Advice for possibly enrolling in SMP

[macarbon]

Hello,

I am just trying to get some guidance for some next steps to get into medical school. My cGPA is 3.67 and sGPA is 3.57, MCAT 511. For my gap year I have been working as an EMT and have other non health related ECs while still in school. So far I haven't gotten any interviews. I have these schools left that I am waiting to hear from for an interview or rejection:

MCW
George Washington
Colorado
Temple
UIC
NY Medical College

Since it is so late in the cycle I am worried I will not get an interview from any of these places. Is it possible to increase my chances for the next cycle if I enroll in a SMP? Or is my cGPA/sGPA high enough for an eventual acceptance?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

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[GoPenguinsGo]

No you don't need an SMP.

 

[Goro]

Hello,

I am just trying to get some guidance for some next steps to get into medical school. My cGPA is 3.67 and sGPA is 3.57, MCAT 511. For my gap year I have been working as an EMT and have other non health related ECs while still in school. So far I haven't gotten any interviews. I have these schools left that I am waiting to hear from for an interview or rejection:

MCW
George Washington
Colorado
Temple
UIC
NY Medical College

Since it is so late in the cycle I am worried I will not get an interview from any of these places. Is it possible to increase my chances for the next cycle if I enroll in a SMP? Or is my cGPA/sGPA high enough for an eventual acceptance?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

What you need to do is rewrite all your essays, and improve your ECs. Also, get a better school list. Include some DO schools.

You do NOT need an SMP.

 

[candbgirl]

Why do you think you need a SMP? What do you think it will correct? You need a better list and some DO schools on your list.
The thing is, there are absolutely no guarantees in this process.. Each cycle only around 40% of all MD applicants are accepted anywhere and of that 40% about half are accepted at only one school. That means around 58%+ are outright rejected each cycle and that includes applicants with stellar applications..
So nobody can tell you that your “cGPA/sGPA is high enough for an eventual acceptance?”. You have to decide if you want to be a doctor and then develop a list that fits your application.

 

[Goro]

NY Medical College

Since it is so late in the cycle I am worried I will not get an interview from any of these places. Is it possible to increase my chances for the next cycle if I enroll in a SMP? Or is my cGPA/sGPA high enough for an eventual acceptance?

To follow up, acceptance is 100% on you. We can only advise on the likelihood of getting IIs.

 

[macarbon]

To follow up, acceptance is 100% on you. We can only advise on the likelihood of getting IIs.

I appreciate the help so far! I am looking to do just that-increase the likelihood for get II’s. I am looking to find the weak points in my application and wanted to ensure that it wasn’t due to my gpa.

 

[macarbon]

Why do you think you need a SMP? What do you think it will correct? You need a better list and some DO schools on your list.
The thing is, there are absolutely no guarantees in this process.. Each cycle only around 40% of all MD applicants are accepted anywhere and of that 40% about half are accepted at only one school. That means around 58%+ are outright rejected each cycle and that includes applicants with stellar applicants.
So nobody can tell you that your “cGPA/sGPA high enough for an eventual acceptance?”. You have to decide if you want to be a doctor and then develop a list that fits your application.

I have seen a few times here that I need a “better list”. What does that exactly entail? I used the MSAR as my guide for this round of applications. I will say that my list was relatively short and I plan on expanding it to ~30 schools for the next cycle

 

[candbgirl]

Could you please post your whole list? Could you also share your ECs, state of residence, whether you are URM, when you applied, when you were complete at the schools , if you are confident in your LORs. In other words we know nothing about you. But obviously there is something off that has hindered you from getting even one interview but none of us can tell you what.
SMPS are usually for possible applicants that have low GPAs and are trying to prove they are up to the rigors of med school. Your GPA isn’t that low. It is below average for matriculated MD students but if the rest of your application is excellent some schools might decide to interview you. That hasn’t happened to you. If you would share more maybe we could help you. Maybe it isn’t your list at all. Maybe it’s your application in general. That’s why people say to rewrite your your PS and essays. We are assuming that everything is just fine with your application and it must be your list.
I still think you should consider DO schools. Your stats are well within their targets. But only apply DO if you will attend a DO school if admitted.

