Hey SDNers,
Before I begin, here's some potentially helpful info on myself (I'll try my best to keep it short). I initially didn't do so well in school and had no interest becoming a physician. This all changed when I got seriously injured in a motorcycle accident (I reveal this because my gpa reflects this trend). Since deciding to pursue medicine, I've completed close to 300 hours (and counting) volunteering in a hospital, 80 hours volunteering for a youth homeless shelter, completed a years work of research for my former biochemistry professor (work not published), worked as a medical scribe for a well-respected doctor (president of the "american college of _____" specialty), and have a job as a lab tech in that doctors clinical research facility (also to note, this research facility has 2 doctors. While only one is on the admissions committee for the local med school, they're both considered "clinical professors").
I was unsuccessful at getting accepted anywhere this year with my (admittedly) sub-par statistics (seen below). Nonetheless, I haven't given up this dream of mine to go to medical school and I continued to take positive steps toward this goal. Knowing I have sub-par statistics, I applied to several SMPs. So far, I've only been accepted to Rutgers, have been waitlisted at Boston U, and am still waiting to hear back from Tufts. With all that being said, the doctors I currently work for have expressed interest in helping me achieve my dream. They've said if I stay and work for them one more year, they'll promote me to clinical research coordinator, help get my name published in a medical journal (they honored this commitment for a fellow coworker, so I know they're sincere), and write me letters of rec. So my question is, should I stay and work for another year and re-apply in 2018 or should I go to one of the 3 SMPs listed above (assuming I get into all 3)?
TLDR; I work for excellent, well-respected doctors who do research. Should I stay, work for these physicians, and get published in a medical journal or should I go the SMP route?
cGPA: 3.07
sGPA: 2.88
MCAT: 502 (will retake this year).
Thanks in advanced for any advice ya'll give, it's truly appreciated. If this has been discussed already and there's a link somewhere, please feel free to post the link and tell me to shut up.
Before I begin, here's some potentially helpful info on myself (I'll try my best to keep it short). I initially didn't do so well in school and had no interest becoming a physician. This all changed when I got seriously injured in a motorcycle accident (I reveal this because my gpa reflects this trend). Since deciding to pursue medicine, I've completed close to 300 hours (and counting) volunteering in a hospital, 80 hours volunteering for a youth homeless shelter, completed a years work of research for my former biochemistry professor (work not published), worked as a medical scribe for a well-respected doctor (president of the "american college of _____" specialty), and have a job as a lab tech in that doctors clinical research facility (also to note, this research facility has 2 doctors. While only one is on the admissions committee for the local med school, they're both considered "clinical professors").
I was unsuccessful at getting accepted anywhere this year with my (admittedly) sub-par statistics (seen below). Nonetheless, I haven't given up this dream of mine to go to medical school and I continued to take positive steps toward this goal. Knowing I have sub-par statistics, I applied to several SMPs. So far, I've only been accepted to Rutgers, have been waitlisted at Boston U, and am still waiting to hear back from Tufts. With all that being said, the doctors I currently work for have expressed interest in helping me achieve my dream. They've said if I stay and work for them one more year, they'll promote me to clinical research coordinator, help get my name published in a medical journal (they honored this commitment for a fellow coworker, so I know they're sincere), and write me letters of rec. So my question is, should I stay and work for another year and re-apply in 2018 or should I go to one of the 3 SMPs listed above (assuming I get into all 3)?
TLDR; I work for excellent, well-respected doctors who do research. Should I stay, work for these physicians, and get published in a medical journal or should I go the SMP route?
cGPA: 3.07
sGPA: 2.88
MCAT: 502 (will retake this year).
Thanks in advanced for any advice ya'll give, it's truly appreciated. If this has been discussed already and there's a link somewhere, please feel free to post the link and tell me to shut up.