What is my best course of action from here?

[Daanqing]

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I graduated with a 2.83 GPA and I am about to start studying for my MCAT. My semester abroad in Hong Kong brought my GPA below a 3.0 and I was not able to recover it before I graduated. I have worked for 3 years in a research lab while attending my university and 6 months in research lab within a hospital (as a volunteer). I have one paper published as a second author and I am expecting two more papers to be published soon. I also have <10 hours of shadowing a physician and a few extra curricular activities.

Originally, I thought I wanted to go into research, but over these past six months in the lab I'm working now, I've decided that it's not for me. My boss has mentioned hiring me once my volunteering has ended; but I've thought long and hard and would rather pursue medical school.

What are the best actions I can take to get on track to getting into medical school?

 

[Catalystik]

I graduated with a 2.83 GPA and I am about to start studying for my MCAT. My semester abroad in Hong Kong brought my GPA below a 3.0 and I was not able to recover it before I graduated. I have worked for 3 years in a research lab while attending my university and 6 months in research lab within a hospital (as a volunteer). I have one paper published as a second author and I am expecting two more papers to be published soon. I also have <10 hours of shadowing a physician and a few extra curricular activities.

Originally, I thought I wanted to go into research, but over these past six months in the lab I'm working now, I've decided that it's not for me. My boss has mentioned hiring me once my volunteering has ended; but I've thought long and hard and would rather pursue medical school.

What are the best actions I can take to get on track to getting into medical school?

You need to redeem your GPA in some way and start appropriate ECs.

Did the foreign classes transfer to your primary college and appear as grades on your US college transcript? If they do, can you retake similar courses locally to evoke the DO med school grade replacement policy?

What was your GPA before you studied abroad and how many terms took place after your return?

Can you afford a postbaccalaureate GPA enhancement program, say $30-40 K.

Do you have any appropriate ECs besides research and an early start on Shadowing: med school relevant activities like active patient experience, nonmedical community service, leadership, teaching?

 

[Daanqing]

You need to redeem your GPA in some way and start appropriate ECs.

Did the foreign classes transfer to your primary college and appear as grades on your US college transcript? If they do, can you retake similar courses locally to evoke the DO med school grade replacement policy?

What was your GPA before you studied abroad and how many terms took place after your return?

Can you afford a postbaccalaureate GPA enhancement program, say $30-40 K.

Do you have any appropriate ECs besides research and an early start on Shadowing: med school relevant activities like active patient experience, nonmedical community service, leadership, teaching?

1. Yes they did appear as grades on my transcript but not as requirements, just as elective science classes. I went to UC Merced but I no longer live there; should I find similar classes at a UC more local to me?

2. My GPA was 3.12 before I believe and I had four more semesters afterwards.

3. I can afford a program such as this. Is that the most expensive option?

4. Beyond what I mentioned, I have quite a few hours (maybe 100 or so?) of nonmedical community service. I have one semester experience tutoring high school students in science. I was awarded first place in a research poster presentation held at my school. I helped found a club at my school and held a few small positions and as the treasurer. I was involved in a mobile app creation challenge at my school and a successful kickstarter campaign. Would any of those be worth mentioning? How do I acquire as many hours with patient experience and shadowing that I see on this website? The ones I have are through a family friend and are not documented.

 

[Catalystik]

1. Yes they did appear as grades on my transcript but not as requirements, just as elective science classes. I went to UC Merced but I no longer live there; should I find similar classes at a UC more local to me?

2. My GPA was 3.12 before I believe and I had four more semesters afterwards.

3. I can afford a program such as this. Is that the most expensive option?

4. Beyond what I mentioned, I have quite a few hours (maybe 100 or so?) of nonmedical community service. I have one semester experience tutoring high school students in science. I was awarded first place in a research poster presentation held at my school. I helped found a club at my school and held a few small positions and as the treasurer. I was involved in a mobile app creation challenge at my school and a successful kickstarter campaign. Would any of those be worth mentioning?

5. How do I acquire as many hours with patient experience and shadowing that I see on this website? The ones I have are through a family friend and are not documented.

1) How low were the grades? Why? What were the classes?

Yes, you can find similar classes at a UC or CC for retakes. The credit hours must be the same or greater to qualify for DO grade forgiveness, but the school need not be the same. The course title needn't be identical either, so long as the course descriptions in the catalog are similar. If you have any prerequisites below a C+, you might retake those as well.

