Should I do SMP to get into med school? Low MCAT

[jeep1010]

I have a 503 and a 502 MCAT scores. Lower one unfortunately after my higher score.
I got into a few SMP programs. I am trying to go M.D. I don't want an uphill battle for residency in competitive specialties.
My undergrad GPA is a 3.6 and science is 3.5. I am applying DO right now, and I have gotten a few secondaries. I was thinking of doing an SMP over my gap year (i got into Georgetown, CASE, and eastern virginia).

Does anyone know about these schools? I know SMPs are for low GPA and high MCAT. Or should I just re-take the MCAT (shoot for next april)? I feel like I would need a 514+ (asian male, from CA).

I know @Goro says beggars cant be choosers, but if you could advise me on how to go MD that would be great.

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[candbgirl]

If you want MD why did you bother applying DO? Your GPA isn't the problem for MD. It's a bit low but your MCATs are definitely low. The thing with SMPs is that you have hit it out of the park GPA wise. You already have an acceptable GPA. There is risk you would do worse in the SMP than you did in undergrad and your Med School hopes would be hurt. You have to fix your MCAT. Or just complete the DO cycle and hope for an acceptance.


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[JustAPhD]

Your GPA is a tad low but not the main issue, as candbgirl correctly mentioned. That MCAT will need to be brought up for you to have a successful cycle. It's troubling that you scored lower your second time around, and that leads me to think its not a testing issue but more so a prep issue. I would take the MCAT again but only when you are fully prepared.

And yes, why exactly did you apply to DO schools then? You know, dumping the cash onto a fire would be a quicker way to waste money.

 

[jeep1010]

@candbgirl @JustAPhD The reason i applied DO is because if my MCAT score doesnt increase my next May, then I will have a DO acceptance (hopefully) to go to in August. Thus, I don't have to waste another year.

 

[Megarooski]

Yes, but if you get around a 508-510 or so, what do you plan on doing then? Rejecting the (possible) DO acceptance means you will be putting all of your eggs into the MD basket. It's better to just not apply DO this year, try and raise your MCAT, and then go all in and apply to both MD and DO next year.

 

[desiredmembername123]

Just go DO man. The residency difficulties are a little overblown IMO. If you kickass in DO, nothing will stand in your way.

 

[PossibleDOC?]

An SMP will NOT help with an MCAT problem. You can get a 4.0 but they won't accept you into a MD program without a 510 or higher on an MCAT retake and even then most schools are going to average. If you're really all in on MD save your money and apply in a year after a hard year of studying and a MCAT retake. Adcoms will be concerned with the slightly below average gpa (indicating a somewhat good student) but a poor MCAT (indicating maybe some grade inflation....every school does it, just depends how bad).

If you actually want to be a doctor, can get by the initials at the end of your name and are willing to work hard apply DO and become a doctor. If you want to let the initials and the residency competitiveness scare you then apply MD but remember the merger is coming in 2020 so that could alter things. Also remember Cali is the WORST state to try and get into med school with subpar stats

Don't do an SMP its a waste you'll need that extra money for more MD apps because you will need to apply broadly and strategically.

 

[Goro]

The GPA isn't keeping you out of MD schools, the MCAT score is. Why do you think the third time will be any different?

I have a 503 and a 502 MCAT scores. Lower one unfortunately after my higher score.
I got into a few SMP programs. I am trying to go M.D. I don't want an uphill battle for residency in competitive specialties.
My undergrad GPA is a 3.6 and science is 3.5. I am applying DO right now, and I have gotten a few secondaries. I was thinking of doing an SMP over my gap year (i got into Georgetown, CASE, and eastern virginia).

Does anyone know about these schools? I know SMPs are for low GPA and high MCAT. Or should I just re-take the MCAT (shoot for next april)? I feel like I would need a 514+ (asian male, from CA).

I know @Goro says beggars cant be choosers, but if you could advise me on how to go MD that would be great.

 

[Crayola227]

It's a little cart before the horse to be in a situation were you have number(s?) that are keeping you from being competitive for med school and worrying about competitive specialties.

