Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention (updated for 2021)

[amaastha]

I
I think that you have a very compelling story and can land some MD II even outside of TX.

Thank you, however I am not located in TX. My home state is NY. Any school list you can recommend etc??

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[Goro]

Thank you, however I am not located in TX. My home state is NY. Any school list you can recommend etc??

Columbia
Case
Vandy
Dartmouth
BU
Duke
Pitt
Mayo
Mt Sinai
Einstein (maybe)
Morehouse
Howard
Meharry
Temple
UCSF
EVMS
Hofstra
Emory
Jefferson
U VM
Miami
Drexel
Albany
Tufts
NYMC
TCU
ALL SUNYs
Rush
Loyola
Rosy Franklin
Tulane
Wake
MCW
SLU
Creighton
Wayne State
Netter
NovaMD
NYU.LI
NOTE: as a reinventor, you need DO schools on your list. Any DO school. Include UNECOM if you’re from the NE, OSUCOM if you’re from the Plains states and PacNW if you’re from that region. I can't recommend LMU, SOMA, RVU, BCOM, ICOM and LUCOM, for different reasons. Avoid those new schools that haven't graduated a class yet, if possible.

 

[Xander44]

You would be competitive for any DO schools, and many of the TX schools. UTxSW interviewed one of my SMP a few years ago

In my situation, since my GPA is the main problem, would it be okay to apply while attending the SMP that way I don't have to take a gap year before med school? My main concern is that it wouldn't be until later in the cycle that my spring semester's grades are out.

 

[Goro]

In my situation, since my GPA is the main problem, would it be okay to apply while attending the SMP that way I don't have to take a gap year before med school? My main concern is that it wouldn't be until later in the cycle that my spring semester's grades are out.

I've seen it work with people who are applying to schools. It won't work for MD. Overall you need to show that you could handle medical school, and merely being in the special Masters program isn't enough for MD adcoms.

 

[Bropro]

Remember reading your guide in 2019 when I was certain med school was out of the picture for me, and then this guide again in 2021 while I was going through my reinvention. Sitting on 2 MD As, 1 MD WL, 1 pending MD decision, and 4 DO IIs.

Thank you so much @Goro I appreciate all the work you have put into this field for people like me!!

 

[Goro]

Remember reading your guide in 2019 when I was certain med school was out of the picture for me, and then this guide again in 2021 while I was going through my reinvention. Sitting on 2 MD As, 1 MD WL, 1 pending MD decision, and 4 DO IIs.

Thank you so much @Goro I appreciate all the work you have put into this field for people like me!!

 

[Zephyrus2024]

Hello @Goro ,

I followed your amazing reinvention guide and I was wondering if you could give me your opinion on my current situation. My cgpa/sgpa are both 3.3~3.4 with postbacc grades included. My postbacc grades are 3.74 with 80+ credits. My MCAT is 500,510,524 over the last 5 years. The problem is my SMP which will end with 3.4 GPA... I think the reason I did poorly was because of health and financial issues in my family but I am not sure if the admission committee will care. Realistically, I think I have a very strong chance at DO but I was wondering of your opinion on my chances in MD.


Thank you

 

[jhmmd]

Hello @Goro ,

I followed your amazing reinvention guide and I was wondering if you could give me your opinion on my current situation. My cgpa/sgpa are both 3.3~3.4 with postbacc grades included. My postbacc grades are 3.74 with 80+ credits. My MCAT is 500,510,524 over the last 5 years. The problem is my SMP which will end with 3.4 GPA... I think the reason I did poorly was because of health and financial issues in my family but I am not sure if the admission committee will care. Realistically, I think I have a very strong chance at DO but I was wondering of your opinion on my chances in MD.


Thank you

Hey,
I know that you didn't ask me, but a lot of people are going to wonder what your problem with D.O. is. If you get a D.O. acceptance, take it and run all the way with it.

Also, per rule 42 all D.O. residencies are ACGME residencies as of 2013, I believe. That's all that counts in the end. It's a little known fact

 

[Goro]

Hello @Goro ,

I followed your amazing reinvention guide and I was wondering if you could give me your opinion on my current situation. My cgpa/sgpa are both 3.3~3.4 with postbacc grades included. My postbacc grades are 3.74 with 80+ credits. My MCAT is 500,510,524 over the last 5 years. The problem is my SMP which will end with 3.4 GPA... I think the reason I did poorly was because of health and financial issues in my family but I am not sure if the admission committee will care. Realistically, I think I have a very strong chance at DO but I was wondering of your opinion on my chances in MD.