2) What were your GPAs after each of the last four terms? I am looking for a steep, sustained upward grade trend here.

3) If you want a chance at attracting the interest of an MD school, a true SMP (Special Masters Program) is your best bet, where you take classes with current Med Students to compete for grades (essentially, an expensive audition). You would ideally get a GPA of 3.7 or better, or it would be a waste of money. If you don't get quite so high or your MCAT score isn't strong, you can still aim for DO med schools which tend to be more lenient.

4) All of those are well worth mentioning.

5) To gain active clinical experience, most volunteer in a medical facility for 3-4 hours per week, but some get a job or do clinical research with sick people. Longevity is more important than total hours. The average applicant lists about 150 hours gained over 1.5 academic years. So start soon. For shadowing the average is about 50 hours. It's fine to shadow a family member or friend (but not to get an LOR from one). You would list them as a contact on the application. Further documentation isn't needed.

 

[Daanqing]

1) How low were the grades? Why? What were the classes?

Yes, you can find similar classes at a UC or CC for retakes. The credit hours must be the same or greater to qualify for DO grade forgiveness, but the school need not be the same. The course title needn't be identical either, so long as the course descriptions in the catalog are similar. If you have any prerequisites below a C+, you might retake those as well.

2) What were your GPAs after each of the last four terms? I am looking for a steep, sustained upward grade trend here.

3) If you want a chance at attracting the interest of an MD school, a true SMP (Special Masters Program) is your best bet, where you take classes with current Med Students to compete for grades (essentially, an expensive audition). You would ideally get a GPA of 3.7 or better, or it would be a waste of money. If you don't get quite so high or your MCAT score isn't strong, you can still aim for DO med schools which tend to be more lenient.

4) All of those are well worth mentioning.

5) To gain active clinical experience, most volunteer in a medical facility for 3-4 hours per week, but some get a job or do clinical research with sick people. Longevity is more important than total hours. The average applicant lists about 150 hours gained over 1.5 academic years. So start soon. For shadowing the average is about 50 hours. It's fine to shadow a family member or friend (but not to get an LOR from one). You would list them as a contact on the application. Further documentation isn't needed.

1. For my semester abroad, I took intro to economics, molecular medicine, the gene, chinese medicine, and intro to mandarin. I got C-, F, C, C, and A-. The F was due to an awful professor with no office hours, didn't speak english well, no lecture slides, and no textbook. Also these classes usually had one midterm/presentation worth 30% of your grade and the final was worth 70%, so it was hard to gauge your progress. (Also, on another note, I took O-chem at UCI and got my only other F because I was extremely sick and couldn't study or even take the final and I missed the Add/Drop period. I obviously retook it and got a B+, but I'm afraid of how that will look on my application) I don't suppose I could state my case on those two classes?

2. My grades always averaged out to 2.8 or 2.9 every semester after my semester abroad. Unfortunately, there wasn't any upward trend.

3. Can you recommend some of these SMPs? The ones I've looked into always require a 3.0. As long as I can manage at least a 3.7, this would be my best option? Better than a post bacc?

4. What are pro's and con's to the DO tract?

5. If I shadowed the father of my girlfriend, would he be someone I could get a LOR from? If not, what should I do to start looking for LORs that aren't research related?

 

[Catalystik]

1. For my semester abroad, I took intro to economics, molecular medicine, the gene, chinese medicine, and intro to mandarin. I got C-, F, C, C, and A-. The F was due to an awful professor with no office hours, didn't speak english well, no lecture slides, and no textbook. Also these classes usually had one midterm/presentation worth 30% of your grade and the final was worth 70%, so it was hard to gauge your progress. (Also, on another note, I took O-chem at UCI and got my only other F because I was extremely sick and couldn't study or even take the final and I missed the Add/Drop period. I obviously retook it and got a B+, but I'm afraid of how that will look on my application) I don't suppose I could state my case on those two classes?

2. My grades always averaged out to 2.8 or 2.9 every semester after my semester abroad. Unfortunately, there wasn't any upward trend.

3. Can you recommend some of these SMPs? The ones I've looked into always require a 3.0. As long as I can manage at least a 3.7, this would be my best option? Better than a post bacc?

4. What are pro's and con's to the DO tract?

5. If I shadowed the father of my girlfriend, would he be someone I could get a LOR from? If not, what should I do to start looking for LORs that aren't research related?

1) Many Secondary essays give you the opportunity to explain a "blip in your academic road."

