When to reinvent?

[coal.under.pressure]

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Applying this cycle. Worried about letting another year get by me.

With a cycle so long, lasting from mid-summer until early spring, how long do you wait to decide you need to up your game? Example: SMP, Retake MCAT, Quit your salaried job to get EC's/Clinical

Background: Non-traditional student who face-planted age 18-20 as a business major, finished biology degree so sGPA 3.5, but cGPA 2.6. MCAT 504, below average EC, PhD Biomedical Sciences dropout.

I guess I'm bundling "what are my chances" in with this question.

 

[Talkbirthytome]

You're not competitive. There's no use in applying if you're not ready. You'll get screened out by most schools.

Have you considered a post-bacc or SMP? You need reinvention. Volunteering. Meaningful ECs.

 

[atomi]

Applying this cycle. Worried about letting another year get by me.

With a cycle so long, lasting from mid-summer until early spring, how long do you wait to decide you need to up your game? Example: SMP, Retake MCAT, Quit your salaried job to get EC's/Clinical

Background: Non-traditional student who face-planted age 18-20 as a business major, finished biology degree so sGPA 3.5, but cGPA 2.6. MCAT 504, below average EC, PhD Biomedical Sciences dropout.

I guess I'm bundling "what are my chances" in with this question.

Serious question: How competitive do you think you are?

Because unless you’re leaving out something, you have just described an application with a <1% chance of getting accepted.

We need to know what your thought process is in order how to best advise the next step.

 

[coal.under.pressure]

I have left a lot out.
80 hours recently pediatric oncology volunteering, 200+ hours church volunteering leading youth, publication mid author mid-tier, 3.6 GPA in a Biomed PhD program during which I researched glioblastoma and cystic fibrosis (withdrew to pursue clinical career), 2 years at top 10 med school vaccine venter pathology core (yielding LoR from board pathologists md/phd), 2 years undergraduate research structural biology, claiming disadvantaged status, underrepresented in medicine, currently starting geriatric in-patient volunteering for those with mental health issues, first in family with a degree, second generation american, extreme upward trend in uGPA 1.8 fr > 2.4 so > 3.1 jr > 3.6 sr

Does the year in graduate school, albeit degree-seeking, count as DIY or the like? @Goro

 

[Deecee2DO]

First you are URM which is good for you. sGPA is good enough for DO, MCAT is good enough for DO. Get more clinical hours as you say you are doing. cGPA is very very low so I don't know how that will affect everything. IMO i think you could be a DO candidate with a little more clinical exposure. You don't need an SMP contrary to what others are saying you have a high (enough for DO) sGPA and doing so to raise your cGPA wouldn't even raise it enough to even matter. Doing well enough in your bio degree and decent on your MCAT, kind of saved your ass. Also, shadow a DO and most optimal situation get a LOR from one since applying DO (apply VERY broadly) would be your best option here. DO schools are more forgiving of reinvention. Being URM you MAY be able to pull state MD largely depending on your state of residence but that I am not completely positive about

 

[Talkbirthytome]

I have left a lot out.
80 hours recently pediatric oncology volunteering, 200+ hours church volunteering leading youth, publication mid author mid-tier, 3.6 GPA in a Biomed PhD program during which I researched glioblastoma and cystic fibrosis (withdrew to pursue clinical career), 2 years at top 10 med school vaccine venter pathology core (yielding LoR from board pathologists md/phd), 2 years undergraduate research structural biology, claiming disadvantaged status, underrepresented in medicine, currently starting geriatric in-patient volunteering for those with mental health issues, first in family with a degree, second generation american, extreme upward trend in uGPA 1.8 fr > 2.4 so > 3.1 jr > 3.6 sr

Does the year in graduate school, albeit degree-seeking, count as DIY or the like? @Goro

That was a lot to leave out, lol.

It sounds like you will be applying regardless this cycle. HBCUs and heavy DO sounds like the best route. Spend serious time perfecting your essays and pre-writing your secondaries. I recommend having others read and edit your essays as well. Reach out to physicians (including your primary care provider) and see if you can shadow.

Good luck and report back!

 

[Mike Bagwell]

No chance with those numbers. Do a masters, get a 515, and apply DO to some of the newer programs and you’ll probably get into some school.

MD will not happen

 

[coal.under.pressure]

No chance with those numbers. Do a masters, get a 515, and apply DO to some of the newer programs and you’ll probably get into some school.

MD will not happen

Thanks for everyone's advice.
I realize I am not strong for MD, but have a sliver of hope for my state schools, specifically Medical College of Georgia and Mercer University. MCG allows for applicants to bypass their screen in exchange for M3-4 at a rural Georgia campus. Mercer is also a glimmer of hope as their admissions page states that if you have >20 graduate credit hours (I'm sitting on 23) you are guaranteed an II. Also, Mercer doesn't allow over-achieving Northerners and West Coasters (Jk/not really) admittance. In my mind, high achieving Georgians will go elsewhere, leaving us weaklings to take the crumbs we are thrown. Lastly, as of this cycle, Emory University REMOVED their GPA screen.