Current Med Sci checking in and I am happy to answer some question here or if you want to PM me. I don't want to beat around the bush with anybody, cause I know how stressful this entire process is. If you are applying with a poor uGPA and are thinking that applying concurrently while doing well in this program (I'm talking all A's, 4.0 here) you basically have no chance of getting a Texas MD interview. If you're aiming for strictly MD, that's the harsh reality folks. My stats are uGPA 3.4 and MCAT 508, and I thought that some nice A's on courses like Cell Biology and Histology would really prove my point to the adcoms that I was ready for med school and would make up for my poor uGPA. Sad truth is that I didn't heed the advice of some of the people who posted here on my own class page, and pages before, that Med Sci's usefulness is maximized when you apply AFTER completing the program.
Now I'll say that if you would like to go to an OOS DO school or are aiming strictly for TCOM, you have a good shot at getting an interview at those places. TCOM is very well established medical school and I know people in this program who have done really well, some may even have a 4.0, and unfortunately did not receive an interview invite. But, TCOM does pay attention to your grades and does reward people with interview invites and that process also has no reason to it. I knew people with multiple B's who got interviews before people with straight A's. Just shows how crazy this medical school admission game is that someone who's proved themselves in a well renowned SMP doesn't get a single interview invite. Like some of the other Med Scis have posted before me, grades aren't the sole factor that decide if you get a interview/pulled off the waitlist/match, there's some magic formula that adcoms use to factor in a bunch of different things such as your EC's, LOR's, personal statement. But, grades are your gateway to getting a solid look by the adcoms in the first place. They're not going to waste their time on an applicant who doesn't have good grades and somehow wishes to "shine" through a personal statement. In the end, you're applying for medical school and you'll be taking tougher science courses than you took in undergrad, no matter where you went. Everyone knows that medical school is tough and you definitely need to show that you have a strong academic record to show adcoms that you definitely have the potential to succeed in the med school environment. So grades should be a #1 priority when applying and then come in the EC's, LOR's that decide if adcoms believe you have what it takes to get accepted.
Personally, I didn't find this program to be very challenging as many people in previous classes made it to be. I have maintained a 4.0, and I will say struggled during certain blocks/units of classes such as Anatomy and Physiology (also this was my first time taking both classes), but every single class is doable if you are able to 1) understand what exactly is written on the slides AND 2) memorize, memorize, memorize. Don't just prioritize memorizing if you are someone who can easily get mixed up by things, so go easy on yourself and understand what's the concept on the slides so you don't get a panic attack during the test if a few numbers or words are mixed up or paraphrased. I approached every class during Fall semester the same, methodical way, but Spring semester was challenging for me, because I had no experience in Anatomy and Physiology so I had to spend some more time grinding out the material. That being said, everything can be done and you can achieve a 4.0 if you adhere to those 2 points I mentioned before. You may be able to get away with not understanding some things and rote memorization during Fall semester, but know that for some systems in Physiology, like renal, you should take the time to understand the material being taught, because not all questions are memory recall.
My apologies for writing an essay, but I thought I'd like to share some insight into the program, cause it sure did help me when I was applying. If anybody wants me to provide some more details regarding the program, I'm happy to share.
