What are my chances? cGPA 3.2, sGPA 3.4

[sc4s2cg]

Up to now:
MD: cGPA 3.27, sGPA 3.4
DO: cGPA 3.43, sGPA 3.63

Expected after this semester is over:
MD: cGPA 3.34, sGPA 3.46
DO: cGPA 3.49, sGPA 3.66
I posted a while back as a nursing student asking this same question. However, a couple things have changed:

1. I quit nursing. While I gained a ton of experience and I enjoyed the weekly clinical with friends, my grades were not something to be proud of. I have not gotten a final grade in my major (4-5 credit) nursing classes above a C, and actually got a D that I had to retake last fall. Over winter break I realized I had to decide between going to be a doctor or a nurse, and saw that my the one thing keeping my grades down was nursing. I just simply couldn't get the way the exams and material were formated. My GPA has dropped from a c3.4 and s3.6 to its current state.
2. I switched to Exercise Physiology. I was deciding between that and Health Sciences last semester, but went with Ex Phys this semester, thinking some of the classes may count for science GPA.
3. I have upped my EC activities, and currently have under my belt 335 hours of non-clinical volunteering:
   1. • 80 hours of tutoring in gen chem, intro to chem, ochem, and quantitative statistics. Combined (free, this semester. 7 hours of stats last semester)
      • 45 hours of volunteering at a soup kitchen (free, last semester)
      • 210 hours of volunteering at our church's Sunday school (free, 5-6 years)
      • + Organization of Skype Sessions over the summer
4. I have also worked around 100 hours of on-off jobs:
   • 19 hours of babysitting (paid, this semester)
   • 41 hours of tutoring in English (paid, last and this semester)
   • 40ish hours of substituting at a child center (paid, 2 semesters)
5. I gained 200 hours of clinical experience from nursing classes. This was compulsory, 8-10 hours/week.
6. I have accomplished 18 hours of shadowing (one MD and another DO doctor. More to be shadowed later on)
7. I am set to have a 4.0 GPA this semester, 12 credits (2 psych classes, 3 Ex Phys classes) as I am studying for the MCAT.
8. 1 semester of research next semester, possibly investigating my own topic. If unfeasible, then as a research assistant under a Professor interested in exercise's effects on children.

What else can I do to increase my chances? I am applying this up coming June and will have 1 off-year while I wait for applications to come back. One semester will be used to finish up my new major and raise my GPA. One semester will be for raising my GPA. One summer will be for traveling.


Would starting my own research project make a difference in medical school's eyes?

Next semester I am finishing my 5th year.

Edit: updated GPA with predictions, and also made it more accurate based on excel sheet. Title numbers from memory.

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[Goro]

up to now:

md: Cgpa 3.27, sgpa 3.4
do: Cgpa 3.43, sgpa 3.63

expected after this semester is over:
md: Cgpa 3.34, sgpa 3.46
do: Cgpa 3.49, sgpa 3.66

1. i quit nursing.
2. i switched to exercise physiology.
3. i have upped my ec activities, and currently have under my belt 335 hours of non-clinical volunteering:
5. i have also worked around 100 hours of on-off jobs:
6. i gained 200 hours of clinical experience from nursing classes. This was compulsory, 8-10 hours/week.
7. i have accomplished 18 hours of shadowing (one md and another do doctor. More to be shadowed later on)
8. i am set to have a 4.0 gpa this semester, 12 credits (2 psych classes, 3 ex phys classes) as i am studying for the mcat.
9. 1 semester of research next semester, possibly investigating my own topic. If unfeasible, then as a research assistant under a professor interested in exercise's effects on children.

what else can i do to increase my chances?
so far things look pretty good if you're applying to do schools. I don't think there's much of a chance to rescue things for md. You'd need to get the cgpa >3.5.
keep in mind you still need to show a good performance on the mcat.

keep on demonstrating your altruism, that's always a key hook for us.

you'll also need to demonstrate that medicine is the thing for you and you're not going to change your mind like you did nursing. We on adcoms do realize that sometimes the path to the thing you love is a tortured one, but it is a valid concern for us.

i am applying this up coming june and will have 1 off-year while i wait for applications to come back. One semester will be used to finish up my new major and raise my gpa. One semester will be for raising my gpa. One summer will be for traveling.



would starting my own research project make a difference in medical school's eyes?
not really. You'd have to get it published to get some attention, but then again, you're planning on applying to stanford, are you?

next semester i am finishing my 5th year.
good luck!


edit: Updated gpa with predictions, and also made it more accurate based on excel sheet. Title numbers from memory.

 

[TriagePreMed]

Depending on your state of residency or how steep the upward trend has been, you might still have a chance for MD school. This is assuming a strong MCAT performance (32+)

 

[sc4s2cg]

you'll also need to demonstrate that medicine is the thing for you and you're not going to change your mind like you did nursing. We on adcoms do realize that sometimes the path to the thing you love is a tortured one, but it is a valid concern for us.

Thanks Goro. How may I demonstrate my commitment to medicine? Would just be through volunteering at hospice/hospitals next semester? Or is there something else I can do?

not really. You'd have to get it published to get some attention, but then again, you're planning on applying to stanford, are you?

Haha, no I am not planning on Stanford. I suppose at the very least the research will be good research experience, it's just something I've been wanting to do since Sophomore year.

Depending on your state of residency or how steep the upward trend has been, you might still have a chance for MD school. This is assuming a strong MCAT performance (32+)

Thank you, although I have been leaning towards DO just because of their philosophy, I am still keeping my eye out for MD. I am in Ohio.

 

[TriagePreMed]

Thank you, although I have been leaning towards DO just because of their philosophy, I am still keeping my eye out for MD. I am in Ohio.

I think Ohio MD would be very attainable.

I believe D.O. philosophy is wonderful (holism) and should be standard throughout all medical schools MD or DO, but I'm not convinced that DO schools have a monopoly on it. I think the majority of US-MD schools are also following their own version of it. Look at each school's mission statement.

 

[Goro]

Stick with patient oriented things. Some that come to mind are hospice, nursing homes/working with elderly, and always hospital work where you get lots of patient contact. EMT runs can count as well.

Good luck!

Thanks Goro. How may I demonstrate my commitment to medicine? Would just be through volunteering at hospice/hospitals next semester? Or is there something else I can do?