WAMC: 3.41 cGPA, 3.1 sGPA

[sbt1]

Hi all,

I was hoping to get some opinions about my chances for both MD/DO schools. For some background, I did well my first two years of college, but midway through my junior year a situation occurred that really negatively affected my mental health (I would be comfortable discussing this in med school apps, but not necessarily a public forum lol). Because of this, I really struggled my junior/senior year of college and it hurt my GPA.

1) cGPA 3.41, sGPA 3.1
2) Have not taken the MCAT, but that’s part of the reason why I’m posting
3) Pennsylvania
4) White
5) Public state university
6) Clinical experience - I am a full-time clinical research coordinator at a top 5 children’s hospital in their emergency department currently (will likely have held this position for 1 and 1/2 years when applying). I worked as a medical assistant before I took the coordinator job at a COVID testing site (~1000 hours). I volunteered at my local hospital over a summer in their sleep disorders center (~100 hours)
7) A semester of biology research in undergrad. Two years of psychology research in undergrad following that. That study was just recently accepted for publication at the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.
8) Shadowed two emergency medicine physicians (MDs), an orthopedic surgeon (MD), and a radiologist (~50 hours)
9) Non-clinics volunteering - 300+ hours at an animal shelter. This wasn’t necessarily done for medical school, just because I like animals.
10) Tutored the introductory biology course for biology/pre-med students at my college for 3 and 1/2 years. Have taught dance to kids 8-18 since my junior year of college (~4 years now).
11) Deans list my first two years of college
12) Just a unique aspect - I didn’t want to originally go to college, I was going to dance professionally before an injury ended my career (why I became interested in medicine)

I am more just looking to hear some general opinions, as I am trying to decide how to proceed. Should I take the MCAT and apply to see what happens, or apply to a post bacc first since my GPA is so low? Even if I did well on my MCAT, would that be enough to offset my GPA? How well would I need to do to have a shot at MD schools? What about DO?

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[Mr.Smile12]

Could you please fill out a template?

*~*~*~*IMPORTANT: How to Format Your WAMC Thread for Optimal Results and More!!*~*~*~*

Hello, and welcome to the What Are My Chances (WAMC) forum. The purpose of this forum is to Post threads about your chances of acceptance to MD and/or DO schools Have your school list critiqued and modified by other members of SDN Determine how to strengthen your current application General...

forums.studentdoctor.net

 

[sbt1]

Could you please fill out a template?

*~*~*~*IMPORTANT: How to Format Your WAMC Thread for Optimal Results and More!!*~*~*~*

Hello, and welcome to the What Are My Chances (WAMC) forum. The purpose of this forum is to Post threads about your chances of acceptance to MD and/or DO schools Have your school list critiqued and modified by other members of SDN Determine how to strengthen your current application General...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Sorry! I wrote it out in the template form

 

[candbgirl]

Without a real MCAT score nobody can predict your chances. But your sGPA is really low for MD and low for DO. Depending on the school and how they screen applications you might not even make it through an auto screen with a 3.1 sGPA. I really don’t think a high MCAT score will negate your low GPAs. I’d think there are probably big gaps in your scientific knowledge so you probably need to do a 2-3 semester post bacc of upper level science classes. At this point you really aren’t trying to raise your GPAs . Rather you are trying to show ADCOMS that the issues impacting your performance in Junior and Senior year are no longer impacting you. If you have any science grades below a C retake those too(if you haven’t already).

Before you do anything, make sure your mental health is stable. Med School is tough and can break the strongest person. So take care of yourself.

 

[sbt1]

Without a real MCAT score nobody can predict your chances. But your sGPA is really low for MD and low for DO. Depending on the school and how they screen applications you might not even make it through an auto screen with a 3.1 sGPA. I really don’t think a high MCAT score will negate your low GPAs. I’d think there are probably big gaps in your scientific knowledge so you probably need to do a 2-3 semester post bacc of upper level science classes. At this point you really aren’t trying to raise your GPAs . Rather you are trying to show ADCOMS that the issues impacting your performance in Junior and Senior year are no longer impacting you. If you have any science grades below a C retake those too(if you haven’t already).

Before you do anything, make sure your mental health is stable. Med School is tough and can break the strongest person. So take care of yourself.

Thank you, I have gotten better. In some sort of fortunate way, it was an isolated incident that’s impact came to an end eventually. I figured post bacc was probably the answer, just wasn’t sure about DO chances

 

[candbgirl]

Thank you, I have gotten better. In some sort of fortunate way, it was an isolated incident that’s impact came to an end eventually. I figured post bacc was probably the answer, just wasn’t sure about DO chances

I don’t know much about DO. I’m going to tag @Goro and @Faha. They are the DO gurus.

 

[chilly_md]

What were your GPA trends year by year for both cGPA and sGPA?

You could try to retroactively withdraw from those classes through the registrars office.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

If you were to do a postbac, what classes would you plan to take? Your aggregate sGPA is a bit on the low side that an SMP may be needed. If so, I would hold off taking the MCAT until I knew an SMP required an MCAT score. You should really plan to take the MCAT only once, when you are fully ready.

 

[Goro]

Hi all,

I was hoping to get some opinions about my chances for both MD/DO schools. For some background, I did well my first two years of college, but midway through my junior year a situation occurred that really negatively affected my mental health (I would be comfortable discussing this in med school apps, but not necessarily a public forum lol). Because of this, I really struggled my junior/senior year of college and it hurt my GPA.

1) cGPA 3.41, sGPA 3.1
2) Have not taken the MCAT, but that’s part of the reason why I’m posting
3) Pennsylvania
4) White
5) Public state university
6) Clinical experience - I am a full-time clinical research coordinator at a top 5 children’s hospital in their emergency department currently (will likely have held this position for 1 and 1/2 years when applying). I worked as a medical assistant before I took the coordinator job at a COVID testing site (~1000 hours). I volunteered at my local hospital over a summer in their sleep disorders center (~100 hours)
7) A semester of biology research in undergrad. Two years of psychology research in undergrad following that. That study was just recently accepted for publication at the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.
8) Shadowed two emergency medicine physicians (MDs), an orthopedic surgeon (MD), and a radiologist (~50 hours)
9) Non-clinics volunteering - 300+ hours at an animal shelter. This wasn’t necessarily done for medical school, just because I like animals.
10) Tutored the introductory biology course for biology/pre-med students at my college for 3 and 1/2 years. Have taught dance to kids 8-18 since my junior year of college (~4 years now).
11) Deans list my first two years of college
12) Just a unique aspect - I didn’t want to originally go to college, I was going to dance professionally before an injury ended my career (why I became interested in medicine)

I am more just looking to hear some general opinions, as I am trying to decide how to proceed. Should I take the MCAT and apply to see what happens, or apply to a post bacc first since my GPA is so low? Even if I did well on my MCAT, would that be enough to offset my GPA? How well would I need to do to have a shot at MD schools? What about DO?

Agree with my other colleagues, and read this:

• Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

More importantly, you will need to get your mental health issues under control first. Also, a high MCAT doesn't remediate a low GPA, it just highlights the discrepancy. You need to show that you can handle the rigors of medical school coursework.

Get in 150 hrs of service to others less fortunate than yourself.

 

[Faha]

You should be able to receive interviews at some DO schools if your MCAT is over 500. You would benefit from a post bacc at a local college where you could take undergraduate level science courses in order to increase your sGPA. Do not take the MCAT until your practice scores are consistently 505+.