MD MCAT: 521 GPA: 3.94, TX resident, No Research

[gasbait]

Hi everybody,

I just recently received my MCAT score, and I'm starting to plan for the next cycle. I'm planning on applying to all TX schools, with Baylor College of Medicine being my top choice, though I'm going to apply to a few OOS just to be safe. I'd appreciate some help making a school list, and also how I can beef up my app for next year. My only concern right now is my lack of research, but I believe the rest of my app is solid.

MCAT: 521 (131 / 129 / 130 / 131)

GPA: 3.94

Extra Curriculars/Leadership:

Treasurer for my school's American Chemical Society chapter (One year as officer, member for four)

Staff member for my cities Annual Model United Nations Conference (Five years, ran it once)

Staff Member for Global Classrooms Model United Nations (Four years, ran it once)

President of School's Mock-Trial Team (Competed Nationally two years, Worked as assistant coach for one)

Member of Tribeta Biological Honors Society

Member of Sigma Pi Physics Honor Society

Member of Alpha Chi National Honor Society

Volunteer:

I co-founded an educational non-profit organization that helps high school students from inner-city schools get admitted into college. We have a partnership with my cities school district and have over 300 high school students in the program. It takes up a lot of my time, so I don't really volunteer with anything else.

I also helped teach english at my church through the Teach English Ministry for two years.

Clinical Experience
Shadowing: ~100 hours with a Family Doctor
Also plan to work as a full-time scribe for about a year

Awards:

Staff Member awards from my time in Model United Nations
Individual and Tournament awards from competing in Mock-Trial
Won an award for an experiment I did in Microbiology

Work: I currently work as a private tutor for chemistry and biology. Might apply to be an MCAT tutor.

Research: None besides some independent experiments I did for my senior upper-level classes.

Will my lack of research prohibit me from getting admitted into schools like Baylor and UT South Western? Right now I'm cold-emailing PIs in my city asking for internships. But if my lack of research is no big deal, I'd rather spend more time working on my non-profit or getting a job that pays actual money.

Also, what OOS schools should I be looking at that matches my stats? I haven't really looked at schools outside of TX (didn't think I'd do very well on my MCAT) so your input would be appreciated

Thanks for your help!

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[precisiongraphic]

Research: None besides some independent experiments I did for my senior upper-level classes.

Will my lack of research prohibit me from getting admitted into schools like Baylor and UT South Western? Right now I'm cold-emailing PIs in my city asking for internships. But if my lack of research is no big deal, I'd rather spend more time working on my non-profit or getting a job that pays actual money.

Also, what OOS schools should I be looking at that matches my stats? I haven't really looked at schools outside of TX (didn't think I'd do very well on my MCAT) so your input would be appreciated

Thanks for your help!

Great photo, Bones!

From what I know (someone correct me if I'm wrong) about 90% of Baylor and other top-20 school matriculants have research experience. Even 80% of UTSA have research experience. It might be the only negative on your app, so it might be ok, might not. Instead of calling PIs, I'd talk to your professors and your pre-med advisor. Not sure if you're at a big school or smaller but some schools keep list of professors who are in need of lab help etc. Also, don't ask for internship, tell them you want lab exposure and are willing to volunteer your services and emphasize that you have good grades and know your way around a classroom lab. Ask all of your BCPM professors from all your prior classes if they have any openings or if the can ask around for you. Some schools might also have an email alert system set up to notify students of openings in labs.

I'm not expert on other schools outside of Texas, but your stat profile matches those Texas applicants who are viable as OOS applicants. Stats-wise, you're competitive to any of the top 20 but look at mission, fit and student profiles in MSAR.

 

[gasbait]

Great photo, Bones!

From what I know (someone correct me if I'm wrong) about 90% of Baylor and other top-20 school matriculants have research experience. Even 80% of UTSA have research experience. It might be the only negative on your app, so it might be ok, might not. Instead of calling PIs, I'd talk to your professors and your pre-med advisor. Not sure if you're at a big school or smaller but some schools keep list of professors who are in need of lab help etc. Also, don't ask for internship, tell them you want lab exposure and are willing to volunteer your services and emphasize that you have good grades and know your way around a classroom lab. Ask all of your BCPM professors from all your prior classes if they have any openings or if the can ask around for you. Some schools might also have an email alert system set up to notify students of openings in labs.

I'm not expert on other schools outside of Texas, but your stat profile matches those Texas applicants who are viable as OOS applicants. Stats-wise, you're competitive to any of the top 20 but look at mission, fit and student profiles in MSAR.

Thanks! This picture was back in my hs/trekkie days

And the only problem is that I went to a small liberal arts school, so I don't really have the opportunity for laboratory experience from my alma mater. I'm ashamed to say that most people at my school get their experience from undergraduate internships. and I didn't take advantage of that

Do you have any health care experience outside of your shadowing? You may want to add some volunteering with patients to improve your app. Otherwise you're in great shape!

Thanks! I'm planning on working as medical scribe for about a year to get more clinical experience. The only problem is that I can't do that and research at the same time, which is why I'm worried about not having research experience when I apply.

 

[precisiongraphic]

Thanks! This picture was back in my hs/trekkie days

And the only problem is that I went to a small liberal arts school, so I don't really have the opportunity for laboratory experience from my alma mater. I'm ashamed to say that most people at my school get their experience from undergraduate internships. and I didn't take advantage of that



Thanks! I'm planning on working as medical scribe for about a year to get more clinical experience. The only problem is that I can't do that and research at the same time, which is why I'm worried about not having research experience when I apply.

So, being somewhat of a non-traditional - with gap year(s) - makes it a bit easier. Get a scribe position. You might get lucky and get a scribe job at a hospital where some of the physicians conduct research. Lack of research might keep you out of a few schools but I think you'll have a good chance at many others.

 

[gasbait]

So, being somewhat of a non-traditional - with gap year(s) - makes it a bit easier. Get a scribe position. You might get lucky and get a scribe job at a hospital where some of the physicians conduct research. Lack of research might keep you out of a few schools but I think you'll have a good chance at many others.

Thanks, I think that's what I'll do.

Quick question, though. For my senior year, we had to do a senior seminar project that included an independent research experiment. My experiment involved testing the effects of a novel drug on breast cancer cells. Could I count that as research experience? And if so, would that admittedly short (one semester long) project be much better than nothing?