MD & DO What are my chances? *Feeling hopeless/overwhelmed*

[follehan000]

Feeling a little lost right now---

I am currently 32 days away from taking the MCAT (1st and hopefully only attempt). I have not finished content review yet, so I posted a thread for some advice (MCAT in 33 days--Not done with content review?!?). TL;DR: I am broke, therefore I have no choice but to work, therefore I have less time to study, therefore I am behind with 32 days until the exam. I really feel like I have a chance of getting a strong MCAT score, but I was advised to push my test date back further for more time to study. However I was trying to take it in January so that I may apply to a SMP for fall to make my GPA more competitive. Also, I am too broke to pay the fees to reschedule. On the other hand, if my MCAT score sucks that makes me less competitive too. I am in a pickle here.

So, what are my chances based on what I have so far? What are my options?

Most recent AAMC practice test score:
AAMC FL #1:
505
C/P 124
CARS 128
B/B 127
P/S 126

cGPA with grade replacement: 3.56
cGPA without: 3.40
AMCAS sGPA: 3.23
AACOMAS sGPA: 3.29

Wisconsin resident
Caucasian Female
Undergrad: University of Wisconsin- Oshkosh

ECs etc:
200+ volunteer hours (mostly medical, a few just regular community volunteering)
~50 hours shadowing (ED, Surgery, Peds)
2 years research with thesis and 2 publications
Multiple strong LORs
100+ hours Tutoring
Graduated from Honors College cum laude
2000+ hours clinical experience (Medical Historian/ Phlebotomist at plasma facility, volunteer work in hospital)

My GPA puts me in a tricky spot. I have a good upward grade trend, culminating in a 4.0 my final semester and dean's list the previous two. I had a few rough semesters early on that I plan on explaining in my PS. My personal life became so difficult that I probably should have taken a semester off, but I continued on anyway. My GPA doesn't suck because I am stupid, and I want to prove that. I feel like a SMP is the best way of doing that. However if my MCAT sucks then, it will be hard to convince schools I'm not stupid, regardless of a SMP. I feel that if I push it to March, that will be too late to apply to any SMP for fall. Feeling kinda hopeless right now. I don't want to push my education back yet another year.

List of Schools:
Any DO school, MCW-Milwaukee, UW-Madison School of Public Health, Rosalind Franklin
Trying to keep it Midwest, but I will go anywhere (except Carib schools. Too far from my family and support system.)

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[ChiDr]

If you could pull a ~505+ you should be good for DO programs. CCOM is ~507 avg. Marion is ~504 and KC is ~505. If you could pull a 510+ you may be okay for low tier MD.

You want to at least make yourself an average applicant. There are exceptions to every rule, but you don’t want to go into the cycle thinking you are the exception. However, you should be grateful if you happen to be one and win that hand.

Erase Carib from your mind and focus on domestic.

If you are dead set on MD, you may need the SMP/Post abc to boost your resume and show you can handle courses. However, you should be okay for DO, if you score well on the MCAT.

However, your current practice scores don’t show that you are guaranteed a great score. See where you stand in three weeks. Work your tail off in the mean time. Like I said, focus more on problems.

In the mean time, try and get more clinical and shadow hours.

 

[candbgirl]

There is no Grade Replacement so don’t count on that. Your GPAs are low for MD but okat(probably ) for DO. Much will depend on your MCAT score so take it when you are ready.
Your ECs are very weak. You need at least 150 hours of clinical experience AND at least 150 hours of non clinical volunteering. This means service to those less fortunate than yourself.

 

[LonelyBoi]

There is no Grade Replacement so don’t count on that. Your GPAs are low for MD but okat(probably ) for DO. Much will depend on your MCAT score so take it when you are ready.
Your ECs are very weak. You need at least 150 hours of clinical experience AND at least 150 hours of non clinical volunteering. This means service to those less fortunate than yourself.

She has 2000 clinical hours so I think just getting maybe 50-100 more hours with the underserved would be all she needs

 

[puahate]

Just FYI I scored 4-5 points higher on my actually MCAT exam compared to my AAMC practice exams.

Not saying this is normal but yeah anything can happen

 

[follehan000]

She has 2000 clinical hours so I think just getting maybe 50-100 more hours with the underserved would be all she needs

Good call on the volunteer hours with the underserved. I have just been so focused on getting as much medical experience as possible that I totally overlooked that. Once the MCAT is over, I will see if I can get in with my local Habitat for Humanity or Salvation Army soup kitchen. All those studying hours will suddenly be free to be divided up among applications and volunteering. Same with shadowing. I have a few more opportunities shadowing in Peds come the end of February, and I will work on finding other specialties willing to let me come for a few days. Right now, I am just going to focus on scoring well on the MCAT.

As a side note, what do you think about securing a position at a medical college working as a research assistant? My undergrad adviser has a collaboration with a well-known medical college in my state, and she personally recommended me for the position due to my experience with the animals that they use as models. I would be interacting with patients as well. I meet the head of the lab on the 31st to discuss the opportunity, and he requires a 1 year minimum requirement. Surely this opportunity would be somewhat favorable to have on an application?

 

[Ad2b]

I have a few more opportunities shadowing in Peds ...and I will work on finding other specialties

You have no family med or internal med; your scores and grades do not indicate someone able to get into a specialty (though that can change in med school). Right now, your app screams to me (and I am a nobody) that you are specialty or bust... don't put yourself in that box; be open to everything and show that by shadowing family, IM, rural. Oshkosh is not quite rural but the areas around it are...

 

[Gilakend]

You should be studying instead of posting this right now. What will help your chances best is getting in content review and test strategy practice before your exam to maximize your score and opportunities.

 

[Gurby]

I don't want to push my education back yet another year.

How old are you?

 

[follehan000]

How old are you?

Turning 23 shortly.

 

[Gurby]

Turning 23 shortly.

Mean matriculant age is around 24. Chill out and don't torpedo what could otherwise be a strong application.

If you haven't even finished content review yet, you have a lot of room left for improvement on your MCAT. Go do a couple thousand practice passages, 10 full lengths, and report back.

If you drop a 520 nobody will care that you had a rocky start to undergrad, and you'll likely get a bunch of love from top MD schools given all that research and clinical experience. Drop a 500 and you'll have a hard time getting into DO schools.

 

[Ad2b]

Trying to keep it Midwest

adding onto my post above: add in some rural fam and apply to Duluth; not sure where you grew up (Oshkosh area?) but if that area, it's all rural which would bode well for you app'ing Duluth; TC is a little more rigid with GPA/MCAT (yes, Duluth is very cold but thankfully, everything is like a habitrail with tunnels, enclosed walkways, etc. and Duluthians, by nature, are pretty friendly people )

 

[follehan000]

Mean matriculant age is around 24. Chill out and don't torpedo what could otherwise be a strong application.

If you haven't even finished content review yet, you have a lot of room left for improvement on your MCAT. Go do a couple thousand practice passages, 10 full lengths, and report back.

If you drop a 520 nobody will care that you had a rocky start to undergrad, and you'll likely get a bunch of love from top MD schools given all that research and clinical experience. Drop a 500 and you'll have a hard time getting into DO schools.

Well, I have rescheduled to March 29th thanks to the generosity of my mom. It kills me a little to have to reschedule, but it will be worth it when I get a better score.