If now, at the *easiest* level academically, you're finding it difficult to get into MD (for competitive residencies as your reason why you're insisting MD over DO) what makes you so sure you're going to, in MD *or* DO school, do well enough for a competitive specialty, especially when this very concern about competitive specialties is currently keeping you from getting any sort of medical degree?

Because no one can predict with any certainty just what will happen in medical school and how this plays out for competitiveness in obtaining residency, I caution anyone who cannot imagine a life as a PCP, psychiatrist, or other very uncompetitive specialty, to just not go.

Do not go to medical school if your happiness is going to depend on derm, ENT, EM, etc etc

Go to medical school because you are willing to be a physician in whatever capacity you are able.

If that is your goal, then there should be nothing keeping you from the DO route.

 

[jeep1010]

@Goro I'm taking a course focusing on verbal as that was my weak point. Do you think that I will not be able to improve my MCAT to a 514?

 

[PossibleDOC?]

If I can be brutally honest (I usually am anyway) I hope you do much better, but as a 3 time MCAT taker I can honestly say scores don't TYPICALLY increase that much, yours maybe, but the probability isn't on your side. If you get into a DO school and if you decide to go down the path of the whole retake the mcat and then apply MD and reject a DO school acceptance you close the book on DO and maybe even your chances of becoming a doctor remember that

 

[candbgirl]

I suppose you could increase your score by 12 points but what makes you think you can? As @Goro says " that's magical thinking"! And even if you somehow magically do it , you'll have be careful and apply to schools that do not average multiple MCATs. If you somehow managed a 514 your three score average would be 506. Not really competitive for MD schools.


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[Lawpy]

1. SMP is used to repair a low GPA (<3.3) not a low MCAT. In fact, many good SMPs require a strong MCAT (>33) to get accepted.

2. You went from a 503 to a 502. What happened? Retaking is advised only if you can score substantially higher on the retake, not same or lower (which looks bad).

3. From #2, how do you plan to score >10+ points on the third retake? Also note that many schools average all MCAT attempts.

 

[Gurby]

@Goro I'm taking a course focusing on verbal as that was my weak point. Do you think that I will not be able to improve my MCAT to a 514?

I would be shocked if taking a course yielded that much improvement.

If you want to get better at something, you need to bust your tail on your own time to make it happen. I would break "learning" down into 75% personal effort, 15% natural ability, 10% guidance/teacher. Innate intelligence helps, and it's nice to have direction from a teacher who can help you figure out what is important to focus on. But at the end of the day, you need to put the time and effort in yourself or you won't get anywhere.

Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but "I'm taking a course" gives me the impression that you aren't taking enough personal responsibility. If you think the verbal section on the MCAT is your weak point, you should set out a practice regimen: read+summarize a journal article and then complete 5 practice CARS passages every day. Something like that.

 

[Goro]

Any help you get will no doubt be an improvement.

@Goro I'm taking a course focusing on verbal as that was my weak point. Do you think that I will not be able to improve my MCAT to a 514?

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

"Hey guys I got a little over 50th percentile on the MCAT twice but I really want MD because when I get to medical school I will get a 250+ on Step and be top of my class and then I will match ortho at HSS."

I just translated the OP for anyone curious.

Oh and DO schools will see that you have an MCAT score pending and will wait on a decision until that third score rolls in. This plan stinks like a jockstrap in a gym locker.

@candbgirl @JustAPhD The reason i applied DO is because if my MCAT score doesnt increase my next May, then I will have a DO acceptance (hopefully) to go to in August. Thus, I don't have to waste another year.

 

[westbill]

I would be shocked if taking a course yielded that much improvement.

If you want to get better at something, you need to bust your tail on your own time to make it happen. I would break "learning" down into 75% personal effort, 15% natural ability, 10% guidance/teacher. Innate intelligence helps, and it's nice to have direction from a teacher who can help you figure out what is important to focus on. But at the end of the day, you need to put the time and effort in yourself or you won't get anywhere.

Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but "I'm taking a course" gives me the impression that you aren't taking enough personal responsibility. If you think the verbal section on the MCAT is your weak point, you should set out a practice regimen: read+summarize a journal article and then complete 5 practice CARS passages every day. Something like that.