Where do I stand?

[rasajdak]

Ok, so I know you all probably get sick of answering these questions over and over again, but I don't care.

To start out I'm a junior at a SUNY school getting a in BA Chemistry.

GPA:
Overall: 3.099
Science : 3.02
Non Science 3.17.

I haven't taken the MCAT yet, but I'm scheduled for June 15th.

Everything Else:
Army ROTC Cadet
National Guard (The one weekend a month/two weeks a year thing)
Work (20-30hrs/week)
Volunteer Experience (~10 [yes ten] hours @ VA Hospital the summer before last)

To be honest between ROTC, the Guard, full time classes and work I don't have much free time. If it makes any difference, the national guard unit is MEDEVAC, specifically air ambulance, and when I become an officer it will be as a Medical Service Corps officer which will hopefully transition to physician if/when I get accepted to medical school.

Any advice, questions, concerns, etc? Please don't hold back.

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[DOMb]

do well on the MCAT and do more service, 10 hrs is not enough ahhaa. I would say 28+ will get your foot in the door.

 

[Dr JPH]

You stand to take the MCAT

 

[Kuba]

Nail the MCAT and get some more patient interaction type work or service. You need lots of clinical exposure. I say 28+ on the MCAT too.

 

[rasajdak]

Nail the MCAT and get some more patient interaction type work or service. You need lots of clinical exposure. I say 28+ on the MCAT too.

Define "lots"?

Is it something I'd be able to do over the summer? Mind you I'll be training for a month with the Army.

 

[NPEMTIV]

...Any advice, questions, concerns, etc? Please don't hold back.

You're still in the running. I would try my best to keep all future grades As and Bs and rock the MCAT and you'll be gold. Do you work in the medical field? Clinical exposure is a great plus so I wouldn't underestimate it. By "lots" I'm guessing the above poster is refering to "as much as you possibly can". Don't let anyone tell you you can't do it. F#%^ 'em. Go for it.

 

[rasajdak]

Do you work in the medical field?

I used to do security in UB's medical school. Does that count

 

[NPEMTIV]

I used to do security in UB's medical school. Does that count

Um....yeah...See we're putting cover sheets on all new TPS reports. Did you not get the memo?

Of course the janitor on scrubs regularly exercises medical care so I guess anything could happen.

 

[Kuba]

I used to do security in UB's medical school. Does that count

I think at tee bare minimum you would want a few shadowing sessions with a physiciam, preferibly a DO. Getting a hospital job or volunteering in hte hospital would be better.

 

[Doc2007]

MCAT score of 28+ will get you some interviews. Good luck!

 

[lrobin15]

MCAT score of 28+ will get you some interviews. Good luck!

Actually the average MCAT for many Osteopathic schools is 24.

 

[clc8503]

Actually the average MCAT for many Osteopathic schools is 24.

Yeah, and the average GPA for Osteopathic Medical School is way higher than a 3.099 (overall) and 3.02 (science). I think that Doc2007 was saying that the OP needs to do above average on the MCAT to make up for his or her below average gpa.

 

[medschoolplease]

I was in a similar stats range. Do well on the MCAT, gain more clinical exposure, and APPLY EARLY.

 

[CommanderRiker]

Riker here.

22 on MCAT will get you in, since you work quite a bit.

 

[rasajdak]

So... I went to my premed adviser yesterday, and she basically told me I stand no chance whatsoever at an MD school (which I kind of expected) and that it would be difficult for me at any DO school. She said to check out Caribbean schools (which is not an option with the army) and perhaps I should look in to other professions. Mind you, she wasn't condescending or anything, but basically advised me not to apply this summer.

Also, if I take the June 15 MCAT, and I'm going to be gone from July 8th to Aug 10th, will I still be in good shape to apply? Will this set me behind?

I guess I'm starting to second guess myself after the meeting.

 

[dr.kicia]

So... I went to my premed adviser yesterday, and she basically told me I stand no chance whatsoever at an MD school (which I kind of expected) and that it would be difficult for me at any DO school. She said to check out Caribbean schools (which is not an option with the army) and perhaps I should look in to other professions. Mind you, she wasn't condescending or anything, but basically advised me not to apply this summer.

Also, if I take the June 15 MCAT, and I'm going to be gone from July 8th to Aug 10th, will I still be in good shape to apply? Will this set me behind?

I guess I'm starting to second guess myself after the meeting.

don't listen to pre-med advisors...they don't know sh&t...
just try to do best you can on the MCAT and apply. You have nothing to loose besides few hundred bucks for the applications and if you don't apply you will never know the answer.
And then it would be like wanting to win lotto but never buying a ticket.

I know a ton of ppl who got in with GPA of 3.0 and even an average MCAT(one of my very good friends was also discouraged by the pre-med advisor from applying with his 2.97 GPA but he got in to MD school and he just got in to neurosurgery program). Just study your butt of for the MCAt and you will be fine. Apply asap.

 

[Dr.Inviz]

Ok, so I know you all probably get sick of answering these questions over and over again, but I don't care.

To start out I'm a junior at a SUNY school getting a in BA Chemistry.

GPA:
Overall: 3.099
Science : 3.02
Non Science 3.17.

I haven't taken the MCAT yet, but I'm scheduled for June 15th.

