Unsure whether to apply this cycle, please advise

[lizknope]

Looking at MD/DO: 3.2 cGPA, 2.9 sGPA from a science/language double major at UCLA

- Slight upward trend, but not enough to be significant
- took MCAT once, got a 26R, re-taking in May: this is my senior year, so I would be submitting my app right after my scores come in
- not an URM :[

EC's:
> Research in anesthesiology lab for 2 years (4 abstracts, no papers yet- also do abstracts count as pubs among adcoms, or not really?)
> Clinical hospital volunteering : 150 hours
> Shadowing physicians in a pulmonary critical care clinic: 100 hours
> Financial director of an org that puts on free health clinics
> Leadership in two other clubs
> RA in the dorms

I know my prospects don't look great, but is there any way I would make low-tier MD's or DO's with these stats– if I got, say, a 38 MCAT? Or will the 2.9 sGPA just weed me out from the start?

From lurking on here I know that the low GPA/high MCAT thing isn't something to bank on, which is why I'm thinking of pushing applying back another year.

I can't afford a post-bacc, so if I were to take a year off then I would take more upper-div science classes to raise that sGPA to a 3.0 at least, and train to be an EMT for the clinical experience.

I'd appreciate any and all advice, thanks in advance

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[OneTwoThreeFour]

Looking at MD/DO: 3.2 cGPA, 2.9 sGPA from a science/language double major at UCLA

- Slight upward trend, but not enough to be significant
- took MCAT once, got a 26R, re-taking in May: this is my senior year, so I would be submitting my app right after my scores come in
- not an URM :[

EC's:
I can't afford a post-bacc, so if I were to take a year off then I would take more upper-div science classes to raise that sGPA to a 3.0 at least, and train to be an EMT for the clinical experience.

I'd appreciate any and all advice, thanks in advance

Hey Liz, it seems you know already that the stats probably aren't good enough as is to get you into medical school. It seems like maybe an outside shot at some DO's, but (especially being a CA resident), it will/would be tough. I'm not sure how expensive you're thinking a post-bacc is, it's definitely cheaper than an extra year at school, especially if you do it at a place like UC Berkeley. I've heard those courses are pretty cheap, and with grade replacement, you could probably get to DO-acceptable levels in a year (if you have some especially low grades). I would do that, and then you might not even need to retake the MCAT. Just my thought.
Good luck!

 

[LaughingMan]

Looking at MD/DO: 3.2 cGPA, 2.9 sGPA from a science/language double major at UCLA

- Slight upward trend, but not enough to be significant
- took MCAT once, got a 26R, re-taking in May: this is my senior year, so I would be submitting my app right after my scores come in
- not an URM :[

EC's:
> Research in anesthesiology lab for 2 years (4 abstracts, no papers yet- also do abstracts count as pubs among adcoms, or not really?)
> Clinical hospital volunteering : 150 hours
> Shadowing physicians in a pulmonary critical care clinic: 100 hours
> Financial director of an org that puts on free health clinics
> Leadership in two other clubs
> RA in the dorms

I know my prospects don't look great, but is there any way I would make low-tier MD's or DO's with these stats– if I got, say, a 38 MCAT? Or will the 2.9 sGPA just weed me out from the start?

From lurking on here I know that the low GPA/high MCAT thing isn't something to bank on, which is why I'm thinking of pushing applying back another year.

I can't afford a post-bacc, so if I were to take a year off then I would take more upper-div science classes to raise that sGPA to a 3.0 at least, and train to be an EMT for the clinical experience.

I'd appreciate any and all advice, thanks in advance

First off--congrats for even making it to this stage. Never forget how many people started off as pre-med but switched out. Even being at the stage of applying, means you've already had some success.

The 2.9 sGPA is definitely going to weed you out at most schools, but there is hope!

So for MD, I'll be straight--you have little to no chance if you're not willing to do a formal post-bac with high linkage. Even then it'd be difficult. A full 30 hours of upper division sciences (assuming you got all As) would only budge you GPA a little thus wouldn't be of much help.

For DO--you can do it--if you put in the time. Retake your classes and with grade replacement you can fix it.

My question is--you said you only had a slight upward trend--I think it'd be good if you can elaborate on this. Are you still receiving B's in your sciences? Have you identified what made you do poorly in the first place?

Anywho, this is just some preliminary feedback---most knowledgeable users such as Goro or Catalyisk can provide more precise feedback.

