What should I do to better my chances?

[EDTech8]

Hi everyone, this is my first post on this site (or any type of forum site for that matter) so any pointers are welcome....

I had a rough start to my undergrad with a 2.6 cumulative GPA after my freshman year (my house burned down spring semester)...I transferred to the U of MN and graduated with a 3.4 in neuroscience from there. That brought my AMCAS GPA to around 3.2-3.3. My science GPA is about the same, very strong in biology and such but C+ in both organic chemistry classes and a B- in Physics I. I skipped classes weeks at a time all through undergrad and as such my GPA isn't quite what it could have been. My EC's are fine, I got a research grant and did biomed research for 1.5 years-though no publication. I have now been out of school 2 years and have been working in the ER of a level 1 trauma center as a tech ever since. I scored a 10-bio, 10-verb, and 9 phys in spring of 2005, so my scores are do to expire after this app cycle.

My question is, what should I do in order to improve my chance for acceptance somewhere? Should I spend a year and do an SMP at Georgetown or Tulane? Has anyone heard anything about the new one in Cincinatti? Or do you think with just retaking the MCAT I can manage (and what kind of score will I need?) Any comments/suggestions are welcome. Thank you for your time in advance.

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[EDTech8]

See above.

 

[Blade28]

Probably a silly question because your thread is in this forum, but did you apply to med schools last year? If so, how was the rest of your app? Letters of recommendation? Did you apply to MD/DO schools? Broadly?

 

[RxnMan]

Merging threads...

 

[EDTech8]

Probably a silly question because your thread is in this forum, but did you apply to med schools last year? If so, how was the rest of your app? Letters of recommendation? Did you apply to MD/DO schools? Broadly?

I basically threw together a last minute application for admission 2006. Last year I learned from that and applied early to a variety of MD schools including my home schools U of MN and U of MN-Duluth. I was very conservative in my choices as I just want to be accepted somewhere. I received secondaries from all but not any interview invites. All secondaries were complete by September. I feel my LOR's are strong coming from my research mentor, a couple professors I knew real well, a psychiatrist I have worked closely (at work mind you, not my personal psychiatrist), my nurse manager in the ED, and the volunteer director at children's hospital. At this point, I am interested in a residency in EM, anesthesiology, or radiology-diagnostic. I like to work with my hands but I also like to use technology. Just thought I'd throw that in.