WAMC for MD for next cycle 2.71(with SMP)/503

[mathwiz1697]

Okay I know that this title sounds insane, but I am seeing if I have any feasibility in applying MD for the upcoming cycle.

For my cGPA and sGPA, I have a 2.71 from the College of William and Mary. However, I recently finished my master's degree in medical physiology from CWRU, I finished with a 3.906.

Regarding the MCAT, I've taken it 3 times, my first score has expired

My second score was from 01/2021, and I got a 502 (127/125/124/126).
My third score from 09/08/2023 was a 503 (126/124/127/126). This is particularly frustrating for me because I barely studied for the 502 while working full time in primary care in peak COVID. I put in infinite more effort into my third attempt, and only one point increase doesn't match the effort, but I digress. I'm debating a fourth retake, or rescoring this third one. Any thoughts would be appreciated here. I took 6 FL's, 4 of which I had never taken before, I never scored below a 507, and always took it in test conditions. I do have ADHD, but never took it with extended time, not sure if this would be beneficial, though I did cut it close on a couple sections this last time.

I am an OH resident with very very strong ties to VA.

I am a ORM.

As stated above, I went to the College of William and Mary for undergrad.

Regarding Clinical experience, I have 5000+ hours paid experience and 1500+ hours volunteer as an EMT on a fire department.

Regarding research, I have limited research (<50 hours), although I am working on getting a full time research position.

Regarding Shadowing, I have shadowed a pediatrician for 20 hours. I also shadowed a neurosurgeon in my senior year of high school for 115 hours. (I am aware that high school TECHNICALLY doesn't count, but due to very special circumstances, this particular shadowing experience is one of the most meaningful experiences I could ever have, and after discussing this with a couple of adcoms, they have unanimously agreed that it belongs on my application.) I can explain more if necessary.

Regarding non clinical volunteering, I have also been told by adcoms that I could consider my EMT work non clinical due to community involvement, given the sheer number of clinical hours I have. I plan on volunteering more in the upcoming year though.

Regarding other extracurriculars: I was a representative on the resident Hall association Freshman year, I was a rower on the club rowing team. I was a Lab TA for General chemistry lab and organic chemistry lab for 3 years (6 semesters total). I also currently am a graduate TA for Clinical reasoning for my Masters Program.


Why MD and not DO? To put it mildly, I want to be a neurosurgeon, and the DO route severely hinders that. I understand my desires in medical school may change, but I don't want to hinder myself if they don't. I am very frustrated by my MCAT score because it doesn't match my ability or intelligence, but i also don't know if taking it a 4th time will help me or hurt me in that regarding (something about adcoms getting nervous after the 3rd attempt.) Due to this, I think I need to do at least one MD only cycle. or do a DO cycle later on, not sure yet.


IF there are school I should look to, or need to retake MCAT, please give your thoughts. I definitely need thoughts on this from external parties

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[Faha]

The GPA-MCAT grid shows you have less than a 10% chance for a MD acceptance. You could try Toledo, NEOMED and Wright State.
Concentrate on DO schools and I suggest these:
OU-HCOM
LECOM (all schools)
WVSOM
UP-KYCOM
DUQCOM
MU-COM
LUCOM
LMU-DCOM
ACOM
ARCOM
NYIT-AR
WCU-COM
PCOM Georgia and South Georgia
OCOM
BCOM (both schools)
BUCOM
UIWSOM
KHSC-COM
Noorda-COM
RVU-Montana
Touro-Montana
ICOM

 

[blinks]

To put it mildly, I want to be a neurosurgeon.

Ah, don't we all.

Before you entertain any thought of what kind of doctor you want to be, you need to become a doctor first. To do that, you need to get into medical school. Don't get ahead of yourself.

With a 503, you need to be open to DO as MDs are likely out of the picture. Good luck.

 

[candbgirl]

In addition to your multiple MCAT scores(that schools can see) your GPA (2.71)is too low for MD schools. Your Master’s degree GPA will not help your undergrad GPA for MD schools. It will help for DO schools.
You have to decide if you want to be a doctor or if you only want to be a neurosurgeon.
You can’t double count your activities. EMT is clinical . I’m not sure why someone said it could be nonclinical. What population are you serving? What are your 5000+ clinical hours? Even though you have been told you can use the nuerosurgery shadowing you should try to get some additional, current shadowing. High school was a very long time ago.
Have you thought about doing a post bacc to get your GPA to a 3.0? You will not meet the screening minimum at most MD schools. What is your sGPA?
Don’t rush applying. Start building your application.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I have mad respect for my colleagues at your SMP, and getting a 3.9x is great accomplishment. What advice did they give you?

