Am I screwed? ( 3.8/35)

[BobbyJohn]

Hello SDN,

Please weigh in on my chances at medical school, although I'm sure they aren't very good. Applying next cycle.

cGPA/sGPA: 3.82/3.88
MCAT : 35 (12/11/12)
Location: California
Ethnicity: White
Sex: Male

Volunteering: Officer of a club that helps the homeless of the community (1.5 years upon applying), and Habitat for Humanity (1 year upon applying).
Research: None
Clinical experience: Shadowed doctors for 4 days total, that's it.

Letters of Rec: Good enough ones from two science profs, working on non-science, strong letter from summer job of 2 summers (3 during application).

School list : Any american MD school.

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[NYCdude]

lol 3.8 and 35? Move to the DO forum please.

 

[ProudMD]

Your stats are fantastic and good enough for the top tiers.

However, your clinical ECs are severely lacking. If all you have in terms of clinical experience is 4 days of shadowing, then that's going to be a big red flag. I recommend that you continue to shadow and do some volunteering at a hospital/clinical setting. Passive shadowing/observational experiences alone are NOT enough, and most successful applicants have a combination of shadowing and hospital/clinical volunteering experiences (around 50 hours of shadowing and 150 hours of hospital volunteering). You still have quite a while before next cycle, so focus on building your clinical ECs.

The complete lack of research will also be a problem with the research-focused MD schools.

Right now, your chances aren't very good simply because of your lack of ECs. But once you build up your ECs, your chances will be fantastic because your numbers are incredibly strong.

You must have worked very hard for your GPA and MCAT; don't let them go to waste because of your lack of ECs.

Best of luck.

 

[baxt1412]

U might stand a chance in the Caribbean

 

[Lamel]

Start some clinical volunteering and keep it going until you submit the application at least. Join a research lab as well.

If you start these activities soon and you keep them going past the application cycle you will be fine.

 

[onceawolverine]

Excellent works on those stats. But, according to your post, I don't see the "story." Now, take this with a grain of salt because I am but a lowly senior, but here's my two cents...
Without clinical involvement, how do you know you want to be a doctor? How do you know medicine is for you? Or rather, and perhaps more importantly, how are you going to convince a wizened, skeptical physician interviewer that you are serious, committed, and passionate about improving the lives of others through medical treatment and/or innovation? Start creating a strong story, and you will have no problems getting into medical school (given that you don't have IAs, felony record, and don't show up drunk to interviews).
Good Luck!

 

[Pierre Escargot]

Are you screwed with a 3.8 and a 35 MCAT?

I'll answer your question with a question: are you trolling?

Edit: Upon reading your post again, I got the feeling you were referring more to your ECs. Sorry about that.

 

[Itisneverlupus]

I understand that it sounds like a troll post, but I take it to be legitimate upon further reading of OP's "app". Stats are completely useless if other essentials are lacking.

Stats: Perfect.

Volunteering: Great.

Clinical: Nonexistent. Matters very much.

Research: Nonexistent. Matters to many schools, especially big research ones. However, it's really the combination of nonexistent clinicals + no research that sinks this ship.

LORS: Fine.

Add in hobbies (long term; very long term). Add in work experience. These (especially the work experience!!!!) are a big deal. Work demonstrates being entrusted with responsibility. There's more to your app than just these, but you're not complete without mentioning all aspects.

Screwed? Not necessarily. Get clinical exposure. This matters more than research. People get in without research (albeit they are certainly in the minority). Who gets in without clinical? Maybe a few, who are godly in other aspects, or perhaps applying to schools MD/PhD, or schools that simply love research to death, and will accept only four days of shadowing.

And choose your schools wisely. Broadly, humbly, etc.

Good luck.

 

[Graywolf]

Can I out-troll this troll?

WAMC: 4.0/41

EC's: Watch Scrubs. Love helping old people when they fall over...Any MD school.

 

[Zelda840]

Your stats are good enough for top tier, but without research, I'd focus on getting as much clinical experience as possible between now and June and setting your sights a bit lower than your stats would suggest.

 

[Holmwood]

Take everything you hear from sdn with a grain of salt:

Your non-clinical extracurriculars are fine. Definitely capitalize on your work with the under-served and homeless. Continue working with the homeless and habitat for humanity to show long term commitment.

Your lack of research may hurt you at top research schools, but the majority of schools are not heavily research-focused. Many applicants have gotten into top medical schools with no research, and if you are asked about it during interviews you can simply say that you just don't have interest in doing research, but are more interested in working with the under-served (any valid reason).

