 20 hours during the summer while I studied for the MCAT and will be shadowing a pediatrician this December. I have so much clinical experience that some applicants may lack in. I understand how weak my community service is and I am very discouraged because of it. I just need to know what I can do so that it doesn't hurt my application. During my freshman and sophomore year, I wanted to do volunteer work but didn't have transportation to get anywhere. Once I got into my program during my junior year I had no time to volunteer since I was doing so much clinical work. Now that I'm a senior I am stressing out because I need more community service and don't know what to do. Do you have advice on how to get volunteer work? I was considering working at the animal shelter until I graduate but I can't start until mid November when their orientation begins.

 

[Bru]

How many AMCAS science classes do you have? That to say, have you calculated how many classes you need to get into competitive range for MD? I'm thinking at least a year and a half. Frankly you can get in decent shape EC-wise by the time you apply so I'm not sure I would sweat that. I'd be more concerned with the low sGPA. You took the MCAT this past summer? If so, you'd be on the cusp for it expiring when you apply.

Have you considered DO? That is say, what is bringing you sGPA down and could the be fixed with grade replacement?

 

[kbr115]

How many AMCAS science classes do you have? That to say, have you calculated how many classes you need to get into competitive range for MD? I'm thinking at least a year and a half. Frankly you can get in decent shape EC-wise by the time you apply so I'm not sure I would sweat that. I'd be more concerned with the low sGPA. You took the MCAT this past summer? If so, you'd be on the cusp for it expiring when you apply.

Have you considered DO? That is say, what is bringing you sGPA down and could the be fixed with grade replacement?

I placed out of gen chem 1 so I took gen chem 2, analytical chem, orgo 1 and 2, physics 1 and 2, biology 1, and anatomy. I also took calc 1 and 2. I got all B's and B+'s and with an A in physics 1, a B- in physics 2, and a C in orgo 2. I know I could do better though. Does grade replacement only work for DO?

What is your opinion on PA school? Multiple people have suggested that to me lately for many different reasons. I just hate that I just took the MCAT and would need to take the GRE for that. It is becoming more and more appealing though since I don't have the best financial situation.

My current plan is to apply to 4 post bacc programs as options if I can get in.

 

[The Helpful Aye Aye]

Why are your science grades mediocre? Post-bacc won't help unless you take a step back and figure out why... and fix it.

 

[Bru]

Only DO does replacement. MDs just see it as another class and throw it into the overall average.

You can check out PA programs. I have friends from my post-bacc program that went that route and are perfectly happy. I know other people who would never consider it for a variety of reasons. You should investigate it and see if it is a fit for you. Also, I think you may need to to additional courses for PA programs (A&P?) so you might want to check that out.

In the grand scheme of things taking another standardized test (GRE) shouldn't matter that much nor factor into what could be decision that affects your career choice. In other words, you should focus on the big picture.

 

[kbr115]

Only DO does replacement. MDs just see it as another class and throw it into the overall average.

You can check out PA programs. I have friends from my post-bacc program that went that route and are perfectly happy. I know other people who would never consider it for a variety of reasons. You should investigate it and see if it is a fit for you. Also, I think you may need to to additional courses for PA programs (A&P?) so you might want to check that out.

In the grand scheme of things taking another standardized test (GRE) shouldn't matter that much nor factor into what could be decision that affects your career choice. In other words, you should focus on the big picture.

I took A&P already but I saw some PA schools want microbiology so I would need to take that and maybe genetics. This is a very big decision and I'm trying to get as much advice as possible so I appreciate your help. If I get accepted to post bacc programs, I would need to decide between that and working while taking classes. It will be hard to make that decision until I decide between MD/DO and PA. I'm applying to Drexel DPMS and Temple so if I got into one of those I would have a conditional acceptance to their medical school. I just have a lot of options going on right now and I'm getting stressed haha.

 

[kbr115]

Why are your science grades mediocre? Post-bacc won't help unless you take a step back and figure out why... and fix it.

It was definitely a combination of things.My first semester was definitely an adjustment to college. Also, I was trying to squeeze all of my pre-med pre-reqs in during my first two years before I got into my radiology program. On top of all that I had a lot of family issues going on during that time.