SMP or Postbac better for me?

[OptimusPrimal]

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I have a question about an SMP vs post bac. My gpa is 3.4. So:

Is this good enough to risk an MD application cycle? Or is time better spent applying straight into an SMP?

I'm also applying DO as well. However, even at that, I'd like to maximize chances.

 

[DrMidlife]

Your story hinges on your MCAT. If your MCAT is competitive for DO (27+) then you're done, go DO, don't spend money on an SMP, don't apply widely to MD schools (state schools are the only reasonable MD bet).

If your MCAT is competitive for MD (32+) then go nuts. Apply MD, early, and if you don't get accepted by around November, apply to SMPs.

My MD vs. DO attitude varies from others around here, and it's up to you to figure out your own attitude. If it's true for you that you won't care whether you get an MD or a DO, more power to you. In my mind it's a fork in the road that branches on the intersection of two points: the academic performance of a teenager, and the degree to which an adult, who does not feel accurately defined by teenage events, is hellbent to counter them.

Best of luck to you.

 

[OptimusPrimal]

.

 

[DrMidlife]

If you can improve a sub-competitive undergrad GPA before you start applying, you should.

If you can take lots of upper div undergrad science and get a really high GPA instead of (or in addition to) an SMP before applying, you should.

Whether you want to bet on a 3.3+ or a 3.4+ is up to you.