What would be my chances?

[Fiveoboy11]

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Hello,

I'm a PT, graduated in 2008 with a DPT and 3.63 GPA, 2004 with a B.S. Human Bio - exercise science emphasis 3.22 GPA, last 2 years 3.55. So, I have 3 1/2 years of clinical experience as a physical therapist. I have not taken Organic Chem or the MCAT. Just curious what anyone thinks my chances would be of getting into MD/DO medical school if I were to pursue it at some point. Thanks.

 

[Nasrudin]

Hello,

I'm a PT, graduated in 2008 with a DPT and 3.63 GPA, 2004 with a B.S. Human Bio - exercise science emphasis 3.22 GPA, last 2 years 3.55. So, I have 3 1/2 years of clinical experience as a physical therapist. I have not taken Organic Chem or the MCAT. Just curious what anyone thinks my chances would be of getting into MD/DO medical school if I were to pursue it at some point. Thanks.

I have a question in return first. I've got $300 burning a hole in my pocket. I always clean my buddies out in poker. What are my chances of coming out ahead if I head to Atlantic city this weekend?

Pretty god@mn unswerable huh?

I'm not being a d!ck. I want to deliver a jolt to your brain. That says I have to look at this myself. Call my own bets. And none of these f@cknuts no their @ss from a hole in the ground.

That's the only way to do it.

We have this book of stats in the premed game called the MSAR. Published yearly with all sorts of numerical data on the applicant pool for medicine.

And even that doesn't tell you much. To you. About yourself. And what it's worth to you.

I'm gettin at you first. Because we're so d@mn smart. We'll tell you anything off the top of our heads and color it with the mood we're in and then give it you so can carve it into a tone tablet. Like an off-color comment by Moses.




Personally. As someone with as much authority as Mr. Ed and of at least as much comportment. I find you to be an interesting candidate. I think medicine lacks musculoskeletal perspective. And is completely ignorant and flatly dismissive about the importance of exercise physiology. If I was picking a squad I would invite you to interview as is to see what your were like in person. If your MCAT didn't make it awkward to chose you over someone else.


^^^^This is the extent of the value that you can get with this type of inquiry. 1 guy. Talkin **** to another. Except that. Admittedly. My groove is exceptional. Who knows. This could be us in a few years:

--Peter de Seve

 

[dmf2682]

Way to scare the new guy, nas. Ridonculous but nevertheless full of wisdom.

Yeah it's possible and no it's not a silly idea and you seem to understand what you need to do. Outside of that there's other forums where people can tell you where and how to improve. Have fun looking around, but like what he said, take everything with a grain of salt.

 

[hawkbit]

Your chances depend on how hard you pursue it. No guarantees... But the more effort you put in the better your chances become. Your grades are ok... On the low side but people have made with GPAs like yours. The question is the mcat. That's where your effort should go if this is what you want. (and in getting all A's in any prereqs not taken yet) A high mcat will open many doors... Start there.

 

[Nasrudin]

Yes. As these persons have indicated.

You try to come to an all in or a move on to your next idea state of mind. And then you ask the question "how?"

And that becomes a more fruitful discussion.

If it's all in then in your case the gpa is the weakest point. You'll need a solid MCAT score. Evaluate how mobile your gpa is. See if it worth it to take some courses to improve. Your assets are your clinical experience. Maximize it. Get strong letters of support from physicians. etc.

Why? what if? Or the recent flurry of financial advice here? Not so useful. From one individual to the next. We lack the rapport for such commentary. Though stopping the impotent prognostications. Unlikely this is.

 

[UpwardTrend]

Way to scare the new guy, nas. Ridonculous but nevertheless full of wisdom.

Yeah it's possible and no it's not a silly idea and you seem to understand what you need to do. Outside of that there's other forums where people can tell you where and how to improve. Have fun looking around, but like what he said, take everything with a grain of salt.

I don't know about full of wisdom but definitely full of something.

OP, I would think a 30+ MCAT accompanied by 4.0 Organic, great letters, great interview skills would get you into a DO program. You have an edge with a professional degree and the experience. If you have any D's or F's on your transcripts then you could bump that 3.22 up with a retake or two. Definitely have a good explaination as to why you thought DPT would be a lifetime career and now you are sure that MD/DO will be.

