MD Alright, I know you're gonna laugh me out, but...What are my chances?

[FoxonDocs]

I have been holding off on asking this because...well...I realize already that I'm not sitting terribly pretty.

MCAT: 32 (10:12:10)
Undergrad:
cGPA: 3.1
sGPA: 3.7
Grad (Master's in Dev. Neuro):
cGPA (and sGPA, since it was all science): 3.95

EC: 250+ volunteer hours as a patient representative in the ER and OR. 25 hours with a well-known Neurosurgeon. 3000+ hours of graduate research work on developmental neurobiology (the papers are pending and may be for a while.) 1000+ hours of undergraduate research on Lyme Disease (no papers, but acknowledged for what its worth!). Completed a senior research capstone at my college on top of my other research. Finally, I added in my 150 hours of shadowing as a senior in high school, as those were integral in helping me choose my path in life. I shadowed a pediatrician, OBGYN (got to help deliver!), and an ER physician.

Leadership: TA'd a variety of classes (including a few I didn't do so well on in college, as well as A&P). Acted as a Graduate Mentor to undergraduates who I trained and worked extensively with in the laboratory. I ended up with six very successful undergrads. I was a member of the Graduate Association for Biology and sat on the Graduate Panel for new faculty hires. In my secondaries, I have added that I currently teach and help develop science classes for a homeschool group in my area. I have my own little company that works with them.

I am in Maryland, but applied broadly and to most schools at a mid to "low" tier level. I also applied to my undergrad alum college, which is in the midwest and is mid tier.

I realize my undergrad GPA sucks. I was diagnosed with cancer my freshman year--I ended up depressed and let everything go for a while. It is no excuse, and I own up to it and use that failure as fuel to my fire. I discuss it in my PS. However, there is a marked upward trend in my grades from a 2.5 to a 3.95 my final semester and I graduated in 3 years. For what its worth. Heh.

I submitted AMCAS on June 8 and submitted secondaries within 2 weeks of receiving. So, yeah, it has been quite a long while since I've heard anything from the schools. I've had a smattering of rejections, but mostly silence. I'm slightly terrified.

Edit: My 3 references came from--My PI from graduate school, my "PI" from my undergrad research (which was at the college of medicine where I think I have my best chance), and a joint letter from the head of volunteer services and the two patient representatives I work with.

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[popopopop]

Geeze, I'd accept you if I could. You showed upward trend while fighting cancer. Have you checked back on the schools that rejected you? Perhaps it's a school list problem. You only have 25 hours of shadowing in general? It's good that your experiences in hs led you to medicine, but I don't think your shadowing hours in hs counted for much besides a topic for your PS. There's no way to up your undergrad GPA? Retakes possible? What does a patient representative do?

 

[Boolean]

What was your school list? Other than the low undergrad GPA, you seem like a fairly decent applicant. Any red flags? Any more shadowing than that 25?

 

[Goro]

There are schools that value reinvention, so I think you do have a good chance, and a compelling story to boot.

 

[FoxonDocs]

I have not checked in with rejecting schools yet. I've held off because one specifically requested that we wait for feedback until later. So, I'm just attempting to be polite. I applied to 20 total, with 3 rejections and one "wait list for interview". I don't have a full list of my schools on-hand at the moment, but I did apply in-state, to DC, and to a few in Penn (Drexel hops to mind immediately), and then I recall FSU and FAU at the moment as well. I did apply to my dream school in California, but I realize its a huge reach. Figured I might as well try though.

A patient representative essentially plays as a "coordinator of communication" (coined by one of my paid counterparts). In the ER, I help facilitate family to patient to doctor/nursing communication. I help the PD track down and escort family into the ED during traumas. I've also helped, held, consoled and grieved with family members. Plus side, when things get slow, the staff has let me observe everything from stitches to GSWs to the head. In the OR, I play a similar role, helping patients navigate preop, getting family to preop and PACU, coordinating update calls from the OR and the likes. We also help the SICU and burn ICU families. The BICU and PACU nurses often let me listen in on patient treatment.