 

[mathwiz1697]

In addition to your multiple MCAT scores(that schools can see) your GPA (2.71)is too low for MD schools. Your Master’s degree GPA will not help your undergrad GPA for MD schools. It will help for DO schools.
You have to decide if you want to be a doctor or if you only want to be a neurosurgeon.
You can’t double count your activities. EMT is clinical . I’m not sure why someone said it could be nonclinical. What population are you serving? What are your 5000+ clinical hours? Even though you have been told you can use the nuerosurgery shadowing you should try to get some additional, current shadowing. High school was a very long time ago.
Have you thought about doing a post bacc to get your GPA to a 3.0? You will not meet the screening minimum at most MD schools. What is your sGPA?
Don’t rush applying. Start building your application.

Thank you for your thoughts.

With regards to the EMT as community. I would not be double counting it. According to that Adcom, there is feasible reason to count it solely as community volunteering, as I have plenty of clinical experience outside of it and it was on a volunteer fire department. I am sorry of I did not make that clear.

I spent two and a half years as a medical scribe full time for a primary care physician. I also shadowed a pediatrician (which is when I was in college, (20 hours)) and the aforementioned neurosurgeon

As for the GPA issue, I was strongly advised against a post-bacc, as my under grad degree was extremely science heavy. I have done the math, and due to the that, getting a 3.0 requires 42 credits at a 4.0. Given that, I was advised to go the SMP route instead. ( I'm not even sure if theres 42 credits worth of science I can take outside of higher level math and engineering)

As for the Screening Minimum, I have been looking at MD schools that would take my SMP GPA into consideration, with regards to the cut off.

And regards to the neurosurgeon comment. Neurosurgery is the reason I am even here typing this post. It is the area of medicine that holds my interests closely and what I have the most passion about.

 

[mathwiz1697]

I have mad respect for my colleagues at your SMP, and getting a 3.9x is great accomplishment. What advice did they give you?

I didn't receive much advice since my MCAT score was taken after I graduated. I was really hoping to do alot better on it this time since I put a massive amount of effort in studying this time. I don't know how I only scored one point higher.

That being said, since I am a TA there, I can still speak to the professor I work with.

 

[atriablack]

I don't think anyone is here is discouraging you from applying to MD schools, just not solely to MD school. Your best shot would be applying to DO schools and still shooting your shot for MD schools. You face an uphill battle with your metrics and you need to be real about what's most important to you.

I think I need to do at least one MD only cycle. or do a DO cycle later on, not sure yet.

If you are at peace with the expenses of a cycle and the very high probability of a reapplicant cycle, then you could take this route. A cycle of no news or bad news could take a toll on you though.

Regarding Shadowing, I have shadowed a pediatrician for 20 hours. I also shadowed a neurosurgeon in my senior year of high school for 115 hours.

Sure include the high school hours if you have a compelling story there, but see if you can get some more shadowing hours that are recent as well.

Regarding non clinical volunteering, I have also been told by adcoms that I could consider my EMT work non clinical due to community involvement, given the sheer number of clinical hours I have. I plan on volunteering more in the upcoming year though.

General consensus classifies EMT work as purely clinical. Imo this would raise some eyebrows with the creative labeling. Definitely see if you can get some conventional non-clinical volunteering in before you apply.

 

[candbgirl]

Thank you for your thoughts.

With regards to the EMT as community. I would not be double counting it. According to that Adcom, there is feasible reason to count it solely as community volunteering, as I have plenty of clinical experience outside of it and it was on a volunteer fire department. I am sorry of I did not make that clear.

I spent two and a half years as a medical scribe full time for a primary care physician. I also shadowed a pediatrician (which is when I was in college, (20 hours)) and the aforementioned neurosurgeon

As for the GPA issue, I was strongly advised against a post-bacc, as my under grad degree was extremely science heavy. I have done the math, and due to the that, getting a 3.0 requires 42 credits at a 4.0. Given that, I was advised to go the SMP route instead. ( I'm not even sure if theres 42 credits worth of science I can take outside of higher level math and engineering)

As for the Screening Minimum, I have been looking at MD schools that would take my SMP GPA into consideration, with regards to the cut off.

And regards to the neurosurgeon comment. Neurosurgery is the reason I am even here typing this post. It is the area of medicine that holds my interests closely and what I have the most passion about.

Thanks for your explanations
When are you planning to apply?
Good luck as you move forward!