Can someone give me an idea of where I'm at in terms of getting into an MD program? I'm currently entering my senior year. For reference I'm a Texas resident(22 years) and will be applying to state schools in Texas.
>3.2 cGPA
>3.5 sGPA
>no MCAT yet, obviously.
>upward GPA trend, got C's and D's my first two semesters, getting A's and B's now.
I've got basically no shadowing/volunteer/research experience though I plan on doing at least 10 hours/month in an ER over the next year. I worked full time during my sophomore and junior years, managing a large budget and two other employees but got laid off a few months ago(position eliminated, not fired). I'm currently doing clerical work at a doctors office, and will likely be doing a GAP program at the office when I graduate. I'll be shadowing the doctor for a year and learning how to run a medical office while I study for the MCAT.
SDN is no help, from what I read there it sounds like I don't even have a chance at getting into an MD program.
Consider D.O.
You must have taken a practice MCAT?
>>17072583
No. I haven't completed all the courses covered on the MCAT yet. But I'm a good test taker(consistently 1+ standard deviations above peers) so I have no doubt with hard work I can score a 32+
If you get a 32, you should be able to get into some program somewhere in the US.
>Get your name on a scientific research article.
>>17072609
>somewhere in the US.
I assumed that because I'm a Texas resident and my GPA/EC's aren't competitive it wouldn't even be worth it to apply to MD programs outside of Texas.
>>17072581
>le just be a DO meme
Let's be honest m8, sure they're legal equivalents but the reality is that DOs match to their preferred specialty less and are respected less. They might legally be the same, but de facto they are not.
>you will never be doctor
Will I ever become one? I'm so sad.
>>17072780
Unless you have some specific fanct place you want to work for some reason it shouldn't bother you where you're placed, if it does you shouldn't be a doctor
>>17073177
So because I have no interest in dermatology or obstetrics I shouldnt be a doctor? Well memed.
>>17073187
I wanna be a doctor and I'm a freshman with an AA and 3.0 GPA imagine how fucked I am
>>17073192
AA?
>>17073192
A 3.0 as a freshman is salvageable. I'm OP and I had a 1.2 at the end of my freshman year.
>>17073453
Bump.
>>17073453
But you also had 3 years left as opposed to my 2
>>17074657
I also had a 1.2 vs your 3.0...
>>17072609
>Get your name on a scientific research article.
How hard is that in practice? I'm already taking 18+ hours and working 20hrs/week
>>17072496
If you can improve your grades this year to something closer to a 4.0, your admissions chances will increase dramatically. Just drop whatever other side shit you're doing because you clearly aren't spending enough time on school work if you're still getting B's. If you can get a very high GPA for this year, your prior grades will mean almost nothing. A gap year will be a good idea for you, you need more on your application to be competitive, especially if you have a particular school in mind.
>>17075487
why the fuck are you working 20 hours per week? what are you thinking? it would be better to take out a loan if you really need the money, your gpa is shit and you need the extra time to study.
>>17075517
I've got 4 A's and 2 B+ this semester so far. Ochem and physics labs are notoriously hard to get As in here, graded on a legit bell curve. I will be taking a gap year.
>>17075522
Fuck loans, also I'm working at a doctor's office and am going to shadow him next year during my gap year. In any case, it's more like 10 hours, but I'll be rounding up when it comes to application time.
What race are you OP?
>>17075517
Based on this semester GPA and a 3.6(A-) average for the rest of my time herun undergrad will bring me to a 3.4 cGPA, and somewhere around 3.6 sGPA
>>17075555
White. But I'm also a homo on the DL so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
>>17075569
Thats sucks though, gay shit dont matter, you would need a 3.5 to have a decent chance, im also in texas, its not easier to get into our med schools, its just that we have 12 so we have more chances
from a current med student, your chances are very slim. you need to consider some unconventional approaches, as your GPA/ECs right now are not competitive.
>>17075487
Also you dont actuallyneed your name in a paper, most students dont have that, aslong as you have been working with a proffesor that can write you a rec letter, youll be fine
>>17075576
I had heard that since 90% of applicant must be Texas resident we had a better chance.
I figure 3.4 cGPA, 3.7 sGPA, 100+ hours volunteering in an ER, shadowing a doctor for a year and a 32+ on the MCAT would give me a pretty good shot...
>>17075578
Unconventional as in?
>>17075647
As in: stop thinking that just scraping by with the old GPA/MCAT/volunteering combo is going to get your application noticed. You need to do something that helps you stand apart from the crowd. Start a meaningful organisation, make some actual changes to your environment, do something that shows that your passion and drive for medicine trumps an honestly shit GPA (a science GPA below 3.8 or cGPA below 3.7 is considered pretty shit) and unimpressive volunteer experience. Also, have you done any research? What's your major? Why do you even want to go into medicine? If SDN makes you feel like you've got no chance, chances are you have no chance. You'll likely need to look at other options or do a second bachelor's for a new GPA/EC record.
>>17075670
Biochemistry. Well I'm an an active organizer in a motorcycle "club" and I want to get into EM in underserved areas because: lots of fatal accidents that occur could be avoided if they didnt occur in areas that lack quality EM.
>>17075670
>a science GPA below 3.8
>tfw Bs and Cs in science
>CC no less
>tfw 3.0 gpa this semester
>not gonna make it
Not him but I was thinking about going into medicine too
Damn, I knew I should have focused more in school, but somehow it just didn't work
>>17075760
Why can't I hold all these feels?
>>17075670
Wait, wait, wait, do a second bachelors? That's retarded m8
>>17075587
>Also you dont actuallyneed your name in a paper, most students dont have that, aslong as you have been working with a proffesor that can write you a rec letter, youll be fine
How many rec letters should one strive for? What if they've only seen you in a class, not in a research setting? Non-science professors as well?
>>17075670
Is >>17075696 not a pretty good way to stand out from the crowd? Seems to me that most applicants with 3.9 GPAs and a 35+ MCAT seem to have the personality of a pet rock.
>>17076478
The thing is, if you do good work in a professors lab, they can usually write you god-tier letters of rec. You'll spend a lot of time around them, and get to prove that you're at the very least a competent human being. If you try to get a letter of rec from your film lecture professor who doesn't know a damn thing about you, you're gonna have a bad time.
>>17077091
We'll I'm currently working in a doctor's office(just doing basic clerical work, but he asked if I wanted to sit in with patient evals, surgeries etc) so I think I can get a good letter from him eventually.
I just don't have any ins with any professors atm... Any tips on finding one that would interest me? I don't want to fuck around in a lab a for hours each week if I hate it just for a letter. I want to be a doc because I'm passionate about it, not a chore...
>>17077127
Science-based professors always look nice on resumes. Find out what professors are involved in pre-med or pre-pharmacy programs. Ask them for advise, drop by office hours, schedule advising appointments. Get to know them so they can get to know you.
>>17077160
I'm guessing grad students are pretty much worthless? I'll start asking around on campus. One good science professor plus the doc I'm shadowing should be a good boost to my otherwise lackluster application.
>>17077197
Grad students are excellent stepping stones to professors, I wouldn't sell them short. But by themselves, they can't help your resume much. They can, however have good advice for undergrads, and give you heads-ups on courses you might be taking.
>>17077264
Ok cool, I've got a TA in my class that I jive with, he dropped out of med school and wants to be a teacher, I feel like he'd be a good resource for research placement or general advice since he knows a lot of people in both the research and medical communities.
>will never be doctor
>will never be professor
>already a failure
>>17077340
It could be worse. You could be a failure at making a coherent post on a cambodian cooking forum
