How do I look for the carribbean?

[jarwel]

27 years old.

3.1 overall
3.1 science
3.7 BCPM
Strong upward trend.
30 MCAT - 11B 9V 10P

100 hours volunteer work in an ER.

I worked 30-50 hours a week all through school. Took most semesters full time but had a few part time ones when I was working full time.

What do you think?

What are good schools to target?

If they accept the +/- scale I have a 3.2.

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[deleted74029]

I wouldn't sell myself short on the carribean just yet, you've got a high bcpm and good MCAT, apply broadly and you may just find yourself at inland allo school, especially if your state is great for instate residents.

 

[calimed214]

Your science GPA is 3.1 but your BCPM is 3.7? Isn't science GPA = BCPM?

Either way, I think you still have a shot at mainland schools. Honestly, I would use the Caribbean as an absolute LAST resort. Try post-bac, SMP, or consider DO schools first.

 

[jarwel]

Your science GPA is 3.1 but your BCPM is 3.7? Isn't science GPA = BCPM?

Either way, I think you still have a shot at mainland schools. Honestly, I would use the Caribbean as an absolute LAST resort. Try post-bac, SMP, or consider DO schools first.

Form my understanding BCPM only includes Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Math courses.

Science GPA can include engineering and computer sciences courses that are not counted in the BCPM.

My situation is what you get for slacking off for three years in an Engineering degree.

 

[njbmd]

I wouldn't sell myself short on the carribean just yet, you've got a high bcpm and good MCAT, apply broadly and you may just find yourself at inland allo school, especially if your state is great for instate residents.

Would disagree with the above in terms of getting into a state allo school. Even an osteopathic school is going to be something of a reach with that below average uGPA. In today's climate, 3.1 cumulative is pretty low.

That being said, before heading offshore, you might want to consider retaking some of the courses that you didn't do well in (would get you competitive for osteopathic faster) or looking into a Special Masters Program (have to do very, very well in these programs to get yourself competitive for an allopathic school).

Offshore should be anyone's very last option because of expense and difficulty getting back into this country to practice. The rules change yearly and these become a huge and expensive gamble.

 

[jarwel]

Would disagree with the above in terms of getting into a state allo school. Even an osteopathic school is going to be something of a reach with that below average uGPA. In today's climate, 3.1 cumulative is pretty low.

That being said, before heading offshore, you might want to consider retaking some of the courses that you didn't do well in (would get you competitive for osteopathic faster) or looking into a Special Masters Program (have to do very, very well in these programs to get yourself competitive for an allopathic school).

Offshore should be anyone's very last option because of expense and difficulty getting back into this country to practice. The rules change yearly and these become a huge and expensive gamble.

Well the only thing I can do is retake engineering courses. I aced every single one of my pre-reqs plus several upper division courses. Since you can't make higher than an A+ what am I supposed to do. I can take more upper level bio courses, but I don't see a lot of value in re-taking courses that have nothing to do with medical school.

What about upward trend? Do they that in to account? Do they look more favorably on the last few semesters that you complete?

If carribbean is out and I'm not even competitive for DO schools then I guess there is nothing I can do. It's funny though, I know someone who got into a decent state school with a 3.6 and a 26. If someone can get in to an allopathic school with an mcat score that is that low why is it that GPA is so different? It seems to me that the mcat would be a much more accurrate assessment of ability because it puts everyone on equal footing. GPAs can vary greatly based on a number of factors where as the mcat score is more "standardized".

 

[njbmd]

If carribbean is out and I'm not even competitive for DO schools then I guess there is nothing I can do. It's funny though, I know someone who got into a decent state school with a 3.6 and a 26. If someone can get in to an allopathic school with an mcat score that is that low why is it that GPA is so different? It seems to me that the mcat would be a much more accurrate assessment of ability because it puts everyone on equal footing. GPAs can vary greatly based on a number of factors where as the mcat score is more "standardized".

What happened in the past has no bearing what you are going to be able to do in the future. One person getting into medical school with a 21 only means that in the past, one person got in with a 21. This does not mean that 21 is a sound number for admission to medical school. With the uGPA average for matriculants rising every year and now standing around 3.7, your cum GPA is very low. Your MCAT score won't offset that. The average for DO is a bit lower but you are still under their average. The thing is what it is.

You can head offshore if you desire. It's not a sound decision but it will get you an MD (if you can meet their requirements and get through their programs and pay). People do this but on the back side, you may or may not end up being able to get back into this country to practice or get into the specialty that you desire.

You can also look into SMPs which are a viable option for you since you have taken the MCAT. If you are willing to work your rear end off and do well, this is an option that could make you attractive for medical school. You can go to the AAMC site and look at some of the options there for people who need credential enhancement.

