Super Low GPA high MCAT - Chances at MD?

[lothlorien]

Hello! I have been a long time lurker here at SDN and now that I am done with undergrad I need some realistic advice on what to do next... My goal is to go to an MD school but I feel like my GPA is going to prevent my application from being even looked at!
So my cGPA is a 2.95 and my MCAT is a 36. I have an upward trend on my GPA (average of 3.6-3.7 on the last 75 credits). I graduated with a BS in Chemistry and a BS in Biology and started a Master's in Biomedical Sciences in Summer 2013. The reason for my abismal cGPA is that when I first started college I got into a car accident and became terribly depressed for two years which prevented me to do well in school (I have several Fs on my transcript). After taking two semesters off I finally came back to school and started to do much better! I am now in an MS program (non-thesis) in which I am confident I will be able to perform to the best of my abilities. My EC are: president of the bio club for 2 years, research for 2 years and presented this research at 3 conferences, work part time in a law office since 2012 (~20 hours a week), shadowing of an embryologist, and TA for organic chem for a year. I will begin volunteering at my local hospital in 2 months and shadow a OBGYN. I will also begin research in cancer immunology in Fall 2013.

Please give me your honest opinion about my chances for an MD school... I have been doing everything I can to improve my chances since this is something I have always wanted. Thank you for your time!

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[wiloghby]

Upward trend is good, but a cGPA <3.0 is going to autoscreen you at many places if the conventional wisdom here is correct.

 

[lothlorien]

I am looking to apply to schools without a GPA cut off and hope that my MCAT and EC are enough to get my application looked at

 

[gyngyn]

When an application like yours is reviewed there are only so many potential explanations for the disparity. If depression is the explanation, how will you assure the committee that it is unlikely to influence you in the future?

 

[lothlorien]

I was too immature back then and couldn't handle it. I didn't think of consequences and what would happen in the future. I think that through this I've realized how much I really want to become a physician and I have my priorities set straight. I have a much better understanding of myself and even though I can't say that I'll never be depressed again, I'm better prepared to deal with it and prevent my academic performance to suffer

 

[survivordo]

You're going to have a hard time getting past autoscreens. If you can then I think your application stands a shot, you will have to give a sincere explanation when explaining your GPA. I think you stand a shot of getting SOMEONE to believe in you. However, you also gotta look at the fact that there are thousands of qualified applicants WITHOUT this red flag. Uphill battle for sure, but you will never know unless you give it a shot.

Survivor DO

 

[freshbagels]

I think your best bet at MD is an SMP, frankly. Coming from a similar situation (lower GPA, higher MCAT, applying this coming cycle), every adcom I've spoken to has said that, without my SMP, I wouldn't be a viable applicant. There are a large variety of programs to choose from - you just need to pick one and do well in it. Well-regarded choices include Georgetown, BU, Cincinnati, EVMS, Tufts, and Tulane. I'd say to pick the cheapest one, knock it out of the park, and apply next cycle. If you're dead set on applying this year as-is, make sure you call and speak to someone if you've been autoscreened. If you have a good "story", so to speak, for your app, you may be able to get in somewhere. It has happened before, but it isn't likely.

 

[lothlorien]

I thought of applying to SMP programs but unfortunately I can't afford them. I am doing a MS in Biomedical Sciences and hope to apply next cycle with a good grad GPA. I know that it won't have the same weight an SMP has but that was my only option

 

[freshbagels]

I thought of applying to SMP programs but unfortunately I can't afford them. I am doing a MS in Biomedical Sciences and hope to apply next cycle with a good grad GPA. I know that it won't have the same weight an SMP has but that was my only option

What is your price limit? Tulane's Pharmacology program is ~26k tuition and you could probably keep total COA under 40k. If SMP is out of reach, an informal Post-Bacc can work, as well. Another year of upper division coursework, if you 4.0 it, can presumably move the needle above 3.0 on your GPA, which puts you above the cutoff.

 

[DoctorDachshund]

Osteo.

 

[Goro]

Concur that you'll get autoscreened out of nearly every MD program and many DO ones. To improve your chanes, do some post-bac work to get the GPA >3.0 (re-taking poor coursework does wonders for your DO stats).

Even better will be taking an SMP, which is "med school like", and served as a back door into medical school, especially if given at a medical school.

I think you're just going to have to try an application cycle to see how things shake out.

Try your state school Iif you have one) plus Tulane, SUNY Upstate, Albany, NYMC, Rosy Franklin, Drexel, and Temple. Those plus the newest DO programs.

Hello! I have been a long time lurker here at SDN and now that I am done with undergrad I need some realistic advice on what to do next... My goal is to go to an MD school but I feel like my GPA is going to prevent my application from being even looked at!
So my cGPA is a 2.95 and my MCAT is a 36. I have an upward trend on my GPA (average of 3.6-3.7 on the last 75 credits). I graduated with a BS in Chemistry and a BS in Biology and started a Master's in Biomedical Sciences in Summer 2013. The reason for my abismal cGPA is that when I first started college I got into a car accident and became terribly depressed for two years which prevented me to do well in school (I have several Fs on my transcript). After taking two semesters off I finally came back to school and started to do much better! I am now in an MS program (non-thesis) in which I am confident I will be able to perform to the best of my abilities. My EC are: president of the bio club for 2 years, research for 2 years and presented this research at 3 conferences, work part time in a law office since 2012 (~20 hours a week), shadowing of an embryologist, and TA for organic chem for a year. I will begin volunteering at my local hospital in 2 months and shadow a OBGYN. I will also begin research in cancer immunology in Fall 2013.

Please give me your honest opinion about my chances for an MD school... I have been doing everything I can to improve my chances since this is something I have always wanted. Thank you for your time!