Thank you

The 3.4 SMP will hurt for MD. Why didn't you take an LOA?
Chances for MD best with your state MD school.

Apply braodly to DO schools.

 

[scinite]

Hi all! I wanted to see if anyone had any insight on my MD/DO application. I have a cum gpa of 2.8, sci gpa 2.62. My MCAT score is 518. I have four years of clinical experience working in hospital clinical pathology labs as a scientist. I am a URM, and spent three years traveling to hard hit areas in the US during Covid, mostly rural places. I have 20 physician shadowing hours, and I’m applying to 4 MD, 17 DO schools that don’t have mandatory GPA requirements. Basically undergrad I wasn’t serious about grades since I was immature, I enrolled in college at 16 and just aimed to graduate without having a true plan. 27 now with life experience and remastered all the courses/mcat.
I also have a health committee packet of 3 LOR from my second degree health professions committee, 1 MD and 1 DO LOR.

My School list:
OHSU(Oregon) (MD)

UTRGV (MD) Edinburg TX

TTUHSC (MD) Lubbock TX

TCU (MD, Fort Worth TX)

TTUHSC EL PASO(el paso, TX)

PNWU-COM(Oregon)

WesternU(Washington)

WCU COM (Mississippi)

UP-KYCOM(Kentucky)

UNTHSC(Dallas Tx)

UIWSOM(San Antonio TX)

SHSU COM(Huntsville, TX)

PCOM (Philadelphia)

PCOM GA( Georgia)

NYITCOM (glen head, NY or Jonesboro, AR)

LMU-DCOM(Harrogate or Knoxville, TN)

ACOM(Dothan, Alabama)

ARCOM(fort smith, Arkansas)

KCU-COM (Kansas city, Missouri)

MSU-COM(Michigan)

BCOM (las cruces, NM)

ICOM (Boise)

 

[scinite]

Sorry, forgot to tag @Goro

 

[Goro]

Hi all! I wanted to see if anyone had any insight on my MD/DO application. I have a cum gpa of 2.8, sci gpa 2.62. My MCAT score is 518. I have four years of clinical experience working in hospital clinical pathology labs as a scientist. I am a URM, and spent three years traveling to hard hit areas in the US during Covid, mostly rural places. I have 20 physician shadowing hours, and I’m applying to 4 MD, 17 DO schools that don’t have mandatory GPA requirements. Basically undergrad I wasn’t serious about grades since I was immature, I enrolled in college at 16 and just aimed to graduate without having a true plan. 27 now with life experience and remastered all the courses/mcat.
I also have a health committee packet of 3 LOR from my second degree health professions committee, 1 MD and 1 DO LOR.

My School list:
OHSU(Oregon) (MD)

UTRGV (MD) Edinburg TX

TTUHSC (MD) Lubbock TX

TCU (MD, Fort Worth TX)

TTUHSC EL PASO(el paso, TX)

PNWU-COM(Oregon)

WesternU(Washington)

WCU COM (Mississippi)

UP-KYCOM(Kentucky)

UNTHSC(Dallas Tx)

UIWSOM(San Antonio TX)

SHSU COM(Huntsville, TX)

PCOM (Philadelphia)

PCOM GA( Georgia)

NYITCOM (glen head, NY or Jonesboro, AR)

LMU-DCOM(Harrogate or Knoxville, TN)

ACOM(Dothan, Alabama)

ARCOM(fort smith, Arkansas)

KCU-COM (Kansas city, Missouri)

MSU-COM(Michigan)

BCOM (las cruces, NM)

ICOM (Boise)

With those GPAs, unless you have evidence of reinvention, you're DOA for med school.

No med school is doing you any favors when you have no evidence that you can handle the academics of med school. A high MCAT score, while admirable, doesn't remediate weak GPAs either.

 

[scinite]

With those GPAs, unless you have evidence of reinvention, you're DOA for med school.

No med school is doing you any favors when you have no evidence that you can handle the academics of med school. A high MCAT score, while admirable, doesn't remediate weak GPAs either.

I have an upward trend in last 50 hours plus my post bac, but not what people would love to see. (I.E. all As) Slightly over 3.0, all science upper level courses.

 

[Goro]

I have an upward trend in last 50 hours plus my post bac, but not what people would love to see. (I.E. all As) Slightly over 3.0, all science upper level courses.

Can we see your year by year cGPA and sGPAs?

