Where are my best chances?

[Ahockey21]

My school has a pre-acceptance program into a DO school here in FL and I was accepted.
My current GPA is a 3.7 with a sGPA of 3.6...I am in a Kaplan review course and doing well.
I am applying this summer as a junior.

I have been National Guard medic for 3 years and working in the Mayo Clinic's ER for 2 so my outside experience is very competitive for a 21 year old and also I am doing volunteer events unrelated to medicine. Also I have family in PhD programs at UF and also assistant prof. to multiple medical schools here in FL, I don't know if that will help.

Here's the kicker. My first year of school I failed college algebra and got a D and 2 C's.
This new school doesn't factor in previous institutional grades, I did retake the D and F course and received a B and and A. The science GPA is unaffected by all of this, nothing lower than a B. I have been on a serious upward trend and can explain my grades.

I have great LOR's from military physicians and Mayo physicians.

What are my chances of going to a decent MD school here in Florida?

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[Catalystik]

My school has a pre-acceptance program into a DO school here in FL and I was accepted.
My current GPA is a 3.7 with a sGPA of 3.6...I am in a Kaplan review course and doing well.
I am applying this summer as a junior.

I have been National Guard medic for 3 years and working in the Mayo Clinic's ER for 2 so my outside experience is very competitive for a 21 year old and also I am doing volunteer events unrelated to medicine. Also I have family in PhD programs at UF and also assistant prof. to multiple medical schools here in FL, I don't know if that will help.

Here's the kicker. My first year of school I failed college algebra and got a D and 2 C's.
This new school doesn't factor in previous institutional grades, I did retake the D and F course and received a B and and A. The science GPA is unaffected by all of this, nothing lower than a B. I have been on a serious upward trend and can explain my grades.

I have great LOR's from military physicians and Mayo physicians.

What are my chances of going to a decent MD school here in Florida?

Any research, leadership, teaching, formal shadowing?

What are your AMCAS GPAs with all grades included? This might help to figure them out:

AMCAS GPA calculator: http://medschool.ucsf.edu/postbac/pdf/AMCAS%20GPA_Calculator%20Version%204%20Final.xls
Or: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=590424
Or: a modifiable version/also calc BCPM:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=590424

 

[Ahockey21]

Thanks for that.
My overall was a 3.2 and sGPA was 3.6.
I along with 10 other Airman were Airman leaders for about 400 guys in training and in boot camp I was the lead in flight formations.
I teach and EMT-B CEU hours at my guard base. No formal shadowing hours but I work alongside the doc's 3 times a week at Mayo and with the military training we did procedures with them.

I'm going to apply everywhere in September and if I don't get into any of my MD schools I want, I'll go to that DO program through Nova Southeastern since I have the acceptance.

My only other thought is to wait a year, gain more experience, finish the degree and then apply, I'll still only be 23 starting med school and it might get me into school of my choice. I do not want a year off though so it's going to be a hard decision. Any tips on that?

I feel if I could get to the interview phase I could get in because I have a pretty good story and personal statement and my people skills are through the roof. I've been working with patients on a consistent basis since I was 19 years old, done everything from assisting with chest tube insertion to EJ's, IV's, and pushing meds.

 

[Catalystik]

Thanks for that.
My overall was a 3.2 and sGPA was 3.6.
I along with 10 other Airman were Airman leaders for about 400 guys in training and in boot camp I was the lead in flight formations.
I teach and EMT-B CEU hours at my guard base. No formal shadowing hours but I work alongside the doc's 3 times a week at Mayo and with the military training we did procedures with them.

I'm going to apply everywhere in September and if I don't get into any of my MD schools I want, I'll go to that DO program through Nova Southeastern since I have the acceptance.

My only other thought is to wait a year, gain more experience, finish the degree and then apply, I'll still only be 23 starting med school and it might get me into school of my choice. I do not want a year off though so it's going to be a hard decision. Any tips on that?

I feel if I could get to the interview phase I could get in because I have a pretty good story and personal statement and my people skills are through the roof. I've been working with patients on a consistent basis since I was 19 years old, done everything from assisting with chest tube insertion to EJ's, IV's, and pushing meds.

Why would you apply in September which takes about 6 weeks for transcript verification and then further time to get all your Secondary applications sent in (aka late) and automatically put your application to a distinct disadvantage?

You'll (typically) also need excellent LORs from 2 science faculty and one nonscience who can comment on your academic prowess, so work on acquiring those.

Obviously, you'd be in a far stronger position with another year of excellent grades, and higher cGPA, and beefier ECs (though the clinical stuff is already superb). I'd still like to see you shadow an office-based primary care doc, too, though.

If your MCAT score is strong enough, and if adcomms give you some slack due to National Guard involvement, and if you apply in a more timely manner (June), you might get an MD acceptance next year. I understand being in a hurry. If MD vs DO is not an issue for you, then by all means give it a shot this coming season.

