Would the Georgetown SMP be worth it for me?

[blackbird11384]

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Thanks for taking the time to read this post. Here is my story. I graduated this past May from Georgetown University with a bachelors of science in Biology and a minor in music. State of of residence is PA, and I a 22 year old White Male. My overal GPA is a 3.44 and my BCPM is a 3.4. I haven't taken the MCATs but diagnostics with no studying put me up at around a 26-27. I fare reasonably well on standarized tests when I practice for them, so I think with the time I have until the January 07 administration of the MCAT, I could get it to above a 30. Here is my experiece:

-Senior Thesis in Developmental Biology requiring 2 years of research, often 20-25 hours a week in the lab.
-Work Study for first 2 years of undergrad in the Biology Dept.
-Heavily involved in Theatre my soph and junior years (head carpenter for two productions, and head of sound design for another, not to mention countless hours of grunt work)
-Volunteered with a program that sent us out into DC to tutor Single Mothers that had experienced abuse and drug addiction. (Sophomore year, about 3 hours a week).
-Shadowed and volunteered about 10 hours a week the past two summers at a local hospital's ER.
-Paid Internship the summer after my freshmen year as a research assistant in the local hospitals Research Center.
-Licensed EMT-B in PA and DC.
-Currently applying for positions as Research Associate at Georgetown University Medical Center and other biotech companies in Maryland. I hope to work a research job for at least a year.

I also plan on volunteering as much as I can at either Georgetown Univ. Hospital or Children's National Medical Center. My LORs are all good, especially one from my thesis mentor who I saw day in and day out, and who really got to know and like me, and also one LOR from a well respected Music Professor who believes I could have done well in a full Music program. My other LOR is from a Virology professor who teaches Graduate Courses at the Georgetown Medical Center, and also works at the NIH.

Sorry that this is so long. I just wanted to know whether any of you think I would be better off working in a lab for 2 years and volunteering as much as I can, or applying for the Georgetown SMP (or similar program) next year. Either way I hope to matriculate into Medical School Fall 2008. Thanks so much for any replies. Good luck to you all. 🙂

 

[Maxprime]

Too bad you missed the August MCAT . . .

If you have a choice between SMP & working in a lab, I think SMP is going to be worth more to the ADCOMS than lab work. Plus, if you get in @ Georgetown med school you can save repeating some classes.

At the same time, I would try to get more clinical experience (all I see is 10 hrs./week @ ER for 2 summers) - put that EMT-B to work! 🙂

Is money a concern? Tuition @ SMP is a lot and it doesn't seem like you'll need it to matriculate.

Overall, you should have some choices w/ an MCAT of 30 IMO - check out mdapplicants.com to get an idea of how you fare vs. the competition at the schools you like.

 

[blackbird11384]

So then lets hypotheticaly say I get a 27-29 on the MCAT. SMP would be a smart choice I am thinking. Even so if I get a 30. But what if I were to get above a 33 or so (purely hypothetical, I like to daydream a lot about kicking ass and getting a 40 but I know the odds of that happening are slim to nil). Would a score above a 33 put me in running for getting into Georgetown anyways?

I know from past experience and friends of mine who applied to Gtown that were in my class, that Georgetown University tends to favor its own, and will accept Gtown students that have lower stats than their class average. My interest in Gtown is so strong because it is my Alma Mater, and because my gf (also a Gtown student) will most likely be headed for Georgetown Law next year. Thank you for reading yet another long post. 🙂

 

[njbmd]

-Currently applying for positions as Research Associate at Georgetown University Medical Center and other biotech companies in Maryland. I hope to work a research job for at least a year.

I also plan on volunteering as much as I can at either Georgetown Univ. Hospital or Children's National Medical Center. My LORs are all good, especially one from my thesis mentor who I saw day in and day out, and who really got to know and like me, and also one LOR from a well respected Music Professor who believes I could have done well in a full Music program. My other LOR is from a Virology professor who teaches Graduate Courses at the Georgetown Medical Center, and also works at the NIH.

Sorry that this is so long. I just wanted to know whether any of you think I would be better off working in a lab for 2 years and volunteering as much as I can, or applying for the Georgetown SMP (or similar program) next year. Either way I hope to matriculate into Medical School Fall 2008. Thanks so much for any replies. Good luck to you all. 🙂

Hi there,
You have likely underestimated the time involved and what it takes to get into the SMP at Georgetown. This program requires the MCAT, which you have not taken and is fairly competitive.

From their website: What are the admissions criteria for the SMP?
To get into the SMP, it is recommended that students have at least a 3.0 undergraduate GPA and a 27 on the MCAT. The class of 2006 had an average undergraduate GPA of 3.3 and MCAT of 30.

If Georgetown is like every other medical school, the MCAT average is increasing along with the average GPA so be prepared to ace the MCAT.

From their website, they recommend that you DO NOT have any outside research or job obligations as this program is pretty time-intensive. They also state that it takes two years to complete the medical school application process (once you have matriculated in the SMP) which you have already missed for 2006 and thus 2007 would be the earliest you could apply (assuming you take the January MCAT and score well), which makes 2009 the earliest you could apply for medical school.

