1st author publication on review article, 3.8 gpa at top 20 school, MCAT?

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gutcheckmcat

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Some leadership would have been nice, but I think you're good to apply anywhere you want (provided your MCAT is a 33+).
 
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gutcheckmcat said:
I am currently a rising junior. I have a 3.8 gpa at a top 20 school. I am taking the mcats in August. I am getting published as a first author on a review article this summer and I have some questions.

1. I was wondering if a first author on a review article is seen as not as impressive as 1st author on other research papers.

2. So I was wondering with my stats and ECs what kind of MCAT score do I need for schools like Baylor (I am a Texas resident), UT-SW, Emory, Mt. Sinai, Northwestern?

1. 3.8 gpa from a top 20 school,
2. a first author publication on a review article,
3. 1 year of research at the CDC (haha this probably gave away what school I go to but whatever)
4. 1 year of research in a bio lab at my school,
5. 1 summer of research at a medical school,
6. 500 hours of working in a doctor's office where I took blood pressure, pulse, medical histories, and helped out with medical billing,
7. President of a club on campus
8. 50 hours of volunteering at a hospital
9. 250 hours of shadowing
10. Member of some clubs on campus (a couple of honor societies, etc)
11. Played a couple of intramural sports
12. Worked at a couple of health fairs for the homeless.

I am not a URM.
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You'd get more "points" for authorship on a research publication. But a pub isn't essential to consideration by top research schools, provided you had substantive research experience. Hopefully, you did more than assist with someone else's project during your 2+ years in labs.

I'd agree that top schools would probably want to see Leadership, so hopefully you did something interesting with the organization you led.

More regular nonmedical community service would be nice to see. It's not to late to get involved in a weekly gig, maybe at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen, since you've already done work with the homeless (and you'd maintain a common theme). This would give you something pertinent to mention in update letters.

Did you include a primary care doc in the shadowing hours?
 
You'd get more "points" for authorship on a research publication. But a pub isn't essential to consideration by top research schools, provided you had substantive research experience. Hopefully, you did more than assist with someone else's project during your 2+ years in labs.
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So a 1st author on a review article is pretty much worthless? I had to compile 40 papers to write that review article. I also had to use gene omnibus and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis to study changes in gene expression for some diseases which was included in the paper. :(

More regular nonmedical community service would be nice to see. It's not to late to get involved in a weekly gig, maybe at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen, since you've already done work with the homeless (and you'd maintain a common theme). This would give you something pertinent to mention in update letters.
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^^ Thanks, I still have one year to do things like this. I am still a rising junior so I apply next summer to medical schools.


Did you include a primary care doc in the shadowing hours?
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The doctor who I worked for (see above) was a primary care doctor. Most of his patients were uninsured so the medical billing aspect was def. interesting. The doctors that I shadowed were all specialists (1 cardiologist, 1 neurologist, 1 ophthalmologist).


So Catalysik, what kind of MCAT score do you think I would need to be competitive for schools like Emory, Baylor, UT-SW, Northwestern, Mt. Sinai, Vanderbilt? (Texas Resident Here). One poster said 35+ another said a 33, so I am a little confused.
 
Average matriculant stats:

Emory, 3.65/33.8
Baylor, 3.8/33.1
UT-SW, 3.8/33.3
Northwestern, 3.79/34.4
Mt. Sinai, 3.66/34.8
Vanderbilt, 3.8/34.8

So, an MCAT of 35 would be a good goal to cover all of them, though a 33 would be sufficient for many.
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Thanks. I was freaking out because people who go to baylor and UT-SW told me that Baylor's and UT-SW's average mcat scores are heavily skewed by URM data. They told me that as a non-URM I would need a 36+ for both schools.
 
gutcheckmcat said:
They told me that as a non-URM I would need a 36+ for both schools.
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No.

lol.

19% of the entering class at UTSW this year are URMs. The range of MCAT scores as a whole is 24-41.

With a class MCAT average of 33.3, even if we assumed every single URM got in with an MCAT of a 24 (and if your sources believe this to be true, then they're idiots), the average MCAT for non-URMs would still be less than 36. I can't comment on Baylor, but it seems like as long as your stats are around or above 3.7/32, you're pretty much guaranteed an interview at UTSW (an adcom from UTSW made this comment a few years back, I'm not sure what metric they currently use to evaluate candidates). For in-state, out of 730 interviews, 332 individuals were offered acceptances (45%). So don't poop your pants just yet.
 
No.

lol.

19% of the entering class at UTSW this year are URMs. The range of MCAT scores as a whole is 24-41.

