On the rise?

[Fitzy]

Hi, this is my first time doing this so forgive me if i provide excessive detail. 3.1 cGPA, 3.1 sGPA undergrad, 37Q. I struggled Junior and Senior year with some hardship issues, i'm sure you've heard similar stories here. I have 2 W's and some low grades. I finally got it together at the end of Senior year and finished with A's final semester. I then went on to a 4.0 GPA in my school's post-bacc masters of physiology, 36 hours of science classes. I've taught bio lab, I have a year of stem cell research with publication, 100+ hours of shadowing primary care, 50+ hours shadowing orthopedist, 100+ hours volunteering in a pediatric therapy clinic. 20 hours with red cross, 30 hours volunteering at local animal shelter. I was president of the Biology Graduate Student Association. Ok, now that that's out of the way I plan on applying for fall 2014 matriculation so applications summer 2013. I would really like to know what I can do to bolster my credentials this year. I am planning on applying to an SMP like Georgetown, Cincy, Tufts, and VCU for Fall of 2013. Is there any way to recover a poor GPA? Thanks in advance!

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[Catalystik]

Hi, this is my first time doing this so forgive me if i provide excessive detail. 3.1 cGPA, 3.1 sGPA undergrad, 37Q. I struggled Junior and Senior year with some hardship issues, i'm sure you've heard similar stories here. I have 2 W's and some low grades. I finally got it together at the end of Senior year and finished with A's final semester. I then went on to a 4.0 GPA in my school's post-bacc masters of physiology, 36 hours of science classes. I've taught bio lab, I have a year of stem cell research with publication, 100+ hours of shadowing primary care, 50+ hours shadowing orthopedist, 100+ hours volunteering in a pediatric therapy clinic. 20 hours with red cross, 30 hours volunteering at local animal shelter. I was president of the Biology Graduate Student Association. Ok, now that that's out of the way I plan on applying for fall 2014 matriculation so applications summer 2013. I would really like to know what I can do to bolster my credentials this year. I am planning on applying to an SMP like Georgetown, Cincy, Tufts, and VCU for Fall of 2013. Is there any way to recover a poor GPA? Thanks in advance!

Your plan for the SMP is exactly what I would have suggested, and having made the smart move to prove your academic prowess over the last three terms, you should have no trouble getting into one.

EC-wise, you're making splendid progress. The teaching is good, the research about average, the pub adds luster, you have some leadership, the shadowing is excellent. The clinical experience is still somewhat sparse, as is the nonmedical community service. Those are the two areas I'd most want you to augment over this next year. If you want your application to appeal to schools with a humanistic bent, try to add some service to the poor.

 

[Fitzy]

Catalystik, thank you for your reply! I have searched the forums for SMP timelines but it's a lot of information to sift through. I am wondering, is applying same year as doing an SMP wise? Do medical schools put you on a different timeline? I am going to submit my amcas on june 1, will schools sideline my app until after the first semester perhaps?

 

[Catalystik]

That is exactly what is likely to happen. They would hold your file for consideration until after you send them a fall transcript. From what I have seen, it would be a small number that might get an acceptance in the same cycle as the SMP. Those few might even be able to withdraw from the second semester of the SMP and save some money (with the approval of their accepting institution).

Should you take the risk? If you didn't already have some consistent, solid, recent academic performance, I'd suggest not. But you do. If you'd be happy to get in anywhere, you might apply on a limited basis to state schools and such, like those known to consider a masters BCPM (keeping in mind that traditional masters grades aren't considered everywhere). If you are ambitious and want more choices/best chances, wait until you have great grades from a full year of SMP involvement behind you before applying anywhere.

 

[Fitzy]

Would you take a look at my school list and comment as to what you think? Let's assume I come out on top of an SMP class at Georgetown or Cincinnati.

Duke
Northwestern
Loyola
UCLA
USC (Keck)
George Washington
Georgetown
Florida
LSU
Tufts
UNC (NC resident, Dream school)
Wake
Medical U of SC
Indiana
Pitt
Cincy
OSU
Penn St.
St. Louis
Rosalind Franklin
Temple
Louisville
ECU
VCOM

More reach? More realistic?

 

[Catalystik]

SMPer applications are not my area of expertise, but it's good to include schools that are likewise affiliated with SMP programs as they are likely to view your application positively. Every school does not allow an SMP GPA to dominate. Some phone calls or perusing the SDN Postbac Programs Forum might help sort out which institutions are likely to give you the best shot. Including dream schools is fine, so long as you have plenty of less-selective schools, too.

If you're going to have only one year of research (the average for all applicants), you might rethink the inclusion of the more-selective research-oriented med schools.

Read this post and those following for ideas of schools likely to give more weight to your traditional masters grades: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=10664952&highlight=matriculant#post10664952

Indiana will expect state ties.

 

[Pattycake25]

Hi, this is my first time doing this so forgive me if i provide excessive detail. 3.1 cGPA, 3.1 sGPA undergrad, 37Q. I struggled Junior and Senior year with some hardship issues, i'm sure you've heard similar stories here. I have 2 W's and some low grades. I finally got it together at the end of Senior year and finished with A's final semester. I then went on to a 4.0 GPA in my school's post-bacc masters of physiology, 36 hours of science classes. I've taught bio lab, I have a year of stem cell research with publication, 100+ hours of shadowing primary care, 50+ hours shadowing orthopedist, 100+ hours volunteering in a pediatric therapy clinic. 20 hours with red cross, 30 hours volunteering at local animal shelter. I was president of the Biology Graduate Student Association. Ok, now that that's out of the way I plan on applying for fall 2014 matriculation so applications summer 2013. I would really like to know what I can do to bolster my credentials this year. I am planning on applying to an SMP like Georgetown, Cincy, Tufts, and VCU for Fall of 2013. Is there any way to recover a poor GPA? Thanks in advance!

I agree with Cat, an SMP would be a great choice for you, and I can't see you getting turned away from one - you're pretty much the ideal student for such a program. Given your upward trend, it seems safe to predict success in such a program, and coupled with beefing up some of the volunteering (again, as Cat said), you should be in great shape. Good luck!