Year or 2 off??

[SIRBIG]

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I will be graduating this June. As it stands now, My Gpa will likely finish around 3.2 (BCPM about same). Given, that is at a top 15 school, but I realize thats a bit low for med school. Also, I have not taken the MCAT and plan on taking it during this upcoming summer following graduation. My question is, what should I plan on doing during the year (if I do a SMP) or 2 (if I apply to med schools--US and Carribbean--since the app process takes 1 year). Would emailing a professor at my home state school (where I'm from originally) and asking about getting into research, paid or volunteer, there be worthwhile? Is there jobs I should look at and what types of job? Would doing a master's in public health be worthwhile at all? Of course, anything I'd do would be concurrent with volunteering at hospitals, etc. Any help would be appreciated as I really don't know yet what I'll be up to after graduation at all.

 

[DendWrite]

Research and an MPH would be nearly worthless I'd think in your position, while strong performance in an SMP and a good MCAT would nearly assure you acceptance at an allopathic US school.

If you are considering DO schools and get a 28 or higher on the MCAT, you have a very good chance (if you have clinical experience) of an acceptance this year.

It all depends on what you want...but I recommend SMP if you want to do allopathic. And rock the MCAT.

 

[SIRBIG]

Thanks for the help. However, since the MCAT will not be taken until this summer, even if I apply to an SMP, I'd still have a year off..is there something worthwhile (outside of simply volunteering or shadowing) that would help my case?

 

[DendWrite]

In that case, some research experience could help to round out your application (sorry...I read your post really fast). Obviously make sure you have 1+ years of clinical experience so you'll have some good fodder for applications / interviews. If you have connections for a research gig, you could always do that part-time (unless you need to get a job) and then do a little bit of shadowing / extra clinical if you need it / maybe some community volunteering stuff. Even better if the lab could hire you as a tech...then you wouldn't have to work and you'd get some experience too.

The main reason I say don't do the master's is that a master's GPA won't really "count" ... even if you have a 4.0, med schools mostly care about your undergrad GPA, so that's why the SMP is more important. You could do a MPH as well..but it just seems excessive. IF you rock the MCAT and focus on doing well in the SMP, you won't need it. Also, many med schools have a combined 5 year MD/MPH program, so you can always pick up the public health degree later on if you decide that you want to focus on that during med school.

 

[Catalystik]

If you were to be strategic in your thinking, since you'll probably work for a year (in a lab or clinical job, ideally) before starting an SMP, you might want to think about what state to establish residency in and get your job there, so that when the time comes to apply to med schools you'll be a resident of a state with forgiving state schools and low cost of in-state med school tuition. For most (but not all) states, you become a resident when you reside in the state for a year for noneducational reasons. And pay state taxes, get a state driviers license, register to vote, etc.

 

[SIRBIG]

My current state (Illinois) isn't horrible, particularly for downstate people like me (Southern Illinois preferentially accepts downstate residents)....is it possible to have claim residency is 2 states?

 

[Catalystik]

I'd agree that you won't do better than SIU. Do you qualify for their MEDPREP program (in lieu of an SMP)?

How are your ECs in general? Do you already have a research experience (in which case, I'd aim more for clinical employment of some sort)? How much clinical experience do you have? If plenty, then maybe any type of employment would be fine with some volunteering on the side. Any leadership, teaching, shadowing?

Another application booster to consider would be a Teach for America or Americorps type program. Adcomms love these.

 

[SIRBIG]

My EC's are not amazing. I volunteered at a nearby transitional home working with disadvantage for about 1 1/2 years (Sat mornings for ~3 Hrs/week). Also went on an ASB to Las Vegas doing conservation work for Spring week about 2 years ago. Also volunteered at a wolf refugee in Colorado for a week about a year ago. But that's mainly it.....I have done some shadowing (for about a semester in High School in an ER and with some other ER doctors during college), but do need more. I definitely have not looked into Americorps..

 

[nonsciencemajor]

what are the science courses which brought your gpa down? are they pre-req's (general bio, chem, orgo, and physics)? If they are pre-req's and grade lower than a B-, I would suggest retaking these pre-req's.... If you have AP credit for some of these pre-req's, take them at the University level despite the fact that you have AP credit for them.... dont worry about retaking higher level science courses regardless of whatever grade you got in them... pre-req's are incredibly important for admissions

if your pre-req's are fine, but it is the higher level science courses that are bringing your GPA down, do an SMP

also do well on MCAT.... if the pre-req's are the ones that are the problem, retake them, do well in them (like A), and regardless of your GPA (it has to go up anyways from a 3.2 if you get A), apply to med school assuming you have a 31+ MCAT..

if indeed you are retaking pre-req's, it would also be helpful to be involved in research/medical volunteering etc... its not like the pre-req's will take all your time...

while your overall GPA may still not be competitive, showing that you have a 31+ MCAT and showing a solid performance (more A's than B's) in your pre-req's and showing you were involved in a research project makes for a competitive application, despite a low (not that low actually) cumulative GPA

 

[SIRBIG]

My pre-reqs are all A's and B's outside of Orgo (B- and 2 C+'s)...has been tough to get A's when the competition is so high at my current school...I did take Physics at my state school (Illinois) and got an A+ and A- in the 2 classes I took there (took them concurrently as well over 8 Weeks).