I've earned my B.S. in biology with a chemistry minor from Old Dominion University, finishing with a 3.95 GPA. I'm still a Virginia resident. Right now, I'm in a gap year.
I took my first MCAT with little to no preparation and did terrible (24: PS8/VR8/BS8).
My second attempt was much better (33: PS10/VR11/BS12).
I have about 1100 hours of clinical time over 3 years of service as a volunteer EMT-B in a completely volunteer EMS system, about another 800 hours over 2 years working as an ED tech, participated in a medical mission to Costa Rica for two weeks, was a chemistry TA for a semester, and I'm an electronic medical record software analyst at a hospital (educating physicians and nurses on usage of EMR systems).
I will have two decent LORs from professors at my university, a third strong LOR from my EMS chief, and hopefully a fourth from an ED doctor or supervisor in my ED.
My main concern is that I have absolutely no research experience. As I've seen in the MSAR, most schools are favorable to applicants with it. I've been applying to positions at a nearby university, but I won't have any new experience before I submit my AMCAS application.
I've been compiling a list of schools, but I'm feeling discouraged looking at these research numbers.
Any advice for where I should apply? And are there any schools I shouldn't bother with?
Current List
Competitive:
EVMS
VCU
UVA
WVU
Uni. of Cincinatti
Temple
Stony Brook
Boston University
Northwestern
Uni. of Miami
Uni. of Cincinatti
Stretches:
Duke
Johns Hopkins
Penn. State
University of Washington
NYU
Uni. of California - S.F.
Emory
UNC
Vanderbilt
Case Western
I took my first MCAT with little to no preparation and did terrible (24: PS8/VR8/BS8).
My second attempt was much better (33: PS10/VR11/BS12).
I have about 1100 hours of clinical time over 3 years of service as a volunteer EMT-B in a completely volunteer EMS system, about another 800 hours over 2 years working as an ED tech, participated in a medical mission to Costa Rica for two weeks, was a chemistry TA for a semester, and I'm an electronic medical record software analyst at a hospital (educating physicians and nurses on usage of EMR systems).
I will have two decent LORs from professors at my university, a third strong LOR from my EMS chief, and hopefully a fourth from an ED doctor or supervisor in my ED.
My main concern is that I have absolutely no research experience. As I've seen in the MSAR, most schools are favorable to applicants with it. I've been applying to positions at a nearby university, but I won't have any new experience before I submit my AMCAS application.
I've been compiling a list of schools, but I'm feeling discouraged looking at these research numbers.
Any advice for where I should apply? And are there any schools I shouldn't bother with?
Current List
Competitive:
EVMS
VCU
UVA
WVU
Uni. of Cincinatti
Temple
Stony Brook
Boston University
Northwestern
Uni. of Miami
Uni. of Cincinatti
Stretches:
Duke
Johns Hopkins
Penn. State
University of Washington
NYU
Uni. of California - S.F.
Emory
UNC
Vanderbilt
Case Western
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