What should I do?

[BucketDoctor]

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Hello

I am interested in applying to DO schools for the 2017-2018 Application Cycle. Here is a little bit of info about me.

Academic

• Undergraduate institution: Gonzaga University
• Cgpa: 3.36
• Sgpa: about 2.90
• MCAT: 1st Test date scheduled is March 2017
• Planning on retaking classes from September 2017 - December 2017
• Plan on retaking Biochem, Organic Chemistry II, Cell Biology, and Genetics in one quarter

Volunteering

• Mission Possible (a spring break service immersion trip) two times about 40 hours each time
• Zag Study Buddies (help 3-6th graders in STEM homework) about 128 hours
• Campus Kids (mentoring a 6th grader) about 192 hours
• College Freshman Mentor about 200 hours

Clinical

• None so far but I am planning on shadowing a Family Medicine DO
• Planning on volunteering in a hospital

Service/Work Experience

• Community Health Specialist as part of AmeriCorps (help people get health insurance, connect patients to food resources if requested or who indicated that they were food insecure) about 1700 hours or more when I am finished (August 2016 - July 2017)

Miscellaneous

• I am a US citizen (a Mexican-American)
• I am a resident of Washington State.
• I come from a medically undeserved area.
• I was born at 20 weeks and have Retinopathy of Prematurity in both eyes and blind in my right eye and difficultly hearing in one ear. Part of the reason I want to be a doctor. To prevent this from happening.

My question is, should I submit my AACOMAS primary application, get it verified with the GPA I have in let's say for example May of 2017, then after I retake my science classes do an Acedemic Update and have AACOMAS recalculate my GPA? Or should I submit my AACOMAS primary after I have completed my retakes?

Thanks in advance.

 

[SailorHg]

Are you hoping to use AACOMAS' grade replacement policy? If so, I would plan on having your retakes done ASAP. If you are waiting to submit AACOMAS until after the Fall semester or quarter, it may start to be late in the cycle, unless you have pre-written all your secondaries. I speak from experience, as one of my online classes is taking far longer than I initially planned.

Academic Update only lets you replace grades if you are repeating the exact same course at the same institution.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Don't submit until you have your retakes. It is also a bad idea to apply before you get your MCAT score. Your best chance of acceptance is to wait until next cycle and apply June 1 with your retakes out of the way and an MCAT score in hand

 

[naivePremed]

How many clinical hours would be good to have for a DO application? and does shadowing count as clinical hours?