Try again for DO vs. move on with life

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[235009]

it's up to you whether you want to try to get into medical school again or move on with your life. noone can make that decision for you. If you do apply again and are ok with going DO you certainly should include DO schools in addition to an expanded list of MD schools (applying almost exclusively to ones with lower average stats). I think you'd likely get a DO acceptance.

 

[Jlaw]

- 2nd application cycle complete; currently on an MD waitlist
- UG GPA between 3.35 and 3.40/Top 30 undergrad
- UG sGPA slightly under 3.00
- SMP done at an MD school & with MD students - 4 B+'s, 2 B's; 2 A-'s in less-than-consequential classes; 3.3?
- MCAT is 30Q
- non-URM
- recommendations: total of 4, some average, one great; two are from MD's, one from a social worker, one from a dentist (yes, of those four, two were my professors)
- EC's are probably average (ie. nothing published); research stints at different institutions, a leader of a volunteer organization, and significant clinical exposure (per a member of an admissions committee, anyway)
- I have not applied DO previously

I am not retaking the MCAT. I am not doing any other SMP 🙂. I was just thinking of filing a DO application this cycle...Can I count on an acceptance from somewhere if I apply early in the cycle?

Other than a low sGPA your stats aren't that bad. You would probably be competitive at DO schools IF you weren't screened out based on the sGPA.

If you really want to be a doctor then apply broadly to DO schools and you probably have a decent shot. My best advice would be to research DO philosophy and have a good reason for applying. All DO schools want to know why you are applying DO rather than MD and if they think you are just settling for DO it isn't going to help your cause. This is going to come up in the essay questions and at your interviews so make sure you are ready to address it. Good luck!

 

[deleted480308]

Get your sgpa over 3 and apply DO

 

[Jlaw]

Get your sgpa over 3 and apply DO

I disagree with this, once you've done an SMP there is no reason to go back to undergrad classes, thats taking a step backwards in my opinion. The SMP was his/her chance for redemption and at this point the GPA is what it is. Taking more undergrad classes is just a waste of money because you're doing it for nothing more than the grade and it will take a lot of A's even to move a 2.9 up to a 3.0. You would be much better off using that time to get clinical experience or something which shows your commitment to medicine.

 

[survivordo]

You seem like you have lost motivation at this point. Maybe you need to take some time away from everything and make sure this is really what you want? Regardless, you could apply broadly and hope for the best (all you have to waste is money and time) or you could try to re-take a few of the science classes you did poorly in and utilize DO grade replacement.

Survivor DO

 

[Goro]

You should be fine this time around. Please apply to my school!

- 2nd application cycle complete; currently on an MD waitlist
- UG GPA between 3.35 and 3.40/Top 30 undergrad
- UG sGPA slightly under 3.00
- SMP done at an MD school & with MD students - 4 B+'s, 2 B's; 2 A-'s in less-than-consequential classes; 3.3?
- MCAT is 30Q
- non-URM
- recommendations: total of 4, some average, one great; two are from MD's, one from a social worker, one from a dentist (yes, of those four, two were my professors)
- EC's are probably average (ie. nothing published); research stints at different institutions, a leader of a volunteer organization, and significant clinical exposure (per a member of an admissions committee, anyway)
- I have not applied DO previously

I am not retaking the MCAT. I am not doing any other SMP 🙂. I was just thinking of filing a DO application this cycle...Can I count on an acceptance from somewhere if I apply early in the cycle?

 

[gmcguitar4]

I understand he did the SMP and did pretty decent but won't he still be screened out because the sgpa as calculated by aacomas will still be under 3.0. Won't a computer make this decision?

 

[Silent Cool]

- 2nd application cycle complete; currently on an MD waitlist
- UG GPA between 3.35 and 3.40/Top 30 undergrad
- UG sGPA slightly under 3.00
- SMP done at an MD school & with MD students - 4 B+'s, 2 B's; 2 A-'s in less-than-consequential classes; 3.3?
- MCAT is 30Q
- non-URM
- recommendations: total of 4, some average, one great; two are from MD's, one from a social worker, one from a dentist (yes, of those four, two were my professors)
- EC's are probably average (ie. nothing published); research stints at different institutions, a leader of a volunteer organization, and significant clinical exposure (per a member of an admissions committee, anyway)
- I have not applied DO previously

I am not retaking the MCAT. I am not doing any other SMP 🙂. I was just thinking of filing a DO application this cycle...Can I count on an acceptance from somewhere if I apply early in the cycle?