 

[Goro]

I have seen a few times here that I need a “better list”. What does that exactly entail? I used the MSAR as my guide for this round of applications. I will say that my list was relatively short and I plan on expanding it to ~30 schools for the next cycle

A strategically thought out list excludes schools where your stats are less than their 10th %iles, and also those public schools which have a high OOS/IS ratio for applicants: II: acceptees (roughly 2x that of seats). MSAR gives this info but most pre-meds only look at the minimum GPAs and MCAT scores.

State schools favor the home teams and so are more difficult for OOSers to get into.

Also, the Really Top Schools are harder to get into because everyone wants to go to them, so I recommend having stats at least at their 25th %iles for acceptees.

 

[macarbon]

State of Residence: Illinois

URM: Pacific Islander

Medical Schools:

George Washington

MCW

NY Medical College

UIC

Rosalind Franklin

Wright State

TCU

Colorado

Temple

Indiana University (Graduated undergrad in May 2020)



ECs:

Undergraduate Researcher (unpaid, 1 published paper).

Lab Assistant (paid, part time)

Club Volleyball player/captain/exec board member

Indiana University Women’s volleyball practice player (unpaid, volunteer)

Phi Delta Epsilon Pre med frat (member, philanthropy chairperson)

EMT for Private ambulance service (paid full time)

Hospital Volunteer (~40 hours)



As far as my letter of recs go I feel fairly confident they could speak well on my behalf as a student and person. 2 of the three have written countless medical school LORs. All of my LORs are faculty at Indiana university





All my schools had their secondaries submitted beginning of September this cycle.





I hope this gives a better idea for the forum to gage what I could possibly work on for the next cycle.

 

[candbgirl]

You need a way bigger list. Ten schools isn’t enough for anyone really.
Your ECs are not impressive.I see that you just joined SDN last week. Perhaps spend some time reading the WAMC threads and see what other applicants are doing to get ready for applying.
You seem to have no shadowing or nonclinical volunteering. The shadowing (50 hours)should include some with a primary care doc. The nonclinical volunteering (200+ hours) should be focused on the unserved/underserved in your community- those less fortunate than yourself. You need to be able to interact with people who are very unlike yourself. As to the clinical area, I’m not a good person to ask about being an EMT. Some EMTs are very involved in patient care and some drive the ambulance. Your hospital work is good but you only have 40 hours.(Your EMT work might be just fine.)
There is absolutely nothing on your list of activities that says I want to be a doctor.
Maybe take a gap year to beef up your activities and reapply with a broader list in 2022 for matriculation in 2023.

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

You need a way bigger list. Ten schools isn’t enough for anyone really.
Your ECs are not impressive.I see that you just joined SDN last week. Perhaps spend some time reading the WAMC threads and see what other applicants are doing to get ready for applying.
You seem to have no shadowing or nonclinical volunteering. The shadowing (50 hours)should include some with a primary care doc. The nonclinical volunteering (200+ hours) should be focused on the unserved/underserved in your community- those less fortunate than yourself. You need to be able to interact with people who are very unlike yourself. As to the clinical area, I’m not a good person to ask about being an EMT. Some EMTs are very involved in patient care and some drive the ambulance. Your hospital work is good but you only have 40 hours.(Your EMT work might be just fine.)
There is absolutely nothing on your list of activities that says I want to be a doctor.
Maybe take a gap year to beef up your activities and reapply with a broader list in 2022 for matriculation in 2023.

I might also add that Wright St should be removed from the school list. They are pretty averse to non-Ohio residents.

 

[Detailsmatter]

I agree with the others in that you should work on your ECs (shadowing and volunteering) and expand the school list. Since your worried about the GPA and should take a gap year before applying again it might be worthwhile to do a DIY post bacc type thing to not necessarily raise your GPA but to have two semesters of excelling in upper division science classes. If you beef up your ECs and show success with rigor for another 2 semesters it could help you out and yield a much better return on interviews and could help for MD schools with your MCAT score. also, make sure the writing in your personal statement/secondaries and descriptions of activities is on point. you can look here on SDN for advice on that or medschoolHQ has some good stuff on that too imo. good luck!