SMP or Postbacc?

[reappadvice]

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Hi! I’m an ORM CA applicant, and I did not receive any II's this cycle. While my school-list was partially responsible for this, my GPA must have played a role. What would be your recommendations between an SMP and postbacc? I understand that an SMP is riskier because it is more difficult, but just for the sake of planning, let's assume that I would get a 3.8+ GPA in both the SMP and postbacc. I have included some key points of my application below. Thanks in advance for your help!



I graduated from a top 10 public university in 2018 and have since been working full-time as a research assistant doing basic science research at a top 5 medical school and volunteering as a nurse assistant.


GPA:
BS in Pharmacology
Overall: 3.50
Overall Science: 3.48
Overall breakdown: Freshman: 2.96 Sophomore: 3.26 Junior: 3.66 Senior: 3.91
Overall science breakdown: Freshman: 2.56 Sophomore: 3.26 Junior: 3.70 Senior: 3.90

MCAT:
Total: 516 C/P: [131] CARS: [124] BB: [130] P/S: [131]

Research Experience:

Biopharmaceutical industry intern: I was a summer intern at a biopharmaceutical company during college.

Undergrad basic science lab: 3000 hours total. Began Junior year. Volunteered 40 hours per week during senior year working on senior thesis. I was awarded a small grant for my project. Graduated with distinction in research for my project. Presented 1st author poster.

Gap year basic science lab: 3600 hours total. Co-author nature publication.


Clinical Experience:
Nurse Unit Assistant: Hours: 120
Speak with patients and offer anything they might need. Restock supplies. Discharge patients.

Hospital lobby volunteer: Hours: 250
Started during high school and continued the summer after my freshman year of college.

Volunteering:
Soup kitchen: 30 hours (working on this)


Shadowing:
Total 100 hours
Shadowed oncologist, neurologist, and orthopedic surgeon.


Teaching:
I was a teaching assistant for an upper-division cancer biology course during which I hosted review lectures alongside a graduate student.

 

[GreenDuck12]

Given your school list in the previous post, I don’t think a stellar performance in an SMP would’ve led to an acceptance this cycle. Your GPA is on the low side but your mcat is above the median for accepted students. I wouldn’t recommend an SMP until you’ve had an unsuccessful cycle with a more targeted list of schools. If you’re looking to target higher tier programs, some post bac classes to raise your GPA would be useful as would improving other aspects of your application. An SMP is really a moon shot for folks who have lower GPAs or are having difficulty getting a better mcat score. Your GPA, in my mind, isn’t low enough to justify taking that step without an unsuccessful cycle. My vote would be post bac.

 

[Goro]

Given your school list in the previous post, I don’t think a stellar performance in an SMP would’ve led to an acceptance this cycle. Your GPA is on the low side but your mcat is above the median for accepted students. I wouldn’t recommend an SMP until you’ve had an unsuccessful cycle with a more targeted list of schools. If you’re looking to target higher tier programs, some post bac classes to raise your GPA would be useful as would improving other aspects of your application. An SMP is really a moon shot for folks who have lower GPAs or are having difficulty getting a better mcat score. Your GPA, in my mind, isn’t low enough to justify taking that step without an unsuccessful cycle. My vote would be post bac.

I concur

Just make sure you have DO Schools on your list, OP.