 

[2024Trad]

Hello @Goro,

Currently needing reinvention advice as of right now. I am sitting on a low uGPA at about 2.9 cum and 2.9 sGPA and will be applying to SMP's and have taken an MCAT one year ago at 494. I've seen that you typically don't recommend MCAT while in an SMP and just wanted to ask whether a 60 credit post-bacc is better than trying an MD with some type of linkage, such as Mercer(my in state school which requires a 2.8 and 494 for SMP acceptance and an interview with a 3.5). The only thing is im not sure as with an MCAT so low, if they may look at other applicants with a higher MCAT regarding the linkage, even if I maintain a good GPA. Are DO SMP's any better or should I go ahead in doing a DIY Post bacc?

 

[EbolaConstrictor]

Agree with this. Also, see if you can get retroactive Ws, OP!

Goro it's been about a year since I reached out to you about my circumstances. I'd appreciate an updated opinion if you have time.

I have one class left in my undergraduate career, physics II in the summer. After that, I'll graduate with a B.S. in biology and an A.S. in chemistry. I'll graduate with distinction (magna cum laude) with 73 credit hours at a 3.87, all science (bio, chem, etc.). I'm also enrolled to start graduate studies in the fall to complete a 4+1 in biology. The tuition is relatively cheap and I can carry a decent amount of credit hours over, I've also really connected with a micro prof who is letting me join their research lab. I haven't taken the MCAT but I've taken a couple FLs. My stats are below, including my earlier years mentioned in the previous post.

cGPA: 3.00
sGPA: 3.41
The most recent FL was a 506 taken on Blueprint (free).

FT Clinical employment since 2017 (CNA 1 yrs, EMT 2 yrs, Paramedic for 4.5 yrs): 15,000 hrs
Volunteering at a clinic for under/uninsured people: 55 hrs
Shadowing: 33 hrs
Bio club (some non-clinical volunteering): 20-30 hrs
I'm going to be a paid micro tutor for the bio department starting in the fall so about: 30ish hrs
For research experience, I'm expecting about: 200-300 hrs over the next two semesters

My LORs are confidential but the vibes dictate that they'll be either good or great.

Also, I checked with my previous institutions, I can't get retroactive W's from either of them. Either way I feel like my reinvention story speaks for itself. My cGPA before 2021 was less than 2.7.

Thanks again.

 

[Goro]

Also, I checked with my previous institutions, I can't get retroactive W's from either of them. Either way I feel like my reinvention story speaks for itself. My cGPA before 2021 was less than 2.7.

Thanks again.

The bolded is what counts! Great job!!

 

[EbolaConstrictor]

The bolded is what counts! Great job!!

Thanks!

 

[Calizboosted76]

Goro it's been about a year since I reached out to you about my circumstances. I'd appreciate an updated opinion if you have time.

I have one class left in my undergraduate career, physics II in the summer. After that, I'll graduate with a B.S. in biology and an A.S. in chemistry. I'll graduate with distinction (magna cum laude) with 73 credit hours at a 3.87, all science (bio, chem, etc.). I'm also enrolled to start graduate studies in the fall to complete a 4+1 in biology. The tuition is relatively cheap and I can carry a decent amount of credit hours over, I've also really connected with a micro prof who is letting me join their research lab. I haven't taken the MCAT but I've taken a couple FLs. My stats are below, including my earlier years mentioned in the previous post.

cGPA: 3.00
sGPA: 3.41
The most recent FL was a 506 taken on Blueprint (free).

FT Clinical employment since 2017 (CNA 1 yrs, EMT 2 yrs, Paramedic for 4.5 yrs): 15,000 hrs
Volunteering at a clinic for under/uninsured people: 55 hrs
Shadowing: 33 hrs
Bio club (some non-clinical volunteering): 20-30 hrs
I'm going to be a paid micro tutor for the bio department starting in the fall so about: 30ish hrs
For research experience, I'm expecting about: 200-300 hrs over the next two semesters

My LORs are confidential but the vibes dictate that they'll be either good or great.

Also, I checked with my previous institutions, I can't get retroactive W's from either of them. Either way I feel like my reinvention story speaks for itself. My cGPA before 2021 was less than 2.7.

Thanks again.

FWIW I had similar reinvention numbers to you and scored either a 506 or 507 on the real MCAT and sat on 2-3 acceptances and 3-4 interviews and am currently beginning my 4th year of medical school at my top choice school. Congratulations, now go knock the MCAT out and make your dreams a reality.

 

[EbolaConstrictor]

FWIW I had similar reinvention numbers to you and scored either a 506 or 507 on the real MCAT and sat on 2-3 acceptances and 3-4 interviews and am currently beginning my 4th year of medical school at my top choice school. Congratulations, now go knock the MCAT out and make your dreams a reality.

You replied to my original post on this thread. I appreciate the motivation! Thank you