With a class MCAT average of 33.3, even if we assumed every single URM got in with an MCAT of a 24 (and if your sources believe this to be true, then they're idiots), the average MCAT for non-URMs would still be less than 36. I can't comment on Baylor, but it seems like as long as your stats are around or above 3.7/32, you're pretty much guaranteed an interview at UTSW (an adcom from UTSW made this comment a few years back, I'm not sure what metric they currently use to evaluate candidates). For in-state, out of 730 interviews, 332 individuals were offered acceptances (45%). So don't poop your pants just yet.
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Thanks that makes sense. I am going to look up the mcat range for Baylor. The 45% acceptance rate for those interviewed isn't all that comforting though. I had a friend who applied 2 years ago with a 3.7 and 32 mcat + 3 publications and still didn't get into UT-SW or Baylor. :(
 
gutcheckmcat said:
I am currently a rising junior. I have a 3.8 gpa at a top 20 school. I am taking the mcats in August. I am getting published as a first author on a review article this summer and I have some questions.

1. I was wondering if a first author on a review article is seen as not as impressive as 1st author on other research papers.

2. So I was wondering with my stats and ECs what kind of MCAT score do I need for schools like Baylor (I am a Texas resident), UT-SW, Emory, Mt. Sinai, Northwestern?

1. 3.8 gpa from a top 20 school,
2. a first author publication on a review article,
3. 1 year of research at the CDC (haha this probably gave away what school I go to but whatever)
4. 1 year of research in a bio lab at my school,
5. 1 summer of research at a medical school,
6. 500 hours of working in a doctor's office where I took blood pressure, pulse, medical histories, and helped out with medical billing,
7. President of a club on campus
8. 50 hours of volunteering at a hospital
9. 250 hours of shadowing
10. Member of some clubs on campus (a couple of honor societies, etc)
11. Played a couple of intramural sports
12. Worked at a couple of health fairs for the homeless.

I am not a URM.
Click to expand...
Are you crazy? With those ECs you could probably get a 28 and still get into many schools!
 
gutcheckmcat said:
So a 1st author on a review article is pretty much worthless? I had to compile 40 papers to write that review article. I also had to use gene omnibus and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis to study changes in gene expression for some diseases which was included in the paper. :(
Click to expand...

You mean citing them, right? Reading and citing... I think most people who write for research pubs usually read that many, if not more. Review paper isn't worthless, but it's not a research paper so it may not reflect your capability to do research.

gutcheckmcat said:
So Catalysik, what kind of MCAT score do you think I would need to be competitive for schools like Emory, Baylor, UT-SW, Northwestern, Mt. Sinai, Vanderbilt? (Texas Resident Here). One poster said 35+ another said a 33, so I am a little confused.
Click to expand...

Basically, you need a good high score. Get MSAR and look through what mean GPA was for matriculated students. And here is advice I give to people like you: if we told you that you needed 36 and you got 33, would you not apply to that school just because we told you not to? No, you will. So, you have the ballpark in that you need a good high score for any competitive schools. It's simple as that.
 
Are you crazy? With those ECs you could probably get a 28 and still get into many schools!
Click to expand...
Not true. My ECs are pretty standard. Just look at MD apps. A lot of kids have done what I have done. In order to truely stand out to medical schools in terms of ECs you need to be a Goldwater Scholar, or do something big. I haven't gone above and beyond in any one area, which is why my ECs are just average.

You mean citing them, right? Reading and citing... I think most people who write for research pubs usually read that many, if not more. Review paper isn't worthless, but it's not a research paper so it may not reflect your capability to do research.
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Yah, reading and citing. I just finished that review article today and it came out to be 60 citations (most research papers have around 30-40). I read through like a 100 papers for it this summer (only 60 were revelent to the paper.) I also had to do a lot of gene analysis using IPA and gene omnibus to see changes in gene expression. The PI wanted me to include that in the paper. FML, lol.


Basically, you need a good high score. Get MSAR and look through what mean GPA was for matriculated students. And here is advice I give to people like you: if we told you that you needed 36 and you got 33, would you not apply to that school just because we told you not to? No, you will. So, you have the ballpark in that you need a good high score for any competitive schools. It's simple as that.
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lol that is true, but if I somehow scored a 36, I would be wondering about Ivy League schools not so much Emory, UT-SW, Baylor, NU, Vandy, Mt. Sinai, lol.


Oh well, I took the MCAT this past week and it looks like I will be needing to do a retake in Jan....... :(
 
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gutcheckmcat said:
Not true. My ECs are pretty standard. Just look at MD apps. A lot of kids have done what I have done. In order to truely stand out to medical schools in terms of ECs you need to be a Goldwater Scholar, or do something big. I haven't gone above and beyond in any one area, which is why my ECs are just average.
Click to expand...

