So which schools are known to reward GPA reinvention?

[GoPenguinsGo]

Also, what counts as "reinvention"? I have a 3.3 undergrad GPA but since Im a grad student I'm taking 8 credit hours right now at the undergrad level to try to boost my undergrad sGPA to a 3.4 as well as establish a post-bacc GPA of a 4.0 (I have a strong A in all my classes thus far). But is there a benchmark number of credits needed? I imagine the more the merrier, but I just don't know.

And which schools value this reinvention?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[gyngyn]

"Trend" is almost as important as science gpa according to the survey of all MD admissions officers.
A lot of meh undergrad hours requires a lot of post bac hours...
Caveat: post bac counts, not grad school.

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

"Trend" is almost as important as science gpa according to the survey of all MD admissions officers.
A lot of meh undergrad hours requires a lot of post bac hours...
Caveat: post bac counts, not grad school.

Yup, that's why I registered for undergrad courses. Im taking Medical Genetics, Histology, and Immunology here at the undergrad level of my college of medicine in the city I live. I took the grad level course Intro to Molecular and Cellular Biology which was 4 credit hours and got an A- (Fall 2019). Would medical schools look down on me taking Cell Bio now at the undergrad level? I only play with the idea since they aren't counting grad grades.

 

[Shunsui]

Pitt, maybe Dartmouth? I feel like every school, for the most part, values reinvention but those two come to my mind specifically when I think "reinvention"

 

[deleted555445]

as a fellow reinventor, i would try to avoid taking classes you have taken before if possible, unless they're prereqs and you need to get a passing grade. i dont think it looks as good as getting an A in a new topic.

@Goro often offers up a list of schools that are known to reward reinvention when you do a WAMC. if you have an MCAT and an idea of what your final GPA is going to be he might be able to get one for you. if you have a high MCAT i think it includes schools like UCSF, Columbia, Mayo, Dartmouth, Emory, Pitt, Case Western, Miami (?), among others.

 

[deleted555445]

as for the definition of reinvention, it seems to be subjective but a general benchmark that i've seen tossed around is ~30 credits at 3.8+.

 

[Goro]

as for the definition of reinvention, it seems to be subjective but a general benchmark that i've seen tossed around is ~30 credits at 3.8+.

3.7+ in my book, for MD
3.5+ for DO

 

[paradoxic_toxic]

And which schools value this reinvention?

All of them

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

as a fellow reinventor, i would try to avoid taking classes you have taken before if possible, unless they're prereqs and you need to get a passing grade. i dont think it looks as good as getting an A in a new topic.

@Goro often offers up a list of schools that are known to reward reinvention when you do a WAMC. if you have an MCAT and an idea of what your final GPA is going to be he might be able to get one for you. if you have a high MCAT i think it includes schools like UCSF, Columbia, Mayo, Dartmouth, Emory, Pitt, Case Western, Miami (?), among others.

I have a 503 MCAT from 2018 (when I was in undergrad) and this past summer 2020 I got a 516 (128/128/132/128). If I were to apply May 2022 I'd have post bac GPA (if I keep doing as well as I am, and I know that's an assumption) of 4.0 for 27 credits. That would change my cGPA to 3.41 and sGPA to 3.47

My post bacc classes are (and someone please tell me which ones to change):
Spring 2021
-Medical Histology (3)
-Immunology (2)
-Medical Genetics (3)

Summer 2021
-Embryology (3)
-Cell Bio (4)

Fall 2021
-Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering (3)
-Medical Microbiology (3)

Spring 2022
-Medical Pharmacology (3)
-Cancer Biology (3)

total = 27 credits of undergrad classes. I have to work to support myself and do my Pharmacology Master's thesis so I can't take more credits

 

[Goro]

All of them

Not true

 

[Goro]

I have a 503 MCAT from 2018 (when I was in undergrad) and this past summer 2020 I got a 516 (128/128/132/128). If I were to apply May 2022 I'd have post bac GPA (if I keep doing as well as I am, and I know that's an assumption) of 4.0 for 27 credits. That would change my cGPA to 3.41 and sGPA to 3.47

My post bacc classes are (and someone please tell me which ones to change):
Spring 2021
-Medical Histology (3)
-Immunology (2)
-Medical Genetics (3)

Summer 2021
-Embryology (3)
-Cell Bio (4)

Fall 2021
-Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering (3)
-Medical Microbiology (3)

Spring 2022
-Medical Pharmacology (3)
-Cancer Biology (3)

total = 27 credits of undergrad classes. I have to work to support myself and do my Pharmacology Master's thesis so I can't take more credits

Marathon now, not a sprint . Med schools aren't going anywhere.

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

Marathon now, not a sprint . Med schools aren't going anywhere.

Thank you! But do those classes look good for a DIY post bac?

 

[Goro]

Thank you! But do those classes look good for a DIY post bac?

Oh yes!!!