Everything Else:
Army ROTC Cadet
National Guard (The one weekend a month/two weeks a year thing)
Work (20-30hrs/week)
Volunteer Experience (~10 [yes ten] hours @ VA Hospital the summer before last)

To be honest between ROTC, the Guard, full time classes and work I don't have much free time. If it makes any difference, the national guard unit is MEDEVAC, specifically air ambulance, and when I become an officer it will be as a Medical Service Corps officer which will hopefully transition to physician if/when I get accepted to medical school.

Any advice, questions, concerns, etc? Please don't hold back.

This one is easy:










Take the MCAT!

 

[MaximusD]

You're missing 40% of the equation... TAKE and ROCK the MCAT!

Getting a 24 isn't an option with that GPA. AIM for the pre-allo 30+ or else you won't be competitive. While you may get interviews and acceptances with a 3.1/24 MCAT, they will not provide you with a lot of choices...


Your Rx:

Keep your options open... retake the MCAT for a 30+ (study for 3 months and take at least 4-5 practice exams and/or use kaplan/princeton review if you can pay the bill..) and also volunteer/shadow a DO.

 

[bkpa2med]

With your GPA I would encourage you to work hard and aim for at least a 28, but balanced as well. Remember that, for example, a 30 is not a 30 always. If you get a 9, 9 , 5 you can forget it at least for the most part. Balance is key and you want no less than a 8 in each section. Good luck!

 

[CommanderRiker]

Commander Riker here.

I think you'll be fine with those statistics. Just like Captain Picard had extensive experience with theta-band radiation, I have extensive experience with admission statistics. Apply and see.

 

[Dr.Inviz]

Commander Riker here.

I think you'll be fine with those statistics. Just like Captain Picard had extensive experience with theta-band radiation, I have extensive experience with admission statistics. Apply and see.

Luckily you're not an adcom. Horrible advice. The OP hasn't even taken the MCAT. Something must have been lost while in one of those trekkie conventions I presume ...

 

[rasajdak]

Also... the advisor said explicitly to only take the MCAT once when you're good and ready as it looks bad to take it a second time. Is this the case? It seems that with all the dates available to take it you would want to take advantage of multiple opportunities.

On a side note, is advisor spelled 'advisor' or 'adviser'? My Firefox spell check is telling me that advisor is not a word. Eh, whatever.

 

[CommanderRiker]

Luckily you're not an adcom. Horrible advice. The OP hasn't even taken the MCAT. Something must have been lost while in one of those trekkie conventions I presume ...

Riker here.

I'm not on an admissions committee but I do know what they're looking for. D.O. schools look at the entire applicant and this fellow is strong with the force in all areas, considering his circumstances.

 

[Dr.Inviz]

Also... the advisor said explicitly to only take the MCAT once when you're good and ready as it looks bad to take it a second time. Is this the case? It seems that with all the dates available to take it you would want to take advantage of multiple opportunities.

On a side note, is advisor spelled 'advisor' or 'adviser'? My Firefox spell check is telling me that advisor is not a word. Eh, whatever.

Take that advice.

As for the 2nd part ...

 

[Dr.Inviz]

Riker here.

I'm not on an admissions committee but I do know what they're looking for. D.O. schools look at the entire applicant and this fellow is strong with the force in all areas.

He hasn't even taken the .. let me put it this way .. M.C.A.T. Y.E.T.

 

[CommanderRiker]

He hasn't even taken the .. let me put it this way .. M.C.A.T. Y.E.T.

Anyway, enough of this. We could argue all day and not reach a consensus. To the original poster, do apply and see what happens.

 

[lateapplicant]

With your GPA I would encourage you to work hard and aim for at least a 28, but balanced as well. Remember that, for example, a 30 is not a 30 always. If you get a 9, 9 , 5 you can forget it at least for the most part. Balance is key and you want no less than a 8 in each section. Good luck!

9/9/5 is not a 30 because it is a 23.

I assume he/she meant 12/12/6 is not the same as 10/10/10, but not many people find themselves in that position (though a guess a few may struggle with the VR section while they excel in the BS and PS sections).

At the moment you sit around 3.0 with what I would consider a good start for EC. Apparently the magic number for your situation is a MCAT of 28+, but if you work hard on having a nice upward GPA trend (and increase to 3.1-3.2) then they'll probably consider you even if the MCAT does not go quite that well.

If you shadow a DO for a considerable period and get other clinical experience then you'll most likely still get interviews with a 24 (so long as it's not a 9/9/6) if you apply early.

I would guess all you're training should help with interviews, so just work hard on all three facets of your application until you can get your foot in the door.

Good luck.

 

[DOMO]

9/9/5 is not a 30 because it is a 24.

I assume he/she meant 12/12/6 is not the same as 10/10/10, but not many people find themselves in that position (though a guess a few may struggle with the VR section while they excel in the BS and PS sections).

At the moment you sit around 3.0 with what I would consider a good start for EC. Apparently the magic number for your situation is a MCAT of 28+, but if you work hard on having a nice upward GPA trend (and increase to 3.1-3.2) then they'll probably consider you even if the MCAT does not go quite that well.

If you shadow a DO for a considerable period and get other clinical experience then you'll most likely still get interviews with a 24 (so long as it's not a 9/9/5) if you apply early.

I would guess all you're training should help with interviews, so just work hard on all three facets of your application until you can get your foot in the door.

Good luck.

ACTUALLY, a 9/9/5 is not a 30 NOR is it a 24..it is really a 23, but who's counting

 

[Dr.Inviz]

Wow, future doctors of the world here ...

 

[bkpa2med]

I know 9, 9, 5 is not 30 lol. I was just setting an example.