2) You'll need to start demonstrating academic excellence if you want med school adcomms to take a chance on you. And to prove to yourself that you can do it and that an SMP would be worthwhile. SMPs are competitive, so you need to demonstrate your potential before applying to them, as well.

3) See SDN's Postbaccalaureate Programs Forum, attention to Dr Midlife's sticky. Considering how low your GPAs are, an SMP would be the most time-efficient. You could also get another baccalaureate degree, but that would be averaged in with your current undergrad work, where an SMP has the potential of overriding the undergrad GPA. Note that there are SMPs not listed that are affiliated with DO med schools. Their application uses grade forgiveness. Completing a DO SMP doesn't mean you can't get accepted to an MD school.

4) Read widely in SDN's PreMed Osteopathic Forum. Start with the appropriate stickies.

5) You will need two LORs from science faculty who have taught you (classes where you got As are good ones to ask) and one nonscience faculty. You want professors who can speak positively about your academic potential.

An LOR from your girlfriend's dad would be useless. But it's fine to shadow him. Ask for a referral to another doc, ideally a DO, as MD schools rarely request a physician LOR, but DO schools commonly do.

 

[Daanqing]

1) Many Secondary essays give you the opportunity to explain a "blip in your academic road."

2) You'll need to start demonstrating academic excellence if you want med school adcomms to take a chance on you. And to prove to yourself that you can do it and that an SMP would be worthwhile. SMPs are competitive, so you need to demonstrate your potential before applying to them, as well.

3) See SDN's Postbaccalaureate Programs Forum, attention to Dr Midlife's sticky. Considering how low your GPAs are, an SMP would be the most time-efficient. You could also get another baccalaureate degree, but that would be averaged in with your current undergrad work, where an SMP has the potential of overriding the undergrad GPA. Note that there are SMPs not listed that are affiliated with DO med schools. Their application uses grade forgiveness. Completing a DO SMP doesn't mean you can't get accepted to an MD school.

4) Read widely in SDN's PreMed Osteopathic Forum. Start with the appropriate stickies.

5) You will need two LORs from science faculty who have taught you (classes where you got As are good ones to ask) and one nonscience faculty. You want professors who can speak positively about your academic potential.

An LOR from your girlfriend's dad would be useless. But it's fine to shadow him. Ask for a referral to another doc, ideally a DO, as MD schools rarely request a physician LOR, but DO schools commonly do.

Thank you so much for your help! I will look into the forums and everything you mentioned. This helped me immensely!

 

[CapCrunch]

1) Many Secondary essays give you the opportunity to explain a "blip in your academic road."

2) You'll need to start demonstrating academic excellence if you want med school adcomms to take a chance on you. And to prove to yourself that you can do it and that an SMP would be worthwhile. SMPs are competitive, so you need to demonstrate your potential before applying to them, as well.

3) See SDN's Postbaccalaureate Programs Forum, attention to Dr Midlife's sticky. Considering how low your GPAs are, an SMP would be the most time-efficient. You could also get another baccalaureate degree, but that would be averaged in with your current undergrad work, where an SMP has the potential of overriding the undergrad GPA. Note that there are SMPs not listed that are affiliated with DO med schools. Their application uses grade forgiveness. Completing a DO SMP doesn't mean you can't get accepted to an MD school.

4) Read widely in SDN's PreMed Osteopathic Forum. Start with the appropriate stickies.

5) You will need two LORs from science faculty who have taught you (classes where you got As are good ones to ask) and one nonscience faculty. You want professors who can speak positively about your academic potential.

An LOR from your girlfriend's dad would be useless. But it's fine to shadow him. Ask for a referral to another doc, ideally a DO, as MD schools rarely request a physician LOR, but DO schools commonly do.

Just to note: not sure if you mean DO SMP programs use grade forgiveness, or DO programs in general. However, I was in contact with the LECOM SMP, and they told me that there is no grade forgiveness for the program, and the cGPA and sGPA are identical to your AMCAS GPA.

 

[Catalystik]

Just to note: not sure if you mean DO SMP programs use grade forgiveness, or DO programs in general. However, I was in contact with the LECOM SMP, and they told me that there is no grade forgiveness for the program, and the cGPA and sGPA are identical to your AMCAS GPA.

Ahhh, bummer. Thank you for your input. I had been under the impression that all DO-affiliated SMPs used the standard AACOMAS application form. I appreciate the correction. Do you have recent knowledge of any others' policies (particularly CCOM)?