Timing Questions / Other Questions

[Leefa]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hello all,

I've been looking into SMP lately, specifically BU MAMS. Georgetown, Tufts, Drexel, and Cinci also seem like options. This seems like the most ideal path for me to take, as I doubt that I can enter medical school with my current stats, but I don't want to settle for anything less than practising medicine with an MD.

My [rough] resume

GPA: 2.9
MCAT: not taken yet

ECs:
~100h volunteering at the university hospital
~ 20h Shadowing a cardiologist
~10h volunteering with habitat for humanity
- 3 years x 52weeks x 3h weekly tutoring african american and hispanic high- and middle-schoolers
- Two years as co founder of my university's Interfaith Service Group (community service projects)
- Two years serving as a member of my university's Student Health Advisory Committee - a presidential charter committee
- I've worked at least part time 3 of 4 years in undergrad in non-related fields of work

Background:

By the end of this semester, I'm determined to be looking at a GPA of 3.0 minimum, and higher by May 2013.

I have been studying for the MCAT lightly, but plan to pick up the pace soon and take it in time to have my scores by May 2013. My goal is to achieve somewhere around a 35, realistically. I definitely feel this is necessary to vindicate my efforts.

I can take my MCAT earlier, and have results by March, but my score will be lower.

I still have to sort out my LORs, but I have a professor or two in mind, and I don't think they'll be surprised to see me ask them.

I have been considering looking into working/volunteering in a lab starting next semester. I feel that a decent scientific background is lacking in my resume, and that this would help fix that.

Questions:

1) How heavily will my undergraduate GPA be weighed by med school adcoms if I also have a separate (hopefully high) GPA from an SMP? Will an upward trend in my undergraduate GPA be looked upon favourably, hopefully bolstering proof that I am capable of medical school?

2) Because some of the classes in an SMP are the same as medical school, can credits from an SMP transfer to medical school?

3) What can I do to further bolster my application for an SMP? It has always been a dream of mine to go to BU, actually, and I'd like to do what I can to improve my chances of admittance there.

4) Would a degree in Public Health (MPH or MS Epidemiology) with great grades serve as an equal representation of my ability to medical schools? I feel that an SMP, with more medically focused classes, would better serve me. Is that correct?

5) Would there be any wisdom in applying to medical schools in the coming cycle (Beginning June '13)? Could my grades from an SMP during fall '13 be sent to medical schools in time for adcoms to consider them?

6) If I were to apply to a few SMPs in January or February, before my mcat scores are in, would my application get tossed? What would be the advantage of applying before having mcat scores if not (considering my stats)? I understand that rolling admissions are used, but I don't think my potential February application would be anywhere close to the calibre needed for consideration.

7) Are interviews usually not part of the application process for admittance to an SMP? I definitely feel that an interview will give me an advantage, even more so if they are not the norm.


Thank you so much for your time!

 

[chayo234]

Hello all,

I've been looking into SMP lately, specifically BU MAMS. Georgetown, Tufts, Drexel, and Cinci also seem like options. This seems like the most ideal path for me to take, as I doubt that I can enter medical school with my current stats, but I don't want to settle for anything less than practising medicine with an MD.

My [rough] resume

GPA: 2.9
MCAT: not taken yet

ECs:
~100h volunteering at the university hospital
~ 20h Shadowing a cardiologist
~10h volunteering with habitat for humanity
- 3 years x 52weeks x 3h weekly tutoring african american and hispanic high- and middle-schoolers
- Two years as co founder of my university's Interfaith Service Group (community service projects)
- Two years serving as a member of my university's Student Health Advisory Committee - a presidential charter committee
- I've worked at least part time 3 of 4 years in undergrad in non-related fields of work

Background:

By the end of this semester, I'm determined to be looking at a GPA of 3.0 minimum, and higher by May 2013.

I have been studying for the MCAT lightly, but plan to pick up the pace soon and take it in time to have my scores by May 2013. My goal is to achieve somewhere around a 35, realistically. I definitely feel this is necessary to vindicate my efforts.

I can take my MCAT earlier, and have results by March, but my score will be lower.

I still have to sort out my LORs, but I have a professor or two in mind, and I don't think they'll be surprised to see me ask them.

I have been considering looking into working/volunteering in a lab starting next semester. I feel that a decent scientific background is lacking in my resume, and that this would help fix that.

Questions:

1) How heavily will my undergraduate GPA be weighed by med school adcoms if I also have a separate (hopefully high) GPA from an SMP? Will an upward trend in my undergraduate GPA be looked upon favourably, hopefully bolstering proof that I am capable of medical school?

2) Because some of the classes in an SMP are the same as medical school, can credits from an SMP transfer to medical school?

3) What can I do to further bolster my application for an SMP? It has always been a dream of mine to go to BU, actually, and I'd like to do what I can to improve my chances of admittance there.

4) Would a degree in Public Health (MPH or MS Epidemiology) with great grades serve as an equal representation of my ability to medical schools? I feel that an SMP, with more medically focused classes, would better serve me. Is that correct?

5) Would there be any wisdom in applying to medical schools in the coming cycle (Beginning June '13)? Could my grades from an SMP during fall '13 be sent to medical schools in time for adcoms to consider them?

6) If I were to apply to a few SMPs in January or February, before my mcat scores are in, would my application get tossed? What would be the advantage of applying before having mcat scores if not (considering my stats)? I understand that rolling admissions are used, but I don't think my potential February application would be anywhere close to the calibre needed for consideration.

7) Are interviews usually not part of the application process for admittance to an SMP? I definitely feel that an interview will give me an advantage, even more so if they are not the norm.


Thank you so much for your time!

You're missing so many key factors it's tough to help.

Need cGPA, sGPA, what year in school you are in, how many pre-reqs you finished, why your grades are low, are you URM? etc.

Although you could easily find many of the answers you typed, I will try to answer them since I have some time.

1) Admissions look for at least 2 years of positive GPA trends and SMP/post-bacc will help with that. If you attend a SMP with med school students, they look at how you did in average compared among the med school students, especially linkage programs.

2) I don't know a single SMP that allows credits to be transferred over

3) This question is so broad and plain I am going to let you just do research in these forums, but you seem to lack two key components: GPA and MCAT

4) SMP is about taking the hard science courses. MPH grades are generally inflated and does not look favorable to admissions.

5) You can update medical schools with virtually anything and they might hold your application waiting to hear about your grades. If you are graduating this coming spring with a GPA around 3.0, I wouldn't even apply. Taking a glide year isn't the end of the world and you don't want to go through the application cycle twice if you can help it.

6) Not all SMP require MCAT, the ones that do, they will wait for your MCAT score if you plan on taking them. Obviously it's more favorable to apply early, especially in rolling admissions programs but you should never apply unless you are ready.

7) This totally depends on the SMP. Some do, some don't. The ones that do have an interview are the more competitive ones usually.


As a side note, SMP is not for everyone. If you have an easy grade fix, a post-bacc might be better for you. If you have a lot to prove in terms of grades, then a SMP would be a good final decision to show you are medical school material. You seem to be head on rushing into this decision, and I would recommend something that most pre-meds cringe upon, and that is taking some time off. Long as you are doing something constructive during this time and continue your extra-curricular efforts, it looks heavily favorable to admissions and provide the extra room to bolster your weak areas.

I wish you luck.