UGrad Senior MD/PHD Advice?

[InfectiousCraze]

Hello all, I'll try to make this as short as possible! I'll list my question then stats

I've finally decided on a MD/PHD track, ideally I'd love to be a part of MSTP...but anyway, I think MD/PHD is right for me. I want to go into some type of infectious disease based research, pharmaceutical biomedical research, or something with microbiology. My end goal is to work for the CDC. My stats are below

Senior at a Pennsylvania College (Slippery Rock)
Graduating with Public Heath Major; International Affairs Minor
3.94 GPA (If I don't f up!) and Top Latin honors
Service hours honors and recognition for doing 100+ hours every semester
Two internships [1 public health based 1 biological]
Active member of 4+ clubs (Amnesty International, LGBT Club, our Social Planning Society, and a cultural group)
RA this year
Glowing recommendations from director of our program, teachers I've have for 2+ semesters, and lab mentor
Study Abroad in France (and possibly Scotland or Italy)
EDIT: How could I forget to add this? I have about...300 hours of shadowing under my belt; about 6 hours a week. I did about 150 hours a semester. I'll be continuing this this upcoming year so hopefully I'll have somewhere between 450-500 when i'm done with undergrad.

Anyway…here is my problem(s). I don't have the pre med requirements finished (for science classes I have General Chemistry, Anatomy 1 and 2 W Lab, Medical Micro W Lab, and general bio W Lab). With that in mind I'm planning on doing a post bac (ideally at Bryn Mawr because it seems to be the best ‘bang for my buck' program). The second problem is the amount of research. I only have 2 internships during summer and got a lab position this school year part time (about 16 hours a week), and my mentor said he would write me a glowing recon if I "perform in lab as well as I did in his classes". I also intend during my post bac to have a lab at BM or possibly somewhere in Philly (my mentor said he has some contacts he can hook me up with), which will total my lab experience to about 5 semesters of lab time. Is that enough? Do I need more? Do post bacs look badly?

Finally, my MCAT score. I'm aiming for (and for purposes of this, since I have done multiple practice tests), a 36. Should I work on improving that even more?

I know you cannot give me any type of def answer or anything, especially when it comes to MSTP but can you give me some advice if you don't think I have a shot at all, or possibly some things I can do to improve my chances or should I simply give up?

Thanks so much!

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[K31]

I don't see the need to spend the money o do a postbac program in your situation. Most of those are for students who didn't do well in undergrad and need to boost their GPA. What you need to do are (1) take the med school prereqs, and (2) gain research experience.

(1) is easy. You can take the (pretty minimal, really) med school prereqs at any college (preferably not a community college though).

(2) will just take some time. Research during this year is a good start, and should be enough to get your foot in the door for your year off. Doing something like the NIH IRTA program would be ideal to get help you get into a MD/PhD program.

 

[InfectiousCraze]

Well, my research told me post bacs have two categories; 1) boosters and 2)pre med tracks. I know a lot of these are, like you said, for boosters, but some; the top ones (the top 15 I think it is) are very good at assisting students who discovered later in their college life or later in life that they want to go to med school. I haven't taken the pre med track courses and the post bac would give me that plus
a) a reconmendation
b) Bryn Mawr has a consolatory program
c) a mcat prep class included
d) excellent advising

I understand what you're saying though, just take them at a college, but some college courses (I'm a MD student, the state with one of the highest in state tutitons) would cost me ALOT. For example, 1 science class with a lab at UMD would cost me around 1200 dollars. multiply that by 8 and you're reaching more than what a post bac would cost. Plus I wouldn't get the added things Bryn Mawr offers.

2) so you're saying take a year off and do research, even if i DONT do the post bac? Awesome! thanks