Georgetown SMP is a good program and a great "fifth-year" of pre-med provided you successfully complete the program with high grades. You are in four classes, with medical students which gives you an idea of the rigors of medical school.

Good luck with your plans
njbmd 🙂

 

[blackbird11384]

But don't they encourage SMP students to apply to medical school while they are in the program so that they enroll in Medical School the fall directly after they graduate from the SMP? Being so close to Georgetown University, I have had an opportunity to meet with the administrators and admissions board of the program, and they have told me that If i scored reasonably well on the MCAT (above a 29) that I would be considered very competitive, especially since I came from georgetown undergrad.

I just don't want to put in 50k into the SMP, when I could have had a chance at getting into Medical School without the program. But I guess if my first choice is Georgetown Medical School, doing well in the SMP can only help my application to their medical school.

I think what I have to stop doing is thinking up hypotheticals, and just try to kick butt on the MCAT. Any other advice would be really appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Maxprime]

But don't they encourage SMP students to apply to medical school while they are in the program so that they enroll in Medical School the fall directly after they graduate from the SMP? Being so close to Georgetown University, I have had an opportunity to meet with the administrators and admissions board of the program, and they have told me that If i scored reasonably well on the MCAT (above a 29) that I would be considered very competitive, especially since I came from georgetown undergrad.

I just don't want to put in 50k into the SMP, when I could have had a chance at getting into Medical School without the program. But I guess if my first choice is Georgetown Medical School, doing well in the SMP can only help my application to their medical school.

I think what I have to stop doing is thinking up hypotheticals, and just try to kick butt on the MCAT. Any other advice would be really appreciated. Thanks.

You are encouraged to apply concurrently with the SMP and while you're taking classes there.

What schools do you want to go to? Look and see if your #'s will get you in - that will help decide if you need an SMP. If you want to go anywhere (as in you just want to be an MD) with a 3.4 and a 30, I hold the opinion you'll get in somewhere and I believe the statistics show I will probably be correct.

If your first choice is Georgetown, obviously the SMP will reduce the probability you don't get in.

I agree w/ your last sentence - beat the everliving $hit out of the MCAT and you won't have to worry about what if's.

 

[illiniindc]

The Georgetown SMP program is a great opportunity but also a huge committment. If you are still on campus, I would recommend going up to the Basic Science Building and talking to Ms. Cabiness or one of the program directors. The SMP program has somewhat of an interesting acceptance strategy (if it is still done this way) in that they try and take people who will benefit the most from it AND have a very slim chance of having their application hurt by mediocre performance in the program. Another option is to consider the CAM program that is also offered by the Department of Physiology. Although it may not be as demanding as the SMP, the CAM program offers its own unique curriculum and challenges.

In the meanwhile, study hard for the MCAT. In addition, I second the suggestion to go out and put your EMT-B license to use! You have an excellent opportunity to work with GERMS on campus as well as some fire services in Virginia and Maryland. Clinical experience will demonstrate committment to the medical profession as well as give you some talking points if your interviews hit some awkward moments.

I hope this helps. Good luck with your applications and future in medicine!

Andy
KCOM 2008
Georgetown CAM 2004

You are encouraged to apply concurrently with the SMP and while you're taking classes there.

What schools do you want to go to? Look and see if your #'s will get you in - that will help decide if you need an SMP. If you want to go anywhere (as in you just want to be an MD) with a 3.4 and a 30, I hold the opinion you'll get in somewhere and I believe the statistics show I will probably be correct.

If your first choice is Georgetown, obviously the SMP will reduce the probability you don't get in.

I agree w/ your last sentence - beat the everliving $hit out of the MCAT and you won't have to worry about what if's.

 

[mommy2three]

as someone who tried valiantly in a smp and missed the gpa by one lousy question i can honestly say do not do it unless you can guarantee you can commit yourself 1001% to the program. they are exceedingly time intenstive and will take up any and all of your free time (ask my hubby who barely saw me last year as i was holed up in the room studying).
if you want to do the program, do not do anything outside of the program that you do not have to do....explain the program in detail to your family and friends so that they know you will be unable to drop everything to do something for the next year of your life.
i am not trying to scare you but in these programs you have to work twice as hard as a med student as you are expected to have better grades...you are held to a higher standard and it is not a road to tread down lightly.
best wishes in whatever you decide

 

[MonkeyNuts!]

Did an SMP, got a 4.0 - any thing short of a 3.7 and it would have been worthless. Do it if you really think you can do well. And when you do it, don't treat it like your lifeline to med school, really treat it as a graduate program and LEARN.

From what I understand about Georgetown's SMP is that if you do well, you are guaranteed (like it is part of the program's benefits) an interview at the end of the year if you apply. Now it sounds like you really want to go to that medical school there, so I would say DO it. Do it well, and get to know your professors and advisors really well because ten phone calls from Georgetown professors that all say "blackbird is an awesome student take him NOW" will help alot.

In fact, someone from my SMP who got a 4.0 last year got into GTown Med. It was hard work but if you have fun and relax and don't panic thinking that your med school career is on the line, and above all LEARN something, then you will do just fine.

 

[njbmd]

Hi there,
This thead is a duplicate of one in Post Bacc and I am closing. You can go over there and post if you like.

njbmd 🙂