MD & DO What are my chances? - long shot applicant

[RC813]

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I didn't decide on medical school until the summer before my senior year of college, I had shadowed a cardiologist but the guy was kind of boring so I didn't think much of it. I had taken all the pre-reqs and done fairly well so I decided to take the MCAT and apply. I grew up with a genetic growth disorder and was a participant in a research study for it for 14 years so I know I wanted to be somewhere in the healthcare field. I took a service trip to Peru in December where we provided medical and non medical assistance to extremely poverty stricken areas and that was what really reassured me that I should pursue medicine.

I have a cGPA of 3.39 (3.40 on DO) and a sGPA of 3.53. Both my GPA's trend upward starting from around a 3.1 freshmen year to 3.9 senior year. I scored a 30 on my MCAT (10/10/10).

I know my GPA is low and my EC are pretty weak. Shadowed 2 different doctors, worked a summer job or two, took the mission trip to Peru, and took a CNA class that included 3 week of clinical type training. I already submitted apps for DO and MD and was wondering what anyone thought of my chances for an interview?

 

[RC813]

School list:

MD
Florida State University - I'm currently finishing my undergrad here and I've been told they show favoritism towards their own undergrads.
University of Central Florida
Florida Atlantic University
University of South Florida
Tulane University
South Carolina University
Meharry University
Drexel University
Rosalind Franklin University

DO
Chicago College of Medicine - Midwestern
Edward Via COM - South Carolina and Virginia campuses
Philadelphia COM - Georgia and Philadelphia campuses
LECOM - both campuses
Michigan State University COM
NOVA
Tuoro COM - California and New York campuses

I realize more of these are probably long shots but I figured if you don't try you'll never know. Any thoughts?

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

I would work on finding some volunteering. If that wasn't a problem, I'd say you'd have good chances at any Osteopathic program you wished to apply to. Even still, I'd be surprised if you didn't get a few interview invites. I think MD is going to be pretty hard due to the ECs, but I'll let the MD experts weigh in on how realistic it can be.

 

[RC813]

I would work on finding some volunteering. If that wasn't a problem, I'd say you'd have good chances at any Osteopathic program you wished to apply to. Even still, I'd be surprised if you didn't get a few interview invites. I think MD is going to be pretty hard due to the ECs, but I'll let the MD experts weigh in on how realistic it can be.

Thanks for the support AlbinoHawk. I've gone into this process knowing that my EC were very weak but did not want to wait another year to apply. I know my statistics and EC look more towards DO but I was hoping the favoritism towards undergraduates from FSU might help me out a long with the above average MCAT score. (FSU's average MCAT was a 27 last year)

 

[Saxappeal1]

Get rid of Tulane, their 10th percentile of MCAT is 31 according to the MSAR. Are you African-American? Meharry is a preferably A.A. university.
Others on the list look solid. I'm in a similar boat: 3.5 cGPA, 3.33 sGPA, 30 MCAT (11/9/10) and I'm a UF student, applying to all of those Florida schools and Drexel as well.

 

[RC813]

Get rid of Tulane, their 10th percentile of MCAT is 31 according to the MSAR. Are you African-American? Meharry is a preferably A.A. university.
Others on the list look solid. I'm in a similar boat: 3.5 cGPA, 3.33 sGPA, 30 MCAT (11/9/10) and I'm a UF student, applying to all of those Florida schools and Drexel as well.

I am not African American, thanks for the heads up on that. Guess I didn't notice that about Meharry when I was looking around. Really just hoping for a chance at FSU or NOVA.

Btw I was on the June 21st MCAT thread, congrats on the 30!

 

[Saxappeal1]

Thanks, you too! Yeah, Tulane has super high MCAT requirements. Are you considering doing military? USUHS would be for you if you were.

 

[Saxappeal1]

FSU is a great shot. I'm applying there too. Your stats and such give you an amazing shot at NOVA and FSU

 

[RC813]

I would definitely consider military. And I think it's funny that originally I thought my biggest setback would be my GPA but I guess the 3.53 science helps and I think my biggest set back is my lack of EC. Honestly I'm just pretty stoked about getting that MCAT score back and feeling like I've got a real chance.