Apply to every DO school and you will definitely get in to one.

good luck.

 

[withoutlyrics]

Thanks for the encouragement. I think I just wanted to hear I stand a fair chance before getting the ball rolling...the third time. I am a bit worried about my SMP GPA being considered "stellar," despite my grades hovering slightly above the MD average for the duration of the SMP. In any case, I proved to myself that I can a. handle the workload and b. enjoy the material, so I want to continue, despite feeling exhausted from the process. I am not interested in stretching this process out any further for a number reasons.. had I bombed my SMP year entirely, I would want to swiftly move on.

Just so people don't get their hopes up, my waitlist is for the "linked" school. I am at the top 1/3 of the waitlist, so I am still very hopeful, but obviously it doesn't hurt to plan out my next steps.

I am curious if I can use the Biochemistry course from the SMP to satisfy the Biochemistry requirement. Thoughts? I remember talking to someone who took Biochemistry at a medical school and applied to MD programs, but more often than not, I see people make a strong distinction between graduate and undergraduate courses.

I will look into DO shadowing.

 

[Silent Cool]

Thanks for the encouragement. I think I just wanted to hear I stand a fair chance before getting the ball rolling...the third time. I am a bit worried about my SMP GPA being considered "stellar," despite my grades hovering slightly above the MD average for the duration of the SMP. In any case, I proved to myself that I can a. handle the workload and b. enjoy the material, so I want to continue, despite feeling exhausted from the process. I am not interested in stretching this process out any further for a number reasons.. had I bombed my SMP year entirely, I would want to swiftly move on.

Just so people don't get their hopes up, my waitlist is for the "linked" school. I am at the top 1/3 of the waitlist, so I am still very hopeful, but obviously it doesn't hurt to plan out my next steps.

I am curious if I can use the Biochemistry course from the SMP to satisfy the Biochemistry requirement. Thoughts? I remember talking to someone who took Biochemistry at a medical school and applied to MD programs, but more often than not, I see people make a strong distinction between graduate and undergraduate courses.

I will look into DO shadowing.

If you get into your linked program, the med courses that you have taken are usually waived (although the jerks still charge you full tuition!). At other schools, however, the courses are typically not waived.

 

[gman33]

Why the aversion to retaking the MCAT?

Your application is lacking in the 3 main things that get looked at by schools.
GPA, SGPA and MCAT

The MCAT is the easiest to improve.
Study your butt off for a month, doing mainly questions, and retake.
Should be able to turn a 30 into a 33-35.

Probably have a good shot at a DO school either way.

 

[acesup]

I was in your shoes a couple years back. For me it was SMP or DO, I was like screw that I'm doing DO there's no way in hell I'm extending my misery any longer than I have to. That was two years ago. I know one guy who refused to apply DO...he's on his 3rd application cycle now to MD schools while I'm halfway done with med school.

 

[VictorAlpha]

Why the aversion to retaking the MCAT?

Your application is lacking in the 3 main things that get looked at by schools.
GPA, SGPA and MCAT

The MCAT is the easiest to improve.
Study your butt off for a month, doing mainly questions, and retake.
Should be able to turn a 30 into a 33-35.

Probably have a good shot at a DO school either way.

I agree that the MCAT is easiest to improve. This has been debated but I still think it is true.

Also, if it is what you really want, you should keep working at it and apply again. Just because you didn't get in doesn't mean it's a pipe dream or something (makes me think of this scene). Speaking from experience, maybe the third time is the charm. 🙂

 

[IslandStyle808]

I disagree with this, once you've done an SMP there is no reason to go back to undergrad classes, thats taking a step backwards in my opinion. The SMP was his/her chance for redemption and at this point the GPA is what it is. Taking more undergrad classes is just a waste of money because you're doing it for nothing more than the grade and it will take a lot of A's even to move a 2.9 up to a 3.0. You would be much better off using that time to get clinical experience or something which shows your commitment to medicine.

I recall reading on the forums that some schools (even DO) will screen you out if any of the GPAs are below 3.0. This is probably the reason the previous poster stated what he/she did.

 

[ChineseKid]

I recall reading on the forums that some schools (even DO) will screen you out if any of the GPAs are below 3.0. This is probably the reason the previous poster stated what he/she did.

that is correct