I am a three season (cross country, indoor track, outdoor track) DI student athlete with a 3.4 overall and a 3.1 science GPA. I know these are low, but they are due to athletics and having very little time. My other activities include having shadowed a physician, TAing, and a completing a research project based on a NIH funded summer scholarship program. I haven't taken the MCAT yet but plan to next month. Do I have a shot at getting in somewhere?
MD & DO Student athlete: What are my chances of getting into a MD or DO program?
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A lot depends on your MCAT score. Post is here when available and we can advise you then.
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You're DOA at my school, CCOM, PCOM, AZCOM, KCU, Western and CUSOM, for starters.
This may sound a little harsh, but I would not call your track career an explanation for your GPAs. I would call it evidence that you chose to prioritize the short-term over the long-term, which is not a particularly appealing characteristic in a potential physician. You will simply get crowded out by applicants with stronger academic records.
And without patient contact experience, you're even more DOA!
This may sound a little harsh, but I would not call your track career an explanation for your GPAs. I would call it evidence that you chose to prioritize the short-term over the long-term, which is not a particularly appealing characteristic in a potential physician. You will simply get crowded out by applicants with stronger academic records.
And without patient contact experience, you're even more DOA!
1. Have you calculated your cumulative/science GPA with grade replacement? I thought PCOM was continuing to calculate grade replacement this coming cycle(even though AACOMAS is not). I wouldn't say you are DOA necessarily. I was accepted this past cycle as a D1 student-athlete with slightly higher stats than yours.
2. Do you have an upward trend?
3. Do you have any compelling experiences to write about on your application? Volunteering, clinical work, hobbies, etc.? As a student-athlete, I understand there is little time to devote to much else besides school/sports. This is where a year off can be beneficial.
I get why you would put the student-athlete bit into your post, but be very careful in how you frame the experience in your essays. Using your sport as an excuse for lower grades will not work. Don't rush this process. If you need to take a year off to prepare for the MCAT and develop a well-rounded application, do it. Agree with Goro.. you 100% need more clinical experience.
2. Do you have an upward trend?
3. Do you have any compelling experiences to write about on your application? Volunteering, clinical work, hobbies, etc.? As a student-athlete, I understand there is little time to devote to much else besides school/sports. This is where a year off can be beneficial.
I get why you would put the student-athlete bit into your post, but be very careful in how you frame the experience in your essays. Using your sport as an excuse for lower grades will not work. Don't rush this process. If you need to take a year off to prepare for the MCAT and develop a well-rounded application, do it. Agree with Goro.. you 100% need more clinical experience.
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Thanks for your help. I am planning on taking a gap year and possibly trying to do an SMP. Also, would working at a nursing home count as clinical experience? I worked in the kitchen and served food at a nursing home. I had to know what the patients medical conditions were and how to vary their diets based on that. I had interaction with the patients during this.
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