Try to get at least 1 year's worth of clinical experience(50-100) at the bare minimum. This includes working or volunteering at a hospital. Since you are a California resident, you might want to try the Clinical Care Extender program.

Continue shadowing a physician as much as you can (and possibly get a LOR) to supplement your statements about why you want to become a physician. You can't prove much if you haven't seen what physicians actually do, and not all clinical experiences will give you much perspective on physicians.

As for your stats, you're eligible for top schools. Just get your ECs to match within a year.

 

[wuhsabee]

No chances for any US med schools.

 

[Goro]

Your Ecs are weak enough as of right now to get you rejected.

You need to demonstrate that you know what a doctor's day is like, that you know what you're getting into, and that you really want to be around sick and injured people for the next 30-40 years.

Non-clinical ECs are great, but it's the clinicals you now have to work on. In addition, research heavy schools, for which your numbers are very competitive, will want you do have some research experience.

Hello SDN,

Please weigh in on my chances at medical school, although I'm sure they aren't very good. Applying next cycle.

cGPA/sGPA: 3.82/3.88
MCAT : 35 (12/11/12)
Location: California
Ethnicity: White
Sex: Male

Volunteering: Officer of a club that helps the homeless of the community (1.5 years upon applying), and Habitat for Humanity (1 year upon applying).
Research: None
Clinical experience: Shadowed doctors for 4 days total, that's it.

Letters of Rec: Good enough ones from two science profs, working on non-science, strong letter from summer job of 2 summers (3 during application).

School list : Any american MD school.

 

[bioman1275]

Hello SDN,

Please weigh in on my chances at medical school, although I'm sure they aren't very good. Applying next cycle.

cGPA/sGPA: 3.82/3.88
MCAT : 35 (12/11/12)
Location: California
Ethnicity: White
Sex: Male

Volunteering: Officer of a club that helps the homeless of the community (1.5 years upon applying), and Habitat for Humanity (1 year upon applying).
Research: None
Clinical experience: Shadowed doctors for 4 days total, that's it.

Letters of Rec: Good enough ones from two science profs, working on non-science, strong letter from summer job of 2 summers (3 during application).

School list : Any american MD school.

Bro, good luck waiting tables. your gpa is TERRIBLE. I mean a 3.82?? haha! don't make me laugh, its pathetic compared to the 5.7 gpa average of most applicants. have fun learning to be a nurse at a low tier DO program. you might have better luck learning to be a doctors secretary in PA school!

 

[Ismet]

Moving to WAMC.

As already stated, your stats are great.

Your ECs (or lack thereof) will keep you out of many schools. You would probably not get an interview at my school. That said, there's half a year between now and when you can submit AMCAS. That's half a year's worth of clinical experience you can get. It might be too late to get research for the spring semester, but if you will be free next summer, start applying to summer research programs (the NIH SIP application should be open soon!) so that you can have that on your plate too, if you're interested in top or research-heavy schools. You have time to fix this, so do it NOW.

Bro, good luck waiting tables. your gpa is TERRIBLE. I mean a 3.82?? haha! don't make me laugh, its pathetic compared to the 5.7 gpa average of most applicants. have fun learning to be a nurse at a low tier DO program. you might have better luck learning to be a doctors secretary in PA school!

How original. Clearly he was asking about his ECs. Maybe be a bit more helpful next time rather than rehashing the same joke.

 

[j4pac]

I am pretty sure lots of sub-30 MCAT folks could have been in the mid-30 range if they didn't have jobs and fill their schedule with research, shadowing, and leadership experiences. Med school is a juggling act and they will be looking for evidence that you can multitask. You don't right now.

That should be your focus moving forward...proving that you are well rounded.

 

[DaMedDude]

No, I don't think so. It'll just depend on how you interview and whether not you can convince them you are genuine without having any ECs. I think you will for sure get some interviews, assuming you applied broadly. I have 4.0/36 with decent ECs and have only received 2 II and have heard nothing from the other 9 schools I applied to. I assume you just haven't heard anything but haven't received many, if any, rejections. Patience, schools are just really backed up this cycle. Having said that you need to be beefing up your ECs now so that when you do get an interview you can let them know that you understand you are lacking in this area and need and want to improve and you have been doing this in order to make progress. I think numbers will get you an interview but lack of ECs MAY keep you out of many schools.

 

[knv2u]

.

 

[csx]

chances are good with more clinical exp