Post bacc done, should I apply

[summerdoc321]

Hi,

I just completed a 1-yr DIY post bacc at a university. It is my second post bacc. I got a 3.2 the first semester and a 3.5 this semester, with an overall post bacc of 3.38.
I want to apply this year. My overall and science gpa are about a 3.0 for each. My last MCAT was a 502 (in 2020)

I also have been doing in clinical experience for about a year approaching almost 100 hours. I have many hours of volunteer experience.
I am in TX and interested in applying to TX schools. Thanks in advance.

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[inwantstobeadoctor]

Hi I'm just reading on by and wanted to offer my thoughts. I'm in no way like these nut jobs with a 515+ MCAT and 3.99 GPA, however, even with my average stats of 506(3x attempt) and 3.6 grad GPA (54 hrs of upper level courses), I think you'd need a little more improvement. I've been reading that schools pay attention to upward trends for GPA. Was your post bacc at least 30hrs? Some schools have a 32hr rule where they place your GPA with the last 32 hours of whatever program you've completed. I'm not a TX resident, but I've heard applying there is really competitive. I think your best bet with applying with your current stats (do you plan on retaking the MCAT before applying?) is to reach out to a school that you really want to attend and make a connection with someone so they know who you are. Sometimes (in my opinion) it's about who you know when applying.

 

[gyngyn]

Hi,

I just completed a 1-yr DIY post bacc at a university. It is my second post bacc. I got a 3.2 the first semester and a 3.5 this semester, with an overall post bacc of 3.38.
I want to apply this year. My overall and science gpa are about a 3.0 for each. My last MCAT was a 502 (in 2020)

I also have been doing in clinical experience for about a year approaching almost 100 hours. I have many hours of volunteer experience.
I am in TX and interested in applying to TX schools. Thanks in advance.

In my experience, TX schools put a lot of emphasis on gpa. Even applicants with strong MCAT scores can be overlooked with a 3.0 gpa.
How many times have you taken the MCAT? Scores?

 

[Darrow O'Lykos]

Post-baccs are meant to be your opportunity to prove your academic competence to medical schools admissions committees and are usually meant for people whom either struggled in undergrad or are changing careers from another field to medicine. Unfortunately, your postbacc GPA is low, as is your MCAT. You will likely not receive interviews from any medical schools barring some extraordinary unmentioned circumstances, especially if your reason for doing a postbacc was poor performance in undergrad.

Not to be too blunt about this, but if you did this knowing you wanted to pursue medicine, why didn't you do what you needed to excel to make yourself a more competitive applicant? You pretty much need to ace a postbacc to make up for prior deficiencies, and even then it only opens so many doors. Struggling in a post-bacc is a real blow to your med school chances.

You won't be considered at any of the Texas schools outside of maybe SHSU or UIW, and even then you'd need to improve your MCAT drastically. Even if you got above a 510, schools don't just accept a high MCAT to make up for a poor GPA. Your best bet is to apply broadly to DO schools with the mindset that you'll be lucky to garner any interviews.

You may need to reflect on whether or not you want to pursue medicine or if another career may be best for your happiness. If you struggled in your undergrad and postbacc work, a med school curriculum would be extremely hard on you mentally, emotionally, and physically. There are plenty of fulfilling professions out there besides medicine, and you could even consider other fields within healthcare.

edit: I just read that this was your "second post-bacc". Why a second? How did you do in the first? If you also did poorly in that, that just really makes it difficult to advise you to continue this pursuit.