Should I do an SMP?

[Slashdoppelganger1]

Hello and thank you all for reading.

I've posted here before regarding future plans of action and I was advised that an extra year of coursework is necessary to make me a more competitive applicant. However, I'm unsure about whether this coursework could be done in a DIY post-bac fashion, or if an SMP would be the best course of action. After speaking with admissions representatives for various SMPs, I've been told that I would be a competitive candidate for their programs and should seriously consider applying/enrolling. My issue is that I'm skeptical about whether they are being genuine in their advice or if they are just pushing their program for the tuition and app fees I'd bring. I was hoping to hear a more objective set of advice from the generous members of this site, and with that, a snapshot of my app is provided below.

Applied this cycle (2019-2020) to 26 MD schools only; 11 pre-II R's, 1 pre-II hold, 0 II's, silence from the rest

Caucasian male/Maryland resident

Graduated 2017 from public university in Virginia

cGPA: 3.43 (2.62 -> 3.42 -> 3.59 -> 3.86)

sGPA: 3.34 (2.71 -> 3.22 -> 3.50 -> 3.73)

MCAT: 518 (130/125/132/130)

Clinical experience:
- Volunteer patient transporter (150 hours over 18 months)
- Volunteer at a free clinic (50 hours over 6 months)
- ICU shadowing (~20 hours)
- Beginning ER scribe position later this month

Research experience:
- 2+ years as NIH IRTA (current job; one low author pub, potentially more)
- 3 summers as research fellow at FDA (no pubs)

Community service:
- Tutor/Childcare at a local homeless shelter (~100 hours over last 2 years)
- Crisis counselor at crisis text line (required to put in 200 hours, currently have ~50)

Leadership:
- Elected position in undergrad fraternity

Thank you all for your time in responding to my query

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[paradoxic_toxic]

After speaking with admissions representatives for various SMPs, I've been told that I would be a competitive candidate for their programs and should seriously consider applying/enrolling.

Yeah.. because they want your money. You don't need an SMP with those stats.

Take the time to beef up your clinical hours and do a DIY post bac. Get as close to 3.6 GPA as possible before applying and you'll have a decent shot at many MD schools.

 

[Slashdoppelganger1]

Yeah.. because they want your money. You don't need an SMP with those stats.

Take the time to beef up your clinical hours and do a DIY post bac. Get as close to 3.6 GPA as possible before applying and you'll have a decent shot at many MD schools.

I appreciate the reply; that is what I suspected but when collecting so much information it's hard to know what is actually reliable.

I'm sure my low clinical hours and GPAs are among the main reasons for my lack of success. I hope to make up for that in part with the scribe position. Do you think I should also look for shadowing opportunities, or would scribing cover that area?

 

[Slashdoppelganger1]

I would agree with the above. I prefer that decent applicants should go postbacc as the more cost effective method. However, I wouldnt get over concerned with the overall GPA of 3.6. Applicants focus far too much on a single number and what you need to show is a rising trend. 30-45 credits of solid work would be sufficient, especially with a 518. Would the OP post your AMCAS GPA Grid so we can see grade trends

Thanks for the reply, gonnif. I'll attach my GPA grid so please let me know if you have issues viewing it.

I've managed to find ~35 credits worth of upper level biology classes I could take at the Univeristy of Maryland. A 4.0 in those would bring me up to a 3.54/3.54. Do you think that, in addition to scribing and continuing volunteer positions, would be sufficient?

 

[paradoxic_toxic]

I appreciate the reply; that is what I suspected but when collecting so much information it's hard to know what is actually reliable.

I'm sure my low clinical hours and GPAs are among the main reasons for my lack of success. I hope to make up for that in part with the scribe position. Do you think I should also look for shadowing opportunities, or would scribing cover that area?

Even though you'll be working with physicians, it's still a good idea to have a formal shadowing experience on paper. You only need ~50 hours.

 

[Goro]

Hello and thank you all for reading.

I've posted here before regarding future plans of action and I was advised that an extra year of coursework is necessary to make me a more competitive applicant. However, I'm unsure about whether this coursework could be done in a DIY post-bac fashion, or if an SMP would be the best course of action. After speaking with admissions representatives for various SMPs, I've been told that I would be a competitive candidate for their programs and should seriously consider applying/enrolling. My issue is that I'm skeptical about whether they are being genuine in their advice or if they are just pushing their program for the tuition and app fees I'd bring. I was hoping to hear a more objective set of advice from the generous members of this site, and with that, a snapshot of my app is provided below.

