Should I Consider an SMP/Post-Bacc? cGPA: 3.400, sGPA: 3.058

[BigSuu]

School: UC Davis (Quarter System)
Major: Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior

UC Davis Cumulative GPA: 3.409 (Upwards Trend)
AMCAS Cumulative GPA: 3.178 (Upwards Trend)
AMCAS sGPA: 3.058
AACOMAS sGPA: 3.068
MCAT: 512
(The difference in the two cumulative GPAs is because UC Davis does not count courses that were failed towards the GPA if retaken)

ECs:
- Clinical Work Hours (Medical Scribe): 1000+ hours for 2 years
- Hospital Volunteer (Neuro Floor, Neuro ICU): 800 Hours for 2 years
- Neuroscience Research: 1000 Hours for 2 years
- Club Involvements:
- Muslim Student Association Member
- Pre-Med Student Association Member for 2 years
- Physician Shadowing: 36 Hours
- LOR: 1 M.D, 1 D.O, 1 PhD
- Non-Clinical Volunteering: 500-600 Hours at local mosque (involved in food distribution, maintenance and cleaning of the mosque, and organizing and setting up for events)
- Assistant High School Track and Field Coach at local high school (2020-2022)
- Chemistry Tutor through the freelance website Fiverr.com for 1 year
- Independent Biology Tutor for 2 Quarters (tutored upwards of 50 fellow students)
- Dean's Honor List for the Spring 23', Fall 24', Winter 24', and Spring 24'

Additional Information:
- I started a lot of my ECs "late" (end of my 3rd year) because that's when I decided I wanted to do medicine.
- Took 1 year after graduating to "buff up" my application and study for MCAT.
- Some important grade breakdowns:
General Chemistry: B, B, C
General Biology: A- (retaken), A-, A-
General Physics: C+, B+, C+
Organic Chemistry: C+, A, B+
- UC Davis "Upwards Trend" Breakdown:
Freshman: 3.099
Sophomore: 3.65
Junior: 3.329
Senior: 3.700
- AMCAS "Upwards Trend" GPA Breakdown:
Freshman: 2.582
Sophomore: 3.078
Junior: 3.300
Senior: 3.700
- A lot of my academic "career" has been focused around neuroscience. I majored in Neurobiology, conducted research at the UC Davis Center for Neuroscience, and volunteered in the neurological ICU for 2 years.


Questions:
1) With my current scores, I know I am not competitive for M.D. I am perfectly fine with attending D.O Schools and there are a decent amount in California (my resident state). Am I competitive for D.O? DonI need a SMP/Post-Bacc to be competitive? If so, should I even bother applying to M.D?

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[chilly_md]

How many credits (both overall and those that fall under science) did you take your last year?

 

[Faha]

You could receive interviews at DO schools and I suggest these:
CHSU-COM
TUNCOM
AZCOM
KCU-COM
ATSU (both schools)
Noorda-COM
Touro-Montana
UIWSOM
WCU-COM
ACOM
MU-COM
LMU-DCOM
WVSOM
UP-KYCOM
PCOM (all schools)
LECOM (all schools)
DUQCOM
BUCOM

 

[Mr.Smile12]

The only reason I would apply to any in-state (California) MD programs with your GPA is if you have a strong argument for mission fit. If you grew up around the counties that surround the UC Davis campus or could document being in a resource-restricted environment growing up (socioeconomically disadvantaged) and want to stay around Davis to be a physician, you might have a good shot with Davis. That's just an example and probably your best bet unless you grew up in another part of the state that is similarly disadvantaged (like the Inland Empire, thus apply to UC Riverside). While your GPA trend is upward, it doesn't reach a consistency that would calm anxious faculty looking at your grades unless you had limited educational resources in your childhood to begin with.

 

[BigSuu]

How many credits (both overall and those that fall under science) did you take your last year?

Overall Credits: 49 Total. 14 in the Fall, 15 in the Winter, 16 in the Spring, and 4 in the Summer.
Science Credits: 36 Total. 10 in the Fall, 15 in the Winter, 11 in the Spring, and 0 in the Summer.

 

[BigSuu]

You could receive interviews at DO schools and I suggest these:
CHSU-COM
TUNCOM
AZCOM
KCU-COM
ATSU (both schools)
Noorda-COM
Touro-Montana
UIWSOM
WCU-COM
ACOM
MU-COM
LMU-DCOM
WVSOM
UP-KYCOM
PCOM (all schools)
LECOM (all schools)
DUQCOM
BUCOM

I noticed that the acceptance rate for some of the D.O schools outside of California are pretty low for out of state students. What do you think the best course of action for me is? Should I take another year to do a Post-Bacc/SMP in order to make myself competitive for schools outside of California?

 

[BigSuu]

The only reason I would apply to any in-state (California) MD programs with your GPA is if you have a strong argument for mission fit. If you grew up around the counties that surround the UC Davis campus or could document being in a resource-restricted environment growing up (socioeconomically disadvantaged) and want to stay around Davis to be a physician, you might have a good shot with Davis. That's just an example and probably your best bet unless you grew up in another part of the state that is similarly disadvantaged (like the Inland Empire, thus apply to UC Riverside). While your GPA trend is upward, it doesn't reach a consistency that would calm anxious faculty looking at your grades unless you had limited educational resources in your childhood to begin with.

Thank you for this. I understand that for M.D, Davis may be one of the better options for me. Where do you think I stand for D.O schools? Do I need to do more (i.e improve my GPA through a post-grad program) in order to get in? Are there some other ways that I can show schools that I have improved as a student aside from the unstable rise in my GPA?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

... Where do you think I stand for D.O schools? Do I need to do more (i.e improve my GPA through a post-grad program) in order to get in? Are there some other ways that I can show schools that I have improved as a student aside from the unstable rise in my GPA?

@Faha gave you a suggestion list. I'll let @Goro add to any advice given to you already.

 

[Goro]

OP, I recommend the SMP/post-bac route. All I see is a single good SR year. The other years are too undulating.

Many of the schools that the wise Faha recommended are brand new schools, which I can't recommend.

 

[chilly_md]

Overall Credits: 49 Total. 14 in the Fall, 15 in the Winter, 16 in the Spring, and 4 in the Summer.
Science Credits: 36 Total. 10 in the Fall, 15 in the Winter, 11 in the Spring, and 0 in the Summer.

So was this the quarter system then? If so, I agree that you either would need to do a post-bacc or target new DO schools like CHSU. They might take a chance but come with their own problems or uncertainties.

 

[Faha]

I noticed that the acceptance rate for some of the D.O schools outside of California are pretty low for out of state students. What do you think the best course of action for me is? Should I take another year to do a Post-Bacc/SMP in order to make myself competitive for schools outside of California?

None of those schools have an instate bias. Another year of a post bacc wth a GPA above 3.5 would help your chances.