WAMC low sGPA, high clinical hours

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rg725

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Hello, I am a current senior planning on taking a gap year after graduation! Looking to see if anyone has input about whether applying next cycle is a waste/if I should do a postbacc/SMP/ect
  1. cGPA and sGPA as calculated by AMCAS or AACOMAS: cGPA: 3.7 sGPA: 3.36 (C+ in biochem, C in gross anatomy, high B's in some other sci classes)
  2. MCAT score(s) and breakdown. Include all (non-voided) attempts. First attempt 502 (126/125/123/128). Will be retaking in April, currently meeting w/tutor. Aiming for 512+
  3. State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US) Ohio
  4. Ethnicity and/or race White
  5. Undergraduate institution or category Public, major actually offered through med school and taught by med school professors so very rigorous
  6. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer) 3000+ working at childrens hospital
  7. Research experience and productivity will have 500+ at time of application, 1 pub pending and potential for another
  8. Shadowing experience and specialties represented 40hrs--sleep med/pulmonary, ortho, ortho surgery, ER, pediatric hospital medicine, may try to get more
  9. Non-clinical volunteering 400 hours with an organization that does free popup medical/vision/dental clinics around the country, 40 hrs volunteering at a preschool for kids w/trauma (will be doing this weekly throughout gap year)
  10. Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc) Reproductive health advocacy club-- serving as VP, TA in a biomedical lab class 100hrs, exec board of popup clinic chapter at school (marketing chair), pre-professional mentor 30hrs, student gov campaign team 30hrs
  11. Relevant honors or awards: Have gotten dean's list (I believe 3.5 or above) every semester except for this one and last fall
  12. Anything else not listed you think might be important I have worked an average of 30hrs/week all throughout college due to parents not being able to fully financially support me, strong passion for pediatrics/public health/health equity
 
You do not need a SMP or post bacc with your GPAs. You do need a much higher MCAT score. Post your new score here when available.
 
You shouldn't need a postbac or SMP unless you are struggling with upper level biomedical classes, which you seem to be inferring. Also need more details on nonclinical volunteering. Any activities where you are not health or clinic adjacent?
 
You shouldn't need a postbac or SMP unless you are struggling with upper level biomedical classes, which you seem to be inferring. Also need more details on nonclinical volunteering. Any activities where you are not health or clinic adjacent?
Both classes I got a C in utilize a lot of content from the med school (which admittedly is very competitive). Biochem was a 1 semester 3000lvl course covering all the major pathways. Anatomy was lecture + cadaver lab. I guess these would count as upper level biomedical, however I have gotten A's in others. As for nonclinical/not health volunteering I was kind of hoping the preschool could fill that (I just interact w/the kids) but I would be open to other volunteering
 
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