3rd time reapplicant w/ red flags - advice on improving for future

[GatsbyK]

Hi all,

I posted last cycle in the what are my chances forum with some good feedback. I tried to apply broadly (over 20+) in both MD and DO categories with no luck. I was rejected from all MD's and had one II at an OOS DO school in the west this cycle. I interviewed and was put on the wait list in early January, where I was eventually rejected in the summer.

Everything about my application and everything that happened last cycle can be found here. http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...31-mcat-also-red-flags.1068844/#post-15242990

To give you a simple TLDR summary - cGPA 3.49 sGPA 3.3 MCAT 29 (first time in 2012) 31 (2nd time in 2013) had some red flags--> was an organic chemistry TA, vice president of athletics club, was EMT certified, volunteered at school hospital and currently a medical assistant.

I am currently skipping this years cycle in hopes of improving my application for the next cycle. After not hearing back from the schools I unsuccessfully applied for some SMP programs. Currently, aside from working full time as a medical assistant, I am taking math and sciences classes at a college nearby. I have never taken these courses during my undergraduate career and hope to perform well and achieve all A's to improve my cGPA and sGPA. (approximately 16 credits). I roughly have a 3.499 cGPA and hope to get it up to 3.5+ after taking these 16 credits. Aside from work and school I have unsuccessfully looked for some shadowing or volunteer work under a osteopathic physician. I think a DO LOR will help me greatly and allow me to apply to more DO schools. Does anyone know of any DO's in NYC that they can refer me to? I am currently still searching for a DO office that will let me shadow or volunteer there.

Aside from taking classes and trying to look for some shadowing/volunteer work, is there anything else I can do to improve my application? I am in the process of taking a thorough look through my application to revise ALL of it. What else should I do to try to improve it as much as I can in hopes to get in during the 2016-2017 cycle?

Another thing I need advice on is my MCAT score. I have a July 2013 score of 31. Is my score still valid for the 2016-2017 cycle? I found a chart on AAMC of all the schools that will accept the old and new MCAT score. I believe MCAT's are valid for 3 years so I assume my MCAT score is still good for next cycle. Does AACOM have a similar chart or does all DO schools still take the old MCAT score? I have searched on their website to no avail.

Thank you,
GatsbyK

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[Goro]

There are tons of DOs int he NYC area and if you somehow can't find one, take the 4/5/6 train up to Touro-NY and chat up the DO faculty there.

I suspect that the IA issue might be still a problem. Have you contacted any of the schools you were rejected at and asked for feedback???

If you're still shut out after this cycle, then it's time to do something else.

Hi all,

I posted last cycle in the what are my chances forum with some good feedback. I tried to apply broadly (over 20+) in both MD and DO categories with no luck. I was rejected from all MD's and had one II at an OOS DO school in the west this cycle. I interviewed and was put on the wait list in early January, where I was eventually rejected in the summer.

Everything about my application and everything that happened last cycle can be found here. http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...31-mcat-also-red-flags.1068844/#post-15242990

To give you a simple TLDR summary - cGPA 3.49 sGPA 3.3 MCAT 29 (first time in 2012) 31 (2nd time in 2013) had some red flags--> was an organic chemistry TA, vice president of athletics club, was EMT certified, volunteered at school hospital and currently a medical assistant.

I am currently skipping this years cycle in hopes of improving my application for the next cycle. After not hearing back from the schools I unsuccessfully applied for some SMP programs. Currently, aside from working full time as a medical assistant, I am taking math and sciences classes at a college nearby. I have never taken these courses during my undergraduate career and hope to perform well and achieve all A's to improve my cGPA and sGPA. (approximately 16 credits). I roughly have a 3.499 cGPA and hope to get it up to 3.5+ after taking these 16 credits. Aside from work and school I have unsuccessfully looked for some shadowing or volunteer work under a osteopathic physician. I think a DO LOR will help me greatly and allow me to apply to more DO schools. Does anyone know of any DO's in NYC that they can refer me to? I am currently still searching for a DO office that will let me shadow or volunteer there.

Aside from taking classes and trying to look for some shadowing/volunteer work, is there anything else I can do to improve my application? I am in the process of taking a thorough look through my application to revise ALL of it. What else should I do to try to improve it as much as I can in hopes to get in during the 2016-2017 cycle?

Another thing I need advice on is my MCAT score. I have a July 2013 score of 31. Is my score still valid for the 2016-2017 cycle? I found a chart on AAMC of all the schools that will accept the old and new MCAT score. I believe MCAT's are valid for 3 years so I assume my MCAT score is still good for next cycle. Does AACOM have a similar chart or does all DO schools still take the old MCAT score? I have searched on their website to no avail.

Thank you,
GatsbyK

 

[GatsbyK]

Hi Goro,

Thanks for the prompt responses as usual. So far I have asked over 30 DO's which have all not been open to shadowing...or only let current MEDICAL STUDENTS shadow (which makes no sense to me?). The only reason I have not gone to NYIT or TouroNY is because it takes over 1 1/2 hour to travel to each one from where I live. Aside from working full time and taking classes in the morning and night, 3 hours used to travel back and forth kill what little time I would have left to shadow or volunteer. I looked up DO's around my area and in Manhattan on the AOA website and continued to go down the list so far I have checked most of the Brooklyn sites off.

I only asked some of the schools about for feedback. Some schools literally have ignored my emails and haven't even given me a rejection letter / email. For some of the schools that I have gotten replies, most of them does seem to be automated ie: cGPA is low (average is 3.6+) MCAT average, with score of 8 verbal not that great, want a 32 overall. Try to get an SMP or a master's program in Biology or Chemistry... Also ask me to continue getting clinical experience and continue community service ie: soup kitchen, homeless shelter, or disadvantaged students. All of which I am trying to do aside from retaking my MCAT. I figured my IA would be the problem, except multiple people have told me not to worry about it including my Pre-Health committee adviser. And at this point do not know how to get rid of that specific part of my application.

 

[Faha]

I think you should give it one more try next June for the class entering in 2017. There will be several more DO schools opening for that year. Concentrate on those new schools as well as schools such as:
ACOM
BCOM
UP-KYCOM
LMU-DCOM
WVSOM
MU-COM
LUCOM
CUSOM
WCU-COM
VCOM (all 3 schools)
LECOM (both schools)
You should receive some interviews from some of these schools and the new ones opening in 2017.