Sigh.. Chance me/Advice?

[intamin]

So.. bad news first, I have a 3.25 sci/cum GPA and there is no trend whatsoever. There were a few quarters that I had done well in but a particular quarter where I took too many classes sort of killed me. I also do not have very much experience in US hospitals. LORs are okay.. the one from my research professor who taught me in a class of his should be good and the LORs from the chiropractor and research advisor should be as well. From my other science and non-science professor however, expecting them to just be average. I am also Asian and a CA resident so.. yeah..

The good news.. after receiving a 28(9/10/9) on my first MCAT, I took a year off and scored a 36 (12/11/13) on the second.
Clinical:
Chiropractic Clinic volunteering- 250 hours

Medical trip to India- Visited for 3 weeks, had the opportunity to take the vitals of over a thousand patients and got to scrub in and watch surgeries from an extremely close distance

Community Service:
Homeless outreach- 50 hours as Co-Chairman of church group that provided food and clothing to homeless people around LA

Boys and Girls Club- 80 hours volunteered at a B&G club in an underserved community

Also fundraised money on campus and working for staffpro to support trips to underprivileged areas in third world countries. (150 hours)

Research:
Extensive amount of research (I think). 300 hours working in a molecular genetics research lab that focuses on Huntington's Disease. I also started research in a well known Cancer Research hospital in California and research approximately 40 hours per week here in a lab that uses immunotherapeutics to fight breast cancer. To date I have volunteered 650 hours here since beginning in early July. If I am not accepted this cycle, I will have approximately 2500 hours of research at the cancer research lab alone.

Basically.. I just want to know if I have a shot despite my crappy GPA. I've applied this cycle to a lot of "low" tier schools and really would be grateful to get in anywhere or even get a single interview for that matter. I'd highly prefer to not have to do an SMP or Master's program if I don't have to because I don't want to impose more of a financial burden on my parents and I can't afford it myself. If I don't get in this cycle, is there no other choice but SMP/post-bacc for me?

Thanks,
intamin

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[ChemEngMD]

Personally, I wouldn't list the chiropractor experience...I don't know how MD Adcoms are going to look at this (someone who actually is an adcom can correct me). It probably would look okay on a DO application though.

I also feel a little weird about you having a DC write you a LOR for an MD or DO program. I wouldn't have an optometrist write me a letter to med school or a dentist write me a letter for chiropractory school unless it was strictly from the standpoint of a "boss" and not trying to equate DC clinical experiences to MD/DO clinical experiences.

Great MCAT though - good work! I think you might have a shot, your GPA will still make the cut-off to not get auto-screened and your MCAT MAY be able to get you a few interviews.

Just my $0.02

 

[intamin]

Thanks for the quick response! I honestly did it more to just get some type of patient interaction. I'd tried getting a volunteer position at a hospital but was unable to so I tried to find something else in the meantime. I'm thinking of trying to find a volunteer position at a hospital again in addition to volunteering 40 hours per week at my research to further improve my app but I'm still unsure if it can make up for the hole my GPA leaves

 

[ChemEngMD]

Thanks for the quick response! I honestly did it more to just get some type of patient interaction. I'd tried getting a volunteer position at a hospital but was unable to so I tried to find something else in the meantime. I'm thinking of trying to find a volunteer position at a hospital again in addition to volunteering 40 hours per week at my research to further improve my app but I'm still unsure if it can make up for the hole my GPA leaves

Your GPA is fine for DO. Are you only wanting to go MD?

 

[intamin]

I highly prefer to go MD because in the future I'd still like to continue helping underprivileged communities internationally and please correct me if I'm wrong but they can't practice medicine outside of the US. In addition to this, I have a strong interest in pursuing oncology and have heard that it is fairly difficult to join a fellowship as a DO. I did not apply to DO this cycle however if I am not accepted this year, I will probably apply to both next year.

 

[Goro]

You're fine for any DO program, but no chance for MD

So.. bad news first, I have a 3.25 sci/cum GPA and there is no trend whatsoever. There were a few quarters that I had done well in but a particular quarter where I took too many classes sort of killed me. I also do not have very much experience in US hospitals. LORs are okay.. the one from my research professor who taught me in a class of his should be good and the LORs from the chiropractor and research advisor should be as well. From my other science and non-science professor however, expecting them to just be average. I am also Asian and a CA resident so.. yeah..

The good news.. after receiving a 28(9/10/9) on my first MCAT, I took a year off and scored a 36 (12/11/13) on the second.
Clinical:
Chiropractic Clinic volunteering- 250 hours

Medical trip to India- Visited for 3 weeks, had the opportunity to take the vitals of over a thousand patients and got to scrub in and watch surgeries from an extremely close distance

Community Service:
Homeless outreach- 50 hours as Co-Chairman of church group that provided food and clothing to homeless people around LA

Boys and Girls Club- 80 hours volunteered at a B&G club in an underserved community

Also fundraised money on campus and working for staffpro to support trips to underprivileged areas in third world countries. (150 hours)

Research:
Extensive amount of research (I think). 300 hours working in a molecular genetics research lab that focuses on Huntington's Disease. I also started research in a well known Cancer Research hospital in California and research approximately 40 hours per week here in a lab that uses immunotherapeutics to fight breast cancer. To date I have volunteered 650 hours here since beginning in early July. If I am not accepted this cycle, I will have approximately 2500 hours of research at the cancer research lab alone.

Basically.. I just want to know if I have a shot despite my crappy GPA. I've applied this cycle to a lot of "low" tier schools and really would be grateful to get in anywhere or even get a single interview for that matter. I'd highly prefer to not have to do an SMP or Master's program if I don't have to because I don't want to impose more of a financial burden on my parents and I can't afford it myself. If I don't get in this cycle, is there no other choice but SMP/post-bacc for me?

Thanks,
intamin

 

[intamin]

If I did a SMP, how much do you think it would help my chances?

 

[Etyan]

Your MCAT is solid. Completing a SMP from a program with strong ties to its medical school will give you a solid chance at MD.

If expenses are a concern and you have 2 years to invest, a postbacc may be an even better route. It will certainly help for DO, and it will benefit for MD as well.

 

[Mavs88]

I highly prefer to go MD because in the future I'd still like to continue helping underprivileged communities internationally and please correct me if I'm wrong but they can't practice medicine outside of the US. In addition to this, I have a strong interest in pursuing oncology and have heard that it is fairly difficult to join a fellowship as a DO. I did not apply to DO this cycle however if I am not accepted this year, I will probably apply to both next year.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DOworld.PNG

There are plenty of under served and poverty stricken countries on that map. Apply DO!

 

[intamin]

Well that's good to know, but what about the oncology aspect? I realize I may end up changing specialties later on but I'd like to keep my options open if possible which is why I want to give MD a true shot first.

 

[broski123]

Just

 

[wiloghby]

I would agree that listing chiropractic experience is likely to be viewed negatively at many schools. However I am not on any admissions committee, so I could be wrong.

 

[intamin]

Hrmm alright thanks for the feedback guys. Anyways I was in New Delhi for awhile and then took a flight to Bangalore. So a little bit of North and Southern India. But yeah basically if I don't get in this cycle, I guess I'll try and do an SMP.. any suggestions on which SMP to go to? I read on the forums that UCinn was a good choice although it's supposedly kind of tough. Still would prefer not to in case for some reason I mess up or something.. but the way you guys make it sound I don't really have a chance any other way so I guess that's it lol.