 

[NekoBeats]

Looking at MD/DO: 3.2 cGPA, 2.9 sGPA from a science/language double major at UCLA

- Slight upward trend, but not enough to be significant
- took MCAT once, got a 26R, re-taking in May: this is my senior year, so I would be submitting my app right after my scores come in
- not an URM :[

EC's:
> Research in anesthesiology lab for 2 years (4 abstracts, no papers yet- also do abstracts count as pubs among adcoms, or not really?)
> Clinical hospital volunteering : 150 hours
> Shadowing physicians in a pulmonary critical care clinic: 100 hours
> Financial director of an org that puts on free health clinics
> Leadership in two other clubs
> RA in the dorms

I know my prospects don't look great, but is there any way I would make low-tier MD's or DO's with these stats– if I got, say, a 38 MCAT? Or will the 2.9 sGPA just weed me out from the start?

From lurking on here I know that the low GPA/high MCAT thing isn't something to bank on, which is why I'm thinking of pushing applying back another year.

I can't afford a post-bacc, so if I were to take a year off then I would take more upper-div science classes to raise that sGPA to a 3.0 at least, and train to be an EMT for the clinical experience.

I'd appreciate any and all advice, thanks in advance

Most schools (both DO and MD) automatically screen out applicants with < 3.0 sGPA. For DO schools, your best bet would be to re-take the MCAT, get at least 28-29, then re-take those science classes (and get A's) since DO schools allow for grade replacement. For MD schools, I would recommend doing well on the MCAT re-take, and then doing an SMP. Even if you were able to raise the sGPA to a 3.0 with upper div classes, it would be a real uphill battle convincing adcoms you can handle med school without doing well in some kind of postbacc program, IMO. And to be completely honest, I think it would still be an uphill battle even if you did well in an SMP program. I think the low sGPA would be hard to justify. I think your best best is going DO! I would take a year off and spend it re-taking those science classes. If you can get A's in those classes and do better on the MCAT, I think you'll be okay

Good luck!

 

[lizknope]

Thank you so much for your advice, everyone! LaughingMan&#8211; my major doesn't have many upper division science courses, so I haven't taken a class that would count for BCPM in a year... towards the end I had B+'s, hence slight upward trend.

From an AMCAS calculator: I need 3 A's in post-bacc courses to raise my BCPM to a 3.0. Does it make more sense to simply retake a few courses to raise my BCPM and then apply, or to retake courses to raise my GPA, and then try to get into a post-bacc in order to be considered at all?

Also, does it look bad to DO schools to retake pre-req's at community college? I'm beyond my unit max at my school... or would it be better to re-take at a Cal State school?

 

[TriagePreMed]

If you got a 26, I wouldn't bank on getting a 38 on the MCAT, so I would instead focus on grade replacement for DO schools. MD school is pretty much gone for you unless you want to go the SMP route. 1 year of post-bacc work raising your gpa to a 3.5/3.3 can open many doors in the DO world. A retake of the MCAT where you hit a 30 can also make California DO schools a reality, but I would not be putting my hopes on any MD school.

Also, does it look bad to DO schools to retake pre-req's at community college? I'm beyond my unit max at my school... or would it be better to re-take at a Cal State school?

Every DO school I have spoken to has expressed no problem with community college credits, but the idea that they will be looked down upon persists on this board. While I agree the case may be for MD admissions at various programs, I don't think DO schools care about CC vs 4-year.

 

[Goro]

Your numbers are too low for MD, and while you might get some interviews at some DO programs (you would not from mine), you're likley to be wait-listed because of the sGPA.

Please don't engage in magic thinking and think the next MCAT will land a 38...that's in the upper 96th or so %ile. Even then it's not called auto-screen for nothing.

Suggest retaking any F/D/C science grades to get that sGPA >3.0. that will help a LOT!

Looking at MD/DO: 3.2 cGPA, 2.9 sGPA from a science/language double major at UCLA

- Slight upward trend, but not enough to be significant
- took MCAT once, got a 26R, re-taking in May: this is my senior year, so I would be submitting my app right after my scores come in
- not an URM :[

EC's:
> Research in anesthesiology lab for 2 years (4 abstracts, no papers yet- also do abstracts count as pubs among adcoms, or not really?)
> Clinical hospital volunteering : 150 hours
> Shadowing physicians in a pulmonary critical care clinic: 100 hours
> Financial director of an org that puts on free health clinics
> Leadership in two other clubs
> RA in the dorms

I know my prospects don't look great, but is there any way I would make low-tier MD's or DO's with these stats– if I got, say, a 38 MCAT? Or will the 2.9 sGPA just weed me out from the start?

From lurking on here I know that the low GPA/high MCAT thing isn't something to bank on, which is why I'm thinking of pushing applying back another year.

I can't afford a post-bacc, so if I were to take a year off then I would take more upper-div science classes to raise that sGPA to a 3.0 at least, and train to be an EMT for the clinical experience.

I'd appreciate any and all advice, thanks in advance