Applied this cycle (2019-2020) to 26 MD schools only; 11 pre-II R's, 1 pre-II hold, 0 II's, silence from the rest

Caucasian male/Maryland resident

Graduated 2017 from public university in Virginia

cGPA: 3.43 (2.62 -> 3.42 -> 3.59 -> 3.86)

sGPA: 3.34 (2.71 -> 3.22 -> 3.50 -> 3.73)

MCAT: 518 (130/125/132/130)

Clinical experience:
- Volunteer patient transporter (150 hours over 18 months)
- Volunteer at a free clinic (50 hours over 6 months)
- ICU shadowing (~20 hours)
- Beginning ER scribe position later this month

Research experience:
- 2+ years as NIH IRTA (current job; one low author pub, potentially more)
- 3 summers as research fellow at FDA (no pubs)

Community service:
- Tutor/Childcare at a local homeless shelter (~100 hours over last 2 years)
- Crisis counselor at crisis text line (required to put in 200 hours, currently have ~50)

Leadership:
- Elected position in undergrad fraternity

Thank you all for your time in responding to my query

What was your school list?
You do need to have some DO schools on your list.
Scribing IS shadowing.
Getting more service to others less fortunate than yourself.
Rewrite all essays and have multiple eyeballs vet them.
And no, you don't need a SMP, just a strategic school list.

 

[jarednogeek]

no

 

[Slashdoppelganger1]

What was your school list?
You do need to have some DO schools on your list.
Scribing IS shadowing.
Getting more service to others less fortunate than yourself.
Rewrite all essays and have multiple eyeballs vet them.
And no, you don't need a SMP, just a strategic school list.

Thanks, Goro. My school list is below; it was generated using the MSAR with my GPAs above 10th percentile (except for reaches) and my MCAT at or well above median. After a year of coursework I'll be back asking for feedback on a new list which will include several DO schools.

I plan to continue on with my service activities as they are now and definitely will be rewriting all essays.

- University of Maryland (state school; no response)
- Virginia Tech Carilion (undergrad; no response)
- Rosalind Franklin (rejected pre-II)
- Quinnipiac (no response)
- Drexel (no response)
- Georgetown (rejected pre-II)
- George Washington (rejected pre-II)
- Temple (no response)
- MC Wisconsin (no response)
- NYMC (pre-II hold)
- Vermont (no response)
- Thomas Jefferson (no response)
- Tufts (no response)
- Tulane (rejected pre-II)
- U Miami (no response)
- USC Keck (no response)
- Virginia Commonwealth (no response)
- Wake Forest (rejected pre-II)
- Western Michigan (no response)
- Case Western (mega reach, rejected pre-II)
- Cleveland Clinic (mega reach, rejected pre-II)
- Dartmouth (reach, rejected pre-II)
- Emory (reach, no response)
- Brown (reach, rejected pre-II)
- Rochester (reach, no response)
- Hofstra (reach, rejected pre-II)

 

[Goro]

Thanks, Goro. My school list is below; it was generated using the MSAR with my GPAs above 10th percentile (except for reaches) and my MCAT at or well above median. After a year of coursework I'll be back asking for feedback on a new list which will include several DO schools.

I plan to continue on with my service activities as they are now and definitely will be rewriting all essays.

- University of Maryland (state school; no response)
- Virginia Tech Carilion (undergrad; no response)
- Rosalind Franklin (rejected pre-II)
- Quinnipiac (no response)
- Drexel (no response)
- Georgetown (rejected pre-II)
- George Washington (rejected pre-II)
- Temple (no response)
- MC Wisconsin (no response)
- NYMC (pre-II hold)
- Vermont (no response)
- Thomas Jefferson (no response)
- Tufts (no response)
- Tulane (rejected pre-II)
- U Miami (no response)
- USC Keck (no response)
- Virginia Commonwealth (no response)
- Wake Forest (rejected pre-II)
- Western Michigan (no response)
- Case Western (mega reach, rejected pre-II)
- Cleveland Clinic (mega reach, rejected pre-II)
- Dartmouth (reach, rejected pre-II)
- Emory (reach, no response)
- Brown (reach, rejected pre-II)
- Rochester (reach, no response)
- Hofstra (reach, rejected pre-II)

List is pretty close to what I would have recommended. Brown was a donation.
Suggest one year of post-bac DIY if boning for the MD, or go for DO and save a year.