The same people who are on MDApps are the same people who are on SDN - neurotic and crazy. MDApps users are not representative of the overall applicant population.

lol that is true, but if I somehow scored a 36, I would be wondering about Ivy League schools not so much Emory, UT-SW, Baylor, NU, Vandy, Mt. Sinai, lol.
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Stats-wise, you'll be fine. Beyond that, no one knows.
 
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gutcheckmcat said:
lol that is true, but if I somehow scored a 36, I would be wondering about Ivy League schools not so much Emory, UT-SW, Baylor, NU, Vandy, Mt. Sinai, lol.
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You are not in high school. What makes you think people at NU, Vandy, and Mt. Sinai are not excellent test-takers? In fact, you will be surprised that a lot of people in non-Ivy League schools actually perform really well in MCAT. I can think of couple Ivy Leagues off my head that are known for undergraduates, but have less well-known reputation in medical school. I hope this thread doesn't turn into another "I need to get into top 5 medical schools because I graduated from top 20 schools, blahblahblahblah" :thumbdown:
 
gutcheckmcat said:
Not true. My ECs are pretty standard. Just look at MD apps. A lot of kids have done what I have done. In order to truely stand out to medical schools in terms of ECs you need to be a Goldwater Scholar, or do something big. I haven't gone above and beyond in any one area, which is why my ECs are just average.
Click to expand...
This is false. Your EC are above average for most institutions. Looking at Harvard on the MSAR alone shows that 1 in 10 don't have research. 1 in 10 don't have volunteering. And 3 in 10 don't have community volunteering. On top of this you expect everyone to have 500 working hours and 250 shadowing?
 
TriagePreMed said:
This is false. Your EC are above average for most institutions. Looking at Harvard on the MSAR alone shows that 1 in 10 don't have research. 1 in 10 don't have volunteering. And 3 in 10 don't have community volunteering. On top of this you expect everyone to have 500 working hours and 250 shadowing?
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The EC's are definitely above average.

Do well on the MCAT, practice interviewing.

I'm almost envious :cool:
 
You are not in high school. What makes you think people at NU, Vandy, and Mt. Sinai are not excellent test-takers? In fact, you will be surprised that a lot of people in non-Ivy League schools actually perform really well in MCAT. I can think of couple Ivy Leagues off my head that are known for undergraduates, but have less well-known reputation in medical school. I hope this thread doesn't turn into another "I need to get into top 5 medical schools because I graduated from top 20 schools, blahblahblahblah" :thumbdown:
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I never said that people at NU/Vandy/Mt. Sinai aren't excellent test takers. However, usually Ivy League med schools like UPenn, Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Cornell tend to "better" test takers than other top 20 medical schools, which is why I would have to do better on the MCAT to be competitive for them. That is because their ivy league name helps them get the best and the brightest. I never said that I wanted to go to a top 5 medical school, but I just want to go to a reputable school that is competitive and is located in a major city, hence my preference for Emory/UT-SW/Baylor/NU/Mt. Sinai/Vandy.



Anyway thanks for the help guys, I guess there is no point in me even discussing chances at the schools I mentioned, unless I do well on the MCAT. I took it this past week and got absolutely raped. I wasn't doing well on my AAMC practice tests either (averaging around a 32). Gotta prepare for the worst........and retake in Jan.
 
gutcheckmcat said:
I never said that people at NU/Vandy/Mt. Sinai aren't excellent test takers. However, usually Ivy League med schools like UPenn, Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Cornell tend to "better" test takers than other top 20 medical schools, which is why I would have to do better on the MCAT to be competitive for them. That is because their ivy league name helps them get the best and the brightest. I never said that I wanted to go to a top 5 medical school, but I just want to go to a reputable school that is competitive and is located in a major city, hence my preference for Emory/UT-SW/Baylor/NU/Mt. Sinai/Vandy.
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Just as a clarification for your application in the future, where did you get the phrase "top 20 medical schools"? The only "ranking" I can think of is US News World Report (which matters NONE once you get into medical schools since people have better things to worry about), and in that list, Vandy is #15, Mt. Sinai #18, and NU #19. Anyway, good luck.
 
^^^ Not sure. I decided to just attach that because medical schools care about what you do in your spare time, such as hobbies. My primary interests as hobbies are playing in a band, and playing sports with friends. Its what I do to relax. Med. schools care about what activties you do to relax besides getting wasted on frat row. The reason they care is because med. students are usually very stressed and need positive ways to relax besides getting trashed at a club.
 
Having a hobby is good. Having a hobby over a period of time shows dedication. Having a hobby where you're the leader shows leadership.

That is all.
 
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