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

For anyone curious about the specific course descriptions for what I'm doing in the DIY post bacc please feel free to PM me! That way you can evaluate the courses in depth

 

[deleted555445]

I have a 503 MCAT from 2018 (when I was in undergrad) and this past summer 2020 I got a 516 (128/128/132/128). If I were to apply May 2022 I'd have post bac GPA (if I keep doing as well as I am, and I know that's an assumption) of 4.0 for 27 credits. That would change my cGPA to 3.41 and sGPA to 3.47

My post bacc classes are (and someone please tell me which ones to change):
Spring 2021
-Medical Histology (3)
-Immunology (2)
-Medical Genetics (3)

Summer 2021
-Embryology (3)
-Cell Bio (4)

Fall 2021
-Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering (3)
-Medical Microbiology (3)

Spring 2022
-Medical Pharmacology (3)
-Cancer Biology (3)

total = 27 credits of undergrad classes. I have to work to support myself and do my Pharmacology Master's thesis so I can't take more credits

I think that looks like a good plan, you'll likely have a solid app assuming you get some good EC's in as well. Sounds like you're balancing a lot and I would be schools will be impressed. Good luck!

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

Those courses will not be calculated as part of science GPA for purposes of AMCAS, Those are health science

Why would those not be considered science courses?

edit: I'm seeing AMCAS list Pharmacology as Health Science. I'm not sure the reasoning behind that one, as I can assure them Pharmacology has a lot of physiology built into it. Regardless, I can just replace it next year with something like Neurobiology (4 credits) or Endocrinology (3 credits)

edit part 2: Here's where I'm seeing AMCAS classify courses if anyone is curious AMCAS® Course Classification Guide

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

Science is basic science. Any applied sciences such as Medical Genetics or Histology is health science. And As I read the the course descriptions these read at the level of Allied Health or similar. I cant see how any of these courses would be considered science by AMCAS definition. They are applied patient/medical focused

AMCAS lists Histology, Immunology, and Genetics under their Biology (BIOL) course classification. I'll check with them to see if we are missing something. Thanks for catching this early!

AMCAS® Course Classification Guide

The American Medical College Application Service® (AMCAS®) Course Classification Guide provides examples of how courses are often categorized.

students-residents.aamc.org

Edit: There's a class here at my school called "Fundamentals of Molecular Genetics". Would that be BCPM?

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

But you are taking classes as applied medical science which makes these HEAL and not BIO

Ah well, do they still look good for a post bacc?

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

I made a revised list based on Gonnif's advice for certain classes only counting as Health Science according to AMCAS.

Spring 2021 (can't really change these now)
-Medical Histology (3)
-Immunology (2)
-Medical Genetics (3)

Summer 2021
-Developmental Biology
-Cell Bio (4)

Fall 2021
-Fundamentals of Molecular Genetics (3)
-Neurobiology (3)

Spring 2022
-Endocrinology (3)
-Cancer Biology (3)

Is this better @gonnif @Goro ?

 

[deleted555445]

The last two Endocrinology and Cancer may border on health You should check with UCinn on all these as I find their Medical Science BS seemingly trying to give applicants a foundation in medical school content but are doing so at the risk of not fulfilling prereqs and/or doing the best for AMCAS. Their program is falling into specialized health science major which on whole have worst acceptance rate to medical school

Idk if it varies post-bacc to post-bacc, but at my school both those classes are definitely BCPM (advisor confirmed). both those classes just felt like cell/molecular biology specific to certain pathways.

 

[Goro]

I made a revised list based on Gonnif's advice for certain classes only counting as Health Science according to AMCAS.

Spring 2021 (can't really change these now)
-Medical Histology (3)
-Immunology (2)
-Medical Genetics (3)

Summer 2021
-Developmental Biology
-Cell Bio (4)

Fall 2021
-Fundamentals of Molecular Genetics (3)
-Neurobiology (3)

Spring 2022
-Endocrinology (3)
-Cancer Biology (3)

Is this better @gonnif @Goro ?

Looks fine!

 

[ndcpjf]

Idk if it varies post-bacc to post-bacc, but at my school both those classes are definitely BCPM (advisor confirmed). both those classes just felt like cell/molecular biology specific to certain pathways.

I'm a reapplicant who's taken Endocrinology in undergrad and it absolutely counted as a BCPM verified course. I'm also taking post-bacc courses and have taken Cancer Biology. If that class isn't considered Biology by AMCAS then I don't know what the hell is. Then again, like you said, it could vary by school.

 

[KYLIE14]

"Trend" is almost as important as science gpa according to the survey of all MD admissions officers.
A lot of meh undergrad hours requires a lot of post bac hours...
Caveat: post bac counts, not grad school.

where did you see this survey?

 

[deleted1017883]

I think the classes are all fine for BCPM. I'm applying with many classes with a "health" tag like biomedical genetics, biomedical anatomy and those all count towards my sGPA. I don't like to contradict experts on here but I think gonnif is wrong on this one.

 

[gyngyn]

where did you see this survey?

Page 14: https://www.aamc.org/media/18901/download

 

[sarasara123]

Page 14: https://www.aamc.org/media/18901/download

thanks for shring