Hi, I recently graduated with a cGPA of 3.3 and sGPA 3.2 with an upward curve in my last year. Struggled in the first three years but summer, fall and spring of my senior year I got all A's in my upper level science classes, including orgo, biochem, and neuro, as well as the labs. I studied for the mcat since graduating and got a 518. Now I'm starting my job as an EMT next week and by the time I'd be applying id have racked up 1000 hours as an emt. throughout university I worked as a youth soccer coach, probably have about 2000 hours doing that, as well as 50 hours volunteering as a patient transporter at a hospital during the fall semester of my senior year. By the time I apply this upcoming cycle I'll have racked up roughly 60 hours shadowing across a generalist and a specialist, 100 hours volunteering at a soup kitchen, and 100 hours as a volunteer research assistant. I've been looking on MSAR at "low-tier MD schools," and I've found almost no options where my GPA is slightly above or even at the 10th percentile. I found 6 schools out of the 70 I looked through filtering from lowest gpa first, in which it was maybe the 15th percentile, but almost all of these were likely unfeasible due to strong in state bias or bias towards serving the underserved communities. I found Rosalind which seems to be a decent fit, and I'll obviously apply to my in state school (UCONN), but even that has crazy stats that it seems like a long shot I get any MD acceptances. My question is: should I give up on the MD dream, apply to those two MD schools and maybe a handful of some others that fit my stats if I can find them? At this point, it seems like I'll need an SMP or extensive post-bacc to get an MD acceptance, if that's the case, should I just go all out on DO schools?
would I need an SMP/post bacc for MD? should I just go for DO?
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nobadwaves
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I would say this post would probably be best under the WAMC or Goros threads.
Yeah, the GPA is on the lower side, but it still passes a lot of the MD screen outs. You stated you have an upward trend, but you’ll need a really compelling story or some wow factor that will get your the interview invites/acceptance.
You said, “or just go DO.” DO is nothing to look down upon. The stigma has far since left the profession of medicine but still lingers in the younger generation who doesn’t know any better yet.
Yeah, the GPA is on the lower side, but it still passes a lot of the MD screen outs. You stated you have an upward trend, but you’ll need a really compelling story or some wow factor that will get your the interview invites/acceptance.
You said, “or just go DO.” DO is nothing to look down upon. The stigma has far since left the profession of medicine but still lingers in the younger generation who doesn’t know any better yet.
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Also, please follow the WAMC template.
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I cannot second “Nobadwaves” comment enough. I finished med school in 1977 and have witnessed the evolution of DO’s essentially complete integration onto the same playing field as MD’s. They have reached the level of complete acceptance, and I have worked with them in virtually every specialty that a pathologist would encounter, including neurosurgery, plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery, ENT, urology, ophthalmology, etc. Obtaining a “DO“ is not “settling“ in any respect. Granted, many DO’s tend to gravitate more toward the primary care fields. That is just the nature of the beast. It has nothing to do with the substance of the training. The medical degree, be it MD or DO, essentially gives everyone a “baseline“ that allows the appellation of “doctor“. Your residency and fellowship are what are going to really make you a practicing physician.
