3.2 GPA, 514 MCAT. Do I have a chance?

[mrcloud]

Hi there,

I applied during the 2017-2018 application cycle and was not successful at all. So I'm planning to either reapply this summer or do a SMP.

However, I just got the news that I've been accepted to UQ-Ochsner School of Medicine in Australia. This program (since it's in the southern hemisphere) starts January 2019. Putting the SMP option aside, I'm debating whether or not I should just attend this school next year or reapply this summer, mostly do DO schools (as a side note, I applied to only a handful of DOs last cycle, and they were all either in CA or NJ/NY). If I were to reapply this cycle, I would not make the same mistake again and definitely apply to a wider range of DOs across the US.

In regards to the SMP option, I applied to the one at Rutgers NJMS (since I'm a NJ resident) and got in. If I choose this option, I will start end of August and finish by next May, and if all goes well, I will get the guaranteed interview and hopefully get into the school.

So I have 3 options:
1. Attend UQ-Ochsner in Jan 2019
2. Reapply to DOs this summer
3. Do the Rutgers SMP and hope that things go well for a MD admission

Just for context, I have the usual ECs - research, volunteering, clinical experience, shadowing - but nothing crazy or extraordinary. My LORs are pretty good though (from physicians I worked with as a scribe during the past 1.5 years).

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

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[Butters Stotch]

When/where did you apply? Did you get any interviews? Tbh those stats should have gotten you into a DO school somewhere (of course I know nothing is guaranteed) but acing a SMP will increase your odds. I would do the SmP over a foreign med school but make sure you have your study habits on lock.

 

[mrcloud]

When/where did you apply? Did you get any interviews? Tbh those stats should have gotten you into a DO school somewhere (of course I know nothing is guaranteed) but acing a SMP will increase your odds. I would do the SmP over a foreign med school but make sure you have your study habits on lock.

I finished the primary and all the secondaries by early August of last year. I didn't get a single interview. I'm leaning towards reapplying to DOs because of the high cost risk of SMP.

 

[Butters Stotch]

I finished the primary and all the secondaries by early August of last year. I didn't get a single interview. I'm leaning towards reapplying to DOs because of the high cost risk of SMP.

I would apply to both DO and SMP bc unless you added something to your resume between the year your chances are the same and if you don’t get in (I hope you do) then you will have “wasted” a year where you could have stared a SMP program. Of course just my 2 cents. You could also do a post bac not sure if a downward trend of your gpa was the factor for rejections; did you apply to bottom tier DO schools as well?

 

[Butters Stotch]

Also if you really want to become a doctor, money shouldn’t hold you back or cloud a judgement; if you get accepted into DO school you’re going to take a deep dive into a pool of debt.