Hi All,
I'm currently a Virginia resident in the middle of the 2015-2016 application cycle. I am currently a senior completing my undergraduate degree in Neuroscience. I have received nothing but pre-interview rejections this cycle. I am currently waiting on about 12 schools, but seeing as it is so late in the cycle, I'm not particularly hopeful. Here is the school list if it's helpful to anyone:
Rejected Pre-interview
Hopkins-rejected
EVMS-rejected
VCU-rejected
Rochester-rejected
Dartmouth-rejected
Cornell-rejected
NYU-rejected
Georgetown-rejected
Pittsburgh-rejected
Case Western-rejected
Tulane-rejected
Boston University-rejected
Rush-rejected
Still haven't heard from
UVA
Tufts
Emory
Wake Forest
Northwestern
Brown
Sinai
Jefferson
Baylor
Yeshiva
NY Medical College
Miami
Loyola
I absolutely understand that my school list included some unreasonable reaches. Here are my credentials at the time of application:
cGPA: 3.68
sGPA: 3.70
MCAT: 35
1500+ hours of research with award, poster presentations, and authorship in an extremely prestigious journal
President of collegiate a Cappella group with numerous volunteering and philanthropic opportunities (1000+ hours)
Minimal shadowing and clinical experience (<40 hours)
From my own research and what others have told me, the biggest problem is my lack of clinical experience. This has affected not only the number of hours I have, but my essays detailing my commitment to medicine. My application unfortunately did not have the best essays articulating my reasons for going to medical school. Since applying, I have shadowed 150-200 hours, but obviously at this point it's too little too late (still sent schools updates on my experiences). What those experiences have given me are good reasons to go to med school and good reasons to continue getting clinical experience. My main question is about my impending gap year(s?) and what to do with them. Here are the options I am currently playing with:
Medical Scribe (which would start this semester)
Post-Bac program
Clinical Research Coordinator
In an ideal world, I would be able to apply the next cycle (to matriculate in fall of 2017). The problem is that with a job starting in June/July, it's already too late to apply with any significant changes in my application (unless I could get a job that starts in Febuary/March). The second problem is waiting until 2017 to apply comes with the risk of having to take the MCAT again (not sure about this, have heard differing information). I'm very happy with my score and do not feel like studying for the new test would be a good use of my time. I would like advice on 1) what you feel my application needs and 2) what would be the most efficient, yet meaningful, experience to help me get into medical school. This is a tricky situation, so I'd be happy with any info or advice you can give me.
I'd be happy to answer any questions you have and will take any advice to heart.
I'm currently a Virginia resident in the middle of the 2015-2016 application cycle. I am currently a senior completing my undergraduate degree in Neuroscience. I have received nothing but pre-interview rejections this cycle. I am currently waiting on about 12 schools, but seeing as it is so late in the cycle, I'm not particularly hopeful. Here is the school list if it's helpful to anyone:
Rejected Pre-interview
Hopkins-rejected
EVMS-rejected
VCU-rejected
Rochester-rejected
Dartmouth-rejected
Cornell-rejected
NYU-rejected
Georgetown-rejected
Pittsburgh-rejected
Case Western-rejected
Tulane-rejected
Boston University-rejected
Rush-rejected
Still haven't heard from
UVA
Tufts
Emory
Wake Forest
Northwestern
Brown
Sinai
Jefferson
Baylor
Yeshiva
NY Medical College
Miami
Loyola
I absolutely understand that my school list included some unreasonable reaches. Here are my credentials at the time of application:
cGPA: 3.68
sGPA: 3.70
MCAT: 35
1500+ hours of research with award, poster presentations, and authorship in an extremely prestigious journal
President of collegiate a Cappella group with numerous volunteering and philanthropic opportunities (1000+ hours)
Minimal shadowing and clinical experience (<40 hours)
From my own research and what others have told me, the biggest problem is my lack of clinical experience. This has affected not only the number of hours I have, but my essays detailing my commitment to medicine. My application unfortunately did not have the best essays articulating my reasons for going to medical school. Since applying, I have shadowed 150-200 hours, but obviously at this point it's too little too late (still sent schools updates on my experiences). What those experiences have given me are good reasons to go to med school and good reasons to continue getting clinical experience. My main question is about my impending gap year(s?) and what to do with them. Here are the options I am currently playing with:
Medical Scribe (which would start this semester)
Post-Bac program
Clinical Research Coordinator
In an ideal world, I would be able to apply the next cycle (to matriculate in fall of 2017). The problem is that with a job starting in June/July, it's already too late to apply with any significant changes in my application (unless I could get a job that starts in Febuary/March). The second problem is waiting until 2017 to apply comes with the risk of having to take the MCAT again (not sure about this, have heard differing information). I'm very happy with my score and do not feel like studying for the new test would be a good use of my time. I would like advice on 1) what you feel my application needs and 2) what would be the most efficient, yet meaningful, experience to help me get into medical school. This is a tricky situation, so I'd be happy with any info or advice you can give me.
I'd be happy to answer any questions you have and will take any advice to heart.