cGPA 3.63, sGPA 3.59, MCAT 508. ORM. Undergrad bio degree from top 40 nat’l university with some As in 300 level bio courses. Struggled in chemistry (C and C- in Gen1 and Orgo1, but earned 2 As during retakes). Went for my ABSN 1.5 years after graduation and have been an RN in a hospital for the past 2 years. I originally became a nurse with the end goal of becoming a PCP NP, but changed my mind. I describe my desire to be a doctor rather than an NP in my essay, focused on my love for learning the “why” behind pathophys and pharmacology and why learning this will make me the best possible practitioner that I can be.

Needed to take some prereqs (orgo 1 retake, orgo 2, gen chem 2, physics 1/2, biochem) and aced them but took them online. Focusing on DO programs because of my interest in primary care, willingness to work in a rural area, and their more lenient nature towards nontrads and online coursework.

Thousands of clinical hours (work)

Involved in a few research projects (1 pub) in the hospital and a member of a research sharing club

100 physician shadowing hours with 2 docs (1 DO, 1 MD), both will write letters for me

500 hours volunteering with EMS (not an EMT, have driven the rig and helped out)

500 hours volunteering at a soup kitchen (been doing this on and off since high school) and Habitat for Humanity

Completed the “Health Meets Food” culinary medicine certification. Very passionate about food’s role in preventing and reversing chronic disease.

I’ll reach out to specific admissions committees with this question, but would my nursing school profs count as science LORs? If not, I can reach out to undergrad science profs, but my RN ones are more recent.

Thanks for your thoughts and contributions.