WAMC 2023-2024 cycle? Lopsided app

[confidentincompetence]

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Hi everyone! Longtime lurker looking for advice (and any spark of hope).

• cGPA: 3.25 sGPA: 3.11 (9 credits of DIY post-bacc included at a 4.0, will be taking an additional 12-18 credits over the summer but won't be in time for primary app submission). I know my undergrad grades are definitely one of the most glaring issues in my app. My mom has a serious untreated medical condition and my parents almost ended up divorcing in jr year because of it; with all the stress from the situation, my grades tanked pretty hard. I got back on my feet by senior year but too little too late I guess.
• MCAT: 518 (129/131/130/128)
• CA ORM 🙁
• ~4000 hours paid clinical experience as an optometric tech. I know it might not be ideal because it's not an MD practice, but I've gotten a ton of direct patient care exp. because of it.
• ~100 hours clinical volunteering at a children's hospital (will have an additional 50-75 before my app is submitted).
• ~100 hours shadowing a neurosurgeon.
• ~150 hours non clinical volunteering (mix of helping underserved children and writing correspondence to the elderly in hospice).
• ~60 hours as a volunteer TA for two different classes, ~140 hours as a lead TA (paid) for 3 different classes
• Hobbies: Skydiving, singing, digital art, reading, learning languages (speak 4 languages and am working on a fifth)
• I'm having a book (self) published in April and am developing a sleep aid device

I applied this past cycle with no good news (still waiting on 9 schools but I'm definitely not holding my breath). When I submitted my last app I had a cGPA of 3.19 and sGPA of 3.00, ~3600 hours as a tech, ~25 shadowing hours, no non-clinical volunteering, no hours as lead TA.
Realistically, what are my chances if any of getting into an MD school with this app, and if so what schools would you recommend? With my stats it's laughable but I'm extremely in love with surgical specialties, so if you also have any DO school recommendations that have the resources to help students match into surgery programs I'd appreciate those as well. I've really turned my life and habits around since my junior year fiasco but I'm afraid it isn't apparent on paper. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance <3

 

[chilly_md]

Sorry to hear about the rough cycle and the things you had to go through while in college.

I would not suggest applying MD with your current GPA, it would not be worth the time and money (as seen by last cycle). You would need to take another 25 credits or so (so say 12 this summer and 12-15 in the fall) in upper division sciences if you end up wanting to try for both MD and DO.

Most DO schools do require a physician LOR. You probably would want to try to shadow someone in primary care if all your shadowing has been in only neurosurgery so far. General surgery is possible for DO students. Some schools have a 3.2 or 3.3 cutoff for cGPA or sGPA, so you will need to double check the specifics. I suggest trying:

PCOM (all campuses)
LECOM (all campuses)
Touro NY
Touro NV
Touro CA
Western
Campbell
Marian
DMU
KCOM
KCU
AZCOM (high tuition FYI)
NYITCOM
PNWU
WCU

 

[confidentincompetence]

Sorry to hear about the rough cycle and the things you had to go through while in college.

I would not suggest applying MD with your current GPA, it would not be worth the time and money (as seen by last cycle). You would need to take another 25 credits or so (so say 12 this summer and 12-15 in the fall) in upper division sciences if you end up wanting to try for both MD and DO.

Most DO schools do require a physician LOR. You probably would want to try to shadow someone in primary care if all your shadowing has been in only neurosurgery so far. General surgery is possible for DO students. Some schools have a 3.2 or 3.3 cutoff for cGPA or sGPA, so you will need to double check the specifics. I suggest trying:

PCOM (all campuses)
LECOM (all campuses)
Touro NY
Touro NV
Touro CA
Western
Campbell
Marian
DMU
KCOM
KCU
AZCOM (high tuition FYI)
NYITCOM
PNWU
WCU

Thanks for the quick reply! Would it be inadvisable to shoot my shot at a few MD and send an update letter when I've completed the additional credits like you suggested?

 

[chilly_md]

Thanks for the quick reply! Would it be inadvisable to shoot my shot at a few MD and send an update letter when I've completed the additional credits like you suggested?

They are likely to make a decision on your app before you can update them. Especially if you already have applied there.

 

[Nontrad_FL_LGBT]

If you want to try MD, I'd skip next cycle and crush a bunch of science classes before the 24-25 cycle. Good luck!