Where to go from here...?

[rinegade]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hello,

Looking for advice on what to do next. I didn't make the decision to go to med school until my senior year(was set on PA), so I rushed everything and ended up applying this cycle. I went to a prestigious undergrad, but succumbed to the pressure and didn't do well initially..so cGPA and sGPA suffered even though I did well afterwards. I've got clinical experience(and getting more as I'm currently working FT at a clinic as a MA), but not much research experience(took a 1yr undergrad research course). Wondering if trad-Masters, SMP, postbac, research and/or MCAT-retake would help?

B.S. in Bio
cGPA:3.03
sGPA: 2.8
MCAT:504
SAT:2250

 

[Dro133]

Hello,

Looking for advice on what to do next. I didn't make the decision to go to med school until my senior year(was set on PA), so I rushed everything and ended up applying this cycle. I went to a prestigious undergrad, but succumbed to the pressure and didn't do well initially..so cGPA and sGPA suffered even though I did well afterwards. I've got clinical experience(and getting more as I'm currently working FT at a clinic as a MA), but not much research experience(took a 1yr undergrad research course). Wondering if trad-Masters, SMP, postbac, research and/or MCAT-retake would help?

B.S. in Bio
cGPA:3.03
sGPA: 2.8
MCAT:504
SAT:2250

Sorry to be blunt, but I think your best/easiest choice would be grade replacement and apply DO. If you really want to go MD that badly, you'll need to retake the MCAT and do an SMP.

 

[platanus]

I would take more classes (maybe a second major) to bring my sGPA ~3.4, take the MCAT again (aim for >514), and reapply to state schools. This won't work if you 1) are a California resident 2) already have taken too many science classes.

 

[rinegade]

Thanks for the input! I'm looking to apply DO, so I'll probably quit my job, do some grade replacement at a local college (since I've already taken too many science courses), and retake MCAT after that. I've got about 7 science courses to retake, so I'm guessing 2-3 semesters til I'm done (if the courses are all available over the summer/fall). Would it be worth trying to reapply this coming cycle, or wait until I get all of my scores/grades and apply the following cycle?

 

[DrMidlife]

It's 100% a bad idea to reapply in 2 months, at which point your numbers, which killed you this year, will be no different. See the reapplicant forum for more in depth discussion on mistakes and how to fix them.

You are multiple years from a successful app cycle. Make sure you want this, and if so, do it right. Put in the time. Get A's. Get ready for how hard med school is and how critical it is to be academically successful in med school to be in position to match well.

Best of luck to you.

 

[rinegade]

It's 100% a bad idea to reapply in 2 months, at which point your numbers, which killed you this year, will be no different. See the reapplicant forum for more in depth discussion on mistakes and how to fix them.

You are multiple years from a successful app cycle. Make sure you want this, and if so, do it right. Put in the time. Get A's. Get ready for how hard med school is and how critical it is to be academically successful in med school to be in position to match well.

Best of luck to you.

Thanks for the advice! I recently read that some people reapply once they get into postbacc programs (and before they get their grades), so I was wondering if I should even consider it an option. I'm definitely not big on reapplying so soon and am willing to take multiple years to be "statistically ready"...but assuming I do well, it seems like grade replacement+MCAT retake isn't nearly enough. What else would you suggest to do?

 

[DrMidlife]

people who successfully reapply during an SMP tend to be the people who don't actually need an SMP. Such as having received interviews & been on waitlists the prior app year.

people who have not already done the undergrad work that creates a credible candidacy should not do an SMP. You can do an SMP or apply DO after you're a credible candidate based on having produced a multi-year very strong mostly science undergrad performance, regardless of how many undergrad years you already did. in other words if you don't get the job done in your first 4 year undergrad career, you have to do another undergrad career, which is never going to be a rational or reasonable thing to do, all things considered, as being a doctor is a job, and there are other jobs.

from ~3.0 you will never have a competitive cumulative GPA for MD schools. it can be done (see my sig) but if you want it you have to be the grownup in charge of figuring it out and making it happen. if you're more comfortable having people figure things out for you, and/or getting help with organization & discipline, that's not consistent with the maturity you need to stage a GPA comeback into an MD school.

 

[rinegade]

people who successfully reapply during an SMP tend to be the people who don't actually need an SMP. Such as having received interviews & been on waitlists the prior app year.

people who have not already done the undergrad work that creates a credible candidacy should not do an SMP. You can do an SMP or apply DO after you're a credible candidate based on having produced a multi-year very strong mostly science undergrad performance, regardless of how many undergrad years you already did. in other words if you don't get the job done in your first 4 year undergrad career, you have to do another undergrad career, which is never going to be a rational or reasonable thing to do, all things considered, as being a doctor is a job, and there are other jobs.

from ~3.0 you will never have a competitive cumulative GPA for MD schools. it can be done (see my sig) but if you want it you have to be the grownup in charge of figuring it out and making it happen. if you're more comfortable having people figure things out for you, and/or getting help with organization & discipline, that's not consistent with the maturity you need to stage a GPA comeback into an MD school.

That makes sense. Thanks for the input!