Hello!
I would not focus too much on the overall median gpa for med school, and the same goes for the mcat. These stats are useful to an extent to help you gauge where you are in terms of the average acceptant, but I wouldn’t worry about it until you actually are applying.
If you are applying this year or whenever you apply, I would strongly recommend purchasing a subscription to AAMC’s MSAR (medical school admission requirements). It has a ton of data compiled on every single med school in the US, including median gpa and mcat for each school.
As a general rule of thumb, and because I just went through the process of making my schools list, I would say median gpa is somewhere in the ballpark of 3.75. However, if your gpa happens to be a bit lower, that is no reason to be discouraged. There are plenty of applicants who have low gpa/mcat and end up getting in and also applicants who have stellar academic stats but don’t get in. The way you showcase yourself in your essays and interviews is just as important, if not more important.
Regarding post-grad degrees, I don’t think there are certain circumstances that warrant someone to pursue such a degree unless they absolutely want to. If you are worried about your gpa and want to bolster it, it could be an option but is not necessary because there is no guarantee that your gpa will rise from it. As I mentioned above and as I’m sure you know, there are so many aspects to the application, meaning your gpa/mcat don’t have to and shouldn’t define you. I know the pre-med journey is academically competitive and can be overwhelming, but don’t stress yourself out too soon—try to focus on one day at a time.
Hope this helps! Let us know if you have any further questions,
Nick Pfeifer
-PMH Advisor