What am I better off doing?

[Squiggy]

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Hi all!

I've found this page on formal post-baccs and smps and I'm pretty interested.

My GPA is pretty bad (little over a 3) and my prereqs are old. I'm planning on doing an informal post-bacc at my local state school to shoot for a DO school. However, would I have a better chance if I did a post-bacc or an smp program at an osteopathic affiliated program?

Will the formal post-bacc/smp route give me a better chance? Is it high risk? I heard people mention that they're hail Marys in that they're your last pop to prove to adcoms you're capable.

I just want to get into any med school in the country. Money is not an issue though I'd like to do it sooner rather than later. What would you guys suggest?

Thanks!
-Squiggy

 

[Perrotfish]

You're confusing terms

SMPs are the hail Mary Pass. You do one (generally) after you've taken the prereqs and your MCAT. Generally they're a fast, expensive, and somewhat risky way for people to prove that their high MCAT is a better reflection of their academic ability than their low GPA. Honestly the best ones aren't all that risky: the best SMPs have over an 80% success rate.

Formal post-bac programs are for people who haven't done the prereqs yet. That's not you.

Informal post-bac is an SDN way of saying that you're taking more undergrad classes to improve your GPA. If you're shooting for DO you retake the classes you did badly in in get As (DO schools allow you to replace grades). If you're shooting for MD you need more upper level science classes that you get As in (because you can't replace your grades, you might as well improve the range of sciences you've been exposed to). We decided to call it an 'informal post-bac' because '8th year senior' just sounds undignified.

What you need to do: you need to study for the MCAT (take a formal review class) and take it during Spring. If you do well you'll be applying (deadlines are around April, look at individual SMP apps for their application dates) for SMPs that will start in either August or early September. If your GPA is high enough you might also have a shot at DO. If you do not quite as well on the MCAT you'll be retaking classes to raise your GPA to the point where your MCAT is good enough for either a DO or MD school

One final option is to do decently well, go to the Carribbean, and try not to fail out. Any sort of an adequate MCAT could probably get you into a Carribben school as early as next fall. This is probably the fastest way to be a doctor for you. It's also a great way to rack up 100K of debt you'll never be able to pay back if you're one of the legions that fail out

 

[Squiggy]

I'm willing to put in as much time and money and effort as it takes, but I'm not going to go Caribbean as long as I have other opportunities.

To get into a DO school should I keep on retaking classes or should I try for an SMP?

 

[Perrotfish]

To get into a DO you need around a 3.4 (with grade replacement), a 28 on the MCAT, the usual ECs, and a letter of rec from a DO (to show how interested you are in their philosophy).

A good SMP will get you into DO programs just as well MD programs. There are also DO SMPs designed to get you into DO schools. Either one will work fine if your goal is DO.

Whether or not to retake classes is really up to you. You need to decide what your tolarance is for cost, risk, and waiting time. Do whatever is the best combination of cost/risk/time for you. Once again, the higher your MCAT the more you should probably be looking at the SMP to MD option.

Keep in mind that DO schools are generally drastically more expensive than your in state MD schools, so saving some immediate costs by retaking classes and going DO rather than doing an SMP and going MD might be a false savings.

 

[ILikeFood]

To get into a DO you need around a 3.4 (with grade replacement), a 28 on the MCAT, the usual ECs, and a letter of rec from a DO (to show how interested you are in their philosophy).

A good SMP will get you into DO programs just as well MD programs. There are also DO SMPs designed to get you into DO schools. Either one will work fine if your goal is DO.

Whether or not to retake classes is really up to you. You need to decide what your tolarance is for cost, risk, and waiting time. Do whatever is the best combination of cost/risk/time for you. Once again, the higher your MCAT the more you should probably be looking at the MD option.

Keep in mind that DO schools are generally drastically more expensive than your in state MD schools, so saving some immediate costs by retaking classes and going DO rather than doing an SMP and going MD might be a false savings.

Why aren't you a mod yet?

 

[FLDoc]

First and foremost, study and take the MCAT. your going to need 28+ to get considered at most SMPs. One example, UCincy's current class has an average MCAT of 33.

Then it all depends on your transcript. if you got Cs in orgo and physics and are only shooting for DO just take those and apply.