Looking for help on what I need to do to strengthen my application to get into a DO or MD in the 2024-2025 cycle
1. 2.3 cGPA and 3.15 sGPA
2. Have not taken the MCAT. However, I have scored a 508 and a 510 on practice exams under test conditions—plan on taking in April 2023 for graduate schools/SMP apps.
3. Kansas
4. Middle Eastern
5. In-State Public School
6. Will be working in a clinic (full-time) in Summer 2023
7. Research in spring 2023 working on Spinal Chord and Peripheral Nerve Repair and Regeneration
8. All my shadowing hours (20-25 hours) are with Orthopedic Surgeon, and I have more hours planned over winter break.
9. I have a few thousand hours volunteering (around 3,000 or more), working with at-risk youth (13-15 years old) in the inner city as well as working with children (6-12 years old)
10. Not many extracurricular activities besides being in the Pep Band at my university. I’m also involved with Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (probably not relevant)
11. Dean’s List (lol, yes, in my last few semesters) and Multi-Lingual
12. I am applying to a few SMPs and some other graduate programs before I think I have even a remote chance of making it into medical school. My first few years of university were abysmal. I never needed to study in high school and was extremely busy doing as many activities as possible, so it covered some of my ADHD symptoms. During my first few years, I was also dealing with many other mental health issues; simply put, my grades were the last thing I ever thought about. Finally, I saw a therapist and began taking stimulants for ADHD. I made a huge lifestyle change. My GPA over my last 60 hours has been a 3.6 cumulative and 3.7 in science. This is when I changed my major back to Biology from Political Science. The last 60 hours include my more difficult science courses like OChem 1&2, Physics 1&2, Molec Cell, Genetics, Ecology, Neurobiology, and Immunology. I know the upward change looks good, but it is not enough to get me into a medical school because a 2.3 cumulative is piss poor.
I am highly motivated and willing to do whatever to get into medicine. I believe I have what it takes to get a good GPA in my SMP or graduate school. I take full responsibility for my past grades and have learned a lot from my failures. Besides gaining more clinical experience, getting out of graduate school with a solid GPA, and getting a real MCAT score near what I have scored on the practice exams, what can I do? I would be willing to delay my application cycle even further if need be. I appreciate all feedback.
1. 2.3 cGPA and 3.15 sGPA
2. Have not taken the MCAT. However, I have scored a 508 and a 510 on practice exams under test conditions—plan on taking in April 2023 for graduate schools/SMP apps.
3. Kansas
4. Middle Eastern
5. In-State Public School
6. Will be working in a clinic (full-time) in Summer 2023
7. Research in spring 2023 working on Spinal Chord and Peripheral Nerve Repair and Regeneration
8. All my shadowing hours (20-25 hours) are with Orthopedic Surgeon, and I have more hours planned over winter break.
9. I have a few thousand hours volunteering (around 3,000 or more), working with at-risk youth (13-15 years old) in the inner city as well as working with children (6-12 years old)
10. Not many extracurricular activities besides being in the Pep Band at my university. I’m also involved with Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (probably not relevant)
11. Dean’s List (lol, yes, in my last few semesters) and Multi-Lingual
12. I am applying to a few SMPs and some other graduate programs before I think I have even a remote chance of making it into medical school. My first few years of university were abysmal. I never needed to study in high school and was extremely busy doing as many activities as possible, so it covered some of my ADHD symptoms. During my first few years, I was also dealing with many other mental health issues; simply put, my grades were the last thing I ever thought about. Finally, I saw a therapist and began taking stimulants for ADHD. I made a huge lifestyle change. My GPA over my last 60 hours has been a 3.6 cumulative and 3.7 in science. This is when I changed my major back to Biology from Political Science. The last 60 hours include my more difficult science courses like OChem 1&2, Physics 1&2, Molec Cell, Genetics, Ecology, Neurobiology, and Immunology. I know the upward change looks good, but it is not enough to get me into a medical school because a 2.3 cumulative is piss poor.
I am highly motivated and willing to do whatever to get into medicine. I believe I have what it takes to get a good GPA in my SMP or graduate school. I take full responsibility for my past grades and have learned a lot from my failures. Besides gaining more clinical experience, getting out of graduate school with a solid GPA, and getting a real MCAT score near what I have scored on the practice exams, what can I do? I would be willing to delay my application cycle even further if need be. I appreciate all feedback.
