Special Masters Programs the way to go?

[FLGatorMed]

Okay,

So here's the deal. I am a senior in college. I have an awful GPA (~2.6), which should go up to a 2.7 by the end of this semester, and hopefully, assuming next semester goes well, a 2.8 after graduation. My upper level GPA is around a 3.0. My science GPA is around a 3.1. I am studying a biological science. I got a 506 on my MCAT, and have volunteering, research, employment, and an internship under my belt. My GPA is low because of a bad year when I was ill. I feel that I would not be a strong applicant to medical schools with my GPA and so now I'm looking at special masters programs. Would any of these programs be worth it to help me offset a bad undergraduate GPA? Should I try to pursue a regular masters in a biological science? I'm just really lost right now and my adviser isn't really helping..

Thanks.

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[cantankerous]

Forget all that. Just retake your low grades and apply DO.

 

[Goro]

If you are boning for the MD degree, then yes, a post-bac/SMP is in order. But the fastest route to being a doctor is via what cantankerous has mentioned.

 

[FLGatorMed]

I am going for an MD degree. Would an SMP be my only shot?

 

[GrapesofRath]

I am going for an MD degree. Would an SMP be my only shot?

For an SMP your GPA honestly probably needs to be above a 3.0 and you'll probably want an MCAT above a 506(think 511+).

Given how low your current GPA is, yes I don't think a p0st-bacc will cut it. You need an SMP for an MD in your situation. What you have to look at though is how competitive SMP programs are; in order for one to be worth it you need to do better than the majority of MS1's in their classes. Furthermore, these MS1's will be studying way way way more than they did in undergrad. So you have to ask yourself how exactly are you going to do better than 2/3 of MS1's who had 3.8/32's on average in UG when you are a 2.8/29 and when those 3.8/32's are going to be studying much much more than they ever did in college with you? Keep in mind a poor SMP showing and its game over; MD or DO isn't happening then.

So in your situation you really need to consider what it is you want out of the field of medicine and what is realistic for you. The path to DO is much easier, cheaper and feasible for you. You already have a fine MCAT for a DO school. The path to an MD is much much longer, harder and less realistic and involves making some major major major changes that simply might not be feasible for you. You really gotta think about all this before trying to go for an SMP.

 

[FLGatorMed]

Doesn't a 3.0+ and 511+ defeat the purpose of the SMP? MDs take people with those credentials don't they? Am I done for MD then..?

 

[Satire5Texul]

Judging by your username, you should not listen to advisers.

Grapes is right that most SMP will want you to have a 3.0 or higher. So likely you should retake classes, problem is being a Gator means you cannot take more undergrad classes there unless you prolong your graduation (which might not be a bad idea honestly, but if you are struggling in Gatornation then def dont keep taking science classes there), unless you are going to move back somewhere else and start taking some science classes at another institution.

Also like Grapes and Goro pointed out, you are not done for. MD is just more expensive, riskier, and might not pan out at all. DO is easier, cheaper and less stressful and risky path. So you have to ask yourself how much it matters to you and how hard you are willing to work, and if it doesnt work out, cope with the end result. For MD this means being an above average applicant in terms of ECs, which means you will need to further boost this to tip the scale of comparison to other students.

Problem is even with masters, your GPA will not be as high. You also will have a separate category for GPA (post-bach). Doing a SMP, even with your EC, is not going to drastically increase your app and allow you to move on to medical school. Your GPA simply just needs to be higher. If I were you, I would really reform your study habits. You are in the trenches. Its sink or swim time from now on. No Cantina time (if you were a fan. Mainly just wanted to take a dig at the place), hit the books every day of the week and relax in-between. Delay your graduation, assuming your grades drastically improve, by a year to get your GPA up. Then do SMP. Then take MCAT again (Shoot for 514). All this for a mere small chance at MD.
For DO, graduate or delay graduation (whichever is cheaper), and retake your low score classes. Then apply if your mcat hasnt timed out. If timed out, retake.

PM me if you want more specific help for your classes

 

[ZedsDed]

Also like Grapes and Goro pointed out, you are not done for. MD is just more expensive, riskier, and might not pan out at all. DO is easier, cheaper and less stressful and risky path.

Actually, many DO schools are more expensive than the average IS MD school. BUT, if we are talking SMP tuition+OOS low-tier MD school+COL during SMP, we are looking at 300k-400k in debt

If I were you, I would really reform your study habits. You are in the trenches. Its sink or swim time from now on. No Cantina time (if you were a fan. Mainly just wanted to take a dig at the place), hit the books every day of the week and relax in-between. Delay your graduation, assuming your grades drastically improve, by a year to get your GPA up. Then do SMP. Then take MCAT again (Shoot for 514). All this for a mere small chance at MD.

This^^^^

OP, it is absolutely ridiculous for you to not consider DO at this point. Ridiculous.

I suggest you wait and see how you perform from here on out before you start limiting your options.

 

[FLGatorMed]

Actually, many DO schools are more expensive than the average IS MD school. BUT, if we are talking SMP tuition+OOS low-tier MD school+COL during SMP, we are looking at 300k-400k in debt


This^^^^

OP, it is absolutely ridiculous for you to not consider DO at this point. Ridiculous.

I suggest you wait and see how you perform from here on out before you start limiting your options.

I do not want to go DO. I will go for MD and if it truly does prove to be an unfeasible career path, I'll look into bioengineering or another masters program. I appreciate all the responses! Looking at a postbacc as of right now to see if I can get my GPA up to around a 3.2.

 

[snarkie]

What is it about DO makes it so unappealing to you? If medicine is something you actually want to do, it's really silly not to consider it.