MD Looking for EC Advice, School List Help 4.0/528

[NormalUsername42]

Thanks for all the help guys!

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[NormalUsername42]

username checks out

Crap, that wasn't meant to come out like a holier-than-thou dig. I thought of that name as like "blending into the background". I guess I'm stuck with it now though.

Edit: That's better.

 

[lacrossegirl420]

@NormalUsername42 : haha u good just messing with ya. ur app looks good , im not an expert by any means but i'd say you have a great/basically guaranteed chance at getting into one of the high stat T20s (eg washU) other schools idk. good luck!

 

[deleted1025488]

1. Your research sounds interesting but it all depends on your involvement, what/how you speak about it, and what you took from it. 300 hours is significant (sounds like one summer?) and the fact that it isn't clinical nor basic science research makes it unique. However, this might be a disadvantage. I don't know enough about your research to tell, haha.
2. You can shadow a few months before applying, it's not something that requires longitudinal involvement. Also since you have scribed for 600 hours, it probably doesn't even matter.
3. Your clinical hours are top-notch. The fact that you address COVID yet still note that you might be viewed on "negatively" is interesting. COVID affected 99.5% of people in regard to clinical hours. Some people have no clinical hours because they planned on doing them all during 2019-2020 in preparation for the 2021 cycle, and now are stuck in a very uncomfortable position. Consider yourself lucky...

My take: apply to the top stat-hungry schools and radiate outwards from there
- WashU
- Pritzker
- NYU
etc.

Also don't forget your instate school

 

[NormalUsername42]

1. Your research sounds interesting but it all depends on your involvement, what/how you speak about it, and what you took from it. 300 hours is significant (sounds like one summer?) and the fact that it isn't clinical nor basic science research makes it unique. However, this might be a disadvantage. I don't know enough about your research to tell, haha.
2. You can shadow a few months before applying, it's not something that requires longitudinal involvement. Also since you have scribed for 600 hours, it probably doesn't even matter.
3. Your clinical hours are top-notch. The fact that you address COVID yet still note that you might be viewed on "negatively" is interesting. COVID affected 99.5% of people in regard to clinical hours. Some people have no clinical hours because they planned on doing them all during 2019-2020 in preparation for the 2021 cycle, and now are stuck in a very uncomfortable position. Consider yourself lucky...

My take: apply to the top stat-hungry schools and radiate outwards from there
- WashU
- Pritzker
- NYU
etc.

Also don't forget your instate school

1. So the research was all done over one summer and was concerned with surveying the habitat, population, and reproductive cycles of a few endangered species in the area. The data was used for education and conservation efforts. I'm a little worried about talking about this research though, because I learned that the fieldwork involved was definitely not my cup of tea. The science and research itself was interesting, but where we were working (weather, habitat) was brutal for me.
2. I'll be looking for some opportunities to shadow, at least a little bit, over the next year. There's one FM doc I know who, like I talked about, was going to let me shadow this summer, but COVID happened.
3. Yeah, you're right. I'm very fortunate that I started clinical activiteis early and that I was able to spend a fair amount of time doing them. I just wish I could've kept doing them. I actually really enjoyed them!

Thank you for the suggestions!

 

[NormalUsername42]

@NormalUsername42 : haha u good just messing with ya. ur app looks good , im not an expert by any means but i'd say you have a great/basically guaranteed chance at getting into one of the high stat T20s (eg washU) other schools idk. good luck!

Thanks for the reply!

 

[deleted1025488]

1. So the research was all done over one summer and was concerned with surveying the habitat, population, and reproductive cycles of a few endangered species in the area. The data was used for education and conservation efforts. I'm a little worried about talking about this research though, because I learned that the fieldwork involved was definitely not my cup of tea. The science and research itself was interesting, but where we were working (weather, habitat) was brutal for me.
2. I'll be looking for some opportunities to shadow, at least a little bit, over the next year. There's one FM doc I know who, like I talked about, was going to let me shadow this summer, but COVID happened.
3. Yeah, you're right. I'm very fortunate that I started clinical activiteis early and that I was able to spend a fair amount of time doing them. I just wish I could've kept doing them. I actually really enjoyed them!

Thank you for the suggestions!

I think you can definitely still paint it in a positive light. The only issue I would see with saying that it "wasn't your cup of tea" would be explaining why you haven't pursued or explored different research opportunities relating to your studies and/or medicine. That's the only downside I can see, especially when applying to research powerhouse schools. Other than that I think the research itself is fine, and the fact that you took initiative and presented at a symposium also shows that you care.