 

[RC813]

I also did not take calculus so that takes a few schools out of play as well. Like USUHS

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Thanks for the support AlbinoHawk. I've gone into this process knowing that my EC were very weak but did not want to wait another year to apply. I know my statistics and EC look more towards DO but I was hoping the favoritism towards undergraduates from FSU might help me out a long with the above average MCAT score. (FSU's average MCAT was a 27 last year)

If that's the average, you definitely are in the running. Keep your fingers crossed.

 

[RC813]

If that's the average, you definitely are in the running. Keep your fingers crossed.

Yeah FSU averages last year were a cGPA of 3.6 and MCAT 27, they weigh a lot into community outreach towards elderly, minority, undeserved and poverty stricken areas. They also take pretty much only instate (something like 98 or 99%) and definitely play the favorites game to students who graduated from FSU undergrad.

 

[Saxappeal1]

FSU is very pro-Florida, and especially FSU. If I were you, I would say that's where you aim 🙂 Of course other Florida schools too, but the other Florida schools for us, like UCF and USF are a stretch because of our GPAs and MCATs, even if we are IS.

 

[RC813]

Yeah thats definitely my realistic goal. I'd really like to stay in Florida since I've grown up here my whole life and my whole family is here. If FSU doesn't workout I'd really like to go to NOVA most likely over any of the other DO schools I applied to. If I get an acceptance from Midwestern I'd have to do a lot of thinking though.

 

[Goro]

I'd like to see more clinical volunteer experience. Being a patient doesn't show us you know what you're getting into. The mission trips are treated as medical tourism.

Numbers are at the bottom of competitive for MD schools, but fine for DO. Based on my experience, you'd get an interview at my school, and then be waitlisted for the lack of experience.

I didn't decide on medical school until the summer before my senior year of college, I had shadowed a cardiologist but the guy was kind of boring so I didn't think much of it. I had taken all the pre-reqs and done fairly well so I decided to take the MCAT and apply. I grew up with a genetic growth disorder and was a participant in a research study for it for 14 years so I know I wanted to be somewhere in the healthcare field. I took a service trip to Peru in December where we provided medical and non medical assistance to extremely poverty stricken areas and that was what really reassured me that I should pursue medicine.

I have a cGPA of 3.39 (3.40 on DO) and a sGPA of 3.53. Both my GPA's trend upward starting from around a 3.1 freshmen year to 3.9 senior year. I scored a 30 on my MCAT (10/10/10).

I know my GPA is low and my EC are pretty weak. Shadowed 2 different doctors, worked a summer job or two, took the mission trip to Peru, and took a CNA class that included 3 week of clinical type training. I already submitted apps for DO and MD and was wondering what anyone thought of my chances for an interview?

 

[RC813]

I'd like to see more clinical volunteer experience. Being a patient doesn't show us you know what you're getting into. The mission trips are treated as medical tourism.

Numbers are at the bottom of competitive for MD schools, but fine for DO. Based on my experience, you'd get an interview at my school, and then be waitlisted for the lack of experience.

Thanks for the input Goro. I have already submitted my applications and was wondering if there's anything I can do now that will increase my chances. If I get interviews I would imagine that they would like to hear that I was currently volunteering or involved in some sort of clinical experience. Is that something that could prevent me from being waitlisted or increase my chance for acceptance?

 

[Goro]

IF schools allow for updates, then it would be good to send a note stating what you've done to be a better applicant ("I have since completed >100 volunteer hrs in the ER and clinic at my local hospital")

Thanks for the input Goro. I have already submitted my applications and was wondering if there's anything I can do now that will increase my chances. If I get interviews I would imagine that they would like to hear that I was currently volunteering or involved in some sort of clinical experience. Is that something that could prevent me from being waitlisted or increase my chance for acceptance?

 

[RC813]

Is this something that gets addressed at interviews, what an applicant has been doing since they applied or are doing during their gap year? Regardless I plan on starting some clinical experience in a couple of weeks after I move.