If you are willing to be patient, get in a research activity, can keep getting As to raise your cGPA, you are likely to have more acceptances to choose among the following year. Your choice. A glide year to work, pay bills, maybe travel, spend time with friends and family, and recharge your academic batteries would be considered a positive by many if you don't have loans that will require repayment.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

Do you go to NSU?

 

[Ahockey21]

No Jacksonville university

 

[Ahockey21]

I agree and that really is my conflict right now with starting for sure DO or maybe MD. I work with both and I know there is no difference but still I'm hesitant.

My mom is a family practice doc and I could shadow one of her friends I
sure formally. I will ask.

Im waiting to apply because I still have to take physics 1 and 2 this summer then I take my mcat right after. I'm in a Kaplan review now and have anther scheduled during this summer. I will have my transcripts, letters and everything else ready to go and when my MCAT score come in at the end of August or beginning of September they will all send out. If I don't get into MD school of my choice ( any FL school or ushus I'll consider my DO option and if I do not want to I will wait a year and apply again.

How does that sound? Thanks for all the advice.

 

[sector9]

I agree and that really is my conflict right now with starting for sure DO or maybe MD. I work with both and I know there is no difference but still I'm hesitant.

My mom is a family practice doc and I could shadow one of her friends I
sure formally. I will ask.

Im waiting to apply because I still have to take physics 1 and 2 this summer then I take my mcat right after. I'm in a Kaplan review now and have anther scheduled during this summer. I will have my transcripts, letters and everything else ready to go and when my MCAT score come in at the end of August or beginning of September they will all send out. If I don't get into MD school of my choice ( any FL school or ushus I'll consider my DO option and if I do not want to I will wait a year and apply again.

How does that sound? Thanks for all the advice.

You don't need your MCAT score to submit your application. A common strategy is to submit your AMCAS prior to receiving your score to only one lower ranked or state school, then add the rest of your school list once you get your score back. That way you can alter your list depending on how well you do and your application will immediately be sent on to the additional schools since you've already been verified.

AMCAS will not start verifying your transcripts until you submit nor will you be placed into the queue until you submit. The caveat is that once you submit, you can no longer edit the majority of your application.

 

[Catalystik]

Im waiting to apply because I still have to take physics 1 and 2 this summer then I take my mcat right after. I'm in a Kaplan review now and have anther scheduled during this summer. I will have my transcripts, letters and everything else ready to go and when my MCAT score come in at the end of August or beginning of September they will all send out.

Two terms of Physics and a Kaplan course during the summer sounds like a good way to challenge your GPA repair. Keep in mind that for you, getting As in Physics trumps MCAT prep.

It's typical to spend 2-3 dedicated months to MCAT prep for 8 hours a day, but maybe this can work for you due to the prestudying you're doing now.

 

[Ahockey21]

Awesome! Thank you for that. So just apply to one school with lower standards then when my physics grades come in send those to AMCAS so my transcripts are ready at right at the same time those are processed my MCAT scores will also be in. Then they can go out in conjunction.
Right?
Thanks.

 

[Ahockey21]

Well on MCAT practices I've been getting a 24 without ochem 2, and physics 1,2... I'm thinking I can pull out a 28-30 with my GPA and that MCAT and my experience, could I get into a FL state school?
Thanks

 

[sector9]

Awesome! Thank you for that. So just apply to one school with lower standards then when my physics grades come in send those to AMCAS so my transcripts are ready at right at the same time those are processed my MCAT scores will also be in. Then they can go out in conjunction.
Right?
Thanks.

I didn't realize that you wanted to wait for grades to come in. You'll need to wait until after those physics grades are on your transcript before you send it in. You can't update AMCAS with new grades after submission.

 

[Catalystik]

Well on MCAT practices I've been getting a 24 without ochem 2, and physics 1,2... I'm thinking I can pull out a 28-30 with my GPA and that MCAT and my experience, could I get into a FL state school?
Thanks

See sector9's sticky at the top of this forum and you can appreciate the odds of past applicants having gotten any MD acceptance with stats like those you project.

 

[sector9]

Here's the kicker. My first year of school I failed college algebra and got a D and 2 C's.
This new school doesn't factor in previous institutional grades, I did retake the D and F course and received a B and and A. The science GPA is unaffected by all of this, nothing lower than a B. I have been on a serious upward trend and can explain my grades.

^I am confused by this statement. I'm afraid that you might be confused about how your GPA will be viewed for AMCAS.

Math is not included in the science GPA calculation used by DO schools. However, math is included in the BCPM ('science') GPA used by MD schools. In addition, MD schools use every single grade, including every attempt at a course. DO schools have a grade forgiveness policy for retakes. Therefore, those grades (including the D and F despite the retake) will be used by AMCAS for your BCPM GPA.

What is your BCPM GPA when you include those grades?