Wise Decision?

[99Bullitt]

I graduated from the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign in May with a degree in bioengineering. I was NOT premed but now I really want to try to go to med school. Seems like an afterthought but I have put a lot of time and consideration into this choice. Here are my credentials:

cGPA: 3.25 (fresh:3.07, soph:2.92, junior:3.67, senior:3.4)
sGPA: 3.3
No clinical experience (going to be volunteering at local hospital this fall/spring as well as shadowing several doctors)
Volunteer Experience: Church sunday schools, daycare, fundraisers.
Did research with a professor but was not medicine-related
Senior design project, worked with a developmental service center and people with severe disabilites
Taking the MCAT in January but practice tests have been 34-35
Leadership positions in Fraternity and Intramural Basketball Team
Founded and ran my own landscaping business
Worked at a restaurant for 3 years (1 as a manager)
Member in engineering society

I really want to go to osteopathic school. I think my chances are better but I have also done research and met a few DOs who have convinced me it is the right path. I am taking classes this fall and spring at a community college to replace a few grades and to take some other classes so hopefully my GPA is about a 3.5 when I apply.

I have turned down a job offer to pursue medical school. How are my chances looking? What can I do to make my application more attractive??

Thanks!!!

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[MedPR]

Can't say without an actual MCAT score. Some schools require a DO letter, so try and shadow one.

 

[Temperature101]

I graduated from the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign in May with a degree in bioengineering. I was NOT premed but now I really want to try to go to med school. Seems like an afterthought but I have put a lot of time and consideration into this choice. Here are my credentials:

cGPA: 3.25 (fresh:3.07, soph:2.92, junior:3.67, senior:3.4)
sGPA: 3.3
No clinical experience (going to be volunteering at local hospital this fall/spring as well as shadowing several doctors)
Volunteer Experience: Church sunday schools, daycare, fundraisers.
Did research with a professor but was not medicine-related
Senior design project, worked with a developmental service center and people with severe disabilites
Taking the MCAT in January but practice tests have been 34-35
Leadership positions in Fraternity and Intramural Basketball Team
Founded and ran my own landscaping business
Worked at a restaurant for 3 years (1 as a manager)
Member in engineering society

I really want to go to osteopathic school. I think my chances are better but I have also done research and met a few DOs who have convinced me it is the right path. I am taking classes this fall and spring at a community college to replace a few grades and to take some other classes so hopefully my GPA is about a 3.5 when I apply.

I have turned down a job offer to pursue medical school. How are my chances looking? What can I do to make my application more attractive??

Thanks!!!

As for your actual GPA, you might need a 28+ mcat to be competitive. If you bring up that GPA to 3.5, a 26 mcat will suffice. You will need some volunteering, and shadowing (preferablely a DO), LORs ect...If you do all that and you have a high mcat, you will be a shoe in for DO.

 

[TriagePreMed]

No clinical experience and you know you want to be a doctor? If you apply now, I seriously doubt any reputable school will accept you.

 

[99Bullitt]

I'm not applying now, I'm applying next year. And yes, I do know that I want to be a doctor. I'm well aware of the commitment and the work required to become a physician as well as to practice as one. I have spent a lot of time in hospitals(for personal health and family health history) and have family/friends that are doctors and in med school now.

 

[DrMario13]

I'm not applying now, I'm applying next year. And yes, I do know that I want to be a doctor. I'm well aware of the commitment and the work required to become a physician as well as to practice as one. I have spent a lot of time in hospitals(for personal health and family health history) and have family/friends that are doctors and in med school now.

Even so, not to be harsh but many other people have made the decision to enter based on being in a hospital a lot. You need to show more active roles in clinical experience, shadowing doctors, different specialties, locations, etc. Shadowing is very different, and medical schools want that to know you are making an informed decision

 

[TriagePreMed]

I'm not applying now, I'm applying next year. And yes, I do know that I want to be a doctor. I'm well aware of the commitment and the work required to become a physician as well as to practice as one. I have spent a lot of time in hospitals(for personal health and family health history) and have family/friends that are doctors and in med school now.

You've been in the hospital a lot in the capacity of a patient. This is not an accurate portrayal of the every day-to-day life of physicians.

Look, I'm not trying to attack you or something like that, but I have in the past thought of things being a certain way viewed from one perspective to find out things differently in another. I'm simply suggesting you do something, not only to prove to ADCOMS you want to do medicine, that will allow you to know if the commitment is worthwhile.

 

[Goro]

Concur with Triage and the previous posts. You will need to show us your altruism, and that you actually want to be around sick and injured people.

Thus, it is paramount that you get a lot of patient contact experience. Anything that shows leadership will help you as well.

A note to some of the other posters here: sometimes the road to Medicine is evolutionary, and sometimes it's revolutionary.

You've been in the hospital a lot in the capacity of a patient. This is not an accurate portrayal of the every day-to-day life of physicians.

Look, I'm not trying to attack you or something like that, but I have in the past thought of things being a certain way viewed from one perspective to find out things differently in another. I'm simply suggesting you do something, not only to prove to ADCOMS you want to do medicine, that will allow you to know if the commitment is worthwhile.