WAMC: Bad uGPA, Good SMP

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Laplacian

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Hello all. Looking for advice on my current state. thank you all in advance. :)

MAJOR- Double Major: Chem and Biochem, minor in physics. small state school
GPA- cGPA- 3.14 sGPA- 3.35 SMP GPA- 3.97 (in progress).
MCAT- 512 (Retaking in July)
STATE- California, ORM
CLINICAL- 150 hours of scattered free clinics in undergrad, gap year, and at SMP. Also worked a summer as an intern in a private practice during undergrad. Some patient contact there. No shadowing.
RESEARCH- 2 published chemistry papers (lead author on both). One med chem, the other was not medically related. 2 poster presentations. Close to 3000 total hours of bench top research. Started another research project at SMP in molecular biology.
VOLUNTEERING- 4 years as an officer in my undergrad premed club (treasurer, VP, president, and chairman). 100+ hours of chemistry tutoring through the chem club.
Work- Worked through most of undergrad as a carpenter for my theater department and paid chemistry tutoring. Lots of manual labor summer jobs. 1 year in the pharmaceutical industry and a medicinal chemist (gap year before SMP).
LETTERS- I have 5 letters I feel really good about. 2 from PI's in undergrad (one was the department head), 1 from employer/ PI at med chem lab, 1 MD who I worked for, one from advisor and current PI at SMP.
AWARDS- outstanding graduating senior in Chemistry and Biochemistry. Research scholarship
Other- I was a confused 18 year old and not sure what i was doing with my life. So I flunked out of my first undergrad. Hence the very low cGPA. I've had an upward trend since then. If that first year wasn't counted, I would have a 3.5 cGPA. This will be my first time applying.

SCHOOLS- The list I'm thinking about. I've included a couple hail mary's in here just because. Most everything in my home state I accept is probably a lost cause, but I would like to end up back in Cali.


Tufts
BU
UCSD
UCD
UCI
UCLA
UC Denver
USC
U Wash
Vermont Med
Chicago Med
Loyola
Toulane
NY Med
George Washington
Cincinnati
Drexel
Oregon
Arizona
Saint Louis
Wake Forest

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Why are you retaking the MCAT?


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They recommend retaking after classes finish at my SMP. They say scores usually rise 3 or so points. Unfortunately due to the timing, the scores won't be back till August. I'm hoping it will be enough to make the difference for an interview at some schools that might be just out of my reach now.
 
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Does your SMP have a linkage program? Are you considering DO schools? Your upward trend might help. a large number of schools on your list are low yield.
 
Maybe Touro. Haven't given too much thought into DO to be honest. But iI'll look around. And they don't have direct linkage, but they do give preference to their SMP graduates (so they say).
 
U Washington accepts less than 1% of applicants who are not from states in the Northwest. I suggest adding these MD schools
California University (new school)
Loma Linda
NOVA MD
Seton Hall
Oakland Beaumont
Quinnipiac
Kaiser and Roseman if they open for 2019.
Also apply to at least 6 DO schools and you are competitive for all DO schools.
 
I would highly suggest applying to DO. I applied to MD and DO, got interviews at both, and am ultimately going with a DO acceptance (a bit cheaper, closer to home but mostly great student/family friendly program with competitive matches in both ACGME and AOA programs).

I had a lower uGPA, straight A's in grad school (not a SMP but a regular masters program), worked for a few years and built my resume/publication record and got a solid score on the MCAT. If I had a applied right out of grad school I don't think I would have gotten in, for me I really feel working for a bit gave me the edge over other applicants. I was told to not even bother applying at that point, that I wouldn't get, but it comes down to how strong your application is. MCAT, publications and clinical exposure helped the most and of course a sustained upward trend in GPA.

You would be competitive for DO. If you're worried about being shut out of certain specialties (Derm, Optho, Rad-Onc) then I understand your hesitance to not go the DO route, but if you don't think that's what you'll want, then there's really not much difference in my opinion.

Good luck with everything!
 
I would highly suggest applying to DO. I applied to MD and DO, got interviews at both, and am ultimately going with a DO acceptance (a bit cheaper, closer to home but mostly great student/family friendly program with competitive matches in both ACGME and AOA programs).

I had a lower uGPA, straight A's in grad school (not a SMP but a regular masters program), worked for a few years and built my resume/publication record and got a solid score on the MCAT. If I had a applied right out of grad school I don't think I would have gotten in, for me I really feel working for a bit gave me the edge over other applicants. I was told to not even bother applying at that point, that I wouldn't get, but it comes down to how strong your application is. MCAT, publications and clinical exposure helped the most and of course a sustained upward trend in GPA.

You would be competitive for DO. If you're worried about being shut out of certain specialties (Derm, Optho, Rad-Onc) then I understand your hesitance to not go the DO route, but if you don't think that's what you'll want, then there's really not much difference in my opinion.

Good luck with everything!
Going DO is suboptimal if you have an MD acceptance. But if it is the only acceptance you will still be a doctor.
 
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Going DO is suboptimal if you have an MD acceptance. But if it is the only acceptance you will still be a doctor.

Yeah I thought about that a lot, but the thought of moving back to Illinois just didn't seem feasible with a house and my husband's medical career rooted firmly where we are currently. I'm not aiming for derm, optho, etc. I'm looking to PMR or maybe maybe Orth, and I don't anticipate that being an issue with their match lists. I hope it's the same for me! But more so, I'm really just happy with the school itself and their mission - sounds frou frou but that does matter to me because I'm a non-trad with a family. I wouldn't be the first person to turn down a MD acceptance to end up at this school.
 
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