Unfortunately, I have no other shadowing but my 25 with the neurosurgeon. They have offered me as many shadowing days in clinic as I'd like, and when schedules align again, I will return. They've also offered to let me observe surgeries during my first summer of classes. Life has just presented me more research opportunities than shadowing.

 

[Boolean]

I have not checked in with rejecting schools yet. I've held off because one specifically requested that we wait for feedback until later. So, I'm just attempting to be polite. I applied to 20 total, with 3 rejections and one "wait list for interview". I don't have a full list of my schools on-hand at the moment, but I did apply in-state, to DC, and to a few in Penn (Drexel hops to mind immediately), and then I recall FSU and FAU at the moment as well. I did apply to my dream school in California, but I realize its a huge reach. Figured I might as well try though.

A patient representative essentially plays as a "coordinator of communication" (coined by one of my paid counterparts). In the ER, I help facilitate family to patient to doctor/nursing communication. I help the PD track down and escort family into the ED during traumas. I've also helped, held, consoled and grieved with family members. Plus side, when things get slow, the staff has let me observe everything from stitches to GSWs to the head. In the OR, I play a similar role, helping patients navigate preop, getting family to preop and PACU, coordinating update calls from the OR and the likes. We also help the SICU and burn ICU families. The BICU and PACU nurses often let me listen in on patient treatment.

Unfortunately, I have no other shadowing but my 25 with the neurosurgeon. They have offered me as many shadowing days in clinic as I'd like, and when schedules align again, I will return. They've also offered to let me observe surgeries during my first summer of classes. Life has just presented me more research opportunities than shadowing.

The 25 hours only of shadowing is going to hurt you, even with the clinical volunteering.

 

[FoxonDocs]

I know, it has been terribly hard to coordinate time shadowing. I have earned a few more hours since I submitted my AMCAS (I'm up to about 40 total now). Is it worthwhile to send an update letter--since most of my schools have been silent for months at this point? I've also turned my tutoring work into a full time job.

That being said...am I really SOL?

 

[dkr34]

I think you have great stats, a wealth of experience, and a compelling story that sets you apart. I'm sure what you've posted on here tells only half your story. I can't imagine what you've been through. Any medical school would be happy to have you. Best of luck!

 

[kittykattat]

I got 7 interviews last cycle with middle of the road stats and 25 hours of shadowing in one specialty... I don't know why everyone thinks that your shadowing is such a big issue, especially if you have clinical volunteering to go with it and if you were able to work your hs shadowing into your PS or other secondary essays. I certainly did not have the compelling story that you do either. I really think you have got to have some interview invites on the way if you didn't apply too top heavy! I wish you the best of luck!

 

[sunflower18]

Your story is incredibly compelling -- one of the best reasons for a low freshman GPA I've heard of. Your ECs in general are quite good, and your upward trend/MCAT score are solid. I would be surprised if you didn't get any interviews and/or acceptances this cycle! Best of luck!!

 

[deleted480308]

I hope it goes well, but you should have included some DO schools to increase your odds. The cgpa is still low.

If you end up having to reapply, do some DO shadowing

Keep your head up

 

[FoxonDocs]

Thanks guys.

I actually put the HS shadowing as the last entry in my experiences. Maybe not the best of places, but I wanted my personal statement to reflect my major motivator... My personal essay is entirely my fight with cancer and depression. I realized from the get-go that the low cGPA was going to be my downfall, so I wanted the committee to know, from the get go, that I am a fighter. I wasn't ready for the adult issues that were plopped into my lap as a freshman and didn't get a handle on things until my last two semesters of college. Since it came back again last year, I made the tie in between realizing that I'm not made to be a lab rat, I am made to care for patients. I've been a patient. I've been in that "deer-in-the-headlights" moment in pre-op. It might be cheesy, but I really want to become a doctor who can provide the empathy, compassion and expertise to put my patients at ease in these moments.

This has just been a really rough go for me. And everything has been so quiet since July, I'm very nervous at this point.

I was also just told that playing "the C card" was a bad idea and that I'll look like a liar, since my C-word wasn't "a big deal". Yep.