 

[dmf2682]

I don't know about full of wisdom but definitely full of something.

OP, I would think a 30+ MCAT accompanied by 4.0 Organic, great letters, great interview skills would get you into a DO program. You have an edge with a professional degree and the experience. If you have any D's or F's on your transcripts then you could bump that 3.22 up with a retake or two. Definitely have a good explaination as to why you thought DPT would be a lifetime career and now you are sure that MD/DO will be.

In the brief five months I've been reading nas' posts I've adapted my kidneys to filter the pearls of wisdom from the nas-sputum. They're there if you know where to look.

 

[Nasrudin]

Look. I've been on this board under various pseudonyms for 10 years. I have particular expertise in a patient--grueling--and cheap approach to gpa repair and medical school admissions--how to get it in not how to evaluate others chances.

I could repeat the same hackneyed **** year after year. Or I could engage in a way that is amusing to myself and perhaps only myself. And perform a more specialized function for just such cases as the OP.

And that is. To prevent the walling in of another's mind. Or perception of themselves. Before they get the chance to envision something new and different.

This is why I'm such a big Jim Henson fan. People think he was just a funny little puppet man. But he maintained the cracks of imagination of kids just as they get trained to lose it.

Whether or not I'm successful or useful is certainly debatable. But just understand, my intentions are specific. And I do care about the success of nontrads. With particular interest in seeing the development of allied health candidates.

 

[Fiveoboy11]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I have no doubt in acing Organic I/II especially since that's the only class I'm lacking. The MCAT would make me a little worried...

Does MD/DO school really skew toward undergrad GPA vs a professional school GPA? PT school was about 10x harder than undergrad. If so, that's a major bummer. No F's in undergrad, one D in ceramics.

 

[Nasrudin]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I have no doubt in acing Organic I/II especially since that's the only class I'm lacking. The MCAT would make me a little worried...

Does MD/DO school really skew toward undergrad GPA vs a professional school GPA? PT school was about 10x harder than undergrad. If so, that's a major bummer. No F's in undergrad, one D in ceramics.

Yes. They skew towards the measures that can be universally applied. The competition is fierce. Not unlike PT school. So that they have to be as fair as possible. Debate rages over the meaning of various measures. But so far the fairest ones are u-grad gpa and MCAT.

There are many tools you can use to home study. To make sure you're ready to take the exam. I used Berkeley review which I think is the best book series. Examcracker's 1001 has good question books. And something I didn't use until med school is Kaplan videos. I love videos. So intimate. You put your headphones on and you got the teacher right up in your grill. You can slow it down, speed it up, etc.

So there's means to jam on it. And if you want to put money on something you can't beat that punch/lb. You'll need to make sure you're ready with practice exams.

This is exam will be pivotal for you. And by all means apply to DO schools. I always take that as a given and just refer to med schools as a whole. Licenses to practice are issued by states and they recognize either degree equally.

 

[Fiveoboy11]

Yes. They skew towards the measures that can be universally applied. The competition is fierce. Not unlike PT school. So that they have to be as fair as possible. Debate rages over the meaning of various measures. But so far the fairest ones are u-grad gpa and MCAT.

There are many tools you can use to home study. To make sure you're ready to take the exam. I used Berkeley review which I think is the best book series. Examcracker's 1001 has good question books. And something I didn't use until med school is Kaplan videos. I love videos. So intimate. You put your headphones on and you got the teacher right up in your grill. You can slow it down, speed it up, etc.

So there's means to jam on it. And if you want to put money on something you can't beat that punch/lb. You'll need to make sure you're ready with practice exams.

This is exam will be pivotal for you. And by all means apply to DO schools. I always take that as a given and just refer to med schools as a whole. Licenses to practice are issued by states and they recognize either degree equally.

I suppose that makes for equal comparison. Thanks for the info, I'll have to register for Organic Chem soon. You rationale makes sense relative to the MCAT being so important, so in that case I'd just have to ensure a high score.