What are my chances? Where to from here?

[GOGREEN4250]

Yes I know my statistics and resume are nowhere near impressive and there is no excuse for that. If anyone could steer in the proper direction it would be greatly appreciated.
• Year in school: Junior

• Country/state of residence: MI, USA

• Schools to which you are applying:Unsure of but realistically looking at primarily D.O in and around the state of Michigan

• Cumulative GPA: 3.18 (Upward trend with the possibility of getting up to 3.4 upon completion of classes this summer)

• Science GPA: 3.09

• MCAT Scores: 510

• Research – None/ applied for many research opportunities this summer

• Volunteering (clinical) – 50 hours at a local hospital

• Physician shadowing – 50 hours of shadowing orthopedic spine surgeon

• Non-clinical volunteering – Fraternity philanthropy chairman; 200 hours of philanthropy to my school and community

• Extracurricular activities – Pre-medical Club

• Employment history: Have worked at a restaurant during summers while taking classes

• Immediate family members in medicine? – Yes father M.D

• Specialty of interest – Orthopedics

• Graduate degrees: Will earn B.S degree in May 2018

• Interest in rural health: Slight interest
This format is based upon one I had seen on reddit. I am new to Student Doctor forums so I apoligixe if the formatting is off

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[NecrotizingFasciitis]

Reddit? Psh. n00b.

For future reference, you post WAMCs threads here: https://forums.studentdoctor.net/forums/what-are-my-chances.418/

Your MCAT is great and I think your father being a doc may help a bit.

I would try to bump the shadowing and clinical volunteering to ~100 hours (each), and try to get your gpa (both sgpa and cgpa) above 3.25 to avoid school cutoffs. If you have an upward trend for the last year or two of school, that will help your case as well.

If you're looking to apply to MI schools, and DO schools, you're obviously thinking MSUCOM. MSU loves volunteerism, community service, serving the under-served, etc. so it's good that you have the philanthropy. I would try and get more if you can to try and make up for your lower gpa's.

TL;DR: Great MCAT, keep boosting the EC hours, and get your gpa >3.25 so schools will see your nice MCAT score.

 

[YeezyQ]

Go Green!
How are you going from 3.18 --> 3.4 in the summer? Taking a lot of credits? Also, don't forget about the grade replacement change!

 

[Luka75]

Moving to WAMC.


Jk... wrong @Lucca

 

[GOGREEN4250]

@YeezyQ If all goes as planned and I get close to a 4.0 this semester with 14 credits and then the 12 credits I take this summer the 3.4 mark should be doable. Unfortunately I know it will hurt me applying in late August, I feel like I will need to in order to improve my G.P.A. Could you give me more information about the grade replacement change?

 

[YeezyQ]

@YeezyQ If all goes as planned and I get close to a 4.0 this semester with 14 credits and then the 12 credits I take this summer the 3.4 mark should be doable. Unfortunately I know it will hurt me applying in late August, I feel like I will need to in order to improve my G.P.A. Could you give me more information about the grade replacement change?

12 credits is ALOT for the summer semester unless you are taking really easy classes! AACOMAS will no longer allow grade replacement so for example if you got a 1.5 in CEM 141, and then retook it and got a 4.0 they would average the two instead of taking the 4.0. So this could lower your cgpa and sgpa depending on how many classes you have retaken.

 

[GOGREEN4250]

@YeezyQ it is 12 throughout the entire summer (anticipate taking 6 first half and 6 the second half). Okay I got you. Is that specific for allopathic medical schools or do osteopathic medical school also have grade replacement programs?

 

[Cardboard101]

That sGPA and clinical volunteering need to go up.

@YeezyQ it is 12 throughout the entire summer (anticipate taking 6 first half and 6 the second half). Okay I got you. Is that specific for allopathic medical schools or do osteopathic medical school also have grade replacement programs?

Neither do.

 

[YeezyQ]

@GOGREEN4250 how did you study for the MCAT? You have a great score for a low-gpa.

 

[GOGREEN4250]

@YeezyQ I took the kaplan prep course and studied for about seven months leading up to it.

 

[YeezyQ]

@YeezyQ I took the kaplan prep course and studied for about seven months leading up to it.

Was the class worth it? Or independent study better?

 

[Scrubs101]

If youre gung ho on ortho surg only id suggest applying to an SMP and shooting for MD. However if you do get your GPA up to a 3.4 i think you have a shot at some MD schools. But while growing that GPA you gotta be working on your ECs too. If youre open to other less competitive specialties/primary care id suggest going DO but if youre ortho or bust you may be disappointed. Ortho is crazy competitive for both MDs and DOs. However your best shot at ortho as a DO would probably be MSUCOM so being a MI resident is definitely a plus!


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[GOGREEN4250]

@YeezyQ I think courses are really good for giving you a set schedule and giving you weekly assignments that coincide with the material to keep you on track. Ultimately, if you are motivated and can stay on track I think there really isn't a huge drawback to independently studying. In the end it's whatever works best for you.

 

[femmegoblue]

Hey! So it looks like you are exactly the kind of person that could benefit from an SMP or an all-science masters. I would look into the BMS program at Wayne or the MS Physio at U of M. For the in state schools, knocking one of these programs out of the park would really bolster your chances at MSUCHM, WSU, and MSUCOM. If you are ok with DO, and you can hit that 3.4, I would apply to 10 or so DO schools and the in-state MD's. I think with the 3.4/510 you could still have a shot at CMED. However, if you really wanna put yourself in the best position possible, I would consider some post-bacc work, either DIY or one of the programs I mentioned!