 

[NormalUsername42]

I think you can definitely still paint it in a positive light. The only issue I would see with saying that it "wasn't your cup of tea" would be explaining why you haven't pursued or explored different research opportunities relating to your studies and/or medicine. That's the only downside I can see, especially when applying to research powerhouse schools. Other than that I think the research itself is fine, and the fact that you took initiative and presented at a symposium also shows that you care.

I see your point there. I'll be meeting with the advisor at my school soon to discuss the possibility of finding some on-campus research over the next year. Either way, I'll still try to steer clear of saying anything super negative about the my experience. Because aside from the weather and some of the less than stellar qualities about the habitats of concern, it was super interesting!

 

[Dr. Brandon Green]

Get shadowing hours or work hours in health setting. Stay in touch with previous employer. For residency selection we’ve gone past few years to asking applicants to provide a letter from a previous employer before medical school. You would be surprised how many applicants have no work experience and don’t get an interview. Schools and residencies want candidates with like experience and grit.

 

[NormalUsername42]

Get shadowing hours or work hours in health setting. Stay in touch with previous employer. For residency selection we’ve gone past few years to asking applicants to provide a letter from a previous employer before medical school. You would be surprised how many applicants have no work experience and don’t get an interview. Schools and residencies want candidates with like experience and grit.

My time as a scribe was in the emergency department of a large hospital in my area. Would you say that I need more experience in a different setting? I agree that I should get shadowing hours. I had a couple physicians that I had set up shadowing with before COVID that had cancelled due to COVID. I'll definitely be looking to see what happens this winter and spring if COVID dies down or we get a vaccine to get some dedicated shadowing hours.

Thank you for the advice on keeping in touch with my employer! That actually hadn't crossed my mind and I'm very glad you brought that up.

 

[NormalUsername42]

I apologize if I'm being a pain with this, but @Goro and @Faha , I'd love and truly appreciate any input you may have on my EC's/school list if possible.

 

[Goro]

WashU
Chicago
NYU
All of my state schools
Harvard
Stanford
Yale
UVM
Pitt
UPenn
UCSF
Case
Hopkins
UMich


ADD
U VA
U CO
U WI
U IA
U MA
SUNY.SB
UTx SW
Baylor
USF
Emory
Dartmouth
U Rochester
Hofstra
UCSF
UCLA
KECK
All NYC Titans
Einstein
BU
DUKE
WESTERN MICHIGAN

 

[NormalUsername42]

WashU
Chicago
NYU
All of my state schools
Harvard
Stanford
Yale
UVM
Pitt
UPenn
UCSF
Case
Hopkins
UMich


ADD
U VA
U CO
U WI
U IA
U MA
SUNY.SB
UTx SW
Baylor
USF
Emory
Dartmouth
U Rochester
Hofstra
UCSF
UCLA
KECK
All NYC Titans
Einstein
BU
DUKE
WESTERN MICHIGAN

Thank you so much for the list Goro! I'll be looking deeper into all of these.

If I could ask one more question, aside from trying to get some dedicated shadowing before applying, should I be alright with the clinical experience I have so far? I feel like I have a lot to talk about from each of them and would like to get back to them if I could, but I'm not sure how that'll go with COVID still going on.

 

[Goro]

Thank you so much for the list Goro! I'll be looking deeper into all of these.

If I could ask one more question, aside from trying to get some dedicated shadowing before applying, should I be alright with the clinical experience I have so far? I feel like I have a lot to talk about from each of them and would like to get back to them if I could, but I'm not sure how that'll go with COVID still going on.

Your clinical experience is fine. Suggest more service to others less fortunate than yourself.

Scribing IS shadowing!!! Only you got paid for it. Kills several birds with one stone.

 

[NormalUsername42]

Your clinical experience is fine. Suggest more service to others less fortunate than yourself.

Scribing IS shadowing!!! Only you got paid for it. Kills several birds with one stone.

Alright, that's something I can definitely look into doing more of. There are a lot of organizations in my area that help that part of the community and need a whole lot of help themselves right now. Again, thank you so much for your time, help, and all you do!

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

You are a platinum-level rock star. Fill your list with top 20s and state schools. Add a few mid-tiers for safety, if you want. But your stats are literally perfect and your ECs are solid. You’re Harvard material for sure.