What Should I DO?

[DO or die trying]

I am in the middle of a gap year having graduated last spring. I am an ORM with a cGPA of 3.28 and a sGPA of 3.13, I was hoping to apply next year broadly to DO schools and my local state MD school that prefers residents strongly. With an MCAT of 508 do you think its worth the money, effort or time to apply or are the chances so low I should take another year and do something of a postbacc.

Any tips are appreciated, my GPA shows an upward trend over the last three semesters (when I realized I wanted to go Medicine).
Thanks

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[Calizboosted76]

I am in the middle of a gap year having graduated last spring. I am an ORM with a cGPA of 3.28 and a sGPA of 3.13, I was hoping to apply next year broadly to DO schools and my local state MD school that prefers residents strongly. With an MCAT of 508 do you think its worth the money, effort or time to apply or are the chances so low I should take another year and do something of a postbacc.

Any tips are appreciated, my GPA shows an upward trend over the last three semesters (when I realized I wanted to go Medicine).
Thanks

We would need more info.
For example your extracurriculars? How many clinical hours do you have? Do you have strong letters of recommendation?


Going solely off of your stats if you apply broadly and have no red flags I am sure you would get some interviews.

 

[DO or die trying]

We would need more info.
For example your extracurriculars? How many clinical hours do you have? Do you have strong letters of recommendation?


Going solely off of your stats if you apply broadly and have no red flags I am sure you would get some interviews.

Thank you. I am a CNA in the covid floor expected about 800 clinical, 200 volunteer non-clinical and 100 shadowing DO.

 

[Calizboosted76]

Thank you. I am a CNA in the covid floor expected about 800 clinical, 200 volunteer non-clinical and 100 shadowing DO.

I think your clinical And volunteer hours are a little low.

However I will tag some people with better knowledge.
@Goro @Faha @Angus Avagadro

 

[DO or die trying]

I think your clinical And volunteer hours are a little low.

However I will tag some people with better knowledge.
@Goro @Faha @Angus Avagadro

Thank you. Also can you project clinical and expected volunteer hours until matriculation date?

 

[mc3894]

Thank you. I am a CNA in the covid floor expected about 800 clinical, 200 volunteer non-clinical and 100 shadowing DO.

I actually think your hours are just fine. The biggest red flag to me is your GPA. Getting your science GPA above 3.2 at least would probably open more doors. If you applied very broadly to DO you may be okay, especially if your upward trend is strong. However, I would highly consider taking another year to do a DIY post-bacc to bring your grades up.

 

[Damson]

agree with above, even a slightly higher GPA, 3.2 for science, 3.3 even better, will help a lot. otherwise OP's mcat score is excellent for DO

 

[Calizboosted76]

The increase in GPA would help, however if they did not increase their GPA increasing clinical and volunteering would be the best thing to do.

As a side note OP, I was accepted to two DO schools this cycle with a 2.6 GPA and an upward trend for two years.
I however had 4K + hours of clinical experience and a few hundred volunteering hours.

My MCAT was also two point lower than yours.

 

[DO or die trying]

The increase in GPA would help, however if they did not increase their GPA increasing clinical and volunteering would be the best thing to do.

As a side note OP, I was accepted to two DO schools this cycle with a 2.6 GPA and an upward trend for two years.
I however had 4K + hours of clinical experience and a few hundred volunteering hours.

My MCAT was also two point lower than yours.

Thank you for the input. Congrats future doctor!!!

 

[DO2015CA]

Thank you. I am a CNA in the covid floor expected about 800 clinical, 200 volunteer non-clinical and 100 shadowing DO.

I think your clinical And volunteer hours are a little low.

However I will tag some people with better knowledge.
@Goro @Faha @Angus Avagadro

No 800 clinical is fine. I would say you have a good shot at DO

 

[Goro]

I think your clinical And volunteer hours are a little low.

However I will tag some people with better knowledge.
@Goro @Faha @Angus Avagadro

You're dead wrong.

 

[Goro]

I am in the middle of a gap year having graduated last spring. I am an ORM with a cGPA of 3.28 and a sGPA of 3.13, I was hoping to apply next year broadly to DO schools and my local state MD school that prefers residents strongly. With an MCAT of 508 do you think its worth the money, effort or time to apply or are the chances so low I should take another year and do something of a postbacc.

Any tips are appreciated, my GPA shows an upward trend over the last three semesters (when I realized I wanted to go Medicine).
Thanks

You'll need to apply broadly, but the numbers are too low for my school and fair number of others, including all MD schools.

Read this:

• Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

 

[Calizboosted76]

You're dead wrong.

Good to know! I thought it was a rule of thumb to have 1000 clinical and 500 volunteer hours when the GPA was lower. However I will definitely note that 800 is fine.

I can however say, stay far away from UCF OP. They want you to have TONS of volunteer hours from talking to people on their ADCOM.

 

[Goro]

Good to know! I thought it was a rule of thumb to have 1000 clinical and 500 volunteer hours when the GPA was lower. However I will definitely note that 800 is fine.

I can however say, stay far away from UCF OP. They want you to have TONS of volunteer hours from talking to people on their ADCOM.

A Nobel Prize in Medicine won't get someone into my school with the OP's stats.
Stats get you to the door, ECs get you through.

 

[Real McCoy]

You will be competitive at some of the newer DO schools with current stats. ECs are all fine. If you would like to improve your chances, I would take some DIY post-bacc courses to increase your GPA and show Adcom members you can handle rigors of med school curriculum.

 

[DO or die trying]

You'll need to apply broadly, but the numbers are too low for my school and fair number of others, including all MD schools.

Read this:

• Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

If I might ask what schools should I target when applying broadly. I will most likely Take classes next fall in order to show better academic credentials but any school tips are appreciated.
thanks

 

[Goro]

If I might ask what schools should I target when applying broadly. I will most likely Take classes next fall in order to show better academic credentials but any school tips are appreciated.
thanks

All VCOMs
CUSOM
KYCOM
all LECOMs
ACOM
KCOM
WCU
MUCOM
WVSOM
SOMA
NYITCOM.AR
TUNCOM (maybe)

 

[MaxCycle42]

With a 508 and that GPA. Apply broadly! DO is your best bet! As far as your ECs, you don't need 1000s of hours. I have about less than 500 hours in each EC category but I have 3 interviews lining up. NOT because I have 1000s of hours but how I'm able to relate to the patients and have a meaningful connection with them in my story. Quality over quantity always! That's just my 2 cents.

 

[hungrydoc710]

You'll get loads of DO love with broad app.
MD apps prob end up as donations with that GPA. Nice MCAT though.

 

[unexpectedcomplications]

From what I've learned, MD love is not going to happen unless you have the combined package of high GPA + high MCAT.

You will get into DO school for sure if you apply broadly and don't blow the interview.

 

[Newyorkgirl24]

Hey, I would definitely apply super broadly, as someone with a 506 and a science GPA of 3.25 though, I will say your science GPA is going to screen you out of some DO schools and give a red flag. Multiple adcoms have told me mine is concerning and that they take a "risk" on these types of students because sometimes they drop out or can't handle the course work. (Not saying me and you would be like that, just what I've heard)

Therefore I would say even if you can move that science GPA just a bit go for it!!