You can apply with what you have and see where you go. Nothing is stopping your from doing that. I don't think that you will find much success in allopathic schools in this country (I sit on two admissions committees) but you can certainly spend some money and find out. There are always options.

 

[bipolardoc]

Well the only thing I can do is retake engineering courses. I aced every single one of my pre-reqs plus several upper division courses. Since you can't make higher than an A+ what am I supposed to do. I can take more upper level bio courses, but I don't see a lot of value in re-taking courses that have nothing to do with medical school.

What about upward trend? Do they that in to account? Do they look more favorably on the last few semesters that you complete?

If carribbean is out and I'm not even competitive for DO schools then I guess there is nothing I can do. It's funny though, I know someone who got into a decent state school with a 3.6 and a 26. If someone can get in to an allopathic school with an mcat score that is that low why is it that GPA is so different? It seems to me that the mcat would be a much more accurrate assessment of ability because it puts everyone on equal footing. GPAs can vary greatly based on a number of factors where as the mcat score is more "standardized".

Dont listen to anyone, ADCOMS are totally randon, apply all over the US, you never know what school will accept you. A collegemate of mine had a 3.7 or so and a 24 MCAT, YES 24 MCAT and got into UCLA medical OUT OF STATE a few weeks before classes started. By the way, he got rejected from every other med school, including all the in-state medical schools... The selection is so random, and no he wasnt a minority... And pleaseeeeeeeeeeee you are more than competitive for DO schools, just go to mdapplicants.com and plug and chug numbers and see all those who got into with less numbers, heck alot of folks on here got in with less numbers especially to DO schools.

 

[Law2Doc]

Dont listen to anyone, ADCOMS are totally randon, apply all over the US, you never know what school will accept you. A collegemate of mine had a 3.7 or so and a 24 MCAT, YES 24 MCAT and got into UCLA medical OUT OF STATE a few weeks before classes started. By the way, he got rejected from every other med school, including all the in-state medical schools... The selection is so random, and no he wasnt a minority... And pleaseeeeeeeeeeee you are more than competitive for DO schools, just go to mdapplicants.com and plug and chug numbers and see all those who got into with less numbers, heck alot of folks on here got in with less numbers especially to DO schools.

There is no randomness. What you have observed is the fact that this is NOT AN OBJECTIVE PROCESS. Meaning schools don't just go by the numbers. They have an idea of "good fit" and what kind of people make the kind of dynamic individuals they want in their school. This guy apparently was able to show he was a good fit for UCLA. Plenty of folks with 3.7/35 grades get passed over every year by places because of reasons unrelated to their numbers. In fact it's rare for even a 4.0/40 type to get into 100% of the places they apply, and I promise you the places that rejected such folks took someone with lower grades but who fit what they were looking for better. Again, it is NOT AN OBJECTIVE PROCESS. So folks who try to look at it as such are going to see it as random. It's not random. You are just looking at totally the wrong variables.

 

[lainey234]

I have slightly higher stats than you after 2yrs of extensive gpa repair (3.2/32 for AACOMAS 3.0/32 for AMCAS). I completed secondaries at 4 DO schools and was offered 4 interviews. I have not received much by way of allopathic schools and honestly don't expect to. I would look at DO schools WAY before going to Carib, just my 2 cents. The stats on going Carib and then trying to get back in are hard to swallow - something like only 50% make it through. That's a big risk to take when you could simply apply DO and possibly start next year.

 

[177983]

Totally agree with other posters. Give your in-state allo schools an apply, and apply broadly to DO schools. The Carib is a crapshoot. I've heard of people going there for a year, then their lender not coming through with the 2nd year's loans and having the whole thing be a loss. DO schools have rising reputations, and it's much easier to get a much broader choice of residencies.

 

[engineeredout]

Form my understanding BCPM only includes Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Math courses.

Science GPA can include engineering and computer sciences courses that are not counted in the BCPM.

My situation is what you get for slacking off for three years in an Engineering degree.

I actually got AMCAS to accept some of my engineering classes as BCPM because they were pretty closely related. That was chemical engineering though. I'd imagine if you did something like computer eng then that would be a lot harder to factor in.

BCPM w/o engineering: 3.13
BCPM w/ engineering: 3.31

Still sucks but hey better than 3.13

 

[ZincFingers]

I'm currently an MS4 so my experience may be slightly out of date.

I too had a garbage cum GPA (slightly below 3.0), with a BCPM of 3.6 and a 36 on the MCAT... made it into a stateside allo school despite all expectations.

Don't go Carib except as a last resort. You never know. A lot more rides on your personal essay than you may realize.